Here comes Irma

Power is still out in St. Pete/Clearwater and there is looting going on. My son patrolled his neighborhood last night. Like the wild west down there when the power is out.
 
My cousin still can't get back to St. Thomas. He was in two Pacific typhoons in the far east last week. The wait and see must be driving him up the wall.
 
Jason Smith
57 mins ·
Ok Northeast St.Pete update. Stores are getting trucks and reopening. A lot more street lights on but still a lot of people without power. I don't see us getting power till end of weekend. A big tree took the whole line down and the wire is laying on side of the road. Looks like it's going.to be a lot of work for the linemen!
We are doing fine. We have a generator and plenty of food and gas. Camping skills paying off right now lol.
 
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Cousin back in St. Thomas. Reported heavy looting. 90% of structures heavily damaged. He lost a wall at his house. Staying with his 'island family'. Good spirits tho. Bad pun. He's a booze salesman. Seegrams hired a private security guard for him until things calm down. Big picture, his territory is the Caribbean. No infrastructure keeps tourists away. Empty resorts. Nobody to sell to. This is a mess that may take years to recover from.
Hope Jason is making it thru.
 
Cousin back in St. Thomas. Reported heavy looting. 90% of structures heavily damaged. He lost a wall at his house. Staying with his 'island family'. Good spirits tho. Bad pun. He's a booze salesman. Seegrams hired a private security guard for him until things calm down. Big picture, his territory is the Caribbean. No infrastructure keeps tourists away. Empty resorts. Nobody to sell to. This is a mess that may take years to recover from.
Hope Jason is making it thru.
Jason is working during the day to put people's homes back together as his day job, then keeps going at night to help others in his neighborhood for free. He is determined to help in any way he can. That's my boy!

He reports the spirit of the people has not been broken. He's using his youtube platform for FishPod Network to feature fund raising efforts and is also working with the Fishing Fleet people to coordinate help going to the Keys. He also reports the Keys are 90% flattened, and they are also totally tourist economy based down there.

Before Irma hit them, his group had sent a trailer of supplies to Houston. On the way, that trailer lost two wheels and tires. He and his cohost took the spares off their broadcast trailer, gave them to a "runner" willing to take them to somewhere in Alabama where the other trailer was broke down, and got them up and running. Supplies made it to Houston just as Irma hit FL.
 
Just sent to me. This kind of thing is happening all over Florida. Kindness....caring.....you'll find it there. Let's hope it spreads to other places in the country!

I was just at Publix getting lunch, there was a lady behind me in the next check out line with 3 young children. She was just having a conversation with the cashier and bag attendant saying how she was just shopping because her food went bad due to loosing power because of the storm as everyone else was probably doing.

While the customer and cashier were still talking a manager walks up to her as the cashier is almost done ringing her up and tells her not to worry about her bill, that Publix will be taking care of it today. The customer instantly started crying and thanking the manager and employees.

Kudos to you Publix, just another reason I have always shopped here
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