First Hand Report: Conditions In Florida After Hurricane Irma

A few of us on the 1776 Telegram Group have been in communication with frequent 1776-commenter “Clark”. Located in the heart of destruction in Florida he is living his own personal SHTF. Make no mistake about it those of us that think about what a SHTF situation would be like don’t know the half of it. While you can prepare and consider numerous scenario’s the unexpected could prove disastrous. Hearing the events and conditions in Florida have me rethinking my preps. The need to carry out an actual scenario to try to duplicate the conditions expected must be done. Even then – it is only a practice and not the real thing.

What follows is a first-hand account and description from Clark as he and his neighbors deal with horrible conditions:

Still no power here in Florida, no sewage sub pumps are running due to lack of power or sewage systems are now backing up through manholes everywhere they’re coming up in homes. I’ve said it before I’ll say it again without power unless you’ve made the right preps sewage will back up and enter your home from every drain, think about this if your plan is to bug in!

Mid to low 90’s 100% humidity, dew point around 70, had 9 people die in the nursing home yesterday heat exhaustion! People are being rushed to hospitals in record numbers from dehydration! I’ve been working 20 hour days helping friends, family, neighbors, and even strangers, have used 65 out of my 80 gallons of gas reserve on generator and gas for the jeep. Really kicking myself in the ass for not having more solar in place, lots of sun, no way to collect, (always see it get cheaper and better as I wait to buy) should have had a few panels…. had 10 cases of MRE’s down to 4.5 been giving them out, many have no way to cook, still no help from FEMA, think they’re supposed to be setting up operations in my area today… only had 50 gallons of water, with all the hard work and giving water out I’m down to 20, I must be drinking 2 gallons a day, sun block is running low as well, I’m in the sun all day cutting trees, tapping roofs, and helping people clean up. I’m really learning a lot about where my preps are weak. Getting concerned about all the sewage, a lot of bugs will be carrying diseases. A lot of standing water here and found it’s rancid with disease, bugging out would have been much smarter! But even working days I couldn’t get my supplies together to get out, my pick up is in the shop, the Jeep couldn’t haul all supplies needed. My reaction bug out time with supplies will be the top of my list of fixing!

Charlie asks if he has or needs water filters:

I have every water filter they make I think Charlie, I even have military water treatment equipment, but when your water supply has been polluted by feces like in my video that’s no longer an option, at least it’s to be avoided as long as possible! Think about this guys, the grid goes down EVERY TOWN OR CITY WILL HAVE THIS HAPPENING, MEANING ALL WATER SUPPLIES WILL BE CONTAMINATED… still think you can bug in???? If you’re on your own land and have septic your in a much better place than most of us, BUT, rats will be in this sewage, mosquitoes, bugs will be carrying diseases! Remember the Black Plague, that video I just posted that’s how the Black Plague started…

Here is the video mentioned by Clark. Understand the profanity, please. Consider the situation Clark and his community is in….

Rourke: Clark – I can only imagine how people are reacting. In your area how are people handling the loss of power, water, sanitation – normalcy? You have prepared and considered situations where things could go bad. For the average person, the shock must be greater.

Clark responds….

My partner’s wife is freaking out. She is used to a middle classed life. Most people are devastated. There are lots of looters, but many people coming out to help one another, (those who have some comforts are the most eager to help I think) but every now and then you see someone that has lost it all trying to help others, rare, but I’m seeing it. All the stores – Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot, AutoZone, all have two to three guys at the door protecting against thieves, and looters. It’s a lot of distrust. Years ago 2004 I didn’t see this as much. People that aren’t prepared just waiting in lines with their hands out, complaining on TV that no one has brought them water or food. If this was a grid down event I truly believe it would have been anarchy after just three days. This experience has really shown me that people have no clue, and they (I would have to say almost everyone) is expecting the government to take care of them. I now know there’s no way I can live in southwest Florida and bug out unless I have a large boat. I75 turns into a parking lot in hours, not days, and the looters and freaks show up before the storm has even started! For example, 8 pm Sunday I returned home after the storm. I waded down my street in 2.5 ft of water to clear the road of debris before my brother neighbors and friends returned home as I had to run over many pieces of homes to get here, I laid everything that I’ve thought long to the homes in their yards. The next morning after the storm there were people in trucks going from yard to yard dragging their pieces of fascia and anything a little bit them away from their house that could’ve possibly been salvaged and loaded it into their trucks for scrapping. They attempted to come into my yard and grab pieces of my fascia and soffit they had blown away from my house and I on Holstered my 1911 in my right hand and looked at him and said I’ll be using that private property and then the guy started arguing with me I’m clear the The Bree make in the neighborhood safe I couldn’t believe this guy was looking at me straight face and telling me this I told him if you enter my property I will put a bullet in your head he never came back down my street again.

I now know there’s no way I can live in southwest Florida and bug out unless I have a large boat. I75 turns into a parking lot in hours, not days, and the looters and freaks show up before the storm has even started! For example, 8 pm Sunday I returned home after the storm. I waded down my street in 2.5 ft of water to clear the road of debris before my brother neighbors and friends returned home as I had to run over many pieces of homes to get here. I laid everything that I’ve thought belonged to the homes in their yards. The next morning after the storm there were people in trucks going from yard to yard dragging pieces of fascia and anything else a little away from houses that could’ve possibly been salvaged and loaded it into their trucks for scrapping. They attempted to come into my yard and grab pieces of my fascia and soffit that had blown away from my house. I on unholstered my 1911 in my right hand and looked at him and said I’ll be using that private property and then the guy started arguing with me. “I’m clearing in the neighborhood making it safe,” I couldn’t believe this guy was looking at me straight-faced and telling me this I told him if you enter my property I will put a bullet in your head. He never came back down my street again.

Clark continued after a few of us said we were going to spread his information around……

Thanks Clark for sharing.

While the vast majority of us will finish reading this and shake out heads wishing there was something we could do……Clark and his neighbors will still be dealing with the sewage, the heat, the lack of water and power. It will continue for days, weeks, and some for months. I hope FEMA can get in there and provide help quickly. I hope between insurance and both private and government assistance communities across Florida – and in Texas – can recover quickly.