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Thursday
March 18, 2010 Since 1922 |
Hurricane Ike: One year later
By Luke Hales
Published September 12, 2009 While we marked the anniversary of one of America’s greatest tragedies yesterday, another poignant date was surely on the minds of many in our area this week.
Hurricane Ike blew through our community one year ago this week, leaving behind devastation and destruction unlike any we had seen here in 25 years — since Hurricane Alicia left her indelible mark on our city.
Any of us who were here during that time remember stocking up on supplies, boarding up windows and cleaning out all the batteries in the vicinity. We remember either evacuating to another city or riding out the storm’s fury that long night.
Perhaps the most unforgettable of experiences during that time was our emergence from our makeshift bunkers to see exactly what havoc Ike had wreaked during his stay — and what a sight it was. Powerless against the storm — and with no power following — our work was cut out for us.
We began the process of cleaning and clearing, repairing and restoring throughout the next few weeks, living on Red Cross meals and MREs from the National Guard. We cooked outdoors and toiled there, too, with generators providing us the capability to do so.
To borrow from Charles Dickens in “A Tale of Two Cities,” It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was a time of misery and frustration, it’s true. But it was also a time of generosity and compassion, both from our own residents and all those who appeared from across the country to help us get back on our feet.
We all learned lessons from Ike, the cruel teacher that he was. And next time — whenever that might be — we’ll take those lessons and apply them to our preparations and planning.
Published September 12, 2009 While we marked the anniversary of one of America’s greatest tragedies yesterday, another poignant date was surely on the minds of many in our area this week.
Hurricane Ike blew through our community one year ago this week, leaving behind devastation and destruction unlike any we had seen here in 25 years — since Hurricane Alicia left her indelible mark on our city.
Any of us who were here during that time remember stocking up on supplies, boarding up windows and cleaning out all the batteries in the vicinity. We remember either evacuating to another city or riding out the storm’s fury that long night.
Perhaps the most unforgettable of experiences during that time was our emergence from our makeshift bunkers to see exactly what havoc Ike had wreaked during his stay — and what a sight it was. Powerless against the storm — and with no power following — our work was cut out for us.
We began the process of cleaning and clearing, repairing and restoring throughout the next few weeks, living on Red Cross meals and MREs from the National Guard. We cooked outdoors and toiled there, too, with generators providing us the capability to do so.
To borrow from Charles Dickens in “A Tale of Two Cities,” It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was a time of misery and frustration, it’s true. But it was also a time of generosity and compassion, both from our own residents and all those who appeared from across the country to help us get back on our feet.
We all learned lessons from Ike, the cruel teacher that he was. And next time — whenever that might be — we’ll take those lessons and apply them to our preparations and planning.