Andy Andrews - Inspirational Corporate Speaker

Why Do They Stay?

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Last week, as it barreled toward the Texas coast, Hurricane Ike passed 400 miles from our home in Orange Beach, Alabama. Located right on the Florida/Alabama line, our town saw docks and parking lots underwater as ten and twelve-foot waves broke onto our beaches. Pushed by fifty mile per hour wind gusts, the water flooded over the roads in several places—all this from a storm that had its eye on someone else.

We watched the news as Ike picked his mark, slamming into Galveston and Houston and all the little surrounding towns that get the same intensity of weather, if not newsprint. We saw the devastation and were amazed, as we always are, at how mean wind and water can really be. And we heard the question. You know the one ... Why did those people stay?

According to some accounts, more than 140,000 people declined to evacuate despite the mandatory order to do so. Are they crazy? Yes, some of them, but no, not nearly all of them. You won't hear what I am about to reveal on the news, because for the most part, national news people do not live on the coast. Therefore, they don't know to ask the questions that allow a local to "spill his guts". But take it from me, there are some interesting answers to "Why Do They Stay?"

Today is September 16, 2008. It is exactly four years to the day since our house was destroyed by Hurricane Ivan. Because of this experience, my wife and I have a unique perspective on hurricanes and all the drama surrounding them. We evacuated about 48 hours in advance of that storm, having loaded both cars with pictures and family items we wanted to be sure to save if the worst were to happen.

Three days after Ivan struck, we were allowed to return to a house that, at first glance seemed not too badly damaged. Soon, however, we realized that the wind had taken most of the roof and even though we are on high ground, rainwater and salt spray had soaked everything. Water between the walls, in the air conditioning vents, under the floors, in the appliances and electrical outlets, in the insulation, between the siding and plywood ... Everywhere water could go, it went.

It soon became obvious that everything was ruined. Furniture, clothes, pictures that didn't make it to the cars—everything. Eventually, a little bit at a time, our house was torn down to the concrete foundation and studs. We weren't as smart as some of our neighbors, who simply bulldozed and started over, or as fortunate as others, who didn't have enough damage to meet their deductible. (This happens. One house crushed, next door another virtually untouched.)

It took two years to get back into our house, another year to feel some semblance of normalcy, and after four years, we still haven't hung all the pictures on the walls, haven't replaced all the furniture, and our front yard still looks like Beirut. But we learned a lot. We learned a lot that I don't have the space or inclination to go into here. And we learned a lot that we would have rather not known.

For example, we (our neighbors and us) learned that dealing with certain insurance companies was worse than the hurricane. And I am not even referring to the classic insurance dodge where the wind insurers turn their backs saying that "water caused the damage", while the flood insurers refuse to pay after they determine "the wind caused it". That's just the first thing that happens. Insurance all sounds so simple when they accept your money and promise you that you are fully covered. Trust me, many of the people from the recent spate of storms will be trying to get their money a year from now.

Most people with "replacement insurance" believe that if their household goods are destroyed, the insurance that they have paid for like clockwork every month for years will replace what was destroyed. You know, the word "replacement" would lead one to think that ... But no, that's not how it works. "I'm sorry, your bed and mattress were six years old. You see, we depreciate the bed and mattress and pay you what it is now worth. We will be happy to do that, of course, as soon as you provide the sales receipt."

And get this ... not only do most people not have the receipt for their seven year old toaster, their four year old recliner, their clothes, their electric shaver, or each ceramic dish their Aunt Betty gave them for the past ten Christmases—they have been paying premiums for years based on the full value of everything they own.

Most of us waited an inordinate amount of time for adjustors to show up (for our next door neighbors, it was almost three months and no, I am not kidding). When we were assured checks would be sent, they were not. When they were, they often went to the wrong place. Or were made out to the wrong people. Or needed to be cosigned by some bank five states away we had never heard of that bought part of our mortgage years earlier. "You didn't know about that?"

Now look, if I continued to list everything we "learned" this would be a book instead of a blog. And know this: there are great insurance companies. State Farm, Aflac, Allstate, and several others did a terrific job for tons of folks. Our own adjustor was awesome and worked hard to help us navigate a crazy time. It is not my intention to rough up the insurance industry. But you need some background for what I am about to tell you. Remember? I wanted to answer the question, "Why do they stay?" Well, here goes ...

1) Some of those who stay are nuts.

Lets get that out of the way. I swear that if I were a rescue worker risking my life to save someone who was told repeatedly to evacuate, I'd get in a few punches before I got them to safety. However, the media is absolutely no help in this regard. They say, "Get out! Get out!" But after the storm, who do they put on camera? That's right, Larry, Darrell, and Darrell. "You mean if I stay, I can be on TV?" Hey, you've seen reality television ... never overestimate the decision-making process of stupid people who want their fifteen minutes of fame.

2) The media dramatically exaggerates the situation.

Storm after storm, people on the coast are told that "this is the big one." It rarely is. Coastal residents laugh at Geraldo Rivera stumbling forward into the wind because it is not really strong enough at that moment to hold him up as he is telling us it is doing. In 2006, as a Tropical Storm was crossing the coast, CNN told us "at this very moment, this very dangerous storm is crossing the Florida/Alabama line." I went outside immediately (remember, I live on the line) and walked around the neighborhood. One guy was doing yard work. It was cloudy, but not even raining! In any case, people simply aren't hearing the wolf cry any longer.

3) Government officials exaggerate.

Last week, the people of Galveston were told that to stay meant "certain death". Think about this one. They were not simply told that it could be incredibly dangerous or that snakes are looking for a dry place when the water comes up and that dry place might be you. They were told, "If you stay, you will die." Certain death. Well, some of the people who stayed did perish, but not 140,000 of them. And I can assure you that it will be even tougher to get them to leave next time.

4) People simply can't afford to evacuate over and over again.

It costs money to leave. Shelters are full to overflowing with the people who have no other options. Middle class families buy gas and restaurant food and stay in hotels six to ten hours away to find that (see numbers 2 and 3 above). After fleeing more than a couple of times, folks begin to take their chances.

5) Many of us would not have lost our houses had we stayed.

Now look, I don't want to read a bunch of replies about how irresponsible that last sentence was. I am just stating a reality that has been whispered from one hurricane ravaged town to another over the last few years. Remember, you don't live on the coast and are only seeing pictures of the very worst damage. After a storm strikes, assuming the house is still there (and the vast majority are), the people who deal with wet items immediately, often save their possessions—including the house itself.

In our case, we were not allowed back in for several days. By the time we got there, everything was ruined and there was no chance to dry anything out. Most of it was kinda dry already ... with about a quarter inch of fuzz growing on it. Unbelievably, many of us then had to deal with an insurance company that said we had not done enough to take care of the items after they had been drenched. So ... maybe we should've stayed?

Believe me, it runs through your mind.

All that having been said, we don't stay. We continue to evacuate if a storm comes near and urgently encourage everyone else to do the same. But it is a fact that Stan down the street stayed in his house during Ivan. And everybody in the neighborhood knows that Stan subsequently was able to stay in his house during the two years many of us rented multiple places to live as we rebuilt our lives.

As I said, I could write a book ... There are a multitude of reasons and stories. This is by no means a complete list. But for now, we'll stop here. And while I am thinking about it ... in your replies ... Please refrain from asking that other question we get occasionally. I promise to take a whole blog to answer it someday.

"Why in the world do you continue to live there?"

Just wait ... I really do have a good answer!

Your friend,
Andy

Posted in Uncategorized | Make a Comment (29) |

1. Brian - September 16, 2008 @ 5:22 AM

"As a first responder to five different hurricanes and being there when the bodies of parents and two children were removed because they drowned in their home by staying when told to leave I have mixed emotions about evacuations.

It has always been a part of the American heritage to make your own decisions and live, or die as a consquence and I actually have no problem with that. I do have a problem with the folks that are warned to leave, are capable of leaving but choose not to, until the water is up to their neck and then they want someone to risk life and limb because of their poor decision making abilities.

I think as a whole our country, as evidenced by the current housing and Wall Street catastrophes, has taken the attitude that if I make bad decisions, someone will bail me out regardless of the costs to everyone else.

I have certainly made my share of bad decisions but through the years I have learned to persist without exception :)"

2. Joseph Primm - September 16, 2008 @ 6:10 AM

"Always an amazing thing to see when people do stay, but then for an outsider in Atlanta, I can't say right or wrong as I have never been through it. Hurricanes and floods, tornados and ice storms; they happen and lives are affected. It comes down to how you handle the pain and where you end up on the other side. Great article Andy!"

3. Tiff Wimberly - September 16, 2008 @ 8:31 AM

"Andy,

Thank you for sharing your gift of humor and eloquence with the world!

Your family's Ivan experience was very similar to our own evacuation and our insurance aftermath four years ago. We had just moved from Arkansas thirteen weeks earlier and were living just east of Pensacola at the time on Blackwater Bay. We moved back to AR shortly thereafter, after securing what was left of our belongings.

Although as devastating as it was to our home, lessons learned were invaluable and I wouldn't take anything for them now.

1. Sometimes you have no choice in what happens to you in life but you do have a choice in how you respond. We have moved on and have not let Ivan define our lives.

2. Counting my blessings afterwards was easier than subtracting the things that we lost.

3. Sifting through what was left I became an anthropologist/archaeologist to my own life, which made the recovery of our lives a little more interesting and eye-opening as well. Material wealth is easily taken away and focusing on the things that really matter in life...faith, family, friends...is really what it is all about.

The decision to evacuate was a "no-brainer" and after seeing Ivan's redecoration of our house, it would have been irresponsible of my husband and me to put our family through what would have been our worst nightmare had we stayed in our home.

A hurricane is the one natural disaster where you actually "get the memo" that it is coming your way and you have time to prepare your exit strategy before it gets there. Once the storm arrives you are virtually helpless, why anyone would want to put themselves and their families in that situation is beyond me."

4. Michael Rickey - September 16, 2008 @ 8:57 AM

"You chose to live there. I hope u learned your lesson. Deal w it."

5. Lynn Hogeland - September 16, 2008 @ 9:15 AM

"With storms that bad and that often, I think I would prefer to move to higher ground. Of course one might not have this advantage due to employment, but over time it seems to me that one would find employment elsewhere. Then as far as the insurance companies are concerned, they invest in you in places like this and you spend more on insurance than it is worth it. Save your money for these kind of situations.Save the money that you would put into insurance."

6. David Winck - September 16, 2008 @ 9:41 AM

"Just a couple of comments. As you know, I also live on the water in a coastal community. What I see is the further erosion of the credibility of both the media and the politicians(if that is even possible). Just southwest of here, the mayor of chocolate city called Gustav "the mother of all storms" and "the storm of the century". Then there is the "certain death" tag on Ike. Both Gustav and Ike were bad storms. But just like the boy who cried wolf too often, people are growing weary of mass evacuations based on hype. Don't get me wrong, I do evacuate. I left for Katrina. My home was flooded and it was a couple of years before we had any sense of normalcy in our lives. I left based on what I considered trusted sources of information and actually left before evacuation was mandated. I did not leave for Rita. I did evacuate for Gustav. I returned to my home even though all of the news media proclaimed the city to be in lockdown. Thanks to the miracle of cell phones, I knew that my three nearest neighbors were already home. When I arrived at the city in lockdown, life was normal. People were out shopping and going about their business. My point here is who do you trust? When the storm passes, I want to come home and take care of my "stuff". It will be harder to evacuate next time."

7. CHARLES LOVETT - September 16, 2008 @ 10:10 AM

"Thanks for sharing from the prespective of someone who lives there. I've always thought, if I was inclined to live on the coast(which I am not)I would preferr owning property further inland, say maybe the mountains and lease when I feel the urge to live on the beach. This way the owners get to put up with all the hassle(storms,insurance adjusters,etc.) and I can just retreat to my mountain home during the unplesant times. When everything is rebuilt I can lease again on the beach.Guess i'm just weird.........."

8. Renee Badertscher - September 16, 2008 @ 11:36 AM

"Andy, thanks for an insiders perspective. As usual, nothing is ever as simple as it seems from the outside. And, yes, as someone who lives in Michigan, I have often asked both questions you mentioned: "Why do they stay?" and "Why do they rebuild there?" I don't honestly know whether I would stay or evacuate were I in that situation. Since we deal with tornadoes up here, we usually don't have an option. We hear the town siren and we head for the basement, if we have one. I'm looking forward to the answer to your second question.
Renee"

9. Elisa Page - September 16, 2008 @ 11:42 AM

"I has been my experience that you don't always get to pick where you live. Military families don't often get their choice of locations. But military families took a hard hit When Hurricane Andrew landed at Homestead AFB.
Another note there isn't a place in this country that isn't subject to some extreme force of nature. I was born in Florida...I know hurricanes.
Never thought much about them when I lived in New England. Until the blizzard of '78 and the October unnamed storm (also called the Perfect Storm, struck. It was hard for a Southerner to wrap her head around all the 'specialness' of a Fall/Winter Hurricane. (Think of tons of water in ALL of its forms).
Water, Ice, and SNOW. Think of house sized drifts of driven snow. Exterior doors sealed shut from the mountains of frozen white stuff.
I have lived in places in the world where the earth moves...alot. My first experience of an earthquake was a 7.9 and it was the most helpless I have ever felt in my life. The school next to mine was wiped out...hundreds of children.
The coasts aren't the only places in this county subject to erratic storms. The heartland of this great county has tornadoes. Recently we have all watched as good folk in places like Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, and Tennessee have dealt with the atermath of horrific tornadoes.
One of your bloggers said for us to just "deal with it." He also said, "we choose to live in these places, and he hoped we learned our lessons."
I am here to say we don't choose these lessons. We may not have had a genuine choice in where we live. We may not be prepared for the consequences of where we live. But we CAN and do have a choice in how we choose to live our llves in the midst of what looks like impossible circumstances. And Americans are rather unique in this because we as a Nation think we ARE responsible to and for our neighbors....even if our neighbors are a thousand miles or more away.
I believe that some of the most beautiful place on earth are here in America. And I respect your God given right to live in those beautiful places that may have hazzards."

10. Tina - September 16, 2008 @ 11:53 AM

"As Americans, we have the right to refuse to evacuate. I will not be forced into making that decision since I do not live in a coastal area. When "mandatory" evacuations occur, should you choose to stay, please be prepared. Non-perishable food (canned) and bottled water are not optional but required. It may be days before any agency can get food in the to area. Be prepared to live with out running water, sewer or electricity for some time. If you require regular medication, than make sure you have enough in a water tight container. PLEASE REFRAIN from stepping in front of a network camera hours after the storm and begin bemoaning the fact that you don't have water/food and you don't know when you will have electricity. The Buck stops with You - there are consequences to our decisions every day."

11. Karen Borden - September 16, 2008 @ 1:22 PM

"Thank you for this article on "Why do they stay?"
I live On the coast in Mississippi. You said it much better than some of us living here could have and hit some of the very things no one has talked about insurance companies inability to do things in a timely manner and justly, the media hype, recovering after returning, etc.
Thanks for telling it having first hand experience the whole process."

12. Jim Ridley - September 16, 2008 @ 1:48 PM

"Andy, guess we just love our stuff too much to leave it behind. We spend 99.99% of our income on our physical body and stuff that just occupies rooms that are too small to hold it. So we make the place bigger for more stuff. What about our soul(mind, will, emotions that relate to others) and our spirit (that relates to God)? Granted, with the news media and the political structures we have in place today, who do you believe? Both systems are run by control-freaks who couldn't care less the effect that their decisions or declarations have on others. But even with all that, it still comes down to me and my stuff. I believe that God allows these storms in our lives so WE can see our reactions to them. Are we more thankful for the lives that were spared or more remorseful over the stuff that was damaged or destroyed? I was raised on the DelMarVa Peninsula and saw enough storms. NE GA mountains are not Eden, but life is good and although we have other types of storms to face (tornados, politics, etc.), hurricanes are not one of them, so far. Thankfully, God is still in control.
Blessing, keep safe and keep writing.
Jim"

13. Alice - September 16, 2008 @ 2:30 PM

"Insurance companies are a curse on the land! They are the reason for high medical costs, and the reason for high costs of nearly every single thing in which they are involved. They are blood suckers, and should be avoided as much as possible. Someone once said that If 'they' offered motel insurance that would pay for your room, no one could afford to spend the night anywhere in the country!

I had a MAJOR illness in 2005 and had NO insurance. It ended up costing us about $150,000 out of pocket. But, you know, we paid ZERO dollars in the previous 40 years in premiums, and we earned interest on the money we had put aside for medical emergencies, all those years. The big bill was an average of about $340 per month. How many of you are "insured" for less than $340 per month? And, we received discounts in the absence of insurance from both hospitals and doctors. And, no one told us what treatment or rooms were available 'under our plan'!

Of course, it was a gamble. Just like gambling to live on the coast.

People from other locations say similar things about California: "There are Earthquakes there! Why do you stay?"

My large family has lived in California since 1947, my husband's large family since the 1920s. There was only 1 time in that going-on 90 years that anything happened to any of us that could be called drastic. In 1933, an earthquake did some damage to Grandfather's business' premises. But, no one was injured, most items were recovered, and during the rest of those 90 years, we all just shook, and continue to shake, when the Earth moves.

Nowhere is safe!

Doesn't matter where you choose to live, there is something there that "will get you if you don't watch out", and a lot of times "will get you if even if you DO watch out". But, you can't live your life afraid all the time of killer bees or brown recluse spiders or scorpions or quicksand or flash floods or high winds or deep snow or brown bears or whatever it is that lurks in your area. You can only take reasonable precautions, and enjoy life.

In the final analysis, none of us is getting out of this life alive anyway. If it is *great* where we want to live, most of the time, then we have to *go for it*. I would take a close ocean view outside my window in a Hot Second, in exchange for the occasional worry that "the storm of the Century" might blow by."

14. Brenda McLean - September 16, 2008 @ 4:04 PM

"I grew up in Pensacola in a shambling old house, part of a family of Mother, Dad, four kids, and Granny. I saw many hurricanes over the years, and for most of them, no one knew enough about what was coming to get respectfully afraid. I doubt that our family could have afforded to evacuate even if we had known more details of the coming storm, and there were some bad ones! We kids thought it was an adventure and a reason to miss school, telling ghost stories by candlelight. Losing a few trees and some shingles was the usual outcome. We were fortunate. It's only since I've moved to the mountains that I sit mesmerized in front of the TV, terrified for the family members that are strewn from Pensacola to Jacksonville to Tampa. The media coverage of every phase of each storm keeps me on the edge of my chair, my fear far greater than any I knew when I lived in the very path of destruction. I play right into the hands of the media that cries "Wolf!" to sell a story, and many people are becoming too skeptical to heed the warnings now that we do have increasingly accurate storm information. Ironic."

15. Jeanne - September 16, 2008 @ 7:27 PM

"The Pacific Northwest, Washington State to be specific, is a great place to live and does not have any extreme weather conditions. We welcome everyone here in our Evergreen State!

And, our best wishes, to those who suffered from the hurricane, for the insurance industry to act quickly.

Here's a different thought...Rebuilding is great for the economy; it provides jobs and wholesale/retail sales!"

16. Dave Timmons - September 16, 2008 @ 8:52 PM

"I love to watch the power of a storm. It thrills me to watch even a thunderstorm blow in off of the water, but when a storm blows into my life on a personal level and starts messing with me,it makes me stop and think "did I make a bad choice somewhere along the way?" Choices? We make good choices about our careers and sometimes storms blow and our careers have to change. We make what seem to be good choices in where we go to school or send our kids to school and sometimes storms blow and bad things happen. We make good choices on where we live and sometimes storms blow into our life and we have to pay a price. I guess my point is storms are just part of life, so we've got to be able to take responsibility for staying and dealing with whatever the storm might bring us or grabbing all your stuff and playing it safe for ourselves and our families. I should also ask forgiveness to everyone that doesn't live close to me along the coast because I always pray for the storms to go somewhere else. I hate staying and I hate leaving. I've done both."

17. Jane - September 16, 2008 @ 9:04 PM

"Thanks for sharing some very raw feelings about your experiences-it does help those of us who have never lived through the devastation understand the decision to stay. I'm anxious to also hear the answer to the next question...why do you continue to live there? Bless you."

18. Marianne - September 16, 2008 @ 9:15 PM

"What a great view of what really happens during these storms.
I never ever thought that staying in a house during a storm would give a homeowner even a remote possibility of saving their belongings or even their house.
Thank you for sharing your experience and giving some food for thought."

19. Kristina - September 17, 2008 @ 12:37 AM

"Gosh, I am often shocked by some of the negative comments on your blogs...your message is so positive and inspiring, so why are mean and negative people participating in the conversation? Where did they come from and why are they here? On the blog, I mean, not the planet.
Living in California, I have experienced my fair share of scary earthquakes, not to mention the fires that inevitably start up every dry season. I had to evacuate my own home in Santiago Canyon when a wildfire started in the hills above my house. The sense of community during these times is amazing and restores one's faith in humanity! Maybe this is a reason that someone would "choose to live" in a place. I don't know the answer to that question, but you can be sure that I will not be passing judgment on any of the people that have made a choice to live in these affected areas..I will be praying for their safety and well being, though!"

20. David Short - September 17, 2008 @ 2:03 PM

"I just want you to know that I have read re-read your three books and continue to read your blogs. You are, as advertised, a modern-day Mark Twain -- in fact, you may be better than Twain. Keep up the good work. Every day that you don't write something is a wasted day.
DS"

21. River Jordan - September 17, 2008 @ 3:15 PM

"Andy,

If you grow up on Gulf Coast you don't take Hurricanes for granted but there really is that time where you have to figure out is this for real? Should we go? Ulitmately, another reason people stay is the reality of what it is like to evacuate. Unless you have the money to take the family, and I mean by southern standards Momma, Daddy and all them, to a hotel you better go find somebody else to stay with. When Opal was barreling down on hometown of Panama City, Florida my Daddy was having a fit because they kept saying it was going to be a 5 and I was living on the beach. Well, I ended up in a car convoy to my Aunt Kates in Georgia with two young sons, a sick cat (I'll skip the details there)my sister and her dog that had just given birth to five puppies the day before, and a neighbor with her two cats. We were trapped on the road for hours with no bathrooms and often almost running out of gas. Then the bad weather got worse and we were in the middle of some of the limbs flying and power lines snapping as tornadoes ripped through the countryside. We lost the neighbor and her cats in the traffic, my brakes went out to the point of crazy and I edged off the road and took my sons out of the car and put them in my sisters car with her for safety. I'll never forget those little faces as I got back in the car and drove off with the animals. Needless to say, family, pets, family photos, and completely wet and exhausted we pulled up at my aunts back door many, many hours later. Who immediately said, "Thank God you are all alive. And then, What the heck are you doing bringing that sick cat up here. Lordy, Lordy just look at that thing... no, don't look. I can't even look at it. What? Puppies? You didn't say nothin 'bout no puppies!"

The word evacuate has never had the same meaning for me since then.

River Jordan
www.riverjordan.us"

22. Desiree Blackwell - September 17, 2008 @ 4:36 PM

"Hi Andy,
Just got tuned in to your blog, courtesy of our mutual, and lovely, friend Katrina. As with your books, I am impressed and moved. I also find your readers' input to be genuine, interesting and intelligent. (Well, there is that ONE guy I'm not so sure about....) Thank you for helping others to see a different perspective of what we go through here on the coast. My husband stayed for Ivan, but only because he was prepared with a big generator, a 50 gal drum of gas, water and food supplies, and his trusty dog by his side. But we also knew our house was on the back side of the island, on high ground, and made of solid brick. The results? The house withstood it and he was glad he stayed to be able to tackle the issues/cleanup right away and to help others less fortunate than us. I couldn't get back for almost a week, but was glad I had left with our 10 year old daughter. Why put a child through that fear? Bottom line: everyone has to make their own choices. The storms of life do come, no matter where you are. Just be responsible for whatever choices you make, and remember that God is good through it all. His grace is sufficient and His mercy endures.

I know why we live here....can't wait to hear your reasons why as well. Happy to know about the blog...I'll be staying tuned in!"

23. Cheryle - September 18, 2008 @ 9:01 AM

"Andy, we live in the same neighborhood as you and what we found after Ivan was that we were not allowed back home but the looters came in by boat and were ransacking houses. That is why we now choose to stay for the lesser category storms. We want to defend our property. We will not stay if there is a mandatory evacuation. I thought it was wrong that we lived under marshall law after Ivan and had to prove who we were just to navigate the roadways, but the looters had a good old time. It's not fair, but then again, I guess life in general can be very unfair. Ivan was the first hurricane we had experienced and we, like you, learned enough to write a book. We are prepared for the next one that requires us to leave. Hopefully we can stay so that we feel we are able to protect our belongings, lowly though they be. They are ours and they are paid for so we'd like to keep them as long as we choose to. Yes, they are just material possessions but it's human nature to want to keep what's yours. I do not think the government owes us anything if a storm wipes us out. We choose to live here on the beautiful Gulf coast and we will accept the consequences of our decision. Thank you again, for your entertaining insight. Keep up the good work."

24. Jon Price - September 19, 2008 @ 11:54 AM

"Andy, I just turned on to your blog today after finishing your book "The Traveler's Gift." I was certainly challenged by it and by the talk that you gave a few months back in Atlanta (Maximum Impact). Thanks for the insight on this post as well.

I now live in Atlanta but grew up on the Gulf Coast in Bradenton, FL and all of my relatives are in FL so I'm quite familiar with hurricanes. I agree though about how easy it is to have a cavalier attitude towards these storms when each one is built up to be the next Andrew or Katrina.

My brother lives in Stuart FL (east coast) where two of the three big hurricanes that hit on that side a couple years back touched land, and he stayed because he is a pastor of a church in the community. He wanted to be there for those that stayed behind, but also because he built his own house to withstand 250 mph impact and they provided shelter for the storm for others. They had 5 families staying with them during one of those storms and commented on the depression that set in on the community after they would clean up and rebuild only to be hit again and again. There was a sense of hopelessness and resignation. I'm sure it has to be a hard choice to leave or stay and you touched on those points as only an insider can.

I look forward to reading your post on the next big question. I lived on Anna Maria Island, FL for a couple of years as a youth pastor and I loved my experiences there. There's just something completely different about living near the beach that changes one's attitude, perspective and pace. I'd love to go back. God Bless."

25. Joe Ward - September 19, 2008 @ 4:27 PM

"Andy,
You are so right. As a personal friend of yours I could not help but to comment on this blog. As a Coastal resident of Alabama's Gulf Coast for over 47 years I can say I have been in the crosshairs of many a storm the last one I left for was hurricane Fredrick in 1979. The aftermath was horrific our Mayor had a nervous breakdown 2 days following the storm (there went the leader) and things went down hill from there but through all this we survived neighbors helping neighbors, strangers helping strangers.
I realize it is difficult for many to understand or comprehend
1) Why we choose the coast?
2) Why we don't leave?
3) Why in the world would we come back?
I am not sure there is an affinitive answer too these questions. I personally had 7 feet of water in my house from Hurricane Ivan only to repair and rebuild and do it all over again 11 months later when a girl named Katrina decided I could use another 4 feet of water. We may not be crazy but we definitely live on the lunatic fringe All I know is this is our life. In the deepest and truest since of the word -LIFE - here is everything.
Why do people live on fault lines? Why do they live in areas subjected to mudslides, forest fires, snow storms, river flooding? The only answer I have found is YOU GOTTA LIVE SOMEWHERE. And to steal a line from Forrest Gump "Life is a box of chocolates, you never know what your gonna get!
I do believe that if you stay you should be prepared to survive it (whatever… it… is) and it should never be the responsibility of a first responder to man a helicopter and risk his life to save yours. I also feel that it is high time that we as individuals living in the greatest nation on this planet begin to take responsibility for ourselves.
For days as I listened to the News Media leading up to, during, and following Ike's landfall on the Louisiana and Texas Gulf Coast, I thought here we go again FEMA, FEMA, FEMA as they all cried out that the government wasn't doing its job correctly again. I mean, heck when is the last time you witnessed the Government of The United States of America take a program and do it better than we could do it ourselves.
It is not the government’s job it is ours… to take care of our own, to be good neighbors, to reach out a helping hand.
I just returned from Houston to see this for myself, a friend and I decided we would do what we could do to help. So we loaded a truck with 1,500 lbs of Ice (because the Media screamed day and night that the people had nothing) generators, blankets and sheets, dry food goods, gasoline, water and various other supplies. I have never worked so hard to give something away! Turned down by the National Guard, Turned down by the Salvation Army, Turned down by The Southern Baptist Convention of Men's Fellowship. We finally after many many stops were able to leave what we had brought. Personally, I feel much of it that you will find in some dark dirty warehouse months from now. As we left the Houston, Galveston, and Beaumont Texas there were several things that I did notice, hundreds of acres of generators sitting idle upon asphalt fields, thousands of 18 wheelers full to capacity with no one to unload them, and church after church after church with the front doors closed and not a soul around.
I think it is high time we all begin to stop pointing the finger at others, holding our hands out waiting for someone else to fill it and start taking responsibility for ourselves. From Wall Street to My street if we are going to save this country we must start with ourselves and start NOW, quit waiting for someone else to do it. After all We the People; We Are The Government…"

26. Jill - September 19, 2008 @ 10:58 PM

"Very interesting article--and I have always wondered about that question. We live on the Treasure Coast in FL and went through the 4 hurricanes one year then 2 or 2 the next. We didn't need to evacuate but it sure was scary even where we lived-I was concerned more for my small children. I couldn't imagine being in an area below sea level in a cat 3 hurricane or even a cat 2. I look forward to your next blog about why you live there because I've asked that one many times. We are enoying The Seven Decisions again. Do you have a reccomendation for a homeschool class I'm doing with teens on interpersonal communication?"

27. J - September 26, 2008 @ 1:28 PM

"A story I heard called the onion. An elderly woman who went to church her whole life had died and when she awoke she found herself in the enternal pit with the devil saying this must be a mistake. So the devil called up to heaven to ask if she was in the book of life and again was replied that she was where she belonged, she never onced helped anyone but her self her whole life. The old woman said again a mistake i remember giving a poor person an onion, they looked again and found that she had given a poor person a onion, so they said we will correct the problem. On a long rope with the onion on the end was lowered to the pit. As the rope reached the woman she grabbed it and was being pulled up. To the amazement of the others in the pit they seen their chance and also grabbed for the onion to also be delivered up with the old woman. The old woman kicked and pushed them away saying this is my onion and no one but me is getting out, this is my onion at that moment the rope broke and she plunged back down to the pit."

28. Bon in 'Bama - September 27, 2008 @ 9:08 AM

"Andy: I was so happy to see this article in Sunday's "Mobile Press-Register" . . . and I eagerly await your next installment in what I hope is a series.

As you know, Ivan all but obliterated our little town of Atmore--and we are 70 miles inland. While we didn't have to deal with "surge," the town did lose over 60% of our trees. Personally, we had over 15 huge pines fall around, onto and into our home...We evacuated because I had this crazy, but fierce inner-knowledge that Atmore would be pummeled. When we returned home and finally found a path to our neighborhood and house, which had been cut by neighbors, we couldn't SEE our home. It's 3000-square feet brick, but all we could see was downed trees that were mostly 150 year old pines. We knew we were in the right location because we could see our brick mail box, but we couldn't see so much as one red brick for all the "greenery." And it smelled like Christmas!

The guys who cut a DOUBLE pine out of our house said if we hadn't evacuated, we would have died of fright when that tree crashed into the house. I think they were right!

This much I know is true:

(1) Catastrophe in one form or another CAN happen to any of us at any time. Suddenly WE are "those poor people on TV."

(2) I am much more compassionate about other people's misfortune that is caused by mother nature. They used to be sound-bytes on TV. Now they are real and illicit my genuine emotion, care and concern.

(3) I also don't ever want to forget what happened in the two weeks after Ivan. People of the Mennonite faith from all over the United States came into Atmore neighbors to help but our lives back together. My neighbors and I are used to being the givers. It was humbly to have to learn to say, "Yes, I'd love your help, please." They stayed for weeks, some for months. I will never forget their generosity of spirit. I will never look at Mennonites in the same way ever again.

(4) I won't forget the way the stars looked in the indigo sky with no lights to compete with their radiance. We were without electricity for two weeks - and thank God there were no love bugs during that September time period.

(5) People had REAL conversations with no TV or computers vying for their attention.

(6) People were genuinely KIND to each other for at least a month after Ivan...there was a gentle spirit among people of all walks of life and all colors. If we could bottle that feeling, Andy, the world would be a richer place.

And ten months later Atmore got walloped by Hurricane Dennis...but that's another story for another day.

Love you, big guy!

Bon"

29. Amanda King - October 7, 2008 @ 1:00 PM

"Andy,

I had the pleasure of meeting you several years ago when you spoke at once of our conferences and you struck me as one of the most honest, real people I had ever met. I love reading your thoughts and knowing they come from the heart. Please don't ever stop writing - you are a blessing!"