Warren Faidley
Supporter
I just returned from the event.
Here are some important notes: 1: Local news stations were providing extremely accurate, continuous, pre-storm information days out, especially within 24 hours. At one point I turned off the news because it was an overload of information. 2: Surge forecasts of over 10 feet were also being suggested / adjusted with every model run and NHC forecast hours in advance. I pay VERY close attention to this information because the surge forecast is my number one concern for where I end up chasing. Never did I feel any information was lacking or inaccurate. 3: People had PLENTY of time to evacuate. Most of the "sandbar" communities can reach safe inland locations in less than an hour. It's not the kind of situation where you need hours to "get out of town." I was still driving along the coast the early AM of the event! 4: News broadcasts were continually interviewing people who commented, "they were aware of the danger, but did not want to leave." 5: Many people do not want to suffer any possible "discomfort" if they evacuate, e.g., sleeping in their car or a public shelter for a night if they cannot find a motel.
This is also classic example of A: people ignoring information / warnings / evacuations and not wanting to take responsibility. B: A large population of residents who are new to the area and do not understand / underestimate storm surge and other hazards. C: Some people expressed they were "afraid to leave their homes" because of "growing crime problems," in the US (post-event looting / crime). I did capture scenes of people looting via my drone footage in the AM. I am getting permission from the FAA and Air Force to install air to surface missiles on the drone for future looting. (;
I did witness some of the fatalities in Fort Meyers Beach. Some (many?) were elderly individuals who were either unaware of the severity of the situation because of normal communication issues associated with the elderly, and /or they were ignored.
![FortMyersPano-WS.jpg FortMyersPano-WS.jpg](https://stormtrack.org/data/attachments/40/40109-5788ea713fa2141036e3d656f4610a7a.jpg)
Here are some important notes: 1: Local news stations were providing extremely accurate, continuous, pre-storm information days out, especially within 24 hours. At one point I turned off the news because it was an overload of information. 2: Surge forecasts of over 10 feet were also being suggested / adjusted with every model run and NHC forecast hours in advance. I pay VERY close attention to this information because the surge forecast is my number one concern for where I end up chasing. Never did I feel any information was lacking or inaccurate. 3: People had PLENTY of time to evacuate. Most of the "sandbar" communities can reach safe inland locations in less than an hour. It's not the kind of situation where you need hours to "get out of town." I was still driving along the coast the early AM of the event! 4: News broadcasts were continually interviewing people who commented, "they were aware of the danger, but did not want to leave." 5: Many people do not want to suffer any possible "discomfort" if they evacuate, e.g., sleeping in their car or a public shelter for a night if they cannot find a motel.
This is also classic example of A: people ignoring information / warnings / evacuations and not wanting to take responsibility. B: A large population of residents who are new to the area and do not understand / underestimate storm surge and other hazards. C: Some people expressed they were "afraid to leave their homes" because of "growing crime problems," in the US (post-event looting / crime). I did capture scenes of people looting via my drone footage in the AM. I am getting permission from the FAA and Air Force to install air to surface missiles on the drone for future looting. (;
I did witness some of the fatalities in Fort Meyers Beach. Some (many?) were elderly individuals who were either unaware of the severity of the situation because of normal communication issues associated with the elderly, and /or they were ignored.
![FortMyersPano-WS.jpg FortMyersPano-WS.jpg](https://stormtrack.org/data/attachments/40/40109-5788ea713fa2141036e3d656f4610a7a.jpg)