It’s Friday before Labor Day weekend and we’ve already been following storm Dorian since late Monday when indications became clear we needed to. As of this writing, it’s not expected to arrive in our area until next Wednesday now. It’s a slow moving storm which, as reported by local news and the weather channel, gives it additional time over warm waters to gather strength. This also increases the amount of storm surge and rainfall it can dump in the area as it passes through.
This, our friends, is the very definition of storm fatigue—the waiting, the watching, the ever changing forecasts and ultimately an outcome over which we have no control other than our own actions and preparation. If you’ve never lived in Florida during hurricane season it’s hard to accurately describe the extreme trepidation and anxiety that accompanies this situation….for days. Add to that the depleted resources (gas lines at 2 a.m., no water to be found anywhere, etc.) and you start to get the picture.
So, we’re doing the only thing we can: staying calm and preparing. Gathering the supplies we can (and taking our pets into account) and making sure we know our flood zone and evacuation routes. Making sure we’ve downloaded apps, gathered critical contacts & information and charged up our devices & back up. Watching the news for updates so we know when & how to act if necessary. This really is about preparation and the right expectations post storm. There may be flooding. There may be power outages. There may be fallen trees. Our City of Jacksonville and our utility (JEA) seem to be well prepared as well. Now, we watch and wait. We persevere; we always have. #DTWD