Hurricane Wilma destroys what Katrina left behind

[logybogy]

Ahh, I thought that wall was solid glass all the way around. So those are balconies or a design element of the building? If balconies, could you tell if windows and sliding glass doors behind it broke? You're right it doesn't look as bad as I originally thought comparing it to that picture, but still if this building was built to code, it shouldn't have a scratch in Cat 1 winds....even with debris hitting it, windows may shatter with debris but the hurricane glass is supposed to keep the window structurally sound.

That's going to be the big issue with this. During Katrina, there was other high-rise damage with water seeping in under sliding glass doors and windows because of the wind and pressure. Wasn't supposed to happen then either.

[Roark]

Just rode the ole bike down to the office (gotta save that precious fuel) and snapped a couple of pics.
Here is Fortune Internationals office in the foreground unscathed...Greenberg Taurig back left severely
damaged (mostly on the south/east side) Jade inbetween unscathed, and the Espirito Santo western
facade apparently unscathed.

Just speculating...but as you can see from this photo of Espirito, the damage appears to be from projectiles breaking the southern
facade. I didn't see any windows "blown out" in the sense that there was too much pressure or faulty frames/construction.
It's also significant to mention that the damage occurred mostly above the 15th floor which is the first floor above the Santander
building next door. It wouldn't surprise me to find out that the Santander has a pebble roofing material although I didn't see all that much
on the ground. We all know that these buildings have impact resistant glass on the lower floors, but maybe we should think about
the materials that are put on short roofs.

Now with this one...it's anyone's guess! This is the Southern facade of the Colonial Bank building. 13th and Brickell, the only thing
accross from this facade is a big parking lot with some palm trees. It's an older building and these windows look to be just blown out.

[Dale]

Not as bad as I thought. I'm becoming a roof pebble (and old codes) theorist.

[The Mad Hatter!!]

guess who's coming guys....its our savior


the shit eating president,is coming to make it seem like he's doing something.
they'll probably make some script,where he saves some little boy by giving him a water bottle. comemierda

[Roark]

Originally Posted by The Mad Hatter!!

guess who's coming guys....its our savior

Of course. If he didn't come he'd be hated by some people too. Poor guy. It's almost like dealing with girlfriend, damned if you do, damned if you don't.

[havok100]

MadHatter you crack me up. I have been off all week long, schools are closed. You think they will reopen schools by Monday. I work up near the Miami Dade- Broward County line. Don't know how much damage the school received. Anyone from that area, how are things near Countyline Rd. Glad to see everyone coming back to the forum.

[Dale]

I love the way Governor Jeb slapped down the terminaly angry yesterday, asking how hard it is to heed the call to stock up on the basics beforehand.

[The Mad Hatter!!]

estimated restoration times from www.fpl.com some aren't accurate
Treasure Coast
Indian River - Nov.8
Okeechobee - Nov. 8
St. Lucie - Nov. 15
Martin - Nov. 15

For Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade Counties
Incomplete assessment; restoration on or before specified date:

Palm Beach
East of Florida Turnpike and North of PGA Blvd. - Nov. 15
Remainder of Palm Beach - Nov. 22
Broward - Nov. 22
Miami Dade - North of SW 88 St (Kendall Drive) - Nov. 22
Miami Dade - South of SW 88 St (Kendall Drive) - Nov. 8
Central Florida and West Coast
Glades - Nov. 8
Lee - Nov. 15
Hendry - Nov. 15
Collier - Nov. 15
Highlands –Nov. 8

Customers in and north of Brevard county, Manatee, Sarasota, DeSoto and Charlotte counties will have their electricity restored by late night tonight.

Overall, we expect to have restored service to the majority of our customers by Nov. 8, and to 95% of customers by Nov. 15.

[rider_of_rohan]

Originally Posted by Dale

I love the way Governor Jeb slapped down the terminaly angry yesterday, asking how hard it is to heed the call to stock up on the basics beforehand.

I agree with that,there was after all warning it was coming. Hell I dont suspect a tornado is going to hit me and I have more than three days of food in my house. Bush is looking for a photo opp as always though, pile some damaged glass in front of your house and maybe you will see him.

[rider_of_rohan]

Due to a massive tornado in my town in 1998 (pictures http://www.zubin.com/tornado/photos.htm) all utilities are below ground now. We dont lose power in storms like most towns in the area do. We also became the first town to go all fiber optics due to that. The storm damaged or destroyed nearly every home in town, yet 7 years later there is no sign the city was ever hit (other than the fact so many houses..even the ones that look 100 years old seem so well preserved) and the population has grown about 5% since.

[dave8721]

Originally Posted by dave8721

Percentages of each County with power restored (as of 1PM):
Miami-Dade: 16.3%
Palm Beach: 10.6%
Broward: 2.9%

Broward is going to take a long long time with all those substations destroyed.

Updated restoration stats as of 9PM:

Miami-Dade: 42.7%
Palm Beach: 23.8%
Broward: 20.7%

[dave8721]

If Jeb is going to bitch about people not being prepared he needs to point a finger at FPL which is an unprepared as anyone. Private citizens take their vulnerable possesions out of harms way, not FPL with its above ground power lines and substations protected by nothing but barbed wire (I'm sure that keeps hurricanes out really well). People wouldn't be needing water or food or be missing work from being afraid of running out of gas if FPL and their government enforced monopoly had their shit together.

[miamicanes]

Can we all say, "FRIA" (Florida Robust Infrastructure Amendment) -- a constitutional referendum empowering FPL customers to force them to bury lines, costs be damned?

The very thought should be scaring the living $hit out of FPL right now. I suspect I could personally collect 10,000 signatures tomorrow afternoon just going from car to car for people waiting in line for gas, or standing in line to get into Winn Dixie, etc. asking them to sign... It (initially) worked for high-speed rail... it could do the same for power line burial (at least in dense urban areas where lines have no business being above ground in ANY self-respecting first-world country).

[Rx727sfl2002]

where could one read on this amendment? its not the first time ive heard of it
i know a few papers that would be interested in writing about it...

[logybogy]

It would take $50-$80 billion to bury all lines, are you willing to have your electricity bill double or triple?

Also, burying lines doesn't solve all the problems, it can in fact make things more difficult if we got severe flooding. Damage above ground is easier to fix than damage below...

[Rx727sfl2002]

i seriously think that last statement is off basis

damage below is much less otherwise new devolpments would not bury utilities based on cost alone and the fact that it would be harder to fix then burying lines would not be an option...

[dave8721]

Originally Posted by dave8721

If Jeb is going to bitch about people not being prepared he needs to point a finger at FPL which is an unprepared as anyone. Private citizens take their vulnerable possesions out of harms way, not FPL with its above ground power lines and substations protected by nothing but barbed wire (I'm sure that keeps hurricanes out really well). People wouldn't be needing water or food or be missing work from being afraid of running out of gas if FPL and their government enforced monopoly had their shit together.

Another great thing about Jeb's tirade against people not being prepared: He vetoed money from the budget this year that was to help cover the cost of gas stations buying generators in case of a hurricane...oops.

[rider_of_rohan]

ahh the bush's keep on keeping on dont they. We have all our utilities below ground here due to a massive tornado years ago. Sure it costs a lot of money to do it, but how much does it cost to replace the entire system in a large storm (and if you look at the link to see the pictures that is what we had to do here). Miami has the potential to be hit by a hurricane on a yearly basis, the cost to utilities is very high and so it would pay for itself over time.

[Roark]

Originally Posted by dave8721

Another great thing about Jeb's tirade against people not being prepared: He vetoed money from the budget this year that was to help cover the cost of gas stations buying generators in case of a hurricane...oops.

I listened to Jeb's speech and it wasn't a tirade. That is, unless you are a hater. If you are a hater, everything he ever says will be bad.
It was straightforward and full of common sense. Sadly, not everyone has common sense or the ability to understand that a good amount of personal responsibility will make your own life better. Just a fact...don't fight it!
I've yet to hear anyone that prepared complain or bitch about it is the government's fault that there are natural disasters.
It is typically unprepared people that point fingers, complain, and shift the blame for naturally occurring events on corporations or governments.
Sure, we can improve things, and we usually do, but it isn't necessary to demonize people, hate people, or resent corporations.
Take action!!! It's America, you have a choice, stop using FPL if believe that their product/service is so bad. you can always buy a generator or a windmill or a solar panel.

By the way, I'm glad our leader vetoed a bill to give handouts to business owners. There are business owner's that took responsibility and bought their own generators (with their own money, not yours or mine) and they were in business pumping gas like crazy through the Wilma mess. The guy that owns the station on Bird and 90th didn't need Jeb to make a smart business decision and the owner was handsomely rewarded. No goofy government program = no goofy abuse/administration fees.
Why don't more gas station owners buy generators? Not sure, maybe they are buying plasma tv's or vacations. Whatever the case, please don't blame the government for not spending my money.

[Dale]

Originally Posted by dave8721

Another great thing about Jeb's tirade against people not being prepared: He vetoed money from the budget this year that was to help cover the cost of gas stations buying generators in case of a hurricane...oops.

I think you know very well his was not a 'tirade'. Yours is a tirade. Jebs criticisms were spot-on. Now I'm not saying that your criticisms have no substance. I'm sure they do.