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I'd like to hear some other coastal Carolinians opinions about hurricanes. Are you afraid of them? Was it a consideration when you moved here, if you haven't lived here your whole life? Do you think the media portrays them in an accurate way?
I grew up in McClellanville and was living there at the time of Hurricane Hugo, so of course I have seen the devastating power they possess. But since then, it's just seemed like a lot of hype year after year by the media. Every little tropical storm there blows our way, they seem to spread this doomsday fear to the public about filling up bathtubs and running for the hills. For once I would love to just see a weatherman say, "doesn't look like it will be a very powerful storm, but you might want to unplug your computer" and be done with it.
Even if a big storm is coming our way, we have ample time to prepare your house and evacuate if it comes to it. If you come back and your house is damaged, well that is what insurance is for. I just don't really see what the big deal is, but I wanted to get other peoples opinions on them.
I think the media REALLY likes to scare people-everytime a little breeze blows they're telling us to head for the hills!
I've lived in Charleston all my life and I think I don't worry about them b/c it's just part of living on the coast. I lived on a pretty rural island (Wadmalaw) during Hugo and there was a one lane road cut through the debris to get to where our street was and then we had to cut a path to our house-what a mess-but that's life on the coast! Of course now that I own my own home, I'd rather not see any more storms.
I am moving from here in a year or so and I'm glad to be getting away from hurricanes but it's not the reason I'm moving.
I personally lived in Charlotte during HUGO and we lost power for a week. Charlotte is 3 hours inland.
I have lived up and down the East Coast from Key West, FT Lauderdale, Atlantic Beach, NC to New Jersey. You just have to be prepared.
When I was younger I lived in San Fran, CA and I didn't worry about Earthquakes and you get no notice for those. Or when I lived in Ill I didn't sit and worry about Tornado's.
My view is why worry about what you can't control. Just be prepared, Insured, alert, and evacuate when told.
Last edited by Darcysells4u; 06-01-2007 at 01:33 PM..
Reason: typo
I think Hurricane Katrina had a big effect on how Americans perceive hurricanes. I think a lot of people saw the destruction, and were ignorant to a lot of the real causes: the fact that New Orleans is built below sea level, the negligence on the part of the city of NOLA and the state of Louisiana (it was no secret that NOLA would flood), and the red tape in the federal emergency management process (which was a problem back in 89 with Hugo).
Hurricanes are a well-documented part of nature, not a random tragedy. It's difficult for me to feel sorry for those who don't take responsiblity for their own personal safety.
Having said that, yes, I think that hurricanes are overhyped in the media. But, you really can't deny the power of something like Hurricane Camille, Hurricane Hugo, or Hurricane Andrew. But those are rare.
Yes, there have been a rash of bad storm in the more southernly states, but here's the other thing that most people don't know about Hurricane Hugo. Not many people in McClellanville were adequately insured. Nobody ever told us that if a 20 foot wave came into town you would need flood insurance and FEMA was NO HELP AT ALL. We had lots of donations and relief...for a week or two. After that the town picked itself up by its boots straps and we rebuilt ourselves, we didn't beg for a government handout and we proved that we didn't need one either. A lot of people lost everything they own, but their neighbors replaced what they could and EVERYONE pitched in to make things better. It was a long painful experience that could have been eased by many, but we didn't complain, because we knew it was possible and it was an act of God
I grew up in Charleston, and never really worried about hurricanes either. I lived through Hugo, but since I was a kid I didn't realize a lot of what was going on. I just remember it wasn't too bad. I'm moving to Charlotte soon and I'm really not scared of hurricanes there. Yes we will prepare if it's a category 4 or more and have proper insurance.
As a PP said they aren't that bad if you prepare, and have enough insurance. Don't expect the government to help.
Having insurance is fine and dandy, but make a claim and watch your butt get dropped. Then bye bye insurance. I know, I've been there. Six hurricanes and two claims later and we were dropped after our second claim. A roof was our first claim from hurricane Bertha and then Fran hit a couple months later and then we made another claim 2 years later for a brand new fence that hurricane Bonnie took down. Then we were dropped. So don't count on insurance as your safety net. This was back before insurance companies started dropping people along the coast too. And yes they are bad, you lose power and it is hot as hell and you are dirty and your food is spoiling and you can't cook and your yard is a mess. If they are a night hurricane they are scary because you hear things hitting the house but you can't see what it is and the wind and the sound doesn't quit. They throw off tornadoes too so you have to worry about that. If you evacuate they are expensive, hotel, food, gas. They are expensive even if you don't. Water, batteries, generators, food, everyone is out buying everything up. Fran came in as a cat 3 and the destruction was pretty bad. Lots of trees lost in that one and my neighbor had a pine tree fall into his daughters bedroom. They're nothing to take lightly.
We now live almost 30 miles inland and although I feel a bit safer then I did where I lived before, I know that there is still the potential that anything can happen with a hurricane.
Yes, I am moving to Charleston soon, and hurricanes and floods do concern me.
Thinking about West Ashley or Mt. Pleasant however the elevations seem similar at 10-12 feet above sea level, so I would assume flooding would be a problem in both locations. I looked at Summerville, but they have their problems there as well with minor earthquakes. A lot of rumbling there over the years.
Can anyone tell me which areas faired the best with Hurricane Hugo? (Or any other storm for that matter). Is there any higher protected ground around where I can find a nice newer (0-5 years) home for $275-350 ??
Of course I will insure for Wind, flood, earthquake etc but as we all know if you make a claim or two you can get dropped pretty quickly, so I would like to find "the right spot" as well.
Well, I lived in a 2-story home built in 1797 in Whitmire, SC, which is in Newberry County, when Hurricane Hugo hit. Hugo tore one of the two doors off of our house (screen doors on the front of the two main doors) and pulled up a pear tree (yes, I mean pulled it up out of the ground) that had been there for probably 100 years. We had three small children (ages about 8 to 2), and they slept downstairs in the bedroom with us; I didn't sleep at all. It was absolutely horrifying, and we weren't even in the "path" of the hurricane; we were just "on the fringes" of it. I have never prayed so hard in my life as I did that night, and I thank God that He was listening.
The next morning we heard on the news that the hurricane had killed a baby in Charlotte while sleeping in his crib; my heart ached for those parents. Charlotte got hit very, very hard by Hugo, and that area is so far inland. Charlotte lost many, many of its beautiful old oak trees and other trees as well. Power was out. The good thing was that Southern people go out of their way to help each other; if I had an emergency, I would definitely want to be in the South.
To all of you who may not be from the South and/or have never experienced a hurricane, PLEASE if the officials in your area say they are evacuating, then do not wait! Grab your loved ones and drive as far inland as you can. Hurricanes are vile--completely vile.
That being said, I would absolutely live in the South; you simply have to know what to do for hurricanes and tornados. Trust me, you WILL experience them if you live there long enough.
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