This is for topical issues effecting our fair world... you can quit snickering anytime. Note: It is the desire of the leadership of SFDebris Conglomerate that all posters maintain a civil and polite bearing in this forum, regardless of how you feel about any particular issue. Violators will be turned over to Captain Janeway for experimentation.
Anyway, Hurricane Irma has decided against giving Harvey all the glory. She's now a Category 5 storm, and most models have her visiting Florida this coming weekend. Most of Florida is only a few feet above sea level, so a hurricane like this would be incredibly devastating. If any of our resident posters hang their hat in that area of the country...I hear the northeast is lovely this time of year. Please consider visiting.
Hurricane Irma is an “extremely dangerous” Category 5, barreling toward the northern Lesser Antilles and Southern Florida. It’s already the strongest hurricane ever recorded outside the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico, and it’s likely to make landfall somewhere in Florida over the weekend.
If it does, the impact could be catastrophic.
The storm is life-threatening for the United States, including Puerto Rico, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Cuba and the southeastern Bahamas. Hurricane warnings have been issued for the northern Leeward Islands, Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. A hurricane watch is in effect for Hispaniola and southeastern Bahamas.
With maximum winds of 185 mph, Irma is tied for the second strongest storm ever observed in the Atlantic. And in its Tuesday morning discussion, the National Hurricane Center said the storm is in an environment “ideal for some additional intensification.”
Sidenote: what do we call ourselves again? Debrisers? That sounds terrible.
LittleRaven wrote:
Sidenote: what do we call ourselves again? Debrisers? That sounds terrible.
Sounds like an off brand cleaning spray...
How about Blue Sons? Play on Chuck's blue sun logo (although that doesn't adequately cover non-male identifying...)
Maybe just Debris?
On topic; hopefully the effected areas will weather the storm without too much loss of life (I'm too cynacal to think that even the best case scenario will be no loss ). And hopefully those effected won't have to suffer through Trump signing relief shelters and wishing them "have a good day".
I live in Florida and the line of best fit has the storm passing directly over my town sometime before midnight on Sunday.
There is a non-zero chance my childhood home (my current home) will be destroyed or heavily damaged by the storm in much the way hurricane Charley tore up our roof when it obliterated an area 8 miles south of me.
I am anxious, mostly having to do with the irony of the whole situation. I just got offered a job with the city government's planning department. The idea that my home town would be destroyed just as I was about to get a job working there makes for a sick sort of joke at my expense played by the universe. I am sure there are these sorts of stories at the ground zero of any disaster, war zone, or terrorist attack, but my pessimist nature has had me wondering when the punchline would come for me my entire life.
I am not happy about any of this.
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Just remember why the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy outsells the Encyclopaedia Galactica - apart from being slightly cheaper, it has Don't Panic written across the cover in large, friendly letters.
Rocketboy1313 wrote:I live in Florida and the line of best fit has the storm passing directly over my town sometime before midnight on Sunday.
There is a non-zero chance my childhood home (my current home) will be destroyed or heavily damaged by the storm in much the way hurricane Charley tore up our roof when it obliterated an area 8 miles south of me.
I am anxious, mostly having to do with the irony of the whole situation. I just got offered a job with the city government's planning department. The idea that my home town would be destroyed just as I was about to get a job working there makes for a sick sort of joke at my expense played by the universe. I am sure there are these sorts of stories at the ground zero of any disaster, war zone, or terrorist attack, but my pessimist nature has had me wondering when the punchline would come for me my entire life.
I am not happy about any of this.
I am so, so sorry.
I know what it feels like to get the sense that cosmic irony is bending towards your suffering.
"Believe me, there’s nothing so terrible that someone won’t support it."
— Un Lun Dun, China Mieville
I posted about the last hurricane in a stand alone thread; a lot of that is applicable here but if you want storage from UHaul because of damage or flooding just call 800-789-3638 and they will direct you to a unit. The Red Cross and FEMA info is just as valid.
for those of you who might need to evacuate: pack clothes/towels/electronics/excess food/candles/first aid kits/etc in your car before the storm hits so if you have to evacuate you have access to them
for those of you with pets, if you end up absolutely stranded and need food, pet food will do (its not very nutritious and it tastes awful but its better than starving to death, probably)
climb to the roof in case of flooding, try not to stay inside (unless its extremely windy/dangerous to be outside otherwise, of course)
if youre inside of a car while there is flooding, the doors/windows will vacuum seal shut from pressure/weight so roll down the windows and try to escape from those, or open the door with the windows down asap
if all the stores are sold out of water, buying soda/gatorade/whatever will do in a pinch. its not as good but its better than dying of dehydration
get candles/first aid kits/weather radios/whatever you need of course
make sure you have easy access to your pets before the storm starts, if you have to evacuate you can grab them considerably easier if theyre out and about than if theyre hiding under the bed or something. be aware of where your pets are and keep them close. getting your pets chipped might be a good idea if you still have time to do so
place smaller electronics/things that can be water damaged in a double ziplock-ed bag or any other waterproof container
make sure your critical medication is easily accessible in case you need to evacuate so you arent stuck without it
learn your evacuation routes
dont bother to donate to the red cross, there are plenty of better organizations that help more
feel free to add/correct any information, im kind of making this in a rush because im preparing for the storm myself
"Believe me, there’s nothing so terrible that someone won’t support it."
— Un Lun Dun, China Mieville
Fuzzy Necromancer wrote:
for those of you with pets, if you end up absolutely stranded and need food...
Is it bad I half expected this to end with something like "pets are edible" I know it's a horrible sentiment to even talk about, but if the alternative is eat your pet or starve, I'd imagine a disaster preparedness guide would recommend the former over the latter
). And hopefully those effected won't have to suffer through Trump signing relief shelters and wishing them "have a good day".
I know it's a horrible sentiment to even talk about, but if the alternative is eat your pet or starve, I'd imagine a disaster preparedness guide would recommend the former over the latter 
