Thank you Lee

Have any of you been without power for more than 24 hours??

I was without and my kids for 10 days from any ice storm we needed heat,
we could have use power to heat food(my granddaughter was 13
months(actually two of them)

Running a generator is expensive - inconvenient - and a nusisance

I witness Ike 2 days out and 1/3 the strength - thank God - I would have
hated to face that storm head on

I certainly do.   After all, I know that he has been proactive in his
storm planning and damage minimization, by actually spent his own time
& money to do so.   Since his actions result in a tangible benefit to
me, it is also appreciated.

Perhaps you should ask Lee to estimate how much of his own money he
spent ... never reimbursed ... to support his neighbors with those
resources that they apparently hadn't themselves been nearly as
proactive in acquiring on their own.  For example, just how many
gallons of water do you think that people should have in storage in
their home when living in regions subject to catastrophic events?
Five gallons?  Ten?  One?  None?

And speaking of proactive planning, what kind of slip-on shoes do you
& Janna each have right next to your bed?

-hh

Baby formula and medications were the top two.  Those, I kept in my
refrigerators.

That's been answered in some detail already.  The simple answer, though, is
that, for whatever reason, they chose not to be prepared.  Once the
hurricane has hit, it's too late to be prepared.  Most still don't have
them.

What's interesting about this issue is that it's the same think we've been
talking about relative to guns, insurance, and a host of other things that
have been discussed.  Some people take personal responsibility for
themselves.  The choose not to be victims, but, rather, to do what it takes
to protect themselves as much as possible.  While we are willing to take
help, we plan not to need it.  When we get some, as I did with the generator
purchase, it's not being a whore, it's getting just a little of what those
that made no effort and spent no money in preparation, got in quantity.
It's a slight payback for the thousands in expense and hours or effort put
into making ourselves safe that those you refer to as "victims" didn't
spend.

What you missed the first time through, because you were so quick to attack
that you neither looked to see what you could find out from the past, nor
asked before you climbed all over me, was what others have since told you.
Despite the fact that others, having been told over and over, failed to
prepare, I stepped up to help them in their time of need.  Here's a few
things right off the top of my head.  Not all of these people failed to
prepare.  Some needed help just because they did.

1. Things start when newer residents of Florida start looking for someone to
help them plan.  God bless those people who start early enough.  They do
fine.  I not only help them understand what they need, I direct them to
places most likely to be able to supply their hurricane preparation needs.

2. Once the hurricane hits, I'm out with everybody else, clearing debris,
particularly debris clogging the four roads in our community.  City, county
and federal services clear the major roads.  We don't wait for them to get
around to ours.  We do them ourselves, usually in the first 24 hours.  I
have a full sized pick up truck, two ATVs with winches and a variety of
saws, axes and a chain saw as well as fuel and spare parts for them.  I can
go and I can do, what others can't, so I do.

3. One of my neighbors is disabled.  I, and others, do everything for her.
Another of my neighbors is a group home for mentally challenged people.  We
provide special support for them as well.

4. Several of my best friends work for local police departments.  After
hurricanes, they work 16 on 8 off schedules.  I fed their pets, looked after
their homes and worked to help clear their yards of trees and debris.and,
after Wilma, sat in lines to get fuel when and where I could.  When
available, almost two weeks after Wilma, I also pick up water and ice for
them from FEMA.  If they don't need it, most of them don't, I add it to the
supplies I distribute to my neighbors that do.

5. I have a stand up freezer and two full sized refrigerators.  I provide
refrigeration for of critical supplies, baby formula, medication and the
like, for anybody that  didn't think to prepare for it themselves.  I may be
critical of those that can't, or won't go to the bother themselves, but that
doesn't stop me from doing what I can to help.

6. We've already discussed ice.  I paid over $1,000 for my commercial
icemaker.  It makes somewhere between 150 and 200 lbs of ice a day, but only
stores 80.  After Wilma, it ran 24 hours a day, on my gas, at a cost of as
much as $10 a gallon, so that I could provide ice to help preserve the food
supplies of people who didn't plan for their own needs.  People that didn't
plan includes the local grocery stores.  Almost every one of them lost
everything they had that required refrigeration.  Contrary to Greg's smart
a.s comments, almost 100% of my ice production capacity went to others.
Note that Greg has still not mentioned how much food he sent from his stores
to those in need in Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi or Texas.

And you call me a whore for accepting a few dollars back under a government
program I fully and legally qualify for.

Which has what to do about the what we were talking about?

Maybe they could not afford one

Maybe there were no left to be bought

When we had our ice storm there were very few generators in the entire
St Louis Area to be bought.  Of those store that had them they could not
run a credit card, check approval or a debit card.  Pretty tough coming
up with $850 - $900 cash with no power available no atms