A fallen tree, Wildewood Drive

Beth Price, photographer

After Hurricane Irma passed through, a tree blocked every road out of the neighborhood. Within hours, WWIIA maintenance person Steven Alf, WWS crews, (and neighbors) cut tree trunks to allow access on roadways. This Banyan tree is on Wildewood Drive.

Just before Irma arrived, and after

The tallest of the established old palms (Washingtonia robusta, Mexican Fan Palm) here in Wildewood Springs are still standing after the storm. Beth Price, photographer.

September 19, 2017

Terry and I boarded up and last-minute evacuated to North Carolina (where Hurricane Irma also took down many trees). We planned to stay in Wildewood and ride out the storm, and then Saturday morning, my daughter called to say that their friend who is the director of the NWS recommended evacuation: "the storm category and path is too close to call and dangerous."

Before leaving, I took a visiting family member (who boarded one of the last flights out of SRQ) to Save Our Birds on Longboat Key. All staff was facilitating the evacuation of birds to other shelters, and to certified falconry specialists' homes. Lisa, one of the rehabbers, was giving gentle hose showers to the Barred Owls to help them calm down. (Owls love gentle rain showers.) It worked.

This Screech Owl seemed to know that a storm was brewing.

We returned yesterday to find clean up has begun.

 

 

All of the trees look airier.

Surprising, the orchids remain in the trees! Some are a bit battered, and a couple need adjustments. But your memorials are snug. One, honoring Walter Goodrich's Mother, a variety I was told might not survive mounted in a tree—well, it's blooming!

APPS - Hurricane Irma

APPS to consider downloading on your phone:

Zello Walkie Talkie

FPL - report and get updates on power outages

Windy - wind and weather stats

Finishing preparations, our plan is in place

Today we'll finish our preparations. 

I use this map for guidance about storm-related winds arriving and the earliest estimated beginning of power outage (The National Hurricane Center).

Hurricane Irma is 600 miles wide. The widest distance of Florida is 180 miles. 

We're listening to our local officials (Manatee County Emergency Center). 

Be a good neighbor: bring inside all outdoor items

A ceramic heart on our porch wall. 

We're bringing it and our furniture inside. 

Some of the things Terry and I are doing:

Get cash.

Fuel cars. 

Prepare for 3 days (and up to 2 weeks of a power outage). 

Put important papers in ziploc bags (social security cards, certificates).

Make ice for cooler (in ziploc bags or dairy containers).

Make a video and take pictures of the inside of home. 

Bring all outdoor items indoors. This includes: 

- Patio furniture (from porch and front and back courtyard gardens)

- Lawn/house decorations (for example, sculptures, wind chimes, wreaths—anything that can become a projectile)

- Planters 

- Tools

Our front inner garden is bare because we will plant a new garden. Whew, nothing to bring inside from that area. Good timing!

My sister just stopped by to drop off an extra cooler. She reminded me of Hurricane Charlie. Charlie, a category 4, was forecast for a direct hit to Tampa in 2004 and wobbled and went ashore in the Charlotte Bay area. Just a slight wobble changed what happened.

The hardest part about preparation is taking action when there is still uncertainty to do things like this:

Make a reservation at a safe hotel in a WHITE evacuation zone closest to our home. That would have been done a week to ten days ago; it's too late to do this now. (Note to self.)

However, it's not too late to choose an evacuation shelter (as back up if you cannot go to family or friends or a hotel). The list is HERE. We are LISTENING to our local Manatee County Emergency Management guidance. 

The BEST thing that can happen is being prepared, not having damaging storm effects, and putting everything back in its place. As my daughter and husband say, "This preparation process is part of living in Florida."

Levi Cowan's Storm Reports

Maybe these geese heard the news about Hurricane Irma? 

Canada geese. Photograph was taken yesterday at the big lake in Wildewood Springs.

Levi Cowan (doctoral student at Florida State University) created a website called Tropical Tidbits. He records his reports. HERE IS THE LINK to hear what he reported earlier today (Labor Day, 2017). He'll update tonight. He shows the various possibilities and information I trust at the earliest possible times.

Hurricane and storm preparation and insurance

Tropical Tidbits, official NHA forecast, 9/4/17.

(See sidebar of this blog for links to weather information websites.)

Neighbor Lynne, a new resident to Florida, asked some good hurricane prep questions because of Irma, still 8+ days out from today, September 4, 2017.

The tracking models help so much, though there is uncertainty about exact hits and effects. So, without stress (at least a lot of it after Harvey), we take the steps NOAA advises. This is the check list we use. Find the complete hurricane planning sheet HERE.

FLOOD INSURANCE?
I've lived in Central Florida 30+ years (not consecutive) and know that September is peak hurricane season for our area. Twenty of those years were on Longboat Key where mandatory evacuation is ordered when warnings are issued.

Wildewood's development included many retention ponds, where we see its level rise and fall during downpours and drought. This is not only good for wildlife and our enjoyment, its function helps us during storms.

One of the advantages of living in Wildewood is that we are not in a place designated as requiring flood insurance. However, heavy and prolonged downpours do flood some areas of WWIIA. So, we are identified as a GREEN or D evacuation zone. That means that we might be asked to evacuate, or even mandated to evacuate.

There are 5 evacuation zones, A, B, C, D, E. Wildewood IIA is 22 feet above sea level and these zones are determined by proximity to sea level.

I wondered and asked my insurance agent if our policy covers hurricanes and storms. We chose to have flood insurance, though it is not required. (Costs about $300 a year.) The reason: water rising is covered under a flood policy and water falling is covered under a Homeowner's policy. Storm water can come through the roof or from flooding. We have not needed to file a claim while living in Wildewood.

GUTTERS AND DRAINAGE
A new stormwater path helps drain Cluster 2's parking lot. The Grounds Committee continues to gain information about Wildewood IIA's gutters and drainage for the interested and ready-to-act Board members.