T1-Vero Beach Living-Vol.555

Fence LLC ..................... 13

A Master Closet ......................... 27

Advanced Re nishing ................ 42

ARS Rescue Rooter 40

Blue Dolphin Pools ..................... 29

Blueline Roo ng ........................ 22

Brilliant Roo ng ......................... 30

Craig Hanlon Painting 30

Entry Point ................................. 41

Flagship Construction .................. 6

Frank Leiro Master Craftsman ... 22

Freedom Air & Heat 31

Generator Supercenter of the Palm Beaches ................... 17

Highland Homes Roo ng ........... 39

Immaculate Air 6

Joseph Stevens ......................... 16

Kitchen 21 Designs .................... 33

Kurbing.Com 15

Max Guard Enclosures 34-35

Max Guard Hurricane Windows ........................... 36-37

Mighty Duct Specialists 46

Next Day Shades 30

Oasis Brick Pavers ..................... 43

OX Floor Coating ........................ 19

P and S Seamless Gutters 15

Panda Contractors 18

Red Shoes Handyman Service... 38

RG Garage Door Parts and Accessories 12

Shoreline Roo ng Division 26

Stott Brothers Electric ............... 43

Treasure Coast Hauling and Junk Removal 39

Tree Service Express ................... 3

Tripod Aluminum Inc .................. 12

Universal Air and Heat ................. 2

Vincent Stevens Cabinet Re nishing .............................. 16

INSURANCE & BENEFITS

Bill Nesper Insurance 18 Owen Insurance GroupTom Bouvier ............................ 39 MEDICAL

Audibel Hearing Care Center

11 Med Leaf LLC

18 MMJ Health

10 Sebastian Dental Spa 7

For What It’s Worth

Anybody freaked out about a category one hurricane besides me? I took the entire thing in stride, until a erward, when I realized the power of water! My backyard was full of river mud, seaweed, other people’s dock planks, and just general mess. I was lucky. e neighbor to my le had two feet of water under his house, where he has outdoor furniture, man-cave stu , and storage. He also had the entire river breach his pool and knock out his pool pump. I was right where he is now, during Frances and Jean, in 2004, 2005, and believe me, it wasn’t pretty! e neighbor on my other side, whose dock planks were about twenty years old, lost many of them, some to the river, some to my backyard. His neighbor also had her pool breached with river mud, and lost her pool pump. I can’t say how anyone else did, but I heard plenty of stories of broken docks and unmoored boats.

My point is this. Until now, I paid attention to the actual number of the storm, if it was a Category 1, I barely paid attention, a Cat 2 or 3, minimal concern, maybe some supplies, nothing drastic. I really became concerned if it was a Cat 4 and I hightailed out of town for a Cat 5. ose were the old days, ose were the old rules. Today we’re in an entirely new normal, and not a good one. e numbers no longer tell the story. Storm surge is now on the top of my list

by Dr. Melfi, Ph.D.

of worries, where it will remain forever more. My street, the main road, and many other streets were under water. I can now understand why they tell you to never drive through deep water, because it can carry a car away, or submerge it. I thought that was an old wives tale, something that got hyped up on the news, to scare people. Nope. It’s real life, and the truth. e only good news, if there is any, for this minimal hurricane, is that it did not carry the lightening and thunder that most hurricanes do. I am not ashamed to admit, nothing scares me more than lightening.

I am originally from up north. From what I remember, which is at least 49 years ago, we never got these downpours that can completely derail travel. We also certainly never had to fear being killed by lightening, because it was not the cloud to ground lightening that we experience here in Florida. Maybe that’s all changed, maybe not. But I can tell you one thing, there is a price to pay for the paradise that we live in, and that price is steep. In a moment’s notice, we can lose property, homes, and even life. ose of us who choose to live here, either by desire or by default, really have to start paying attention to what Mother Nature is telling us. Ultimately, we are ghting a battle that many of us were not prepared for. My thoughts are these. We should stock up our cabinets as if we are going to lose power, for

days. If we do not use our canned goods, we can donate them right around this time of the year to those less fortunate, and be done with it. If we are able to a ord hurricane windows and doors, we should not put o getting them. If we cannot a ord them, plywood or metal shutters are the next best thing. A generator is the candle on top of the cake. If you have the money, it is a great investment.

We also have to think about our pets, our elderly, our in rm, and help out. Regardless of how much you might dislike your neighbor, or the political di erences you have with friends, this is not the time to be emotionally sel sh.

For What it’s Worth , it is up to every one of us to take people in, feed them, shelter them, and check on them afterward. If we are this side of luck, count your blessings. If we are on the other side of luck, hope that someone will care.I will. Will you?

Comments or Suggestions

DrMelfi@mediaoms.com