Helene, the aftermath and a chance to learn from others misery....

It truly is an ill wind that blows no good....

As is my usual practice, I've been going thru all the 'on the ground' videos I can find on the hurricane's aftermath.in order to draw lessons and to bounce my preps and planning against a real-world situation. Not exactly apples to apples for me, living in AK, but still plenty to look at.

Have you used this as a chance to do the same pre-planning gut check using the information provided/found in the many videos to be found online?

Any surprises?

 

Having gone through hurricane Hugo I learned get out of Dodge if there is any chance it will be above a Cat 2. We have all our important papers in a metal box (grab and go) we keep cash on hand and I keep 5 6 gallon gas cans filled in the back of my truck any time a bad storm is head my way. For insurance the entire contents of the house has been photographed as well as the outside.

 

you should always be looking for After Action Reports concerning SHTFs - always some nuggets to be found - might be that the majority of the report doesn't pertain because of geographic differences >>> but even some minor knowledge gain can make a difference for you ....

I'll be interested to read more of the out & out Biden revenge tactics being deployed by the various FED ABCDs agencies - especially the FEMA interference and the unpreparedness for the disaster ....

 

A few things I know from hurricanes:
-If you are leaving, leave sooner rather than later. If you are going to a hotel somewhere, make reservations as soon as you think you may need to leave, they can always be canceled.
-Take an over abundance of identifying paperwork.
-Let someone far from the area know where you will be, whether staying or leaving.
-Assume nothing. Don't assume you can get gas, food, or even safe passage.
-If staying, do not answer the door pre-event. Become a ghost.
-If staying, don't expect help. Individuals are the last to receive any help as Hospitals, nursing homes, and shelters get the attention first.
-Do not trust anything that any "official" tells you. They lie. Always. Even about things that don't matter.
-If you do not feel you are resourceful enough to lose it all and still survive, leave. If you can't make it on your own you become a burden on the rescue mission.
-Do not expect any services to be available after an event. Power, water, cell service, fire/police/medical.
-After a bad hurricane, you probably will have no power and neither will the gas station. Don't expect that shiny generator to run non-stop keeping you comfortable in what will become a hot virtual steambath in the days after a storm. You will soon be out of fuel. 2 days after Hugo I had people begging me for fuel. It was tough to say no but I had to. Which brings up....
-Don't become the neighborhood Walmart because you were smart enough to prepare. Always put yourself and family FIRST. Make yourself seem just as desperate as everyone else.
-FEMA are coordinators, not help. They set up a post within an incident command and call for what they think is needed. You will never see a FEMA official with a shovel in his hand. The FEMA official has the power to get just about anything during a declared emergency but their focus will be on the larger tasks such as fuel for emergency responders, mobilizing agencies to clear roads, and summoning crews to repair critical infrastructure such as communications towers. Their focus is not on the individual but rather the collective.

Those who know me on here know I have a dim view of the abilities of the government, but so much coming from the Hurricane Helene event are just not true. When my boss got to Asheville on Tuesday, FEMA was on the ground. AT&T had many COWS (cellular on wheels) set up in different areas. The Forestry Service came in and built a new road up the mountain to the transmitter site so fuel could be supplied for the generator to keep the TV and many emergency services repeaters online. Temporary bridges were on-site to be placed over washouts. People were coming to the incident command trailers to charge their phones and most were able to grab a bite to eat and some water. Heavy equipment was everywhere. The devastation from the flooding was immense and yes, it will probably be months before that last house is reached and maybe years before all of the infrastructure is back in place.
The bad news we all hear is always about the individual stranded somewhere in the boonies or the person who hasn't had power in 3 weeks. The truth is, mobilization and response takes time. None of the heavy equipment or vehicles or fuel tankers were in the area when the flood hit, it all had to be brought in. The food has to be brought in, along with medical supplies and mainly, people. It does not just magically appear. The effort must begin at a point and expand from there. This is why people should prepare. Help isn't coming as soon as the rain stops. More people will likely die before help reaches them. In the coming weeks rescue missions will turn to recovery missions. The state and federal government will step up and help people financially, always have. Jobs are gone, some forever. Like the aftermath of Hugo or Andrew, some things will be rebuilt and some are just gone forever, mainly small businesses. It takes time to recover and the real issue is months down the road when the media has moved on to newer stories and the people of Appalachia still don't have jobs and housing and the emergency response has ended, leaving destroyed buildings and flooded out cars for the citizens to deal with themselves. I hope everyone is still as passionate about their plight then.
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Here in Mcclellanvile after Hugo hit no power (all on wells) it was 4 days before a tanker with water was brought in, because of the storm surge all the septic systems back up shit on the ground everywhere eventually lime was brought in (donation) to spread on the ground.

 

I did a review and my weak point is power.

I've managed to do a piss poor job of maintaining my generators.

My UPS bank needs an electrolyte change and I need a back up controller.

I can't find some of the parts I set aside for getting wind generation online.

I'm a mess.

Everything else, seems ok except I'm down to 1/2 cord of cooking wood and need a couple more cords ordered.

 

I have been watching this BLOW UP all over, FEMA once again fucked it all up, and what's worse, Biden is completely Brain Dead, as in not doing a God Damn Thing, which tells us everything, the worst is NOT federalizing the National Guard and sending help to those effected areas, Mainly State's have sent help to boost the Guard units who self deployed under their State's Gov'ner and/or Adjunct General/Admiral.
Second, there are ZERO coms, nobody can talk to anyone, and worse, there is NO command and Control, Folks are in desperate situations, and it's come down to both the Cajun Navy and Red Neck Air Force doing the heavy lifting, often with out local knowledge, which has really blown things out of proportion. THIS is WORSE then Katrina in that the Gov Response has been minimal at best, with local Guard Units doing what they can, but being totally un-prepaired and under equipped to handle the challenges they are still facing!

Ashville N.C is a prime example, that area is inaccessible, all the roads have been washed out, it's mountainous and the altitude is NOT helping. Then you get the Red Neck Air Force being the ONLY assets that can operate in that area, and they are getting pushback from local leadership, including One incident with a Assistant Fire Chief threatening a Pilot with arrest for doing the Human thing and helping rescue people!
One hand doesn't know what the other is doing, and in the case of this Chief, they are expecting folks to follow some obscure procedure that in the best of times, would be difficult, and now, impossible, and when Lives hang in the balance, that Fucktard blocking rescue efforts is not only irresponsible, it's down right criminal, and to make it worse, the Town Manager is backing the Chief and not holding herself or the chief accountable for this!

Bottom line here, YOU are your own first responder in ANY event, and your preps absolutely will help, because like we are seeing, help may not come in time,, or may be blocked by some Fucktard on a power trip, and worse, we have a failed Fed Response, and worser, a Sitting President who is a Dried Up Over Cooked Potato suntanning his lilly white ass on a beach! Ashville is a perfect example of WHY we do what we do!!!!
An Area not prone to anything, any big storms or other major events, it's otherwise stable! BAM, big storm of the century hits and wipes out that stable area, NOBODY was ready or prepared for something even close to this, and it's has taken it's toll big time! Now add in mountainous terrain and a hyper crital road system that is easy to render un usuable, and you get what we see today!

 

The break down involving the Pilot doing rescue has really gotten me fired up Big Time! We have city officials who cannot think on their own or act with out the guiding hand of some higher authority here, and this has gotten people killed!
As a Pilot, I know how these things go, with an exceptional amount of experience doing Airborne Search and Rescue, I know all the Rules and such, and know when NOT to go and how to know where NOT to GO! First thing here that really cranks me up like a rubber chicken, some towns emergency plan, they are assuming they will have comms, and especially be able to have comms outside to access greater resources! Here is the first Fuckup, Demanding Helicoptor pilots first check in with the local gov. with NO one actually knowing that was a policy, and with that city not able to handle that process anyway. That City was completely in over it's head and it's managers and Law Enforcement officers Stepping WAY outside their lane trying to have control over something far too big for them to manage! THen you have a EGO from a City Assistant Fire Chief making things far worse by assuming powers far outside his authority! The "Plan" to have pilots checking in is flat out stupid, time is not working with you, and trying to force things or worse enforce a plan ended up getting people killed who could have been saved! Assuming you have authority when you do not, that's never a good plan, and once again, will get people killed! Not being flexible and being ready to assist the assets you need, and instead trying to flex and hold on to your emergency powers and you little patch, NOPE, you got folks in your community killed for that! That assistant fire chief needs to be arrested and sent away for a long time, so does the city manager, and city clowncil, and most of all, the city cops that were ready to back the assistant chief's threat to arrest a pilot, thos cops need arrested and locked up for a good amount of time too!

 

"YOU are your own first responder in ANY event"
Quote for Truth.
****

I worked as a Business Continuity Manager for a major telecom outfit in AK for several years. As a trained professional (yes, I have a ton of college hours and a shiny certificate form the University of Richmond) - and thus attended many, many planning session run by FEMA.

1) FEMA IS NOT there for individuals, but for the local government. I was told many times that FEMA focus is to get the local govt back up and running, then let the local gov't take care of people.

2) Most of the "disaster response' people are part-time hires,FEMA, thus clueless. This is - IMO - where the 'power hungry assholes' memes come from. Because many part timers are just that. Think - the blind leading the blind.

3) Setting the road issues aside for a second, this event is a classic 'loss of utilities' event - no water, power, comms or sewer systems and related loss of access to food/gas/etc. If you are in the planning - plan review phase - forget the single scenario, and look instead to
Loss of utilities -
Loss of power will shortly lead to loss of water service, sewer problems and on and on.

Labor 'trouble' -
The dock workers strike should be a wakeup call for everyone. 90% of prescription drugs are make outside of the CONUS. .Medical supplies were also impacted by the loss of a single plant int he disaster Aree (look up IV solution shortage).
Supply chain disruptions can kill you just as dead as a flood....

Good luck, but remember, good planning trumps luck -- most of the time

 

Some of us out here have worked in very dangerous occupations and have knowledge and experience to match.
This does not make us better than others...but it does make us very different.

The other facet of this knowledge and experience is that we also know real leadership when we see it.

And what is going on does not indicate much leadership. I am with some of the posters here...in that many city and town managers are in way over their heads.

One of the very valuable commodity that is impossible to buy or barter for ...trade for ...in this kind of situation is time...

I am not convinced that many mayors/managers seem to know or understand this. I wonder too about Washington DC ....time!!!??


I have a friend up there in the mountains of Eastern Tennessee..who is a long time prepper ..and moved there about five years ago....from Here in Virginia. He was without power until yesterday..but has a generator and it is positioned in his cinderblock well pump house. Thus he had electricity and water both..and septic tank.

His land line is still not working and he is debating getting rid of it and going with something called Star Link.
He also has internet via a satellite Dish and was able to get out in that manner...but also both of us are licensed Hams....with extra class licenses. I was able to speak with him on the Extra Class portion of the 75 meter band for about 45 minutes the other night with him on generator power. We did fine on 75 meters SSB using the minimum power needed so as not to strain his generator.

Now that he has power ....he is going to change out the oil and filter in his generator and put it back on the ready line in his pump house. Smart thing to do...get it back on the ready line.

But my friend did a lot of thinking these things through ...and is a retired Electrician ...both of us from this Shipyard....here on the East Coast. He wired his generator up to his house way back years ago with his electrical skills....

I am glad for him that he and his wife did well back up in those hills...and he is back up there in those hills...by choice.

Orangetom
Not an Ishmaelite.

 

Looks like Tampa Fl and Orlando are going to see a hurricane Cat 2 maybe 3 on Wednesday People of Florida don't count on FEMA to help you out you have a very red Governor

 

It's why you review. It's good that you can be honest about your shortcomings. When the SHTF is no time to find out.

 

I ain't proud. I'm here to learn and give a little input when I can.

I've helped get things done in a lot of situations, but I admit I'm not great at anything.

I am wise enough to follow the smart people.

 

Lol, Never be afraid to tell outsiders to F'Off trying to order you around.
As a rule in south La. we don't like or trust any outsider coming in and trying to show us the error of our way's period.
If your not with a well known local then your going to catch some eyes and not get anything done that you think you can BS your way thru.
Pretty much this applies to any small clannish needihoods, Make friends and stfu and give no orders until you may be accepted or not?

 

You got that right, Gator! When my wife brought me down here it helped out that I could speak some French with some of the elder Cajuns...and appreciated grits fixed properly. Never had an issue after that
Knowing and following traditions is a big part of blending into a community. If you really want "clannish," try the Okinawans! I (later) discovered that it was unusual for round eyes to be invited to a CEO's house for a meal after an evening at his favorite bar...

Anyhow, when Katrina came through we loaded up early and took a vacation we had been planning for the following week. Stopped by the FEMA place in San Antonio to see if there was any info from our area and had their people asking us where different things were set up. I guess a dress shirt and khaki trousers created a picture of authority to some?
Upon our return home (we were hoping we still had one since the eye had gone over us), we had our Parish re-entry passes (for emergency responders) displayed and had no problems from the MPs that had been brought in. Got the gen and food unloaded from the trailer and proceeded to help with ham radio communications...then Rita came by to our west and just kept on the air passing traffic as we could. Worst part of the whole thing was cleaning out the freezer...and the overall devastation. Along the MS coast, nothing much left except for a bunch of scoured concrete slabs where dozens of houses once stood. To this day there is a marker several miles inland indicating where the storm surge had reached on an interstate overpass.
Well, we took the lesson seriously and have made several additions and improvements to the situation here, many of which have been tested and modified as a result of subsequent storms and power outages.
Bottom line is you can read, watch videos and make plans all you want, but if you don't implement them you haven't really done anything.

 

Look up Sibelco North American crystal mine in Spruce Pine Mt. N.C.
Could be bad for the future in the chip manufacturing.

 

We flew almost 2 weeks of search and rescue after Katrina, the First two days were mostly live rescues, after that, it was mostly marking dead bodies for later collection! FEMA was a Joke. During the first few days, the State Gov'ners were reticent to call the National Guard out or FEMA, they mistakenly thought they had things under control, but they did not! Between Us and the U.S.C.G. we flew over 3000 missions during those first few days, so much so that all of our aircraft had to be grounded and sent to regeneration, which took upwards of a year EACH! When the States finally accepted Bush's offer to call out the Guard and FEMA, it was a shit show writ large, you had all the LEO from all over, no command and control, no coordination of anything, and no one to blame when it all went to shit! From patching breached levies to pumping out whole parish's so we could then access those areas, it all took far longer then it should have! We have all seen the footage, and the aftermath, you would think over all these years, we would have learned, but we have not! Florida is far from perfect, BUT, they have learned how NOT to rely on FEMA and how to get things done in state with what they have! Florida also has one thing many other state do not, a STRONG leadership that are experienced enough to be able to get shit done with out FED help, just send the Checks and we will handle it ourselves!

Moving forward, The states all need to do a review of their Emergency Response Plans, and those need to reflect a total comms black out, total failure or ALL infrastructure, and total loss of local command and control!

They need to set up pre planned command and control sites, as well as emergency comms and personal to take charge and get things moving! We also need to Look at our National Command Structure, No more Gov'ners calling the President to ask for help, it should be automatic and pre planned for each state given it's unique set of issues. Everyone should know that Search and Rescue swill be the number 1 Priority and local flying sites/fields will be the hubs for that to happen, none of his "this is My Patch, Bugger off" bullshit, when pilots start showing up, you need to be ready to provide fuel, water, food, and a place to sleep, NO CHARGE for active participants! from there, you get your best birds eye view of things and can fine tune your response to things, especially as things change. The first 48 hours is most critical, that's about the time you have between Live Rescue and body marking. After that, you work on supplying folks with needful things until you can ether get them out, or get them help! Elon Musk did the impossable, sending truck loads of mobile Starlink sets to communities to allow comms, this wasn't a FEMA response or anyone telling/demanding anything, it was simply Elon doing what was right in a timely manor! We need to do better, and we can, but we need big gov to stay the fuck out of it, just write the checks and see that they go to those who need it most, and be done!