Looking Back On The Hurricane Rita Evacuation

Discussion in 'Personal Diaries' started by Diane Lane, Sep 25, 2015.

  1. Diane Lane

    Diane Lane Veteran Member
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    This was a horrible time in my life. I had been working hard for years to achieve a dream, and had just started on what was to be a nice upswing until I was injured in an accident several months before, and was fighting for medical treatment and income.

    I finally got my vehicle back from the shop the day of the evacuation, thinking surely it would be in tip top shape, after being in the shop for months. The gridlock was unbelievable. I sat there looking at the outgoing lanes that were empty, the whole time thinking someone had to realize that traffic had to be re-routed, but no one did.

    People died. Animals died, including one of mine, days later, after suffering a heat stroke from the heat in the car, because when my car died, so did the A/C. Fights broke out, people screamed at me, cussed at me, and gave me the finger, because my car broke down. It was a glimpse into what would happen if we experienced a catastrophic event, and it wasn't pretty.

    Thankfully, changes have been made to the evacuation system. I don't agree with all of them, and I don't think enough changes have been made, but at least it's a start.

    http://abc13.com/weather/photos-hurricane-rita-evacuation-10-years-ago/995281/
     
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  2. Bonnie Thomas

    Bonnie Thomas Veteran Member
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    I'm sorry for all that you went thru during that time Diane ... being there myself, I try to forget that nightmare. At the time, we chose not to get on the roads (were far enough NW of town to stay put) ... but it wasn't a great time to be home either. Power was out for two weeks, and I remember the hard time it was to get ice and basic food staples. Small independent stores let the people around the area get some supplies with cash, since they didn't have power either. It all seemed very 3rd worldish.... and of course, no gasoline for cars.
     
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  3. Diane Lane

    Diane Lane Veteran Member
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    Thanks, @Bonnie Thomas I ended up staying with friends by Meyerland, and I experienced the lines at the stores and gas stations, and saw fights breaking out, road rage, etc. Thankfully, we didn't lose power for that long, but I lost power for 15 days after Ike. I stayed for that storm, thinking that I would be out of harm's way up in Houston. The roof was damaged, and a lot of my belongings were ruined. The power went out the next day, and I left and stayed in Belton until the power was restored. Unfortunately, I hadn't expected to be gone that long, and hadn't emptied the fridge/freezer, and they were unsalvageable by the time I returned. I always have my fingers crossed that we'll survive each Hurricane Season.
     
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  4. Bonnie Thomas

    Bonnie Thomas Veteran Member
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    Yes, same here. We've been lucky the last couple years..
    I don't like the way they name these storms ... Bonnie is next up. :( .... the last time it was a rain maker.
     
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  5. Diane Lane

    Diane Lane Veteran Member
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    Crossing my fingers that we don't get anything severe this year. It worries me that there are so many old untended trees around here, and the land is low lying, although this house has never flooded. Even up there, I know the winds can get high and it seems the whole region floods. Maybe Bonnie will be a gentle one this time ;).
     
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  6. Corie Henson

    Corie Henson Veteran Member
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    I had seen the movie San Andreas Fault and it showed how humans would react in time of crisis. As the earthquake was in progress, people were running in all directions. To each his own was the order of the day. And that's only the start. I believed in that movie because the people's action were all realistic. And in the evacuation, what comes next is the looting. And again, to each his own. Maybe it is the instinct of man to preserve himself, the top priority over the others.
     
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  7. Ruby Begonia

    Ruby Begonia Supreme Member
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    Up here, we watched in horror, the devastation and the plight of the people hit by Rita, the dramatic rescues, stories of looting, even at hospitals! The mess at the astrodome, we were shocked and saddened.

    Watching video of the gridlock going outbound with no cars in the inbound lanes, we wondered, why people didn't just cross the median and speed out on those empty lanes? I think I would have tried it. But I guess one never knows until actually in the situation.
     
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