2004 Hurricane Journal of Steve & Linda Butler

Charley, Frances and Ivan, OH MY!
Now Jeanne, OH SHIT!
Our Journal of Hurricane “Charley”
We must survive 3 or more this year.
By Steve and Linda Butler
(Photo Links at bottom)

Updated September 10th
Updated September 23rd
updated October 1st

WE HAVE A NEW ROOF!
(The Final Report) May 6th, 2005

It was the middle of August, a stormy day, Friday the 13th, it was unlike the normal Florida afternoon storms. At around 7:45 Linda, myself and Priscilla were in the candle illuminated bathroom in the center of our 1958 Single wide mobile home ready to “ride” out Hurricane “Charley”. As the wind started to pickup we lost power. I turned on my laptop that had a USB TV adapter on it and watched our “doom” approach us on Channel 9’s latest and greatest Radar. A few minutes into the storm we both remarked how well our little place was standing the tremendous wind gusts. Channel 9 said that we had sustained winds of near 100MPH with gusts much greater. This was a category 3 Hurricane that had already crossed over 80 miles of land to get to us. 45 minutes into the worst part of the weather the little house was still standing up well. Then it happened, I heard a freight train, then a large crash and what sounded like some one had taken our roof and crumpled it up into a ball. Then what sounded like all kinds of debris blowing across the roof.

Just about time the battery went dead on the Computer/TV the storm settled down around us as it increased and was devastating the Orlando downtown area. I went to the front door to asses the damages. Our porch roof was crumpled against the side wall of our kitchen and a very large tree was lying across the carport and this portion of the roof. I then knew we took some extensive damage. Thank goodness the carport blocked the tree from falling on to a “Mustang Mike’s” mobile DJ rig that I was using in his absence. He and Caroline have gone to Wisconsin for vacation, I was to substitute DJ while he was gone. The first week he was away we had 2 rain outs and well, I am sure this week will be a bust.

We ventured outside, we then saw our roof lying in the back yard of our neighbors to the north all of the rain gutters, downspouts, all of what was over our heads crumpled into a ball and placed neatly between his house and garage. This caused very little damage to his property. In the back of the house one of our storage sheds was blown away, turned upside down in a drainage ditch. The contents that included almost all of our personal and previous companies’ financial records from the last 10 years of our lives were gone with the wind!

The other shed containing things that we had yet to integrate into or house, (We had just bought the place on the 24th of June and were “making it ours” with a bit of remodeling), had the utility pole lain across it, the power wires tangled into the torn roof. Every thing in there left exposed to all of the thunderstorms in the upcoming days while we wait for the power to be restored. I was not about to submit to entering that shed. Others with generators may have hooked them up improperly and energize the line. Tools, hardware, pictures and most of the things that “Are memories” have now been destroyed by this wrath of “Charley”

The shelters that opened early on Friday for the evacuees, by now the Red Cross came in to feed the refugees of this horrific event. I made a call to KUA the local utility company that provides the electric service to our home to ask if we were responsible for the “Pole” at the back of our house. The gentleman on the phone was unsure and said he would make a note of it and get back to me once he found out.

After our first trip away from our home on Saturday we saw that our condition was quite good compared to many of our neighbors we followed the recommendations we stayed home and made the best of it with what we had.

On Sunday I fired up the generator that was in Mike’s Mobile DJ rig and managed to cool down the refrigerator and watch a bit of the news. Our air conditioner is of the 220V variety so there would be no relief from the upcoming heat indexes in the 102 to 114 degree levels other than the small box fan that we had. We found the number for FEMA and made the call, applied for relief. While on the phone to them the calls started to come in on the phone. Family and friends started calling to see how we were doing after the storm. Linda called them back as I saw the numbers come up on my ID while talking to FEMA. Having just purchased this home we were still in the process of finding someone to insure it. It is very hard to get an older place like this insured. It was a 1958 single wide mobile home. It had not been a “Mobile Home” for many years! It has additions on both sides of it. They are on block foundations and concrete slabs.

I hired my nephew, Sonny, from Pam Bay to come over and help us remove the massive tree that was perched on our home. He has a small chainsaw and the expertise to operate it. While waiting for him we set out to find some fuel for the generator. There were no gas stations open within a comfortable driving distance. We did find 2 two gallon gas cans at a local Lowes. I then called my nephew to tell him to bring gas as well as other supplies he had loaded up in his van. He arrived about the time the regular afternoon Thunderstorms were starting. Wanting to get the this tree down, the three of us decided to continue to cut the tree away and haul the branches to the curb. The next three hours were very arduous, the tree was a member of the pine family that I am allergic to. Breathing was not very easy for ether of us. Sonny went home about 8 O’clock but not after helping us take down the crumbled roof that used to cover our 9x9’ patio by the front door.

If the ordeal of the storm was not bad enough, the following days will be even harder to cope with.

We started out our Monday with a call to KUA for a ruling about the pole once again. No one could give us an answer (this turned out to be a daily ritual with the same results. No one seemed to really know, or for that matter care as we never received a call back from them.) This day was a day of dragging the debris from the yard to the roadside and a little more patching on the sub roof to stop a leak that we had discovered overnight. As usual, the afternoon storms brought much anxiety, concern and the discovery of a few more leaks, 2 trips to the gas stations that were now starting to be open. We dined on canned ham and bread. The afternoon showers cooled of the temperatures a bit in the evening so we elected to use candle power in the evening and conserve a little fuel.

Tuesday and Wednesday were a repeat of Monday with the exception that we wanted to go to the “Cruise” and at least see if someone had shown up. Linda and I were the only ones to show up. We explained to the center sponsors that it was called for the evening.

By Thursday we had lined the street with debris from the tree that once occupied the neighbors yard but most recently on our carport and house roof. FEMA had sent their contract “inspector” out to survey the damages. He could not help us with the power question either. Linda contacted KUA and a “work order” was issued by them to “Inspect and assess”. The afternoon showers did not arrive. The heat index was nearing 115 degrees. We showered under our carport using the garden hose, great way to wash the shorts that we had been working in today as well. We headed out to the Saint Cloud Thursday Nite Cruise-In, Mike, Duke and I had decided not to really have a Cruise but wanted to intercept any others that might have come out. A few Cruisers did come out, after all it was not raining. We swapped stories of the storm damages that we encountered. We heard of other’s damages to their homes and cars but luckily we did not hear of any “Cruisers” being injured and all were safe.
Friday, the second day of no rain, the 7th day of no real answer from KUA on our pole dilemma, a day that we could not take any more debris to the street as none had been removed. No sign of any power trucks in the neighborhood nor any sort of Police patrol. On the night of the storm, a week ago we had seen power trucks and police but none since then. We decided to pass the time by doing a little laundry under the carport in a couple of buckets. I fixed a temporary clothesline made from coax cable we washed a bit of clothes then Priscilla got a bath. We spent the day watching them dry. Rob and Vicky Brought over a 110V air conditioner that we put in a back window so that we might bring the temperature down a bit and get a real nights sleep.

Saturday morning, we had a knock on the door, it was they guys from the Lakeland Power company. They were in helping out KUA. The news was they were going to turn on the power today! He then said that we had to have the pole replaced! This was not the news that I wanted to hear. Why did not KUA ever get back to me about this? I might have been able to have had it done. Turns out an Electrician has to get a building permit, then install it, a county inspector then has to OK it then the power company will come back out to “hook us up”. We contacted an electrician, the cost will be from $800 to $1400 ! It is too bad that a utility can not even contact or follow up on a pertinent question, or at least be able to give us an answer. Our pension check does not arrive until next month and I have not been able to get any of my contract work done. Just the expenses of living without have cost us our last dime! Well, they are to come out on Sunday.

It is now 4 O’clock on Sunday, day 9, Linda just got off the phone with the contractor to see when they might be out to do the repair. Seems as though they stopped early yesterday for the afternoon showers, he then decided to give them today off because they gave been working so hard. He did not even have the courtesy to call us to tell us they would not be here. We stayed around the entire day waiting for them. I would like to have a day on! Or yes even a day off of this existence that we have been forced into do to the incompetence of the “Disaster Relief” people out there!

Linda contacted “Road Runner” our internet provider to get some sort of status on the broad band. Apparently they must live on some other planet or have their heads in an undisclosed location. The operator wanted to know if we had reported the outage. We were thinking that most of the world knew that there was devastation on a 40 mile wide path for over 120 miles from the SW to NE of the state of Florida! “Is it really that bad?” she asked. Well some people including Cousin Val will not even have her power looked into until next week.

Many of our friend’s have made us standing offers for meals and lodging, even just to come over for a shower. We have elected to make the best of what we have to work with. Linda and I chose a very modest lifestyle when we got together just 3 years ago. She receives a small pension quarterly, I do some contract work designing websites and sell a few photographs from time to time. We are very involved with our extended family. The people that love to “Cruise” or shall I say show and shine the rolling history that they own. Three times a week you will usually see our 1960 Ranchero at these types of events. We are involved in the registration process for the members of two of them as well as edit a newsletter and maintain three “Cruiser” based websites. We also try and get work with temporary staffing agencies that work local conventions.

Day 10, the 23rd day of August. 9:45AM Rodney and Carlos from Ace Electrical came out to put in the new power pole. Three and a half hours later their task was completed. Having changed out almost every component of the broken installation, the pole and yes even the feeder lines to our breaker box as the integrity of the insulation had been compromised when the weather head bent. At 2:00 O’clock we are still awaiting the county inspector to come out so that KUA may now “Hook us up”. Good news was that we were able to pay the $500 deposit on the $1000.37 repair with the balance by the 14th of next month. FEMA had made a preliminary deposit to our checking account.

We must now get onto the Road Runner people, see if they have any progress to report to us. These people have no clue as to when I might get my service restored. That is what they said no Clue. Great way to run a company! I am sure mine is lost by now. THANK YOU BRIGHTHOUSE / ROADRUNNER!

Neil Wyllie from England called, he flew in to clean up his property. He and a friend even came with chainsaws and supplies to patch possible roof damage. No real damage to his home but the yard and gardens were total devastated. We talked about the other “Cruisers” and I relayed any pertinent info to him. Hopefully Wednesday Nite we can all meet up at CiCi’s Pizza.

What do you get when you cross big city bureaucrats with Hick Cow Boy mentality? OSCEOLA COUNTY FLORIDA! I have been living here almost 25 years and it still amazes me the inadequacy of the local government and utility companies. One day they may emerge into the 20th Century! Oh well then only 100 years behind. After living in the “Little House in the Swamp” I am ready for things to start to work. The power infrastructure that was in place is so antiquated I know now why this local company had a hard time delivering power for a 24 hour continuously. We called KUA and the representative said they might be able to connect us on Thursday. I can not believe that these could even expect us to accept this statement. It was do to their incompetence that we did not get our new pole installed. I would think that daily calls to them for an answer on whose liability it was to replace the pole without getting one. We are not in the business of delivering power so we thought the ones to ask would have been them. Brian from the building department came out at 3:45 and gave the install the O.K. then notified KUA. At least they were on the ball helping people get the power back to their homes. It is now after 5 O’clock and no sign of power being restored. About 7:15 PM Sean from KUA stopped out to initialize our meter! He then looked up and found that the wires had not been connected from the pole. Now I am really irate with this organization! Why would they send out someone when they knew that the lines were not run to our house? Sean left after radioing his supervisor, we were assured that we were on tonight’s list for hook up.

Now the 11th Day, 9:00 AM an Orange KUA truck arrived. Last night I had an extensive talk with the “outage” number at KUA. We had been promised and even heard the dispatcher over Sean’s Nextel that our address was on the list for “Re Connect” They were just leaving the Buena Ventura area and were going to stop by our place. It was now after 9:00 O’clock and no sign of any one coming to get us on line. What is with these people? Jim Welsh needs to learn how to communicate and or coordinate! I waited on HOLD for over 50 minutes to have this conversation. I was not very nice, I did remind the representative that my comments were not aimed at her personally. I just had to unload all of the frustration that they had caused me. I have logged over 900 minutes on hold with them most of the time never getting connected to anyone! This costs me $.25 per minute. I will be billing them. It is not my fault that they can not even run a phone room in any sort of ethical fashion.

There are still over 4200 customers of KUA still without power. Looks as thought it might not be until Sunday. This is unacceptable, We entrust this vital utility to an Incompetent Management company!

Today was to be a normal garbage pickup day, I guess that too is a theory. We would also like to move more of our debris to the curb, but not has even been touched! I would imagine that the city and county will become a big “DUMP” Osceola county does not even have a drop off point! Welcome to Osceola County’s newest attraction, kind of a house of terrors, WE DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WORLD.

Day 12, Wednesday, we are still unable to carry any more of the storm debris to the curb as none of what had been placed there has been picked up. The regular Garbage Crew came by and picked up the stuff from yesterday. We plan on going out to CiCi’s for the Cruise-In. Mustang Mike has his rig back and cleaned up. I did not have time to clean it with all I had going on. Sorry Mike, next time you let me use it please check for Hurricanes! I am unable to get this week’s newsletter out or get any of the postings to the internet as BRIGHTHOUSE / ROADRUNNER still is clueless as to when I get my connectivity back. KUA still has almost 2000 subscribers without power.

Day 15, Saturday, power went down for 40 minutes at 8:05AM took over 35 minutes on hold to report or find out status. Seems a squirrel ran into feeder line. There are still over 80 KUA customers without power. Still no BRIGHTHOUSE/ROADRUNNER, we went to the Saturday Nite Cruise. While leaving the neighborhood we noticed BRIGHTHOUSE vehicles. Good news, sometime while we were out the Internet connection came on!

Day 16, Sunday, August, 29th, 2004 still none of the Debris has been moved from our street, I guess maybe tomorrow….

Day 18, Tuesday, August, 31st, 2004. None of the Debris has been taken away and there is a "Monster Hurricane" headed for us again this time from the east coast. "Frances" will be visiting this labor day weekend, we have only been able to make "Dry In" repairs and re secure the existing under roof with 4" lag bolts, hope this little place will hold another blow.. Now there is a run on all building materials almost state wide. Hope we do not loose power again, we gave the generator back to "Mustang Mike".

Day 20, Thursday, September, 2nd, 2004. We are as ready for "Frances as we can get. Going to more stable house to ride it out hoping that there will be something left of our home.

more later...........

On Friday September, 3rd, we headed out to our friends (Steve and Cheryl's house). This was to be an "Encampment" for 4 couples, two cats and Priscilla or dog. Frances took her time to come ashore and 2 of the couples did not join us until Saturday the 21st Day.

Here is the Journal that I started on Monday September 6th (Day 23)

Monday September, 6th, 2004. Hurricane “Frances” has made her way into the Gulf of Mexico, she is suppose to gain strength before striking the “Panhandle” of Florida. This culminates a three day encampment that we had with two other couples had at or good friends Steve and Cheryl McCullough’s home. Now, “Ivan” that had been brewing while we were feeling the three days of “Frances” Furry has become a threat to south Florida and he has been a category four storm for most of his formation.

This forced event came on the heels of “Charley” that did so much damage to Central Florida as well as the South West coast. Phone service had not even been restored to many customers before this Monster storm hit, I guess I should say wobbled on shore near Stuart Florida late Saturday night. Imagine a storm the size of Texas that was about to swallow this peninsula state! Frances was on a track to this rendezvous with us before Charley came a calling.

Linda and I were still trying to get things around our home back to a state they were before the events of Friday the 13th. This time, on Friday the 3rd, Labor Day Weekend, we chose not to ride out the storm as the roof of our home was already missing and all of the debris around the city had not been cleared. Fearing our lives as well as our possessions this time, it was now agreed that we seek some sort of a shelter.

Steve and Cheryl’s house was built after the more strict codes established in ’01 and was a block structure that survived “Charley” quite well. His neighborhood had been cleared of most of the debris. Two other “Cruiser” couples that lived in mobile homes like we do joined us on Saturday because Frances decided to slow down before coming ashore. This was possibly going to be eight people as well as two cats and our dog in a large interior closet at Steve and Cheryl’s house.

We started to feel some of the effects of the massive Atlantic Typhoon early on Saturday morning about the time that The Ed’s, Evelyn and Sarah arrived. It had taken the eye wall of the storm over seven hours to move a few short miles from the coast before it turned a bit to the North West to head across the state to wreak havoc on areas of the state that had not felt these forces in modem history. This was a 100 year storm just three weeks after a hurricane had already devastated many parts of South West, then Central and then the North Central Coast of Florida. I have been a resident of the Central Florida area for almost 25 years and have never experienced the devastation that has overcome us here in the Sun Shine State. These effects included many hours of continuously increasing velocity of winds that hammered our shelter for hours on end. About 5:30 in the evening the electrical power was lost to our shelter. The eight of us then started to make the best of an anxious situation. There was a borrowed gas powered electric generator that was now pressed into service used 4 hours at a time to keep a refrigerator running and to power a television to keep up with the local media’s coverage of the path and progress of the storm. Meals were organized, prepared and consumed using a small electric skillet or small charcoal grill. Rummy and Uno were card games that helped us ease our minds while watching the sophisticated radar systems and weather reports on TV. Our plan of “Strength in numbers” seemed to be a good idea. Anything had to be better than lonely couples huddled in a dark home worrying about what every little noise was. The eight of us were making the best of this anxious situation.

The encampment lasted three days before “Frances” stopped bothering central Florida, I guess I should say totally influence our weather, as on Tuesday we were still getting outer bands of rain directly related to her furry. Hurricane “Ivan” still needs to be watched closely. His path seems to be real close to the path that “Charley” took that devastated much of our state.

We hope to start cruising our Classic Cars tomorrow, I think that the general public that comes to see our cars may be brought a little lightness to their day. Maybe even help the recovery effort.

The Cruises were not very successful, we are now getting ready for Hurricane "Ivan" Due to effect us early next week. Thursday (Day 27) some of the Debris from "Charley" was extracted from our neighborhood. Today Friday the 10th, (Day 28) Mother Nature spared us the Afternoon showers.

more later...........

I have now lost track of the days, somewhere around 42 days worrying about being held hostage by this "100 Year, Storm pattern" All I know is that today is the 24th of September and we are once again packing up to head to a shelter as Hurricane Jeanne is going to hit our fair shores at 2 AM on Sunday and head right for us again. Tomorrow morning we will head for the location of the "Great Labor Day Encampment" this time there are only 4 of us as 2 are out of the country and 2 are involved with a "Corvair Family Reunion" at Old Town. I hope I have good news once this Cat 3 storm runs over our little house.

We had just had a near miss with "Ivan" he went to Alabama and tore up the panhandle of Florida before heading north to wreak havoc in PA and NY then looping back around thru Florida again dropping off a lot of rain here in Central Florida causing more flooding. He then went into the Gulf and is not bringing much rain to TX.

Well we evacuated to Steve's house again hurricane "Jeanne" did her best to get us on the 25th and 26th of September. Other than keeping my servers off line and killing the mail server we got out of this on with no further damage. This was the storm that did the loop de loops out in the Atlantic, then came in almost the same place "Frances" did just 3 weeks almost to the hour but a little earlier. She had a lot more wind and rain. She pounded our little trailer with 90mph winds for 12 hours. There was a trailer just 2 over from ours that was leveled to the ground! Steve got a little damage at his house, just a support brace from his screen room fell. I managed to grab it before it did any damage to the house.

This hurricane season is on for the books. I hope I never have to do another hurricane report