HURRICANE IRMA

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Author Message Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, NCARB Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 1786 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Tuesday, September 05, 2017 - 08:01 pm:    STILL 4 DAYS AWAY FROM SOUTH FLORIDA AND ALL HELL HAS BROKEN LOOSE, gasoline for vehicles and generators is avail if you wait 2 hrs, some cities west are of the anticipated flood zone are in less havoc, for now. There is already internet slowness, and price gouging. Water is available at some stores, as soon as a shipment comes in, its sold. The current atmosphere reminds me of the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew and Irma looks to be a much stronger and bigger storm. I expect when Irma starts inflicting damage on the Islands and the death toll mounts, it will get even more real. I will be preparing specs until the power goes out which will probably be Saturday, if flooding occurs it will be from the lake outside my door, no rivers nearby to crest. Miami is another story, it could easily be another Houston. And Key West will be underwater for a while as Irma is projected to hit the Conch Republic head on. Michael Chusid, RA FCSI CCS Senior Member Username: michael_chusid Post Number: 319 Registered: 10-2003 Posted on Tuesday, September 05, 2017 - 09:27 pm:    Thanks for updating us. Stay dry and safe from wind. Michael Chusid, RA FCSI CCS www.chusid.com www.buildingproduct.guru 818-219-4937 ken hercenberg Senior Member Username: khercenberg Post Number: 1097 Registered: 12-2006 Posted on Wednesday, September 06, 2017 - 08:29 am:    Praying for you and your daughter Jerome. I wish you had high ground. Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, NCARB Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 1787 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Wednesday, September 06, 2017 - 11:05 am:    Ken thanks for the support. No one knows where landfall will be until a few hours before the storm hits, but IRMA is so big we will probably feel hurricane force winds. I have reinforced my home (and office) over the years but not for 185 mph, though they are predicting 145 mph when it hits, still that will be enough to hurt us significantly. Praying it shifts further east, I would rather be on the SW side of the storm. David J. Wyatt, CDT Senior Member Username: david_j_wyatt_cdt Post Number: 210 Registered: 03-2011 Posted on Wednesday, September 06, 2017 - 04:57 pm:    Jerome, I am praying for you and your daughter as well. I cannot imagine what you are going through, but I sense that you have the strength in you to endure it. J. Peter Jordan Senior Member Username: jpjordan Post Number: 989 Registered: 05-2004 Posted on Wednesday, September 06, 2017 - 05:52 pm:    Don't know what to say except hunker down. I am fortunate in that Harvey was an inconvenience that put us behind, but my home was high and dry and there was little damage to my office (second floor of a 2-story office building). The power was out at the office most of last week, and we still are not supposed to be working there. There is power, phones, and AC, but the first floor had 4 to 6 inches of water and they are still tearing out floor finishes, drywall, etc. The winds were never a factor in Houston (except for the tornadoes). Youwill be in our thoughts and prayers. J. Peter Jordan, FCSI, AIA, CCS, LEED AP, SCIP Phil Kabza Senior Member Username: phil_kabza Post Number: 593 Registered: 12-2002 Posted on Thursday, September 07, 2017 - 09:10 am:    Jerome, We're sharing the same hopes in Central Florida. The worst case scenario is not a good one for here. We'll be writing specs until the Internet goes down (and then some) but we have a good generator, so we're expecting a lot of company. Found this reassuring note in D&D this am and thought of all the postings from you about how well Miami condo construction follows code and your specifications: Other Worries The Miami New Times notes that, beyond just construction cranes, the 27,000 condos built around the city since 2002 may not be prepared for the severity of Irma's winds. Assuming all of those structures were built to code, they’re capable of withstanding 175 mph winds (the highest that were recorded in Hurricane Andrew), but as of Wednesday (Sept. 6), Irma continued to sustain winds of 185 mph. Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, NCARB Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 1788 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Thursday, September 07, 2017 - 09:22 am:    There are so many construction cranes in place in Miami, how do you protect against flying or swinging cranes? Paid off city inspectors still exist, codes are not always followed. I suspect some of the glass will fail, including the installation. They are evacuating in Dade and Broward east of 95 I guess these people are headed your way. Andrew proved that even good people get crazy when they evacuate. Make sure you have good security. I agreed to allow my daughter to bring her BF and roommate, two strong guys and their very big dog. Even though we live in a very safe community, all hell could break loose. Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, NCARB Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 1789 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Thursday, September 07, 2017 - 09:25 am:    The strongest winds are always on the NW corner of the eye wall, which may stay offshore, that would be good, but this storm is so big and powerful I expect many deaths. I hope to god I am wrong, and of course hearing that FEMA is out of money doesn't help. Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, NCARB Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 1790 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Thursday, September 07, 2017 - 09:32 am:    A direct hit from IRMA could be Charleston, SC, hopefully our friends in Charleston are watching the storm track carefully. I visited Charleston, its a beautiful city, and have friends from So Fl who moved there to avoid hurricanes. Ironic. Lisa Goodwin Robbins, RA, CCS, LEED ap Senior Member Username: lgoodrob Post Number: 324 Registered: 08-2004 Posted on Thursday, September 07, 2017 - 09:38 am:    Jerome, Phil, and other friends, We're thinking of you in Boston. Please post again after the storm passes, to let us know you are safe. - Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, NCARB Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 1791 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Thursday, September 07, 2017 - 09:44 am:    From the weather underground last night: If Irma makes a trek up the East Coast from Miami to southern South Carolina as a Category 3 or 4 hurricane, as the models currently suggest, the portions of the coast that the eyewall touches will potentially see a massive and catastrophic storm surge, breaking all-time storm surge records and causing many billions of dollars in damage. Even areas up to a hundred miles to the north of where the center makes landfall could potentially see record storm surges. The area of most concern is the northern coast of Florida, the coast of Georgia, and the southern coast of South Carolina, due to the concave shape of the coast, which will act to funnel and concentrate the storm surge to ridiculous heights. If we look at wunderground’s storm surge maps for the U.S. East Coast, we see that in a worst-case Category 3 hurricane hitting at high tide, the storm tide (the combined effect of the storm surge and the tide) ranges from 17 – 20’ above ground along the northern coast of Florida, and 18 – 23 feet above ground along the Georgia coast. If Irma is a Cat 4, these numbers increase to 22 – 28 feet for the coast of Georgia. This is a Katrina-level storm surge, the kind that causes incredible destruction and mass casualties among those foolish enough to refuse to evacuate. Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, NCARB Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 1792 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Thursday, September 07, 2017 - 10:00 am:    I expect IRMA's path will be clearer by Sat morning, but I would not want to bet on it. From Hurricane Andrew days I remember the great forecasts from Brian Norcross who many considered a hero for staying on air helping calm residents and offering advice to all. Brian joined weather.com in 2010, if he is still broadcasting I would be listening to him if I lived in Georgia, SC, or NC. Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, NCARB Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 1793 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Thursday, September 07, 2017 - 10:28 am:    Phil, none of my clients care about their specs right now, a first, most are trying to find gas so they can come visit you (joking), I am curious where is everybody going, the keys evacuation is headed to Miami-Dade and Broward Counties which are evacuating too. All seem to be headed north. Liz O'Sullivan Senior Member Username: liz_osullivan Post Number: 232 Registered: 10-2011 Posted on Thursday, September 07, 2017 - 10:39 am:    Jerome, my father-in-law left his pre-Andrew Key Largo home yesterday afternoon (after much convincing by his children) and headed to Maryland - but hasn't gotten out of Florida yet. Traffic is very slow. Other Key Largo people we know have gone to Naples (!) and Orlando. Homestead people we know are planning to leave Friday and head to "Georgia or Alabama" with their family of 50. I hope that if you receive a mandatory evacuation order that you'll leave! Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, NCARB Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 1794 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Thursday, September 07, 2017 - 10:56 am:    Lisa I am not leaving, too many reasons to stay. Our family consists of me and my daughter. My daughter has mental health problems and is doing poorly today, she needs me and I need her. Leaving is not an option. I am 11 mi west of the western limit of the evacuation zone. If I lived in Key Largo that would be a different story. I am glad your dad got out. Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, NCARB Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 1795 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Thursday, September 07, 2017 - 10:59 am:    Its ironic too I was about to start a new project in the Turks and Caicos Islands, which is receiving full impact today. ken hercenberg Senior Member Username: khercenberg Post Number: 1098 Registered: 12-2006 Posted on Thursday, September 07, 2017 - 12:29 pm:    Peter, glad you and your family survived Harvey. Hope things are getting better in Texas at this point. Phil, prayers are with you and Nancy. Sounds like you're well prepared and ready for whatever comes your way. Jerome, I know this isn't your first rodeo and trust your judgment. The folks on this Forum are some the smartest and nicest people I know. I'm hoping to hear "all clear" and good news over the next week or so. Prayers to everyone in the Southeast corner of the US with hopes that the devastation doesn't meet expectations. Liz O'Sullivan Senior Member Username: liz_osullivan Post Number: 233 Registered: 10-2011 Posted on Friday, September 08, 2017 - 11:50 am:    Jerome, Phil, close all interior doors before the hurricane gets to you - it could save your roofs: https://disastersafety.org/ibhs-news-releases/shut-the-doors-on-hurricane-irma/ Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, NCARB Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 1796 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Friday, September 08, 2017 - 03:37 pm:    thanks Liz Tom Gilmore, NCARB, CCS, CCCA Senior Member Username: tgilmore Post Number: 47 Registered: 04-2007 Posted on Saturday, September 09, 2017 - 02:31 am:    Mahalo from Princeville, HI, Liz. That's good to know. Our place survived Iniki in 1992, but the next one may be stronger. Liz O'Sullivan Senior Member Username: liz_osullivan Post Number: 234 Registered: 10-2011 Posted on Saturday, September 09, 2017 - 09:05 am:    Hi, Tom, so nice to see you here! I hope you all are enjoying your retirement! Phil Kabza Senior Member Username: phil_kabza Post Number: 594 Registered: 12-2002 Posted on Saturday, September 09, 2017 - 12:35 pm:    Thanks all. The storm center keeps jumping around, as do the predicted wind speeds. This helps generate never ending commentary for the Weather Channel. Liz: The closing of interior doors is a recommendation that doesn't get around but should. It looks like we'll see Cat 1 here which is no threat but still messy. But that could change. Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, NCARB Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 1797 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Wednesday, September 13, 2017 - 09:09 pm:    I am back, power on, computer up. Bit frazzeled. Thanks to all my friends at 4specs. David J. Wyatt, CDT Senior Member Username: david_j_wyatt_cdt Post Number: 211 Registered: 03-2011 Posted on Thursday, September 14, 2017 - 08:32 am:    To Phil and Jerome: It is good to hear you are ok. ken hercenberg Senior Member Username: khercenberg Post Number: 1099 Registered: 12-2006 Posted on Thursday, September 14, 2017 - 09:09 am:    Thankful that all is well with our 4specs family in Texas and Florida. Stay safe and keep on spec'ing. Phil Kabza Senior Member Username: phil_kabza Post Number: 596 Registered: 12-2002 Posted on Saturday, September 16, 2017 - 01:45 pm:    It got a bit breezy here for awhile - maybe 80 - 85 mph winds. No damage, just roughed up landscaping. Minor damage to neighbors', mostly a few shingles and fasciae. We were lucky; not so much of Florida south and west and here, where there was also considerable flooding. Generac generator ran like a champ, and internet never went down, not that I could concentrate well enough to write specs. It took several days of putting things back together before I could work again; thankfully missed no deadlines and had patient clients. Heard from Leo Scott over in the Villages; he's fine and cranking out specs as usual. Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, NCARB Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 1799 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Sunday, September 17, 2017 - 04:02 am:    To my friends on 4specs, thanks for thinking of me and praying for me, I too had minimal damage to my home/office, but every tree was damaged, some significantly, except for the coconut palms that my neighbors hate. I wasn't here for the actual storm, my daughter convinced me to come to her one story CBS rental house 8 miles southeast because she was afraid my 2nd floor wood frame would get blown away. Though I think her and her roommates really wanted my generator, they have room a/c units, so yes after the power went out we all stayed cool. Unfortunately I did not have a great experience there, I got stuck in a bedroom with a mattress on the floor, it was very comfortable, but getting up to go to the bathroom ws difficult with my bad knees, and there was a flea problem. My skin does not do well with flea bites, in fact I am still itching, no more remedies please, I've tried them all, its a serious problem for me being diabetic esp since most of the bites were concentrated on my legs, but this too will pass. They also wanted my water, I had bot 5 cases of Aqua Panna, my favorite bottled water, which they also brought to their house, they left the Zephyrhills water here. All they had to eat was junk food, again being a diabetic, not good for me, so for 4 days I ate trail mix, god I hope I lost weight at least. Than when I got back home, I had multiple computer problems, no internet, and once I got everything up and running I allowed Microsoft update to take place, and once again I had problems. Today I had my first take out meal from Wendy's, I love their Mozzarella Salad, but this one did not agree with me, so I was sick most of the day. Yes, its been an awful week, so you may wonder why I am up at 4am on 9/17/17? Well 7 years ago, at 405am my wife died, her long cancer battle ending. Her death still affects me and my daughter Andi, in fact in past years Andi has tried suicide each year at this time. I don't think she will be trying this year, but she is schizo-affective (google it), a serious mental health disease that remains un-treated, its been near impossible to find a single psych doc to treat her, they all come up with the same recommendation, she needs a team of professionals, put her in a facility, well at a cost of $12k-$20k per month, I can't afford it. But that's not her only problem, she also is addicted to pain meds, when my wife was being treated for her cancer pain, Andi's crap boyfriend introduced Andi to the fentanyl and Dilaudid we had at the house, and Andi got instantly hooked. Andi is a junkie and a mental case, but I love her with all my heart, everynight for the past 7 years I pray to god to take my life in return for Andi's, but no dice, I am still here and Andi is till fighting, I won't tell you Andi is an angel, she has done some bad things, but she has never hurt me nor anybody else nor has she broken the law other than her drug use, I have spent all of my savings making sure of that. Why am I telling you all this on this forum, because I've lost most of my friends because of Andi, no one sees the mental health aspect all they see is her addiction and blame me for facilitating it, maybe I have, but I have spent countless hours trying to get help to no avail. Its really amazing I have friends for 40 years that know how much I love Andi, but all they see is the addiction. What family I have left, see her as adopted and never really part of the family, but that is another story. It is very frustrating, maybe someone reading this post will have a valid suggestion. Yes I could just ignore her and let her figure it out, Ive tried that, she almost died the last time, she wound up on a respirator for 28 days hospitalized for a total of 90 days, stil lthe same results because thru those 90 days no one wanted to treat the underlying problem, one of the hospitals assigned a psych to her case, who refused to discuss her treatment with me, until I spent 8 hours outside her office, and than she admitted she never even saw Andi but because Andi was getting strong antibiotics, she did not want to start her on andi-depressants or anto-psychotics, she did not want to take the risk. well its almost 4am, I need to go back upstairs, not getting any work done here, actually I've written letters to many of my friends similar to this post, but I don't know why I bother anymore. I admit I have considered suicide myself, many times, I would never follow thru, Andi would not get my life insurance that she will need one day and besides she would probably just follow my lead. So every day I work hard to write specs, I have too much debt to talk about, not all cancer treatment was covered, again another story. And specwriters get paid crappy, at least I do. I am considering not posting this, its hard, but I quit to much lately so I will try, probably won't do any good. Its 4am, in 5 minutes I will be mourning once again the loss of my Susie, Andi may call, she has before. Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, NCARB Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 1800 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Sunday, September 17, 2017 - 04:05 am:    Damn I was really trying for 405 am, yes that's the humorous side of me, I don't want to be in front of this damn computer at 405am, but I will never make it upstairs in time. So why not, 1 min to go. I'll be posting again, this is not a suicide note. Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, NCARB Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 1801 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Sunday, September 17, 2017 - 04:48 am:    No I never made it upstairs, my bladder would not let me, so at 405am on 9/17/17, I was sitting on the john doing my business and thinking of my Susie. Susie would understand, she is probably smiling down at me right now, but I doubt she is happy with me, she is probably the one who arranged for my numerous bathroom visits yesterday, riding the porcelain bus, so to speak. I didn't write these posts for pity, I am seriously looking for answers for Andi, I have tried Mental health groups, Support groups, County Services, no one offers much help. they say she has to want the help, but I see her face when she sometimes shoot-up next to me, she's not smiling, her veins are so messed up she has to shoot up in her neck, and I can't stand to watch her. And than there is the part of her I can't see, her mental health part, I won't tell you about all of that, actually until Susie became terminal, Susie took care of Andi and sought help for her mental health, Susie was a Nurse Practioner, she was much better trained in behavior and mental health, I knew nothing and still do not know much. A few weeks before Irma I reached out to a psychologist, the wife of one of my doctors and a friend of my cardiologist who knew Susie for over 20 yrs, Allison, pretty quickly advised how difficult it would be to find someone to treat Andi and of course refused to even talk to Andi, I offered to pay, but she said no, but she claimed to have some contacts who might be able to help. She promised to call back in a few days, she never did, but I am persistent, so I called her office several times, only to be told there was nothing they could do or offer. So I will keep fighting for Andi and praying. I found out late yesterday that Andi's Birthfather Jason had finally contacted her, he lives in Houston and we lost touch with him after H Harvey. Andi has never met him, well she has never met him while conscious, another story. I bring Jason up because we were afraid we had lost contact, Andi searched for him on facebook and made contact last year, only to learn her birth mom had died the year before. Jason won't tell us if mental health runs in his family, though we think it is from Andi's birthmom's side, April is Chippewa Sioux, yes Andi is half native American. Oh I have explored that side of her family for help, it seems there are many others in line for help in front of Andi, besides the Adoption attorney never sot tribal approval for the adoption , the attorney apologized for that mistake, even though we instructed her to, we wanted Andi to be aware of her heritage, in fact were able to adopt Andi relatively quickly because other prospective parents didn't want to adopt a native American baby, pretty stupid they were, for me being Jewish, it was just another member of a tribe, like I was. Well, Andi did text me at around 4am, she decided not to hurt herself this year as she has in the past, I am not sharing that text with anybody, maybe that's what got my bladder going. Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, NCARB Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 1802 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Sunday, September 17, 2017 - 05:01 am:    I can not believe there is another topical storm out in the Atlantic that has me scared to death, its called Maria and its track has got me shaking again. http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ I guess I am not getting my generator back anytime soon. Now I am going to bed, sorry if my previous posts were too graphic, or inappropriate, maybe Colin will delete them? I hope not, they have helped me on this horrible day. Got to go find a scale, would love to see if I lost any weight this past week. Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, NCARB Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 1803 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Sunday, September 17, 2017 - 05:13 am:    BTW, my late wife Susie was a wannabe stormchaser, she would have the weather channel on 24/7 if I let her. It was her passion besides medicine and taking care of her family, so that is one of the reasons I checked the NOAA this morning, actually I would never stop to look at a twister or wish to be chasing a storm, I am too much of a scared fool for that, Susie was the brave one in the family. I miss her very much. Hurricane season is far from done, please all my friends, do not take this lightly, go find a generator, buy your water now, my shutters are up and ready, and be scared, cause mother nature is not done yet. Wow, I think I need an Ativan, my mind is racing too much, must go to sleep, stop typing, time to take some insulin too, maybe some trail mix. Liz O'Sullivan Senior Member Username: liz_osullivan Post Number: 235 Registered: 10-2011 Posted on Sunday, September 17, 2017 - 10:35 am:    Jerome, good luck with everything. I hope Tropical Storm Maria sputters out into nothing. I hope that somehow you will be able to get help for your daughter. Best wishes on this sad anniversary. Michael Chusid, RA FCSI CCS Senior Member Username: michael_chusid Post Number: 324 Registered: 10-2003 Posted on Sunday, September 17, 2017 - 04:51 pm:    Jerome, Your early morning introspection resonates with me at this time of year as I ask, "Who by fire, and who by hurricane? Who by addiction, and who by mental health affliction? Who by profit-driven construction, and who by profit-driven medicine?" May the ultimate Authority Having Jurisdiction show compassion on you and all our families and grant us a sweet and healthy new year. Michael Chusid, RA FCSI CCS www.chusid.com www.buildingproduct.guru 818-219-4937 ken hercenberg Senior Member Username: khercenberg Post Number: 1103 Registered: 12-2006 Posted on Sunday, September 17, 2017 - 09:59 pm:    May Susie's memory be a blessing. She sounds like an amazing person. I am sorry that observing her yahrzeit causes you and Andi so much pain. I wish I knew of ways to help you and Andi. You have both been through so much. Praying that you and Andi are blessed with a Shana Tova. Michael, well said. David J. Wyatt, CDT Senior Member Username: david_j_wyatt_cdt Post Number: 212 Registered: 03-2011 Posted on Monday, September 18, 2017 - 09:23 am:    Jerome, I am glad to hear you got through a very bad situation. You are being tested more than anyone I know. You are right to support your daughter Andi through her difficult trials and to defend her. It sounds as though you are fortunate to have each other. Lisa Goodwin Robbins, RA, CCS, LEED ap Senior Member Username: lgoodrob Post Number: 325 Registered: 08-2004 Posted on Monday, September 18, 2017 - 09:54 am:    Jerome, May you both be written down and inscribed for a good year. -