Dear Readers,

I am writing this missive to you from what was ground zero for Hurricane Beryl. Our house was spared any major damage, and we are all okay. There are trees and branches down all over the place. Fortunately, we were not among the 2.1 million people without power, most of whom, forty-eight hours after the storm, are still without it. And with the heat index over 105 at that.

Honestly, the wind damage is similar to what I saw during and after Hurricane Ike in 2008, but thankfully, Beryl did not bring the 20 foot storm surge with it that Ike did. So, it’s mostly wind damage everywhere and not much flood damage. Damage is damage though, and if it is your house, it doesn’t matter what kind it is. It still sucks.

We are still in response mode and not recovery mode. I’ve been hearing non-stop sirens all day. That’s the thing about hurricanes. As a (now retired) fireman, I always feared the post-storm period more than the storm itself. People are without electricity in brutal heat which causes problems. People not used to doing manual labor, much less in hundred degree heat, are working outside. People use tools that they aren’t overly familiar with, which causes injuries. House fires increase due to electrical issues caused by the storm. People who are on maintenance medications can’t get them refilled because the pharmacy is closed due to power outages.  

Living on the Gulf Coast as I have for my entire life, you never know when your number is up storm wise, and if it is, you don’t know if it’ll be your turn to suffer damage. I had a tree on my house during Hurricane Nicholas in 2021, and I’ve had other damage over the years, so I am well versed in the Hurricane Roulette we play down here each summer and early fall.

People often ask why we live on the Gulf Coast given the hurricane threat each year. Well, every region of the country has its own disaster risks. You have to pick your poison. I’ve spent my whole life within a couple of miles (at the most) of the water. It is what I am accustomed to and I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else, though Wilmington, North Carolina is nice (but they also get hurricanes). And the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia is pretty nice too. But I intend to stay in hurricane alley for the rest of my days, absent some really unusual set of occurrences.

And the bad thing is, the busy part of the hurricane season for the Western Gulf doesn’t even start for another six weeks.

Regards,

L.H.