Central Florida, Ian is coming. We’ll get through this
Tom Petty, Florida’s eternal sage, was never more right. The waiting is the hardest part.
The next 48-72 hours will be scary. Ian is a big storm, and a mean one. As we write this, it’s still unpredictable, but we know Florida will take a hit. There is almost no chance of a last-minute reprieve, and, as of Tuesday afternoon, most models predict a path that plows into the Gulf Coast between Tampa and Naples and then tracks northeast — with the dreaded “dirty side” lashing much of Central Florida with vicious winds and heavy rain. The areas of most intense wreckage will come from high winds that topple trees and rip off roofs. But as the storm passes, flooding will surge and there could be downed power lines that are still live.
It’s OK to feel helpless right now. Ian is coming and we can’t do a thing to stop it.
But there are things that can help us feel a little more in control.
Most Floridians already know how to play it safe. If you are sheltering in place, find a safe room (or closet) with as few windows as possible. Make it comfortable with a supply of snacks, water and entertainment. Share a plan to check with family or friends, whether it means posting on social media or sending texts.
Track down your weather radios, lanterns, power banks and anything else that may have wandered from your hurricane stockpile. Take a video of the inside and outside of your homes and businesses to help with potential insurance claims. Secure any loose items in the yard including furniture and potted plants.
Expect to lose power. So dig out the best thing in your freezer — whatever it is you’ve been saving for something special — and have it for dinner tonight. And, yes, for one night only it’s perfectly fine to eat directly from ice-cream cartons and share spoons (though not with the dog.)
But for anyone who is inclined to laugh this one off, we plead with you: Don’t. Abandon plans to impress your Facebook friends with storm selfies. Our most fervent hope is for this storm cycle to be as boring as possible, and the last thing we want to do is contact your grieving friends and relatives for comment after Ian passes.
We’ll get through this. We always do. But it won’t be easy and some of us will take a heavy hit. We’ll rally to meet the needs of neighbors — friends and strangers alike. Many will be leaving their own families to staff shelters and help with cleanup. And we’ll do it despite the fact that many of us are miserable.
So look for the grace notes — starting with the unexpected beauty of a caravan of bucket trucks with logos of utilities from Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina and beyond. We already know those crews are amassing, getting ready to leave their families — perhaps for weeks — to come here and help us restore normality as quickly as possible. Later, we’ll see these heroes standing grimy and exhausted in fast-food restaurants and convenience stores, and we’ll have a chance to thank them. For now, we can take comfort in the fact that help is on the way.
We can also be secure in the knowledge that Florida’s leaders are prepared, practiced and ready for Ian. Gov. Ron DeSantis has been prudent and decisive in ordering evacuations and states of emergency. Local leaders are thoroughly prepared as well. There may be glitches, but Florida knows how to get ready for a big storm. Trust that.
We’ve been here before. Together, we will get through this. That doesn’t make the waiting any easier but it does provide a little comfort — and reminds us that, though there’s no easy way out of this, Central Florida will not back down.
Share your stories
The Opinion page won’t appear in print on Thursday to make room for more storm coverage, but we plan to be online helping readers share their opinions, fears and encouragement as Ian progresses. Send your comments to insight@orlandosentinel.com, include your name, city and a phone number where you can be reached with questions and put “Ian” in the subject line; as comments come in, we’ll be updating them at orlandosentinel.com/opinion.