Remembering the Impacts of Hurricane Fran as Folks Prepare for Florence

Many of you have already heard the news that Hurricane Florence rapidly intensified into a Dangerous Category 4 Hurricane today.  It is expected to make landfall later this week near Wilmington, NC and travel inland causing catastrophic damage.  Exact details likely won't be known until after the storm hits.  Current information can be found online:  https://weather.com/

Florence is being compared to Hurricane Fran which was a Category 3 storm when it made landfall in Wilmington, NC area on September, 5, 1996.  It tracked up I-40 into Durham, NC and was still a Category 1 Hurricane at that time before continuing up into Virginia.  An overview of the track, damage and impacts are found here:  https://www.weather.gov/ilm/HurricaneFran

Fran was my first (and only) hurricane experience.  I lived in Durham, NC and worked at Duke University Medical Center at the time.  I had been watching the Weather Channel and local news reports, but I really didn't know what to expect.  Earlier that summer, Hurricane Bertha hit the Outer Banks and the impact to the Triangle was some breezy, rainy days.  Family were concerned about my welfare when they tried calling my landline (no digital, cable or cell phone then) and due to water in the line, couldn't get through.  One of them used their contacts to request a HAM radio operator to connect through other operators across the country for a status on my health and welfare.  I received the message 2 days later.  I had since called them and reassured them I was fine.

Thursday, September 4th, was pay day, so after work I went to the bank, grocery store, filled up my car with gas and had extra cash on hand.  All were very good preparatory measures even if I didn't know it at the time.  I'd frozen an empty half gallon milk jug with water in my freezer, which was also good.  Had vegetables, Johnsonville bratwurst (hard to find in NC), and ice cream.  Heard the weather channel cautions in stocking up on water.  Filled a gallon jar with spigot in the fridge. 

I lived in a 3rd floor apartment, which was behind a wooded area overlooking a stream, which entered into a culvert underground at the end of our building.  Earlier that summer, training storms overwhelmed the culvert and water filled the parking lot of the building next to me.  It was up to the bumpers of cars, so I parked my Honda civic way from the curb and at the other end of my building in case the lot flooded.  Made sure the tailpipe was away from the curb, but kept it close to the building to protect it from the wind. 

Evening news stations over the previous few days had been covering the military movements in all branches to reposition equipment and troops ahead of the hurricane.  Pope Air Force Base at Fort Bragg and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro flew their planes to other bases a few states away, well inland.  Camp Lejeune Marine Base sent amphibious equipment and boats with personnel out to sea.  Fort Bragg Army Personnel hunkered in. In the Hampton Roads area, all branches of the military were impacted too.  Oceana Naval Air Station sent planes inland, while Norfolk Navy Yard sent ships out to see.  Aircraft carriers, and other ships went well off the Atlantic Coast.  Submarines and other equipment were moved to safer areas.  It really was something to see given we don't have as much of a military presence in the Midwest where I'd lived prior to NC. 

About 10pm the wind picked up and the pine trees along the creek were swaying quite a bit in the wind.  It was a rainy afternoon with earlier bands soaking the ground.  Was concerned that a swaying tree could end up in my bedroom window and on me in my bed.  Didn't have a roommate at the time, nor a dining room table, so pulled a mattress into my dining room which was on the internal wall.  Did have candles, my Walkman radio with batteries and votive candles pulled out.  About 1030, the power went out, so I lost the weather channel reports.  (Rich Johnson, if I recall correctly, was broadcasting.)  I tuned on the flashlight, lit a votive candle and placed it in a pie tin on my stove and then called my mom.  Didn't have a battery powered alarm clock and I was scheduled to be the early person in the am, so asked if she could set her alarm and call me to wake me.  I had an analog phone plugged into the wall which was a lifesaver as it never "lost power." 

I was more concerned about tornados, so turned on my Walkman and listened to the lone radio station broadcasting.  It was windy, but I had no idea what was occurring outside and tried to sleep.  The radio talked about downed trees and folks running into them on the roads at night.  They blocked roads and stopped people in their tracks.  Prayed I'd stay safe.  Fell asleep and then mom called.

Got up to get ready for work. Without electricity, I showered in the dark.  There was no hot water so cold showers.  The challenge is the flashlight/and/or candle can't be brought into the shower.  No hairdryer either.  Good thing I had a short haircut.  I also didn't have air conditioning without electricity.  This is significant with the heat and humidity. 

Left to go to work and found my car was safe, thankfully.  However, there were trees down across the main entrance lane in my apt complex.  Had to go through a neighboring lot to bypass it.  Thankfully the creeks that flooded, hadn't flooded the road.  Although the water was up to bumpers of cars in the next building.  Also thankful I lived fairly close to Duke Hospital as there was no power to the traffic lights either, but it was daylight.  Parked and went into the building that housed the main hospital laboratory where I worked.

Overnight shift was still working providing patient care.  I started the maintenance and getting the analyzers on my bench ready for day shift.  A number of my coworkers lived an hour or so away, so wasn't expecting them to make it in and anticipated we'd be short handed.  I did have a student make it in, so I did have extra hands given the coworker assigned to my bench of toxicology and therapeutic drug monitoring didn't make it that day.  Other folks reported on their drive in as they trickled in throughout the morning. 

I don't remember what I had for breakfast, but I usually packed my lunch and ate in the break room.  I did bring in my ice cream and a few other frozen items to the freezer at work.  Fortunately, the hospital had power.  Learned from my coworkers given most all of Durham lacked power, and they learned the hospital had power, they inundated the cafeteria lines for hot food.  That made it hard for employees to get their lunches and eat them within their 30 min lunch break.  Lines were 30 minutes at times in the cafeteria. 

Remember a coworker that made it in from Haw River, NC to the West of Durham in Alamance County.  Here I-85 and I-40's 4 lanes in each direction crossed the Haw River. She monitored the reports as the water started to creep onto the interstate.  If I-40/I-85 closed, she'd be stranded and not able to go home.  I think she was approved to leave early to get home before the bridge flooded. 

I did get off work early since I arrived early.  I decided I needed supplies as I wasn't sure how long I'd be without electricity.  I thought it would be wise to visit the stores on the Duke campus.  Students had electricity so they wouldn't need batteries, etc.  However, when I started driving around campus, found the stores closed and large trees scattered across the broad lawns of East Campus.  Found there was electricity on 9th Street the Rail Bridge.  On the left side, about 25 people were in line at the Wachovia ATM to get cash.  Credit cards don't work without electricity.  On the right side at the BP gas station, there were cars forming lines a block or two long waiting for the two rows of pumps open.  Gas pumps also don't work without electricity.  Sensing a pattern here?  Grateful I had a full tank and cash at hand.

Decided not to drive around too much to conserve gas, but did decide to head up to Kroger.  Hillsborough Road was earily quiet.  The normally active shopping area and fast food restaurant strip was quiet as none were open without electricity.  Drove up to Kroger and it too was dark.  Thought of all the food in the freezers and refrigerators that would be bad and have to be thrown out.  Reality was starting to sink in.  It was still light out, but my mission was to get home to that analog phone to call my family for supplies.

My apartment was warm without air conditioning so I opened all the windows to get some airflow. Later I bought a clip on battery operated fan and another battery operated fan later that year.  I hate to be hot and humid.  I called dad in the Midwest as it was an hour later.  Asked him to go to the store and get me some candles and batteries.  Asked him to have it shipped to the hospital as it had the best chance of getting there quickly. I also know my hometown had a UPS hub and if he got to the airport, it would likely be on its way overnight.  What I didn't know was if the roads were clear from the airport and if they could get supplies to the hospital.

Had to think about dinner.  I had food that didn't need to be cooked.  Don't remember what, but tried to eat up items in the fridge or freezer that might spoil.  Didn't want to open the doros too much either.  It was hard to figure out what to do next.  I had no TV without electricity.  I had no lights, so when it got dark, I called it a night.  I may have read a book by candlelight for a bit.  Did use the phone to call friends and family.  That was a lifesaver.  This was before I had a computer and cell phone and internet at home.  (I know, starting to date myself.)  The analog phone was my lifeline to the outside world.

The next day was Saturday and I didn't have to work.  I slept in and got ready when it was daylight again.  It made it easier to see in taking a shower.  I liked the cold showers as they cooled you down from the hot and humid weather.  I wasn't sure when the UPS package would arrive, but decided I'd go into work to the break room taking with me a container with the bratwurst.  I'd cook up my lunch in the microwave in the break room, have some of my ice cream, and get my package and head home.  I had chicken breast marinated with Italian dressing for lunch.  Also bratwurst.  As I was taking them out of the microwave, a coworker who is a native of the area looked at them and asked what they were.  I said bratwurst.  In his Southern accent, he replied, "That ain't what they looked like."  I'm not sure if he had seen bratwurst before as they were hard to find down there.

After eating, I almost forgot about the package.  I didn't see anything, but walked by a back doorway in the lab and saw UPS had delivered it on a back counter!  I was pleasantly shocked to see they had delivered overnight from IL, a package of supplies by 1pm EST at the hospital.  I snatched it and went home.  At home, I opened it to find 2 pink 6 inch pillars, D batteries for my boom box CD player, and a Snakelight.  The best was the Snakelight as I could wrap it around the shower curtain rod to take a shower with light. Candles and showers don't mix well.  Not much to do the rest of the day until the sun set.  Did call more people on the phone to pass the time.

Sunday came and I made my way to church.  Figured they would have service by candlelight, if no electricity still.  They did experience some flooding in the lower level where classrooms were, but it didn't appear to be serious.  Services were indeed by candlelight, but the church had skylights so the sun flowed in.  Learned the campus pastor was eating up meat from their freezer and cooking it on their grill.  They invited folks over to help consume the food before it went bad.  I was more than happy to oblige.  Even though the roads were clear, one had to be careful as most stoplights were still out.  Traffic would back up in certain areas.  There were some folks killed when they tried to go through intersections without stopping where there was a traffic signal that was out.

Stories began to pour in of most of the deaths in the Triangle region due to trees falling on mobile homes, car accidents, and the like.  The deaths were not at the coast so much.  One was careful driving around as trees were down in yards, etc. too.  Returned home in the afternoon to get ready for a week of work.  The cold shower felt good.

During the work week, folks were celebrating when the electricity came back on in their neighborhoods. My supervisor and I were two of the last team members to have electricity back on.  Ours was out for a whole week!  Can you imagine a whole week without electricity?  I can't today.  I have too many electronic devices.  It's difficult when a summer storm causes a power loss of a few hours.  We are so dependent on electricity.  What was especially frustrating was how close I was to the hospitals too.  Across the creek and woods was a children's hospital building.  I could hear the generators going.  Too bad we couldn't run extension cords across the creek and through the woods to tap into their power.

Noticed one of the other apartment buildings near the road had a 2-3 foot diameter tree that appeared to crash through the living room 3rd floor apartment.  Hope nobody was at home and injured.  Thankful, I'd moved out of my bedroom the night of the hurricane.  The rains earlier in the day loosened up the ground.  Once the winds came the pines started toppling.  Fran was a powerful Cat 3 at the coast, but was still a Cat 1 Hurricane when it passed over Durham, that far inland. 

Been keeping on eye on Florence (pun intended) as she has been a CAT4 and forecast to make landfall North of Wilmington.  However, latest forecasts indicate she may be a CAT3 at landfall on Friday am, a bit later from earlier projections.  This would be better than a Cat4, but still bad.  Storm surge forecasts along the coast are as high as 9 feet in some spots.  Also torrential, flooding rain of 2-3 feet is forecast. And we don't even know how many tornados will be spawned and where they will hit.  It is very clear this is a life threatening storm.  Praying for best possible outcomes given the dire situation.