Would you want to end up here?
Had an email recently from one who lived through Katrina and it was a sobering tale of warning to those who are unprepared. Steve B. shared his story of how he and his wife flew into New Orleans the Friday night before Katrina. They were there for a wedding and arrived with little to no warning of the pending track of the hurricane. Reportedly, city officials didn’t want to disclose the full potential as their emergency declaration ordinance would require hoteliers to provide immediate refunds of short notice cancellations, so they let folks like Steve come on to town right into the hurricane’s path.
By 10:00 AM Saturday, there were no flights out of the city. So Steve and his wife were quick to make a rental car reservation knowing that a reservation doesn’t necessarily mean a car will be waiting for them. The reservation scenario was played up as a humorous scene in a Seinfeld episode years ago, only this was real life and not funny at all. From 8:00 PM Saturday to 4:00 AM Sunday, they stood in line watching car after car depart, growing more concerned that there wouldn’t be a car when it was their turn. All the while, they were thinking that if it got really bad, they’d evacuate to the Superdome. He’s so glad they didn’t. They got their vehicle, grabbed their bags and got out of dodge without having slept a wink since Friday night.
He says it was a harrowing experience and that they were scared for their lives and will never forget it or allow themselves to be caught in that kind of situation again. Steve says it was amazing how quickly civilities vanished once imminent disaster was obvious. He has allowed me to share his story with the hope that perhaps it will cause others to be ready for when disaster strikes. Disaster can come at any moment. In the event of a grid down situation, there may still be a 24 to 72 hour window of opportunity to get out of dodge, but beyond that, reality will set in and panic will ensue. You need to have a plan. That’s why Retreat Realty exists, to help folks find their western North Carolina bug out or survival property. Call us today to discuss how we can be of assistance.
