Hello after the hurricane!

[ismaelg]

Hello everybody!   First things first: My models are safe. More on that later.

As many of you know I live in beautiful Puerto Rico.  After a brush with another hurricane 2 weeks before,  on Sept 20^th 2017 our lives changed forever.  We got a direct hit from  catastrophic hurricane Maria.  This is not our first rodeo, but it has been the wildest.  Strongest hurricane to visit in over a century.   The amount of devastation is incomprehensible.   Keep in mind, this is not a 3^rd world place where 4 sticks of bamboo are called a house. Everything here is built to local, state and federal building codes emphasizing hurricane protection. But this monster was unreal.  What was supposed to be a 5 hour event turned out to be a 24 hour ordeal.  Freaking hurricane seems to have stopped over my house looking for directions.  Max sustained winds (> 1 min) were in the 150+ MPH range, but gusts were measured at 210 MPH.   The estimates are over 200,000 homes damaged, of which 70,000 completely destroyed.  I have seen solid concrete houses broken and split in two.   62,000 utility poles (including wood, concrete and steel) destroyed.  It is mile after mile after mile of broken poles.  Four lane concrete bridges were swept away like if made of toothpicks.  Everybody knew we were in for a wild ride and loose power and water.  But what really took everybody by surprise, the proverbial  monkey wrench, was that nobody was expecting the “Apocalyptical” collapse of ALL forms of communications.  Land lines, cell phone, internet, cable providers, satellite links, Radio stations, TV, emergency two way radios, police, ambulances, 911 system… EVERYTHING was wiped out.  Even the National Weather Service lost their radar so nobody knew where the hurricane was tracking. It was a new meaning to the expression “flying blind”.  Forget getting in touch with your relatives when you can’t even communicate with your neighbor 3 houses down due to fallen trees.   The next day, the scene was described by many as “It looks like an atomic bomb blast, without the radiation”.    For many communities that became isolated, hope sounds like a Blackhawk helicopter bringing in water, supplies and help. I salute all military responders including active, Reserve, National Guard, volunteers and everybody involved. THANK YOU!

   I have some photos and footage.  I may  eventually work on a documentary on my experience.   However, I would be really ungrateful if I say me and my family are in bad shape.   We are better that probably 85% -90% of the population.  I suffered only minor damage not even worth mentioning.  Fences, trees, my old SUV lost the clear coat of the paint. It was like sandblasted!  My hobby room is a concrete shed in the yard.  The models were secured in a concrete closet, with 1 inch thick doors, with 2x4s  anchoring the doors. This closet is inside the concrete shed with hurricane grade windows and door.  Wooden roof is triple layered and I ran 4 independent steel hold down cables over it the day before.  One of the cables snapped and the top layer of Ondura (like a 4’x8’ shingle) was hurt but it stood defiant and held together.     

 I did my homework prior to the hurricane and I had all cars filled up, 400 gallon potable water reservoir with pressure pumps,  5KW generator,  cash, tools, food supplies, batteries, etc.   Part of my story includes doing a 6 ½  hour line at the first ATM the bank got to work.  No communications imply a cash only society for weeks. Still recovering.  After a few weeks, a 7 hour line at the nearest gas station.  There was (is) plenty of gas supply, but distribution was affected and many gas stations were destroyed.   After 35 days, I got electrical power back.  After 39 days, water.  But still more than 60% of the island is in darkness and there are still thousands without running water.  We have been very active helping but the task is overwhelming.   After 2 months, adrenaline is winding down and reality is setting in.  The road ahead is long and steep. However, I must be clear: The hurricane knocked down houses, buildings, poles, bridges and trees, but not our spirit!  This has brought the best of most people. Yes, we were brought to our knees but that’s how  you get  closer to God.  We are getting back up.

 Yes, there has been controversy on the response at all levels: from municipalities to state to federal to Congress to  the President.  But please refrain to convert this into a political post.  If you want something done right you do it yourself.  

Anyways, in my personal attempt to get some normalcy back, if there is such a thing,  I’ve been back to the workbench a few minutes a day.   But since I don’t have internet/cable/phone  service at home yet,  posting is still a challenge.  Doing this from a phone is a royal pain but at least I can communicate to the outside world.

Please keep us and those affected by natural disasters in your prayers.  As I said it is a long steep road ahead.  And a real THANK YOU to all who have helped along the way.

 

Thanks,

Ismael 

Edited July 6, 2024 by ismaelg

[afx]

Great to hear from you Ismael and know you and your family made it through safe.

[1930fordpickup]

Good to hear you are safe and well. 

[Jantrix]

I'm very happy you made it through okay. I'd really like to applaud your self sufficiency, and your preparedness. So many people just figure, "my parents, neighbors, community, local government, will take care of me if something bad happens". And not prepare themselves. And thus make things worse by making themselves a burden on others. I saw this a lot when I was in the Florida Air National Guard when Ike beat us up in '08.

Well done sir.

[Gramps46]

Ismael.

I am glad to hear from you and impressed with your preparedness and positive attitude. 

Gary

[High octane]

Hello everybody!   First things first: My models are safe. More on that later.

 

As many of you know I live in beautiful Puerto Rico.  After a brush with another hurricane 2 weeks before,  on Sept 20^th 2017 our lives changed forever.  We got a direct hit from  catastrophic hurricane Maria.  This is not our first rodeo, but it has been the wildest.  Strongest hurricane to visit in over a century.   The amount of devastation in incomprehensible.   Keep in mind, this is not a 3^rd world place where 4 sticks of bamboo are called a house. Everything here is built to local, state and federal building codes emphasizing hurricane protection. But this monster was unreal.  What was supposed to be a 5 hour event turned out to be a 24 hour ordeal.  Freaking hurricane seems to have stopped over my house looking for directions.  Max sustained winds (> 1 min) were in the 150+ MPH range, but gusts were measured at 210 MPH.   The estimates are over 200,000 homes damaged, of which 70,000 completely destroyed.  I have seen solid concrete houses broken and split in two.   62,000 utility poles (including wood, concrete and steel) destroyed.  It is mile after mile after mile of broken poles.  Four lane concrete bridges were swept away like if made of toothpicks.  Everybody knew we were in for a wild ride and loose power and water.  But what really took everybody by surprise, the proverbial  monkey wrench, was that nobody was expecting the “Apocalyptical” collapse of ALL forms of communications.  Land lines, cell phone, internet, cable providers, satellite links, Radio stations, TV, emergency two way radios, police, ambulances, 911 system… EVERYTHING was wiped out.  Even the National Weather Service lost their radar so nobody knew where the hurricane was tracking. It was a new meaning to the expression “flying blind”.  Forget getting in touch with your relatives when you can’t even communicate with your neighbor 3 houses down due to fallen trees.   The next day, the scene was described by many as “It looks like an atomic bomb blast, without the radiation”.    For many communities that became isolated, hope sounds like a Blackhawk helicopter bringing in water, supplies and help. I salute all military responders including active, Reserve, National Guard, volunteers and everybody involved. THANK YOU!

 

   I have some photos and footage.  I may  eventually work on a documentary on my experience.   However, I would be really ungrateful if I say me and my family are in bad shape.   We are better that probably 85% -90% of the population.  I suffered only minor damage not even worth mentioning.  Fences, trees, my old SUV lost the clear coat of the paint. It was like sandblasted!  My hobby room is a concrete shed in the yard.  The models were secured in a concrete closet, with 1 inch thick doors, with 2x4s  anchoring the doors. This closet is inside the concrete shed with hurricane grade windows and door.  Wooden roof is triple layered and I ran 4 independent steel hold down cables over it the day before.  One of the cables snapped and the top layer of Ondura (like a 4’x8’ shingle) was hurt but it stood defiant and held together.     

 

 I did my homework prior to the hurricane and I had all cars filled up, 400 gallon potable water reservoir with pressure pumps,  5KW generator,  cash, tools, food supplies, batteries, etc.   Part of my story includes doing a 6 ½  hour line at the first ATM the bank got to work.  No communications imply a cash only society for weeks. Still recovering.  After a few weeks, a 7 hour line at the nearest gas station.  There was (is) plenty of gas supply, but distribution was affected and many gas stations were destroyed.   After 35 days, I got electrical power back.  After 39 days, water.  But still more than 60% of the island is in darkness and there are still thousands without running water.  We have been very active helping but the task is overwhelming.   After 2 months, adrenaline is winding down and reality is setting in.  The road ahead is long and steep. However, I must be clear: The hurricane knocked down houses, buildings, poles, bridges and trees, but not our spirit!  This has brought the best of most people. Yes, we were brought to our knees but that’s how  you get  closer to God.  We are getting back up.

 

 Yes, there has been controversy on the response at all levels: from municipalities to state to federal to Congress to  the President.  But please refrain to convert this into a political post.  If you want something done right you do it yourself.  

 

Anyways, in my personal attempt to get some normalcy back, if there is such a thing,  I’ve been back to the workbench a few minutes a day.   But since I don’t have internet/cable/phone  service at home yet,  posting is still a challenge.  Doing this from a phone is a royal pain but at least I can communicate to the outside world.

 

Please keep us and those affected by natural disasters in your prayers.  As I said it is a long steep road ahead.  And a real THANK YOU to all who have helped along the way.

 

 

 

Thanks,

 

Ismael 

 

I'm still praying for all that survived that devastating hurricane as I cannot imagine what went on or having to cope with a disaster like that. I've been in San Juan a couple of times as it is a cruise ship port. I've also visited the fort in San Juan which I heard took a hit as well.  A couple of my modeling friends are also from Puerto Rico as well. May God bless all of you.

[Spex84]

I am glad that your planning and forethought, not to mention some luck, have allowed you to weather the storm and live through the aftermath in perhaps better shape than many. Hopefully that allowed you to help others who were not so fortunate...I don't think many people in north america fully appreciate the devastation that Puerto Rico has experienced; the ongoing recovery effort has been overshadowed by other news. I've never experienced a hurricane firsthand, but I've seen the results of lesser hurricanes in Baja California, and even that was sobering enough.
I have neighbors here in Canada who have friends in Puerto Rico, farmers. I think of them often and wonder how they're getting on. I like to think they escaped the worst of it.

Wishing all of you in PR the best possible in the months to come.

 

 

[DumpyDan]

Glad everything is slowly getting back to normal for you and the rest of the Puerto Rico, our prayers are with you.

[Khils]

Ismael ....

Great news to hear you're well! 

So glad you've been able to reach out!! (for your own well being as well)

  Your story tells me you have everything necessary to recover ......Family, Faith & Fortitude!  .....resourceful & capable are awesome attributes. 

I'm Very humbled & God bless you ALL!

One day at a time! Sir.     Kevin   (khils) 

[Vince66]

Glad to hear you and your family are doing well after something like that.

Wishing you and everyone there a safe recovery. 

 

 

[XJ6]

Nice to hear some good news, have a Happy Thanksgiving.

[mikemodeler]

Glad to hear that you are slowing getting back to some sense of normal (relatively speaking) and are able to see some progress in restoring services to the island. I cannot begin to fathom the devastation and how much hard work you (and others) have put in and have ahead of you, but as you mentioned, Puerto Rico will be back!

Thanks for sharing with us and giving us some insight on what your experience was. 

[AJM]

Great to here that you and your family are safe -- I was thinking about you when this tragedy happened.

Stay safe my friend , our prayers are with you,

Al

[Miatatom]

I visited Puerto Rico in 1964 and 65 while in the Navy. It was another jewel in the Caribbean. I loved all the islands in that area. I hope it becomes that jewel again soon.

[vintagercr]

Ismael, I'm glad that you are safe and life is slowly getting back to normal.   My heart goes out to the people of Puerto Rico.

[PARTSMARTY]

Nice to hear some good news, have a Happy Thanksgiving.

X2

[Impalow]

Great to hear you are safe Ismael!!  Happy thanksgiving and keep on modeling!

[crazyjim]

Irma knocked down some trees and took out our power for 6 days.  AT&T shut down their cell phones for 3 days. Otherwise we did OK

There was just a story on the news last night about power restoration companies leaving PR because the PR power company won't sign contracts.  There were horror stories that all the trucks coming in by boat couldn't leave the dock area because a PR truck driver union strike.

Hang in there - it can only get better.

[Can-Con]

I've thought about you many times in the last couple months old friend. Overjoyed to hear that you and your family came through the ordeal in relatively good shape.

[Mike999]

Thanks for the update.  Interesting to hear from somebody "on the ground."  Stay safe.

[ismaelg]

Hello,

  Just a brief moment to commemorate and reflect on the first anniversary of that longest day,  Day 0.  Can't believe it's been a year already!

I told some friends this morning we are scratched, scuffed and mended, but we are back up, looking into the future.   My thoughts and prayers for those who lost their lives, their families and communities.

And with those who went thru that recently or are now going thru that.......

Thanks,

Edited September 20, 2018 by ismaelg

[mikemodeler]

On 9/20/2018 at 7:31 PM, ismaelg said:

Hello,

  Just a brief moment to commemorate and reflect on the first anniversary of that longest day,  Day 0.  Can't believe it's been a year already!

I told some friends this morning we are scratched, scuffed and mended, but we are back up, looking into the future.   My thoughts and prayers for those who lost their lives, their families and communities.

And with those who went thru that recently or are now going thru that.......

Thanks,

Not nearly the ordeal you and your fellow residents of Puerto Rico went through last year, but preparing for Florence last week and riding out what was mostly a wind and rain event here in Charlotte was nerve wracking enough.

Yes, hard to believe a year has passed and hopefully every day sees more progress towards a return to how things were. 

 

Several forum members were in contact with me through last weekend and am glad to have had their thoughts and prayers working for us. For the people in eastern NC and SC, it will be awhile before they can get back to normal, but there are a lot of folks helping them the best they can.

[ismaelg]

Hi Mike,

Glad to know you are ok.   A friend of mine is part of a team that traveled to NC last week to help in the recovery of the electrical system.   Hope the whole area gets back up as quickly as possible.

 

Thanks,

[Dave Ambrose]

Ismael, I’m glad you’re safe and sound. It will be good to have you back on the board when it becomes feasible. Good luck with recovery. 

[ismaelg]

Resurrecting a very old thread. 

Hard to believe today marks the 7th anniversary of this event.  It was so life changing, it is still one of the main topics of conversation in gatherings, meetings and parties.

I salute first responders including military everywhere.  Massive respect!

Thanks,
Ismael