Harvey flooding

[T4RZAN]

I hear that man. All the places in downtown Houston are closed, so we are having a hell of a time getting rentals.

Pre-positioned with Emergency Responders in San Antonio last friday before the storm, and we luckily got some cars, but now it seems rental cars are becoming a scarce resource. Do you expect to still have some SUVs/trucks come this weekend? I am sure it is impossible to know at this point, but if rental locations around here don't start opening up, we might make a longer trek out of Houston to get the resources we need.

I hope everything is going well with you and anyone else who might have been affected. Stay safe man!

Bryan/College Station is now sold out until Tuesday. All of Houston is sold out except to insurance replacement vehicles and first responders. Waco, Killeen, and Temple are sold out. Austin has some left but not much.

Enterprise as a company has been shipping cars to Houston from Denver, Oklahoma City and St. Louis via semi's to Houston just to try and get them back under way.

It has been so difficult dealing with the Houstonians. Not that they are bad people but just about everyone has lost everything. I was cussed at and called a liar on numerous occasions today. It's a very difficult time for so many people.

 

[slippers]

In 2004, we got a 1-2 punch from Francis and Jean. It was 2 weeks after Francis, I was standing in the tire store paying for the 4th flat tire in 5 days, guy at the counter says "You know there is another one coming?".

In 3-4 days, the mosquitoes will be out, you are very fortunate the power is on as much as it is. Ours was out 14 days first hurricane, 11 days the second. Cheapest way is 55 gallon drums, $25-30 new, worth it. Hand pump, worth it. Honda generator, worth it. High ground is all you can do with flooding, sandbags are useless. LP stove, a well, at least 3 gallons of clean water per person, per day. We took a 5k BTU window unit and put it in one bedroom, we could run the refrigerator, window unit, watch t.v., run well pump, etc.
Bought the a/c when LowDepot had them for sale in the Fall, like $110. Had it new in the box. Slept on mattresses.

So sorry for you guys. It's the next week, month, year that will be how you measure things. Took 5 months to have a roofing contractor install a new, 5 v-grove metal roof. Drywall will become unavailable. Many people have no job to go back to (which could take months), no resources (or family/friends that can help). Really tough spot to be in. I know, we we lucky, both had great jobs, cash on hand, home that proved to be very storm resistant, enough fuel to run a generator for days.

One day, my wife and I just sat in her car, over an hour, just to have a/c, no bugs, no sweltering heat. Not so much the storm, it's the the s%$#&$ next months. Now, I'm no expert, but if it takes months to fix these homes, what are people going to do it in say November, when it starts to get cold, even in Texas?

My take-away was this: Try to be prepared for what may be months with one of these storms, and if you live close to ANY coast (think Sandy), this means you.

Cash.
Fuel.
Generator. (Does it run, new fuel, enough capacity?)
Water.
Food for at least 2 weeks, per person. (If you don't use it, donate it to a local food bank at end of season)
Chainsaw/tarps/tape/flat shovels/battery chargers/12v lights(spare 12v auto battery will run a 50w light for 2 nights without a charge, no flame, was easy, clean light)
VHF handheld radios (wind event, you won't have cell service for weeks, handheld VHF radios are LOS, but still are good for many miles, and you get NOAA weather, which is excellent, perfect for keeping in contact w loved ones, I like ICOM, they are cheap comm, waterproof, long batt life, around $150)


Nothing. Is. Going. To. Happen. Quickly. Try to keep your cool.

This was a terrible rain event, wind damage could have been worse. Do you stay, do you go, I would only leave if I knew for sure I could be miles away, you don't want to be in your car, you wouldn't last long.

Preacher, any other members, I feel for you, know what you are
facing, and wish you Good Luck.

 

[preacher35]

Bryan/College Station is now sold out until Tuesday. All of Houston is sold out except to insurance replacement vehicles and first responders. Waco, Killeen, and Temple are sold out. Austin has some left but not much.

Enterprise as a company has been shipping cars to Houston from Denver, Oklahoma City and St. Louis via semi's to Houston just to try and get them back under way.

It has been so difficult dealing with the Houstonians. Not that they are bad people but just about everyone has lost everything. I was cussed at and called a liar on numerous occasions today. It's a very difficult time for so many people.

@ T4RZAN, Yeah, try not to take it personally. It's purely out of desperation. My home and family were spared this time around, but back in 2008, my house sustained incredible damage from Hurricane Ike (the storm took away most of my second floor). It's hard to imagine, how paralyzed a city can become after a disaster and everything seems to move in slow motion. It took 5 days to get gasoline, 7 days to get cash, damned near 10 days for groceries and 3 weeks to get electricity and it's 97 degrees outside! Meanwhile, you have to spend hours and HOURS on the phone with employer, creditors, insurance companies, hotels all the while terrified that your phone battery is going to die. At the same time, you are depressed, exhausted from lack of sleep, and your heart is constantly racing. Not to mention that my wife was days away from delivering our third child!! And it seems like EVERY person that you talk to on the phone has no definitive answers; only "maybe" or "I do not know when". It can be terrifying when you are not sure where you are going to sleep or how you are going to pay for food let alone if there is going to be any food in the first place. And the entire time, all you are worried about is your childrens' welfare. For my wife and I, it was the ultimate level of stress. My father in law died of a heart attack in his front yard, the day after Hurricane Ike (which is actually a very common occurrance after a major disaster). It's times like these that you realize how many things that you used to worry about (prior to said disaster) are completely meaningless and stupid.

I'm sure that you do not need advice about phone etiquette with disaster victims. But, just in case, be patient, considerate, direct/to the point, and for the love of God, do not say "I FEEL YOUR PAIN".

 

[007Tacoma]

Totally agree, however, just wanted to see if there is any truth to the battery thing. If it someone went through all that trouble, I still won't want that car. Water gets into EVERYTHING.

It has less to do with the battery and more to do with damage caused by two things: Short Circuits (short term) and Rust/Corrosion (long term).

Short Circuits can damage a circuit that isn't protected by a fuse or breaker. Most circuits are protected from their core input (fuse panel either under hood or under dash). However, smaller shorts between circuits that are not supposed to be exposed can cause significant damage (Example: water in ECU or other control module).

Rust/Corrosion is the biggest issue of water logged vehicles. This takes time and isn't apparent to anyone until the issue has made itself painfully known. I am not talking about panel or frame rust. This is in the wiring and circuitry. These parts aren't meant to be exposed to water - especially not salt water. Water or heavy moisture in a wire can cause catastrophic systems failures years down the line from the initial incursion into the system.

 

[Krayziekid]

Bryan/College Station is now sold out until Tuesday. All of Houston is sold out except to insurance replacement vehicles and first responders. Waco, Killeen, and Temple are sold out. Austin has some left but not much.

Enterprise as a company has been shipping cars to Houston from Denver, Oklahoma City and St. Louis via semi's to Houston just to try and get them back under way.

It has been so difficult dealing with the Houstonians. Not that they are bad people but just about everyone has lost everything. I was cussed at and called a liar on numerous occasions today. It's a very difficult time for so many people.

Yea, we're a group of first responders, but we actually had some team members find some trucks in San Antonio to bring over. But thank you for the update nonetheless. All of that information is incredibly useful.

I definitely get that tensions are high here in Houston, and it sucks that they are taking it out on you, but you just gotta roll with the punches. There's nothing you can really do unfortunately. These are tough times and everyone just wants to help their families and loved ones.

 

[007Tacoma]

Bryan/College Station is now sold out until Tuesday. All of Houston is sold out except to insurance replacement vehicles and first responders. Waco, Killeen, and Temple are sold out. Austin has some left but not much.

Enterprise as a company has been shipping cars to Houston from Denver, Oklahoma City and St. Louis via semi's to Houston just to try and get them back under way.

It has been so difficult dealing with the Houstonians. Not that they are bad people but just about everyone has lost everything. I was cussed at and called a liar on numerous occasions today. It's a very difficult time for so many people.

I am sorry that you are having to go through that. It is no consolation, but it isn't your fault. Desperation will make people do and say horrible things. Bad news is that this is going to get worse in the coming weeks. The logistics of helping Houston, Port A, Rockport, Galveston, Friendswood, Katy, Texas City, Humble, Conroe, Baytown, and on and on and on... it is daunting to say the least.

In 2004, we got a 1-2 punch from Francis and Jean. It was 2 weeks after Francis, I was standing in the tire store paying for the 4th flat tire in 5 days, guy at the counter says "You know there is another one coming?".

In 3-4 days, the mosquitos will be out, you are very fortunate the power is on as much as it is. Ours was out 14 days first hurricane, 11 days the second. Cheapest way is 55 gallon drums, $25-30 new, worth it. Hand pump, worth it. Honda generator, worth it. High ground is all you can do with flooding, sandbags are useless. LP stove, a well, at least 3 gallons of clean water per person, per day. We took a 5k BTU window unit and put it in one bedroom, we could run the refrigerator, window unit, watch t.v., etc.
Bought the a/c when LowDepot had them for sale in the Fall, like $110. Had it new in the box. Slept on mattresses.

So sorry for you guys. It's the next week, month, year that will be how you measure things. Took 5 months to have a roofing contractor install a new, 5 v-grove metal roof. Drywall will become unavailable. Many people have no job to go back to (which could take months), no resources (or family/friends that can help). Really tough spot to be in. I know, we we lucky, both had great jobs, cash on hand, home that proved to be very storm resistant, enough fuel to run a generator for days.

One day, my wife and I just sat in her car, over an hour, just to have a/c, no bugs, no sweltering heat. Not so much the storm, it's the the s%$#&$ next months. Now, I'm no expert, but if it takes months to fix these homes, what are people going to do it in say November, when it starts to get cold, even in Texas?

My take-away was this: Try to be prepared for what may be months with one of these storms, and if you live close to ANY coast (think Sandy), this means you.

Cash.
Fuel.
Generator. (Does it run, new fuel, enough capacity?)
Water.
Food for at least 2 weeks, per person. (If you don't use it, donate it to a local food bank at end of season)
Chainsaw/tarps/tape/flat shovels/battery chargers/12v lights(spare 12v auto battery will run for a 50w light for 2 nights without a charge, no flame, was easy, clean light)

Nothing. Is. Going. To. Happen. Quickly. Try to keep your cool.

This was a terrible rain event, wind damage could have been worse. Do you stay, do you go, I would only leave if I knew for sure I could be miles away, you don't want to be in your car, you wouldn't last long.

Preacher, any other members, I feel for you, know what you are
facing, and wish you Good Luck.

^^^^THIS^^^^ 100% true

@ T4RZAN, Yeah, try not to take it personally. It's purely out of desperation. My home and family were spared this time around, but back in 2008, my house sustained incredible damage from Hurricane Ike (the storm took away most of my second floor). It's hard to imagine, how paralyzed a city can become after a disaster and everything seems to move in slow motion. It took 5 days to get gasoline, 7 days to get cash, damned near 10 days for groceries and 3 weeks to get electricity and it's 97 degrees outside! Meanwhile, you have to spend hours and HOURS on the phone with employer, creditors, insurance companies, hotels all the while terrified that your phone battery is going to die. At the same time, you are depressed, exhausted from lack of sleep, and your heart is constantly racing. Not to mention that my wife was days away from delivering our third child!! And it seems like EVERY person that you talk to on the phone has no definitive answers; only "maybe" or "I do not know when". It can be terrifying when you are not sure where you are going to sleep or how you are going to pay for food let alone if there is going to be any food in the first place. And the entire time, all you are worried about is your childrens' welfare. For my wife and I, it was the ultimate level of stress. My father in law died of a heart attack in his front yard, the day after Hurricane Ike (which is actually a very common occurrance after a major disaster). It's times like these that you realize how many things that you used to worry about (prior to said disaster) are completely meaningless and stupid.

I'm sure that you do not need advice about phone etiquette with disaster victims. But, just in case, be patient, considerate, direct/to the point, and for the love of God, do not say "I FEEL YOUR PAIN".

I am incredibly sorry to hear about your dad. Many members of my family were not and have not been the same since Katrina. Several of them were alive for Camille and many others. We lost several friends and neighbors in Katrina and the days following. Please know our thoughts and prayers are with you. For my part, my wife and I are doing everything we can to help.

We were on the Mississippi Gulf Coast shortly after Katrina since the bulk of my family lives there or in New Orleans. I brought people with me to help with anything and everything. Most of them were from Houston and had not grown up there. Several of them could not handle the devastation and went home. Several others stayed and helped. Now the devastation is here in Texas, and we will get through this.

 

[Crikeymike]

In 2004, we got a 1-2 punch from Francis and Jean. It was 2 weeks after Francis, I was standing in the tire store paying for the 4th flat tire in 5 days, guy at the counter says "You know there is another one coming?".

Lots of interesting info in your post!! I added a few things to my "I need to buy these things" for my hurricane kit.

But this one surprised me, as I bet a lot of people aren't thinking about all the stuff they have to drive over, especially if the roads are still covered in water. With ~$200-300 per tires we're all running, that's not fun at all on top of everything else you have to go through.

 

[Khjphoto]

It is my understanding that this flood will be covered by the federal government.

Government has NO money it's our - the tax payers money!

 

[slippers]

Lots of interesting info in your post!! I added a few things to my "I need to buy these things" for my hurricane kit.

But this one surprised me, as I bet a lot of people aren't thinking about all the stuff they have to drive over, especially if the roads are still covered in water. With ~$200-300 per tires we're all running, that's not fun at all on top of everything else you have to go through.

Every wood screw, nail, sheet metal screw, Tap-Con fastener was all over the road, for MONTHS.

Usually at intersections, they roll out of pick-ups/repair vehicles when they accelerate…your front tire pops it up, your back tire catches it.

The local tire store stopped counting how many plugs they had installed after hitting 1500 in 3 weeks.

Yeah, these storms take years to recover from.

Take your generator in for service in April, July is too late.

Cash is King. No banks, no ATMs, no power, or in the case of Texas, buildings flooded and won't be open for weeks/months.

Gas stations won't be open for a long time. Flooded storage tanks, contaminated fuel, total mess.

Take photos of all of your valuables, take your computer/external HD, the rest is replaceable. Take the box of old pics.

Have your well pump wired with a 3 prong plug, makes hooking up to generator a snap.

The 2.5 gallon water jugs with the little spigots are super handy.

People will be happy to get basic services back, we forget and take it all for granted.

God Bless Texas.

 

[Krayziekid]

Lots of interesting info in your post!! I added a few things to my "I need to buy these things" for my hurricane kit.

But this one surprised me, as I bet a lot of people aren't thinking about all the stuff they have to drive over, especially if the roads are still covered in water. With ~$200-300 per tires we're all running, that's not fun at all on top of everything else you have to go through.

Definitely. Driving in general is dangerous as hell after any sort of natural disaster like this. Not only do you have to deal with stuff on the road, but you also have to deal with power outages affecting lights and other things. So many people don't realize, but when there are no working lights at an intersection, treat it like a four way stop! I saw countless close calls over the past few days cause people blow through non-functioning lights.

Car accidents are one of the leading causes of death for humanitarian aid workers. Drive slow, drive safe, and just think about how a car next to you or in front of you might be transporting vital medicines or patients in need.

 

[5ontheFloor]

Alright so around 3pm yesterday I decided to come down to Houston. Got my tire repaired at Discount Tire in Pflugerville off 685. They took care of it for free since they knew I was going for relief work. That was cool. Bought supplies from Home Depot in Stonehill and they took 10% off the bill for relief work. Since this is the closest thing o have to social media, figured I'd share with y'all. I'll be stationed with my brother out of West I-10 VFD thru Monday night. At the command center right now waiting for other crews to show up. I'll try to update as much as I can.

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[GangsterOfLove]

There is a lot of good information in this Reddit thread for anyone who is going to have to deal with repairs to their property after the waters recede.

Be sure to read the comments too. There is more information there.

Everybody stay safe.

https://www.reddit.com/r/houston/comments/6wgeyy/advice_from_someone_who_was_flooded_last_year_in/

 

[5ontheFloor]

Here are some pics of our command center at Station 1 off Kingsland

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[JayceeP]

I know people in Houston have bigger problems but we are feeling the impact up in Nova Scotia. $0.28/gallon increase at the pumps in the last week and it's going up a minimum $0.23/gallon again at midnight tonight. Brutal!

 

[5ontheFloor]

Day 2 Updates: loaded up the 5th gen for a supply run near Spring TX. This group called State of Mind Texas Cookers are gonna BBQ for the volunteers helping out at West I-10 Station 1.

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[5ontheFloor]

Out here in Spring the homes got between 4 to 5 feet of water. The neighborhoods look like a war zone with all the debris piled by the curbs.

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[007Tacoma]

Out here in Spring the homes got between 4 to 5 feet of water. The neighborhoods look like a war zone with all the debris piled by the curbs.

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Wow... yeah. I used to live a 2 miles from that neighborhood. Had a coworker that lived there, but she moved to Oklahoma. I hope everyone got out okay.

 

[5ontheFloor]

Wow... yeah. I used to live a 2 miles from that neighborhood. Had a coworker that lived there, but she moved to Oklahoma. I hope everyone got out okay.

Seems like most I talked to said they're ok. It's the property loss that is just unreal. Everyone on this street had ton of water damage.

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[5ontheFloor]

2 County dump trucks from Galveston came in and we loaded them full of bottled water

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[5ontheFloor]

...then we went to an assisted living facility to help evacuees return to their home. This is off Kingsland near I-10

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