# Hurricane Gustav



## Mo Earle (Mar 1, 2008)

Kim G. and Chris D. and who ever else lives in the potential path of Gustav- if it continues your way, like they are saying- please be safe!!
I know you must of had experience with Katrina, Keith was there right after the storm with USAR, nothing to mess around with. please stay safe. Mo


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## Patrick Murray (Mar 27, 2006)

What Mo said!


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## Howard Knauf (May 10, 2008)

Well...theres four mpre systems out there right now. Hanna is headed my way but hopefully Gustav will turn her. Who knows where the others are going. Florida is like a giant bowling lane, and Africa is a bad hooker shot....never know where its going. Just hope we dont have another 2004.

Howard


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## Chris Duhon (May 24, 2007)

Mo,
my wife is already freaking out because she went to the store to get ice cream (as per my request) and there was no water on the shelves and everyone in line was talking about the hurricane. I got called into work today for good news, and then wham bad news. I'm on vacation right now, and they called me in to give me some good news about a Drug interdiction school I'm going to so I'm all stoked and the Major that gave me my acceptance letter, then said, when do you come back to work, I said next wed, he said, well, don't make plans from sunday on :-o We are gearing up here, as usual we can't leave, so I'm waiting until hit gets good in the gulf and Gustav's course gets a little more narrowed down, then I guess I'll ship the wife and kids off. 

PS: Howard, PM me if you or anyone you know went to Meridian, MS Regional Counter Drug Training Academy for T-Cap/Criminal Patrol, I am going to this school Oct 6, I'm excited as hell, I asked about 6mo ago and they called me in today to tell me I had it and give me some paperwork on it. http://www.rcta.org/counterdrug/catalog/t-cap.htm


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## Mo Earle (Mar 1, 2008)

Chris, good luck on your school!!...and hopefully all these storms will just disperse...remember don't wait to long to get your wife and kids out of there, you don't want them stuck at the airport or worse on the road..with everyone else in a panic...Howard-great description of Florida...big bowling alley- you,Patrick,myself and a lot of others also have to keep an eye on the tropics...Hanna and one behind it...on the way:-#[-X


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## Chris Duhon (May 24, 2007)

Man, I looked at the all the projections a few minutes ago, and they almost all have it going pretty much up the center slightly to the left in Louisiana. My city is only a few counties north of the gulf, we're in the eye's path right now. After seeing that I'm getting a little anxious, but I'm remembering, that this thing could go anywhere at this point. It's not even in the Gulf yet and it's still just a TS right now. Guess it's time to glue myself to the TV.


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Please be careful you guys. Let us know if there is anything we can do in the next coming days.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

One of our club members is with Homeland Security at the airport here. She just left for NO and expects to ride out the storm on a cot in the airport. 
Stay safe folks!


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

They need to name the next storm "Joe" because it's all a big blow! =D> 
From the First State, also the one Joe Biden is from...=; :-\"


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Obviously I am not a moderator but I would ask that we leave our opinions about politics or those running for political office out of threads that have nothing to do with politics. See, you make a snotty remark about one person or party, then I feel compelled to make an equally snotty remark about someone else from the other party, which considering we are on a hurricane thread would be oh so easy to do considering recent history.


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

Hope you all keep safe - have just seen it on our Swiss News.


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## kim guidry (Jan 11, 2008)

Well, you guys, Chris D. and my self are right smack in the middle of this thing. Chris lives north of I-10 and I live south of I-10, but we are only about 15 miles from each other. We have not decided if we will stay or leave. Its just one of those things you grow up with down here. You batten down and get as best prepared as you can. We have a generator to plug in our fridge and a window unit.\\/ The majority of people down here have gas ranges instead of electric so we can cook if needed. Hell we can turn it into a neighborhood block party and have a BBQ. They don't call it Hurricane parties for nothing! 

I know this is not funny stuff and I am not making light of it, but we have to deal with the cards we are dealt.

If anybody want to know what is going on in our area you can go to the local news web site.
www.katc.com Thank you everyone for all of your support and we will keep in touch.

Hey Chris...I heard yall got a new dog by the name of Scooby! Be safe


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## Ashley Pugh (Nov 9, 2007)

Kim, Don't make me worry! Oh hell, who am I kidding, I'm a worry wort, I'll do it anyway!

You guys be safe.


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## Mo Earle (Mar 1, 2008)

Kim....keep and eye on that storm, some are predicting a Cat3 or Higher!:evil:..being from Florida, we have similar drills down pat,it seems like yesterday...we had Andrew, Wilma, Jeanne, Francis.. our house is also wired to generator, we have gas cooking etc, hurricane shutters, safe room....etc...but there is a point-as you well know... when it is time to batten the hatches and get going and unfortunately that can't be put off until the last minute....! We are all keeping an eye on the storm here too...in addition to Hanna and Ike....
as I said before- You and yours Be safe !


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

susan tuck said:


> Obviously I am not a moderator but I would ask that we leave our opinions about politics or those running for political office out of threads that have nothing to do with politics. See, you make a snotty remark about one person or party, then I feel compelled to make an equally snotty remark about someone else from the other party, which considering we are on a hurricane thread would be oh so easy to do considering recent history.


Susan if ALL THREADS remained on topic, which none do around here, they wouldn't go beyond two remakes. =; 

Second point, this is a social *forum area, *and Joe Biden is from MY state, Delaware, so I feel right in calling out some hot wind on this one!  

Remark away if you wish or command the winds to "be still." I understand YOUR position...=D>


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## Ashley Pugh (Nov 9, 2007)

Gustav is now a Cat. 4 'extremely dangerous' storm. I'm wondering what he'll do when he gets into the gulf and brews for a day or so.

You guys please be safe.


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## kim guidry (Jan 11, 2008)

Hi everyone,

Yep, he is a 4 and quite possibly going to a 5. Lafayette (where I live) is under a voluntary evacuation. They are going to start Contraflow on Sunday am. That is where the 4 lanes of certain hwys will all be going 1 way. We have reservations in Ganesville, Fl. Its 9 hours away but there was nothing closer. Besides we will be traveling with 3 dogs, at least I had time to give them all a bath this am.#-o Like I said earlier, Chris Duhon is about 15 miles north of me and he has to say. Thank You everyone for your concern and please keep everyone in Louisiana in your prayers.


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## Howard Knauf (May 10, 2008)

Hold on tight boys and girls. I don't envy you at all up there. This blows. We're still not out of the woods here either. Hanna is going to stall off the coast where I'm at and could hit Mo down in S. Fl or go north to Jacksonville/Carolinas.


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## Chris Duhon (May 24, 2007)

Yeah, they finally cut my vacation off officially, just got the call to report to work tomorrow morning at 6am. All projections show the old communist Gustav right in line with Kim and I's parishes. The latest shows the eye passing over us. it's suppose to hit the coast with Katrina and Rita strength. Seen one report where they said the waters off the coast of La is cool enough now to weaken it to possibly a low 2 or even a 1 just prior to landfall. I turned on my scanner and listened to the guys already activated at work, their gasing up our Trucks and ATV's. Tomorrow we're turning our Major interstate and Hwy's to only flow North. Unfortuantely I just know if this thing goes bad, Looting and Burglaries are going to go through roof here. We have an overwhelming abundance of knuckleheads here, I all ways tell people Welcome to South Compton, Louisiana, LOL.

Kim, they returned Scooby. If you have ever watched the cartoon king of the hill, in my best Texas drawl from King of the Hill, I say about scooby, "Dat boy ain't right in tha head". He in all honesty has a mental problem, and we seen him as a liability so they brought him back.

Howard K, See my above post about RCTA and let me know if you or anyone in your PD has been there and what were the thoughts on the course.


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## Howard Knauf (May 10, 2008)

Hi Chris. I hardly see our drug guys unless they're screaming for a uniform to bail them out of something. Don't know what classes they've taken. We got some in deep that I don't see for a year at a time so maybe they've been there. I doubt I'll see them before you go though.

BTW, keep your AR loaded up with plenty of extra magazines and ammo. Get your batteries charged up and watch your top not!

Howard


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## kim guidry (Jan 11, 2008)

Chris Duhon said:


> Kim, they returned Scooby. If you have ever watched the cartoon king of the hill, in my best Texas drawl from King of the Hill, I say about scooby, *"Dat boy ain't right in tha head"*. He in all honesty has a mental problem, and we seen him as a liability so they brought him back.



Ya think?! :-o


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## Mo Earle (Mar 1, 2008)

> _Hold on tight boys and girls. I don't envy you at all up there. This blows. We're still not out of the woods here either. Hanna is going to stall off the coast where I'm at and could hit Mo down in S. Fl or go north to Jacksonville/Carolinas_.


we are getting some outer bands down here from Gustav :-o....jeez louise, I thought we were waiting for Hanna....it was pretty rough today... wind,rain...did I say rain,hard and lots of rain...we are FLOODED. Just love the hurricane season[-X Kim I would invite you and yours and dogs to come stay with us, but we aren't in very good shape... besides already being flooded.... like Howard said-we might be having an unwelcomed guest named Hanna..!

Chris hopefully everyone leaves town, especially since Katrina was not so long ago- remember your safety first- and not sure where you heard Cat2, down here,they are telling us it is going to be a powerful 4 or 5 and after today...I believe it!!


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## Chris Duhon (May 24, 2007)

yeah, it's getting crazy around here, We're completely out of gas here, the interstates are bumper to bumper, and it just has that erie feeling in the air. I'm starting to get a very bad feeling. It has a feeling of the end of the world. Everyone is panicking and running around with their heads cut off. It reminds me of independence day the movie, when people were trying to run from the end of the world.

I am seeing the projections have changed, they are saying it will most likely hit land at a Cat 4 :-o Rita and Katrina were Cat 3's. As I type this I'm listening to the weather channel and the guy is saying Gustav has Katrina and Rita beat, and this very well could be the storm we talk about for the rest of the year, brother. [-o<


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## Betty Mathena (Apr 19, 2006)

Stay safe Chris, you and your family, along with everyone else in the path of the Hurricanes, will be in my thoughts and prayers.


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## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

You folks really need to keep your heads down. this could be a rough one. With Hanna following or at least out there looking for a place to go, it could be a rough few days.

DFrost


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Folks I feel for ya, but rain we need up here. After the big "dumping" send some our way!


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

How are you guys doing today? From everything I can read, it looks like it's showing no signs of weakening and may get even stronger. I don't know how you guys keep your cool facing this situation.

Are anyones dogs reacting to what's going on? Are they perhaps reacting to the change in bariatric (sic?)pressure? We all read about how the animals were able to read the signs and get to higher ground before the tsunami made landfall. 

This is a thread about the safety of our members who could quite possibly be in harms way. Using it to express opinions about politics or politicians is not just off topic, it's bad manners. So no, I won't take your bait. Why not show some class and start a seperate thread if you feel the need to talk politics on a dog board?


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## kim guidry (Jan 11, 2008)

Hi you guys, update from storm central... because of my husbands business, we did not leave last night like we planed. Yes, it is a very bad storm, but we have decided to stay. After listening to the local news reports and taking our location in consideration we will ride it out. 

All of the lower parishes in Louisiana are being evacuated. Chris nor I live in those areas. What Chris posted is correct, the contraflow is right smack in the middle of his city. Traffic is VERY heavy and stations are out of gas. On a normal day it is nuts for him, I can't imagine what he will have to deal with now. As I mentioned earlier, for those who are interested, you can go to our local news station web site. http://www.workingdogforum.com/vBulletin/www.katc.com they will be streaming their news. 

The dogs are acting normal. We have several other neighbors staying and yesterday everyone got together to help each other board up the windows. We'll keep in touch


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## Howard Knauf (May 10, 2008)

Well, Hanna is now projected to stall off our coast then head right for me. Gustav's wind shear is beating her down but once that passes she'll strengthen again and come straight in because there is no steering currents. Sucks cause we're already saturated down here.

Gustav is slated to be a cat4 at least. They say no weakeneing upon approach. I thought Katrina was a cat5 but I could be mistaken. I'm told that there is going to be police evacuation as well and only a skeleton crew will be left to handle things during the storm. Thats much different than what we did in 2004. We all had to camp out at the PD and ride the storm out, then do damage assesments and take calls once the winds hit 60mph or less. 

I see that Katrina wasn't enough to pursuade a lot of people to leave this time around. The hoodlums out there are probably chomping at the bit now because they have experience in these situations. You cops up there watch yourself.

Howard


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## Betty Mathena (Apr 19, 2006)

I would like to thank all the people that leave their loved ones and property to protect and aid us during things like this. 

Not sure how you guys do it, but thank God you do!


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## Mo Earle (Mar 1, 2008)

Kim and Chris...please do us a favor, after the storm, as soon as you can- get back on the forum here and let us know you are ok, or if you need anything that we could help you with...please.
Power might go out for a while for you up there- but try to keep in touch-because I know I can vouche for everyone, we will be concerned and wondering how you all are doing..... and the rest of you from Florida...keep safe too! Mo


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## Chris Duhon (May 24, 2007)

Mo, will do. I just got off work, am suppose to report in at 3am and will not get off at that point until after the storm has passed and things are getting back to normal on the Law enforcement end. The rain has started to drizzle here now and the sky is getting dark and murky looking as I write this. They have us split up by shifts between hospitals and fire stations as far as where the po po's will be hunkering down at. I'm in the latest and newest state of the art fire station, they have huge generators that keep it running like normal, they have nice showers, a gym, big kitchen and the works. I got put there, so atleast in my down time it'll be somewhat normal. 

Of course the hoodlums are far from leaving. Before I got off as the weather was starting to show storm signs, all the hoodlums were in the streets, up and at'em. 

I will contact everyone as I get updates and am able to. Time to button down the hatches, and hunker down. speaking of hunker down, I wonder where is my kevlar helmet from my Army days, LOL :-k


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## Howard Knauf (May 10, 2008)

Chris Duhon said:


> I'm in the latest and newest state of the art fire station, they have huge generators that keep it running like normal, they have nice showers, a gym, big kitchen and the works.


 I keep saying I should have been a fireman. They got it made and everyone loves them.:wink:




> speaking of hunker down, I wonder where is my kevlar helmet from my Army days, LOL


 Just grab your field force helmet. Its the same thing. Don't forget to shake out the scorpions first.

Howard


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## Chris Duhon (May 24, 2007)

Well guys, I feel like a field reporter. It was toying earlier, but since he has made landfall, it's picking up now. I had not even tried but I decided to see if our connections in the unit was still up (I had not even booted up my computer today yet). low and behold in my patrol car I'm still hooked up. We're starting to get some good wind gusts now, trees starting to come down, some roofs are breaking up (on houses that were in bad shape to begin with). loose debris starting to fly around in the streets. What's left of the eye is suppose to cross my city in about 2-3 hrs, so the fun is just starting. I just heard on the radio that alot of Lafayette where Kim lives has lost power now. Not alot of rain so far to say we're in the Southern portion and Gustav has made landfall. I mean it's raining but the huge down pour hasn't started. The wind is picking up though. I'll keep yall updated if and when I can.


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## kim guidry (Jan 11, 2008)

It's Kim checking in...I have faith that by the time this is over that The Weather Channel will offer Chris & I a job as local reporters!8-[ I am happy to say that we still have power where I live. Wind and rain is really starting to pick up now. The eye is in New Iberia. ( 20 miles south of me) Cable is still up so we are watching the local news, they said the worst part is supposed to reach me in 2 hours and a strong cat 1 or a low cat 2. Well, signing out from southern louisiana! Chris, be safe out there.


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## kim guidry (Jan 11, 2008)

Hey you guys! It's over, for me anyway. Chris is getting the tail end of it right now. I look forward to his post as he will have some stories to tell! 

Unfortunately, a man was killed in Lafayette when a tree fell onto his house. I also heard that a levee was breached in New Orleans. Two days ago Gustav was supposed to make landfall at a cat 4 possibly 5. When he made it to shore he was a cat 2. I guess the smell of BBQ will be all over Lafayette tonight because of power outage. I am happy to say that we never lost power.#-o 

After Katrina, people have a new respect for hurricanes. I am sure that everyone though I was crazy for not leaving town. I can tell you that the people who would have been hardest hit, left town. This was the first time in history that all of our coastal parishes have been evacuated. Our local news station gave a more detailed report about Gustav than the Weather Channel. It had the potential to be worst than Rita, but because of where it made land fall we lucked out. Making the decision to stay during something like this is not an easy thing to understand if you were not born and raised in Louisiana. Threw the years Louisiana has lost acres of costal land because of hurricanes. 

Thank you again for all of your support and your prayers. Thank you Mo for starting this thread and Mike for letting it ride even though it is not really "dog related".


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## Mo Earle (Mar 1, 2008)

Thanks Kim for checking in...:grin:..yeah!! I am glad it is over and you and yours are good! I watched the weather channel all day- now back to training!! Mo


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Thanks you guys for taking the time to check in and let us know you are relatively safe and sound.


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## Chris Duhon (May 24, 2007)

Well, it was a dooosey!!! I just got power back at my place. We got hit very hard, Kim that sly devil managed to skirt it just slightly. Thank God cause it gave us another major city to run to after the storm for supplies and food. 
We took a very hard hit, our schools were very damaged and they are not sure when school can resume. A High school here is completely destroyed and they think it will likely not open the rest of the year. We have just about every home has some kind of damage. I'd be amazed to see how many trees are left in the city, it seems they all fell, and managed to find cars and houses. About 3 miles to the north of us at a distribution point, the National Guard had a shoot out with thieves attempting to steal a supply truck. We had a curfew in effect for our city until yesterday, I made 18 arrests in 1 night for that. They were all known thieves and burglars. I think it helped that everyone caught out after curfew was stopped and checked out at gunpoint. Then the National Gaurd shooting put the punks on edge. With Katrina fresh in their minds and how the police didnt' take anything lightly around that time made most of them cool their heels. 

Our city was declared a Federal Catagory A disaster area. Apparently we took close to the same damage as the parishes at landfall, gustav maintained until after he passed through our parish. I'm ok, and if nothing else, I sure made a killing on pay this payperiod  We are getting paid double time and a half for 2 days of duty at 24hrs each day, then overtime rate for the remaining 5 days and 2 of those days were 24hr days. We would get 6hrs off to sleep but it was still considered on the clock =P~ Then the last 2 days were overtime rate at 12hrs each day. So needless to say it was bitter sweet.


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## Mo Earle (Mar 1, 2008)

I am glad you are alright Chris,...it is amazing the damage and the mess a hurricane makes-pictures just aren't accurate...well stay safe...and when everything calms down, go on a vacation with the family. 

now we are keeping an eye on Ike...I think we may have lucked out on that one, as long as it doesn't decide to turn , maybe Cuba will destroy it. You can only hope!


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## Chris Duhon (May 24, 2007)

Chris Duhon said:


> We are getting paid double time and a half for 2 days of duty at 24hrs each day, then overtime rate for the remaining 5 days and 2 of those days were 24hr days. We would get 6hrs off to sleep but it was still considered on the clock =P~ Then the last 2 days were overtime rate at 12hrs each day. So needless to say it was bitter sweet.



Forgot to say, that I said that to say, that this was a deal worked out with Federal Govt and Governor Bobby Jindal. To take care of first responders. They are having our city pay us that, and the governor assured the city that we would get it back from the State and Federal govt. Also, the response was great here for our citizens as far as State and Federal Govt. This wasn't as bad as Katrina but it was a great test run, to see what we have learned from Her. We had so much damage to our Grid systems and power lines that we would have been months without power. They would have had to replace just about all our electrical grid, The day after the storm, there were electrical crews from many states, here to start work. They had the National Guard and contracted crews ready to remove trees and debris out of roadways to open them up for responders and work crews, and they just kept rolling in, and rolling in. The Federal Govt paid these crews to get here and get here quick, and they did. I'm very suprised to have only been out of power 1 week with the amount of damage. They had already had these crews prepositioned. They did great IMO, of course they're are always people who are not happy, but really the response to this one could not have been much better if at all.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Glad to hear you'r ok Chris!
Hopefully the lessons learned wont be short lived by the powers that be.


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## Chris Duhon (May 24, 2007)

Hey Bob, we had about 150 of yall's NG MP's here helping us maintain order. Most all of them I asked were from St. Louis. Not sure, but do yall have a NG unit based out of St. Louis, if so, they were here with us. I told them how much we really appreciated their help and were thankful for them, good group of guys and gals. You guys (Missouri) are ok in my book. :wink: The NG guys I talked about in earlier post who had a little shoot out at a supply truck were Missouri ARNG.


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## Howard Knauf (May 10, 2008)

Chris,

Glad to hear you guys are OK. Are you ready for round two? Ike is slated to go that way as per the latest predictions. In 2004 we had four run through here so I feel your pain. My town was affected by three of them. Dry out your skivvies and prepare to hunker down again.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Chris, we have a couple of NG, ER and ARNG units in and around St. Louis. I think most of them have taken a turn in the sand box.
We have new club member that is ex Ranger back from Afganistan. Nice guy, nice pup!


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