Michael
Administrator
From: Houston, TX
Registered: 12/13/00
Posts: 4240
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Directron.com Announcement on Rita
Well, we are right in the middle of the Hurricane Rita. I thought I would put as much info here as I see it.
We started the preparation in the office yesterday (Wednesday). The idea is to get the office/warehouse ready if we get a direct hit by Rita. We used plastic sheets and bags to cover everything just in case of leakage from the roof. We also repaired the visible cracks on the roof and consolidated the windows.
It's amazing that some customers and friends think our office, which is made of solid concrete and steel, is the safest spot. They plan to sleep there on Friday night.
Most people are wondering what to do. Some people are thinking of leaving out of town. Several people are panicking as if the hurricane may be hitting now, when it is actualy 48 hours away. Judging by TV pictures and radio, all major highways are jammed.
We decided to close the business for Thursday (today), Friday, and Saturday. Originally we thought we may open on Thursday. But UPS told us that they will not pick up packages on Thursday. So there is no need for us to be open.
All the schools are being closed. The walk-in business already significantly thinned down. Many of our employees left early. I wish them a safe weekend.
We came home at around 7-8pm. I was driving southbound on the Beltway. The northbound is totally jamed.
After dinner at home, we decided to get my car filling up with gas. On the way home, I saw most gas stations have run out of gas, but one was still open. So we went to that one by 59 and Williams Trace. It took about 10 minutes for us to wait in line, which is not bad. I filled the gas. Vicky bought some snacks. All the ice in the freezer is gone. I also filled an extra gas container.
We then went to Welcome Grocery store. Amazing, not too many people there. There are still plenty of food on the shelf. The owner of the store told me that his store was jamed with people earlier of the day. He has to get extra food in on an emergency.
We called a friend in Woodlands in North Houston. That may be a possible place for us to go if we get direct hit by Rita.
After unloading the food to house and putting the kids to sleep, I started thinking wyas to prepare our house for Rita. We cleaned up one of the garages just in case we need to store our cars. I put most items in plastic bags, covered the piano, put away the carpet, closed all curtains.
I put together a checklist for me to finish the house preparation. It is impossible now to buy any plywood to cover the windows. I have no good idea what to do to protect the windows. I guess I can use tapes to tape them up. But that will leave hard-to-get-rid-of marks on the glass and it may not help during the storm. Besides, I don't know which direction Rita may hit us yet.
In the middle of the night, the pathway of Rita took a turn for the worse. It shifted from the southwest texas toward.... HOUSTON!
It looks like it may hit Houston directly. That is a very fearful thought. Lee, our tech manager, is heading to Lake Charles with Jacob, network administrator. Nancy, CS manager, was planning to leave for Austin. George and his new wife are heading somewhere. Jeff and his new wife are heading to Austin hoping for his wife to catch a flight to China this weekend from Austin. Her original flight was to leave Houston on Sunday. But they anticipate the flight may be canceled. So they switched the flight from Houston to Austin. Now the problem is that they need to find a way to get to Austin!
We decided to just sleep and take a rest.
I got up at around 5am to check news and online. Great news! The projected landing point for hurricane Rita has shifted about 100 miles toward the east. Now the landing point is on the east side of Sugar Land and west Houston. That means we are now on the GOOD side of the hurricane (left or west side).
If it shifts a little further toward the east (Lousiana), that's great news for us. We may be able to dodge a bullet from the hurricane.
We called George, who left at around 10pm last night. They are stuck in the traffic on FM 1960. They are running out of gas. To save gas, they are not running the AC. We called Jeff. They are stuck on I-10 going about a few miles per hour. I spoke with Lee. They left their apartment at 2am. They were stuck in the east side of Houston until they get off to I-10 east. Right now they are running about 60mpr toward Lake Charles. They are traveling on separate cars with Jacob. They are communicating with radio. On hindsight, I think I would prefer having Lee and Jacob going to different directions if they have to go.
[This message was edited by Michael on 09/22/05 at 8:08.] |
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Michael
Administrator
From: Houston, TX
Registered: 12/13/00
Posts: 4240
|
Here is my conversation with Fred: on MSN IM earlier (Thursday 9/22/05 morning around 7am):
Michael: hi Fred, this is Michael
Fred: good morning
Michael: any plans to get out? it looks like Rita has turned around houston. that is really good news for us if it lands in lousiana
Fred: i am watching Rita. no plan yet till tomorrow. have u filled up gas?
Michael: yes. i know a few people who tried to get out last night. they are stuck on the highway right now. kind of sily
Fred: good 4 u. i heard gas station in missouri city still open.
Michael: only people who did get out were those who headed east to lake charles. but it seems that Rita is heading that direction too. so i am glad that we didn't panic and jump to the highway last night. there are still plenty time for Rita to change directions or shift more. the best would be for it to shift more toward the east
Fred: i saw yesterday cars packed in hwy 6 toward to 59. they must came from galvaston
Michael: i think the best way to get out is 59 south now heading to corpus direction, away from the projected landing point for Rita
Fred: we plan, if, get out to austin
Michael: there is no way to get to austin. too many people are heading that direction
Fred: true. but our sons are there. they told us people said that take 7 hrs to get there. normally only 3- hr.
Michael: i heard 12 hours yesterday. right now i would sit tight
Fred: wah....
Michael: hopefully Rita would shift more toward east
Fred: we hope that too
Michael: if that happens, we can celebrate our decision of not panicking. people are running out of gas on the freeway
Fred: the TASB/TASA school show has postponed
Fred: r u still visiting cychair (?) friday?
Michael: no. they are closed. all schools are closed
[This message was edited by Michael on 09/26/05 at 17:52.] |
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Michael
Administrator
From: Houston, TX
Registered: 12/13/00
Posts: 4240
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Rene, our friend in Austin, called. We have been trying to contact her since yesterday. We may stay with her family if we decide to evacuate to Austin. She said she has been calling our cell and home numbers since yesterday but can't get through. I told her that we may not go to Austin after all.
A friend - our poker buddies - from Katy in west houston called. They are wondering what to do. They told me that another friend in Katy tried to go to Dallas last night. But they had to turn around because of the traffic jam and they ran out of gas. They came back home now. I invited them to come to play a round of poker - jokingly.
I still have much to do around the house. I'll trim the trees to avoid tree falling on the house. I'll make some extra ice in case the electricity goes out on Saturday.
A friend in another country MSN'ed me: what you are doing? I said I am making a blog for the storm. "Why you are so calm in the middle of the storm?" What else you can do in this situation? The stor is still 36 some hours away!!!
Stay calm. Do not panic, yet.
City of Houston is converting the inbound lanes on freeways to outbound. That should help the traffic a little.
[This message was edited by Michael on 09/22/05 at 9:00.] |
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Michael
Administrator
From: Houston, TX
Registered: 12/13/00
Posts: 4240
|
Lauren just called. She and her family decided to leave this morning to go to College Station. Right now they are approaching 290. I told them the traffic is too bad to go through. If they run out of gas, they should consider returning to Houston. Good luck to them. I'll stay in touch with them. |
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Michael
Administrator
From: Houston, TX
Registered: 12/13/00
Posts: 4240
|
I just eat breakfast. Some left overs from last night. I always eat left overs for breakfast.
Then I went to the front yard to trim the palm trees. The neighborhood is really calm. The birds are singing. No car. I saw someone picking up the newspaper. That about it.
I used two ladders, one short and one long. I cut about 20 pieces of the big leaves off the palm trees. It's getting hot already. I got mosquito bites. I came back inside to take a break and write this update.
A vendor from South Carolina just IM'ed me that Linda our purchasing manager and her family are on the run. But they are stuck in the traffic.
I remember this conversation with Nancy at mid night on MSN:
She said she just finished boarding her house. She was tired. What a smart and brave lady. Where and how did she get the plywoods? She said her friends got them from another city. She didn't use all of them, but her friends got the rest. (Too late for me?!) They were planning to leave town at 5am. But as said earlier, we called her at around 5:30 am. They didn't leave yet.
I saw only one house got boarded in my neightborhood. We asked around. Most people decided to stay. I guess most of those people who are jamming the roads are from the coastal areas such as galveston, freeport, and clear lake.
The kids are still sleeping upstairs. I guess they are enjoying this quiet moment before the big storm. |
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Michael
Administrator
From: Houston, TX
Registered: 12/13/00
Posts: 4240
|
We'll open our office as a shelter for our employees, their family, friends, and others who happen to know us. We have food and water stored there already. A friend will bring a gun too. 
We'll open the warehouse for people to store their cars. If the wind is coming from the North, that is good for us since our office building does not have any windows facing North or East.
[This message was edited by Michael on 09/22/05 at 11:05.] |
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Michael
Administrator
From: Houston, TX
Registered: 12/13/00
Posts: 4240
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The good and bad side of a hurricane
There is a good side and a bad side of a hurricane. (Also called clean side and dirty side). The bad side is the right side, where the wind is blowing INTO the land, which causes direct hit and water waves.
The good side is the left, where the wind has to blow up onto the land first and then turn around leaving the land. Such a wind is often much weaker and there are no water surges.
When Katrina hit New Orleans, New Orleans was lucky to be right on the good side of Katrina. However, the levee broke, that is the end of that story.
Houston is different. We don't have levees. We are not below sea level.
So if Rita continues to move to the east, we might just be very, very lucky.
Why do I feel I am placing a huge bet on a gambling table?
[This message was edited by Michael on 09/22/05 at 18:56.] |
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Michael
Administrator
From: Houston, TX
Registered: 12/13/00
Posts: 4240
|
What is the difference between typhoon and hurricane?
Hurricane is used for Atlanta and Gulf of Mexico. Typhoon is used for Pacific. Most Asian people are used to the term typhoon. But, in the States, we call such storms hurricanes.
That is the only difference I know of.
Since such ocean-generated storms often move westward, I don't think there is typhoon or hurricane in states such as California.
Sunny asked why we didn't move there. Then, they have earthquakes.
What about more in-land? Such as Okalahoma. But they have cyclones.
No good place to live!
[This message was edited by Michael on 09/22/05 at 18:57.] |
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Michael
Administrator
From: Houston, TX
Registered: 12/13/00
Posts: 4240
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Michael: hi Andrew, where r u?
Andrew: Hi Michael, I am in Houston, where are U?
Michael: home sweet home. watching news. and writing for
http://directron.infopop.net/2/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=476097824&f=992091644&m=183104449&r=729102449#729102449
Andrew: I see...
Michael: how is your wife? you and your family are welcome to stay in our office on friday night
Andrew: she went through radio therapy... this is the second week
Michael: we'll have people, food, and water there. how did that go? does she feel better already?
Andrew: oh i see... that is nice of you to provide that as a place to go. no she is feeling worst but the doctors said 3 weeks of worsening is normal because the thyroid is fighting back. have boarded your house?
Michael: i see. nope. i didn't have time to buy the boards
Andrew: just planing to claim insurance?
Michael: i think we just might be lucky to be on the good side of the hurricane. we do not have insurance on our houses.
Andrew: I hope so... I am planing to board up today. no insurance... you should at least board up
Michael: no need for it until now. but it's too late to buy the insurance now. do you have extra plywoods?
Andrew: No I do not have extra... But I know this morning Home Depot got shipments... I did not know you needed some.... I left home depot at 12 midnight last night and saw a truck with 10 palets of plywood drove in. this is the home depot at westheimer / dunvale. I have plywoods because I had more time than you and got them 2 days ago
Michael: good for you. i cut some trees. that is about it for now. okay. i am going out to cut more trees
Andrew: I am going to home depot again to get more materials later about noon... If I see some I will call you or buy them for you. sorry I have to go now.. start to work on the house
Michael: ok. good luck
Andrew: Good luck to you and family too.
[This message was edited by Michael on 09/26/05 at 16:12.] |
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Michael
Administrator
From: Houston, TX
Registered: 12/13/00
Posts: 4240
|
My conversation with Scott in Colorado at 9am on Thursday. Her mother lives in Richmond taht is very close to Sugar Land area.
Michael: hi Scott. is your mom okay? is she in houston area? if she is still in town, she is welcome to stay with us in our office
Scott: yeah...she's staying...she has a group out in Richmond. your building is pretty safe?
Michael: yes. it's concrete and steel. better than these wood houses
Scott: you're all planning on riding it out in there?
Michael: http://directron.infopop.net/2/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=476097824&f=992091644&m=183104449&r=909102449#909102449
so far, yes. Rita just took a north turn, which is good for us. it means that Sugarland will be on the left (GOOOD) side of the hurricane. it means that the wind we may face may come from the north instead of south
Scott: that's good...i was just about to check it
Michael: so we may be lucky. right now no way to travel to anywhere. if your mom and others want to get out, i suggest to drive south on 59 to corpus christy later today. no one is heading to that direction yet
Scott: yeah...i've got some friends that went to harlingen
Michael: what is killing people right now is that they are stuck on traffic for 8-14 hours. and then run out of gas
Scott: yeah...not too smart. we did some work at the Houston co loc last night to ensure that everything stays up
Michael: well, you won't if the electricity is out
Scott: distributed across large APCs and pulled unnecessary equipment
Michael: good.
Scott: this is all just in case the NOC generator goes out
Michael: let your mom know my cell number, 832-xxx-xxxx. just in case.
Scott: they say there is 72 hours of run time on it plus they have a service that will come and fill up the generator. ok...i'll give her the number
Michael: i wish they are right. i just updated more on the forum
Scott: do you have a generator at the office?
Michael: yes i do. but we haven't used it for a long time
Scott: nice...i let jan know about your offer...I will let Jeff know too...he is very close to you...
Michael: i filled up a container of gas. sure. some one also bought some mattrex for the office. so someone is planning to have a party there. the warehouse building should be safe as a shelter since it has very few window or doors. i am going out to cut more trees. i think we may have the time to get the generator to work later today
Scott: alright...thanks...and good luck with weathering this storm
[This message was edited by Michael on 09/26/05 at 16:19.] |
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Michael
Administrator
From: Houston, TX
Registered: 12/13/00
Posts: 4240
|
I just spent a little time to continue preparing the house for the hurricane:
(1) Removed all miscellaneous items from the yard to inside. I don't want any debris to hit our window.
(2) Moved all valuable and water-sensitive items away from the windows, especially the ones facing north. I am going to place towels and blanket just in case windows break and water comes in.
(3) Packed all valuable and water-senstive items into plastic bags. |
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Michael
Administrator
From: Houston, TX
Registered: 12/13/00
Posts: 4240
|
David, one of our techs, just got online. He said he and his parents tried to get out of town last night. He has been up for 36 hours, but they moved only about 17 miles after 5 hours. So they came back. They plan to try it again tonight.
I told him do not bother. The storm has shifted toward the East. But he thinks the wind will still be about 70 miles per hour and if his parents want to try it again, he has to go with them to make sure they are alright.
[This message was edited by Michael on 09/22/05 at 12:37.] |
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