Hurricane Andrew Remembered.. vs Katrina..

Hurricane Andrew remembered... vs coverage and discussions on Hurricane Katrina.. just my opinon mind you..

I blogged a bit on Andrew earlier... How can anyone overlook such a
storm?

Recent history still sells as a very controversial event. The diaster
being one part tropical and more than one part political from
Katrina.... Breakdown of the canals and levee systems and refusal to
provide a proper eveacuation for a tragedy everyone knew was only a
matter of time.

Two totally different storms.

Andrew is and was the real hurricane story. An almost nuclear sort of
bomb in its neat, tight compact fury slamming into the sleepy hamlet of
Homestead and broke a dry spell of no storms affecting the South Florida
area for over 25 years.

Can you imagine? Miami went over 25 years without a Hurricane. If you
saw Hurricanes in the title it meant they won the National
Championship...

But Miami was prepared at least for the evacuation of old retirees
living on Miami Beach, of tourists, of residents. People lined up all
along Collins Avenue and took bus after bus to the mainland. The
Dolphins Park and Ride lot on Miami Beach was filled with Fins and
Hurricane Fans being transported to safety. Shelters opened, people were
informed, prepared and a bit terrified and.......... In disbelief that a
storm would really hit Miamim

"They always turn at the last minute" was the cry of many who reminded
people of David who had tunrned.

Andrew didn't turn. It slammed into South Miami Dade like a small atom
bomb, a Category Five and taught us all a lesson. They don't always
turn. Just because you go a generation without a landfalling hurricane
does not mean you can rely on luck forever.

Is Tampa and Jacksonville listening?
Because New Orleans didn't listen.

The lack of preparation for such an event should be soul searching for
those who were in a position to do something but didn't.

Andrew was a screaming tropical event and I lay on a mattress on the
second floor of my house on Miami Beach with kids, flashlights and a
radio listening to Bryan Norcross as he talked nonsop his hoarse voice
being drowned out at times by the moaning, screaming sounds of Andrew's
shrill hurricane fury as he bent the austrailan Pine Trees a block
away...and the winds sang through their beautiful branches. With the
stronger bands you could hear the ounding of the surf carried by the
wind. What a wind.

Homestead was flattened, Miami Beach survived. We sat waiting for the
storm surge that never came, the roof never leaked (and it leaked often)
as it was a dry storm. And, Homestead had damage that Gulfport got but
was rarely seen on TV because the press was covering New Orleans more.

And truth be told.. They are two different storms and two different
tragedies.

After Andrew no one was prepared for the clean up. The State and Federal
Governments sat waiting for Miami Dade County to fax them requests not
realizing no one was going to work and no one had electric. Kate Hall in
her famous "send in the marines" or cavalry speech had to point that
out. In Andrew we learned the lesson of how to prepare better for a
worst case scenario storm. But.. We were prepared before the storm and
for the storm.

So, I sit here and wonder....

Is Tampa and Jacksonville paying attention? It can and will happen to
you...

Andrew was totally amazing. It may not have been the great 1926
Hurricane that hit Miami Beach and downtown Miami as a wet, huge,
slowing moving Category Four but Andrew like all the big ones... Will be
remembered forever.

--bobbistorm