Evacuation: Dauphin Island Style

Feb. 23, 2015

Who knew or guessed we would be “evacuating”, anywhere, anyhow.  The girl scout in me has always been ready.  I know all about what to take, what to leave behind.  My mom called once from Mt. Pleasant (Charleston) SC to ask if I wanted the family silver for sure, as hurricane Hugo was coming and the car was pretty stuffed!  Just leave Mom, not to worry about the silver.

I think flashlights, water, pillow, blankets, meds, toothbrush, electronics (fully charged with chargers), password book  and Ed, Eze and me. Not in that order.

First, of course, you need a reason for evacuation from your current Lark location.  How is a “very significant risk of dangerous weather including tornadoes in your area” by the National Weather Service. Works for me.  It seemed, however, our camp Dauphin didn’t have a plan. They assured all of us there has never been a tornado here on the island, so not to worry. Never going to happen.

Hmm…If I have learned anything about tornadoes: It’s hard to tell where one will hit, exactly.  Our weather had all the hints: warm and muggy, later afternoon, very fast Low pressure followed by a  cold front approaching from the west due to collide over top of us.  Been there, done that in Ohio…many times. 

We are so lucky to have such weather information on IPhone, iPads, TV and alerts. There is really no excuse for not knowing the forecast.  I have always been a weather jock…so no issue with me to evacuate when evacuation calls.

Ed, however, is not so inclined. He seems to doubt the weather service, based on the fact we have never been run over by a tornado.  Close but not quite.  Odds are on our side. Suppose so.

The Methodist church came to our  rescue with a plan.  That was after I called the Dauphin Island police department to find they didn’t have a plan either.  Never been a tornado here.

A sweet minister let Facebook and our camp  know the Methodist church’s newly constructed hall (hurricane engineered) would be open at 5PM with shelter and food. No basement, however, walls…walls are good vs any kind of motor home, single or double wide mobile home. I could google the facts concerning fatalities in tornadoes, but I feel sure I’ve read somewhere, you don’t stay in your car…or RV. 

It is a pain to move the Lark….takes time and work…Ed just wasn’t on board until mid-afternoon and the weather  report was looking bleak. OK, we will move to the church’s parking lot until things blow over.  I gathered Eze and my survival gear (Ed did eventually join us)  and sat with about 12 other groups that chose the shelter over  camp.  We shared stories of our adventures, watched our radars and answered family calls and texts as to our safety. Miraculously the worst of the storm was to our west, north and east and to our south over the Gulf.   It was as if the storm just slid by Dauphin Island on all sides. They did say they told us so.  We arrived back in camp and watched with horror as the storm out in the gulf passed us by to gain strength and came ashore just east of Orange Beach and slammed into Pensacola, Fl. not more than 30 miles from us.  27 Tornadoes, from La. to Pensacola, 2 people lost their lives in an RV park that took a direct hit, 50 miles to the west of us. It was tough seeing the aftermath on TV. 


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                                           Eze speaks of the Evacuation:

"Evacuation…interesting word, not in my vocabulary. The three of us enjoy a quiet peaceful life in the Lark. I’m even used to NPR classical music.  Yesterday things got exciting.  Mom and dad had words.  Not that I could understand, however the tone had intensity.  They don’t usually vote on things. Dad doesn’t seem to understand, I get one vote, dad gets one vote and mom gets 3 votes.  She wins every time.  So evacuate we were going to do.

Mom packed a bag, seemed silly as we have everything with us in the Lark, no matter where we are. I was just relieved there were several cans of cat food thrown in.  I jumped into my carrier, as that is always my safe place. No problem. I’m not stupid.

I don’t often get invited to join a dinner party outside of our home.  I was shocked to see that dogs were also invited. They were invited to “mingle”…I would “mingle”…but wasn’t allowed outside of my carrier. Mom used the “You will just get fleas” excuse. I don’t know exactly what a flea is, however, if one ever makes it into the Lark… it will be my doing.

My dinner was delayed, which is never pleasant, and we returned to our camp in the Lark. Whatever it was, we are home again. 

The next morning:  “I told you nothing happened back here in camp, no trees down, no branches, no wind damage”  vs  “Did you see 2 people were killed last night in an RV park just down the road!”.  WOW….can’t have that. Humans have thumbs and without thumbs there is no way to get into the cans of cat food. Evacuation is a good thing. "