[It took a full day for us to get back in touch with attorney Larry Walters after Hurricane Jeanne had moved up though the center of Florida and into Georgia, weakened but still capable of leaving a lot of damage in its wake, as his report makes clear. We certainly hope that this is it for storm stories... but sadly, we've said that before. - ed.]
9/27/04 - The Day After...
“The largest recovery effort in U.S. history.” That’s what they’re calling the crrent hurricane clean up effort in Florida. The State is essentially a war zone, with washed out roads, overflowing rivers, and debris scattered as far as the eye can see.
We made it through the night, but 6 fellow Floridians were not so lucky. Having lived through this meteorological oddity, I have gained a new respect for Mother Nature. All the technological advances in the world could not stop this raging locomotive of a storm, and many modern structures, built in accordance with current building codes designed to protect against hurricane damage, were destroyed. None of the advanced radar systems or computer models could tell us exactly where the eye of the storm would fall. We were virtually powerless in the face of this swirling madness.
Our office had no phone or power today, so chalk up another day of delays and lost productivity. The day off was much needed for our staff, most of who lost power also. Some did not prepare as well as they should have, since the warnings for Jeanne were not heeded as carefully as those for previous storms. There were several reasons for this, but mostly people were just tired; tired of restocking their refrigerators, tired of dragging in gallons of water, tired of buying gas and batteries. This storm was headed out to sea last week, and everyone had already breathed a sigh of relief just before forecasters began to say, “not so fast!” Jeanne had other plans for Florida, but it took longer than usual for us to accept that reality. Some refused to believe that it could be happening again, and ignored mandatory evacuation orders. Their 911 emergency calls went unanswered, as emergency vehicles focused on individuals with serious injuries, and left those stubborn beachside residents who refused to leave, to fend for themselves until the winds died down. As it turned out, Jeanne caused as much destruction as any of the other 3 storms that ravaged the State in recent weeks.
Now the rebuilding starts again in earnest. We’ve all had a day to shake off the debris, and put our lives back in order. For the first time in 6 weeks, it does not appear that any tropical storms, depressions or hurricanes are headed our way. Floridians can breath a collective sigh of relief as we get our lives, property and businesses back in order. In Florida, the future is always sunny, even if punctuated with a few storm clouds.
Lawrence G. Walters, Esq.
9/25/04 - 6:45pm EST ...
I feel like Bill Murray on "Groundhog Day." Every time I wake up, the same Weatherman is pointing to a swirling mass of destruction headed straight for my house. Florida has taken on the look of a battleground, of debris scattered up and down streets and vacant land throughout the state, serving as a constant reminder of the death and destruction that has plagued our area since August. Not since the 1800's have 4 hurricanes hit any state in the same season, and that was in Texas. Floridians had become complacent in response to the serious warnings regularly offered by the stern-faced weathermen who enjoyed the limelight each Hurricane Season. So many false alarms, and very little action.
That all changed forever this year. Never again will Floridians take Hurricane Warnings for granted. As we brace for the 4th in a series of deadly storms, most of us here in Florida have become pro's at battening down the hatches. Plywood goes up on the windows in a matter of hours. Gas tanks are filled well in advance, and generators are tuned up for their inevitable work providing emergency power for those in the path of the storm, who are virtually guaranteed to suffer days of power outages. Hurricane Jeanne might be the most dangerous of all the storms...the power of Charley, and the size of Frances. 1150 people have lost their lives.
Those of us in the adult industry in Florida are growing concerned about the ability to bounce back from the tremendous business interruption we've all suffered. The Internet industry is global, of course, yet Mother Nature has provided a stark reminder of how geography really does matter. Hosts have lost power, thereby shutting down all traffic dependent on their facilities. Content producers have been hampered in their efforts to attract models to Florida given the regular threats of dangerous weather. Florida Webmasters dependent on support services from hosts, content producers and yes, even attorneys, have lost valuable time in their efforts to keep up with the competition. It has been weeks since our office has accepted any new clients, despite daily inquiries.
Despite these setbacks, most in the industry continue to be understanding and helpful. We'll never get back the time that our competition had but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. We're a resilient bunch, and despite these trying times, we'll pull through. I wish my fellow Floridians well in the coming dangerous hours.
Updates to follow depending on power...
