Isaac Threatens Florida and Gulf Coast

[bamachile]

Wind was blowing bad earlier and rained decent and now it quit. Waiting on the center to come through so we can knock these outages out. Lost power at the hotel 3 times today and we are just on the edge of Isaac. 1,200 out here in Rapides Parish. Cleco has 72k out with 56 being in St. Tammany Parish. I have a feeling we'll be going there tomorrow or Friday. Don't think we'll be able to work tomorrow with the storm coming. Night all and Roll Tide!!!

Thanks for your help, 230. I live in Calcasieu Parish, but my weekends are spent in Allen Parish just south of where you're at. We appreciate the work you and others working with you do for us.

Roll Tide!!

 

[bamafan76]

Just thought I'd provide update from Kenner, right outside of NOLA. I've been without power since last night. Wind and rain has been strong, trees, limbs all over. Couldn't get the generator going until this afternoon due to its placement, wind and rain direction. The flooding continues to get worst around. Hopefully crews get start in the morning restoring power. Reports are storm surge around us may end worst than Katrina in some spots...not good. Cell service is sporadic/non existent with ATT. Keep us all in thoughts. Will try and update tomorrow.

 

[SavannahDare]

Hang in there! Texting should still work on your phone. It's all we had for over a week after Katrina.

 

[Dallas4Bama]

Hang in there! Texting should still work on your phone. It's all we had for over a week after Katrina.

After the tornado in Tuscaloosa I had friends who could get text when there was no other form of communication. I kept them and their neighborhood updated via text for the first few hours after the storm. Text also work when tour battery is too low to make a call.

 

[Alasippi]

614am in Ocean Springs and seems the bad stuff is gone. But it's gonna rain like crazy all day and flooding is probable in low lying areas.
My wife works at the hospital and had to go in this morning. She drove through several deep pockets of water on the road and was scared to death but made it safely thank goodness.
Once she got to work she got a call from her administrator saying, "It's still too bad to drive so stay home"!! To say the least she was ticked lol
I feel deeply for all the Louisiana folks, especially those who are Tidefans members. There's simply nothing worse or more scary than a flooding situation. You guys be strong and hopefully it will all be completely over soon.
RTR! sip

 

[Gr8hope]

Looks like Mississippi is getting the worst of it this morning. Stay safe there.

 

[SavannahDare]

Almost 7am and, yes, it's STILL raining in Ocean Springs, MS! Well, at least it's not so windy and the rain bands are over quicker. Sip, sorry your wife had to get out in this for nothing. I had my office manager call and cancel patients and the courthouse FINALLY made the decision to close today (Jackson County can be so stubborn!).

One of our cats decided he had had enough of the inside and went out for about a half an hour this morning between rain bands. Ever seen a cat's fur blowing in the wrong direction? :biggrin: Needless to say, he didn't stay out when he sensed the next band coming through.

There is soooo much flooding west of us in Harrison and Hancock counties. Hancock residents were the hardest hit in Katrina and that area is very low-lying. Actually, I can't think of any hilly areas over there like we have here in Jackson county. Anyway, our thoughts and prayers are especially with them this morning as they wait for the waters to recede.

I saw some pictures of casino row over in Biloxi and it looks like the Hard Rock, The Isle of Capri (soon to be The Golden Nugget) and The Palace all took on significant water in their first floors. The rivers won't crest until later today, so people living slightly inland from the coast haven't seen the worst of it yet.

If anyone is thinking "how can I help," the answer is the same as always: GIVE TO THE RED CROSS.

 

[Alasippi]

Almost 7am and, yes, it's STILL raining in Ocean Springs, MS! Well, at least it's not so windy and the rain bands are over quicker. Sip, sorry your wife had to get out in this for nothing. I had my office manager call and cancel patients and the courthouse FINALLY made the decision to close today (Jackson County can be so stubborn!).

One of our cats decided he had had enough of the inside and went out for about a half an hour this morning between rain bands. Ever seen a cat's fur blowing in the wrong direction? :biggrin: Needless to say, he didn't stay out when he sensed the next band coming through.

There is soooo much flooding west of us in Harrison and Hancock counties. Hancock residents were the hardest hit in Katrina and that area is very low-lying. Actually, I can't think of any hilly areas over there like we have here in Jackson county. Anyway, our thoughts and prayers are especially with them this morning as they wait for the waters to recede.

I saw some pictures of casino row over in Biloxi and it looks like the Hard Rock, The Isle of Capri (soon to be The Golden Nugget) and The Palace all took on significant water in their first floors. The rivers won't crest until later today, so people living slightly inland from the coast haven't seen the worst of it yet.

If anyone is thinking "how can I help," the answer is the same as always: GIVE TO THE RED CROSS.

Staci I went to the beach this morning and the road isn't destroyed thank goodness. I can't believe the beach road was open though.
I drove about 400 yards and then had to drive through about 3 feet of standing water!!! Plus the harbor is still flooded.
They really should shut down access.

I tell you what really just stuck in my craw. I was watching WLOX and they were posting the school closings etc.
Then it came across "Hancock County has postponed the tax sale until Friday". My jaw dropped.

I guess their gonna take away peoples houses provided they're not flooded. Incredible.

I think it's going to be a long stressful day with the hard rains but hopefully it will ease up by tonight.

Glad you and yours are safe!

sip

 

[exiledNms]

Addition to the list of sentences that never ever need to be uttered again by anyone anywhere: "Well, it's only a Cat 1..."

 

[twofbyc]

Tired of rain........I like water and all, but enough's enough.

 

[banjeaux]

Been an easy one for us today, just pulled in a 12 hour shift at the hotel. The rain and wind has just now picked up in Alexandria. They wont release us until the storm blows through. Cleco had roughly 15,000 out last I heard and that was not here. I think they release us to Cleco in Slidell Friday honestly....

Wind was blowing bad earlier and rained decent and now it quit. Waiting on the center to come through so we can knock these outages out. Lost power at the hotel 3 times today and we are just on the edge of Isaac. 1,200 out here in Rapides Parish. Cleco has 72k out with 56 being in St. Tammany Parish. I have a feeling we'll be going there tomorrow or Friday. Don't think we'll be able to work tomorrow with the storm coming. Night all and Roll Tide!!!

230kv, ole buddy, ole pal - looking forward to seeing you in Slidell. I plan to return to my Cambridge Street home tomorrow. Beside Ms banjeaux & I, there is another Bama family on our one block street. They have a handicapped child. Not sure if they evacuated. I'm not sure of his current work situation. Evacuation ain't cheap.

 

[TrampLineman]

Bamafan and banjeaux, looks like we're coming your way. We just left Bunkie and was told to go back to the hotel and pack and wait for further instructions. With more than half of Cleco's outages being in St. Tammany I'm almost certain we are going to Slidell now. So back on I49 as I type this. Hopefully we can get things going and I can watch the Bama game with y'all ;-)

 

[BamaPokerplayer]

Hang in there! Texting should still work on your phone. It's all we had for over a week after Katrina.

Staci, I'm just wondering when something like a hurricane comes through does the state want you to stay? My wife, works in a hospital, and her boss used to work in N.O. and she and almost all the medical staff had to stay when Katrina came through. What is the S.O.P. for people like you?

 

[Crimson Cat]

All the people in Isaac's path are in my prayers. Stay safe yall God Bless.

Ditto that^^^^^

Thinking of everyone down that way...

 

[SavannahDare]

Staci, I'm just wondering when something like a hurricane comes through does the state want you to stay? My wife, works in a hospital, and her boss used to work in N.O. and she and almost all the medical staff had to stay when Katrina came through. What is the S.O.P. for people like you?

I own my own practice so I do my own thing. I don't take call at the hospital because they employ several psychiatrists who do that. My patients know that they can go to any of the local ERs in the event my office is closed and they can be assessed there. We are blessed with an outstanding two-hospital system here in Jackson County and there is also a very good private hospital across the bridge in Biloxi.

So, my patients are covered, even when my office is closed, whether they need admission or just urgent assessment before my office reopens.

I remember the days of taking call and having to stay in the hospital during weather crises. Been there, done that, and paid those dues for many years!

 

[TrampLineman]

We are in Baton Rouge, heading to Mandeville. Not sure what lies ahead..

 

[TrampLineman]

I'm at America's Best Inn in Slidell but staging at Pelican Park in Mandeville. This near any of y'all? I might need a spot to watch the game Saturday night. Somebody hook this Bama fan up! Hehe.

Slidell/Mandeville is pretty bad. Lots of MAIN feeders down which is slowing us down. We get on foot and see what else is down in the morning. Gotta go, 4:15 comes quick! RTR!

 

[JPT4Bama]

SavannahDare I remember the days of taking call and having to stay in the hospital during weather crises. Been there, done that, and paid those dues for many years!

I'm still doing it but not as often. Of course these days we have more than sufficient generator capability and redundant redundancy in place so that nothing more than a reboot or restart is all it takes for our systems. (crossed fingers..)

If things are bad enough then we are able to properly shut down when/if the generators go. I've only had this happen once to me and that was back in '93 during the snow storm. The genny's fired up just fine but snow clogged the fans and shut it all down. The data center was positively steamy before we got the air conditioning back up.

They (hospitals) still like having some folk in place just in case.

Stay safe 230kv. I appreciate what you guys are doing.

 

[Clubfitter]

Glad to hear that Chile, Exiled, 2byc, sip, and Savannah, and others have survived Isaac and enduring the inconveniences that come with the storm. Haven't heard from BamaFan76 lately. Post something soon BF76 and let us know you are making it ok.

 

[SavannahDare]

I'm at America's Best Inn in Slidell but staging at Pelican Park in Mandeville. This near any of y'all? I might need a spot to watch the game Saturday night. Somebody hook this Bama fan up! Hehe.

Slidell/Mandeville is pretty bad. Lots of MAIN feeders down which is slowing us down. We get on foot and see what else is down in the morning. Gotta go, 4:15 comes quick! RTR!

Y'all be extra safe out there! Thanks for all your hard work. Sounds like the good folks over in LA are mostly in the dark.