Hurricane Ian was a massive Category 4 storm when it smacked right into Tampa and pointed north and south along Florida’s Gulf Coast.
It was the fifth-most powerful storm to make landfall on the continental US.
That didn’t leave Florida Man much time for his usual antics this week, but Ian gave untold numbers of Florida men and women the opportunity to step up and show the world what they’re made of.
Sure enough, they did.
So let’s do something completely different on this week’s Heroes Edition of…
Florida Man Friday
Longtime Sharp VodkaPundit Readers™ know my love of animals, particularly dogs.
So this week, we start with…
No Pet Left Behind
Dog, cat rescued from sailboat as Ian rages on
During the #SnowBomb storm here on the Front Range a few years ago, we had what almost amounted to a Category 1 storm. Sixty mph sustained winds, with gusts of 80 mph or even higher. Admittedly, the snow and ice complicated things, but we also didn’t have any flooding.
We also didn’t have, needless to say, sustained winds of 130-156 mph like Hurricane Ian. I stepped out into those cold, snowy winds, just to see what it would be like. Sixty to seventy mph is enough to suck the air out of your lungs if you aren’t paying attention.
Imagine trudging through waist-deep water in 140 mph winds, rescuing a squirmy dog.
Florida Man, you are my new hero.
Rescued from the Rubble
WATCH THIS:
A man was buried under #HurricaneIan rubble at Fort Myers Beach. People pulled him out of the debris near The Whale restaurant on FMB.
He’s alive.
I’m amazed. pic.twitter.com/r90cdx45Ym— Jeff Butera (@ABC7Jeff) September 30, 2022
Incredible.
Need a Lift?
Sanibel Island rescues: Coast guard lifts people, pets off the island by chopper
When your town is temporarily transformed into a lake, the only way in or out might be by air.
Enter: The United States Coast Guard.
Exit: Some people and animals who thought they’d been trapped.
And Now for Some Context
Hurricane Ian –
What 15 ft storm surge looks like …
(credit to Max Olson Chasing)— Wall Street Silver (@WallStreetSilv) September 30, 2022
I’ve seen some flash floods, but nothing like what a hurricane can do.
Hang Tight
Officers are out in force, using large trucks and boats to rescue people from flooded areas. Please be patient, we will be to you soon! Please stay off the roads and avoid all standing water. If you need rescuing, you can call our EOC at 386-671-5555#DBPD #DaytonaBeachPolice pic.twitter.com/wCSpN76DuW
— Daytona Beach Police (@DaytonaBchPD) September 29, 2022
Almost all of my outdoor experience is in rivers and on mountains. I’ve never been anywhere near a hurricane.
So that leaves me with a question that maybe one of my fine VIP supporters knows the answer to: Why the injunction against standing waters?
Inquiring minds want to know!
Watch
Just two more rescue videos for you to see. There’s no way for me to add anything, so just watch.
CNN affiliate WESH reporter Tony Atkins waded into flooding caused by Hurricane Ian to rescue a stranded nurse caught by the rising waters on her way to work https://t.co/zC4UgqTq43 pic.twitter.com/FIJuGif2mT
— CNN (@CNN) September 29, 2022
A group of local guys in Bonita Springs, FL, helped rescue an elderly man from his car as Hurricane Ian slammed the coastal town, flooding streets with several feet of water pic.twitter.com/GdjUXEe281
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) September 29, 2022
Hungry? We Can Help
Twitter user FN8tive reports:
We live directly [east] of Naples and were spared Ian‘s path. Our local Publix locations are sending team members to the West Coast to assist the Naples’ and Fort Myers’ communities. It’s amazing to see the support, love and humanity.
It is amazing. What’s more amazing still is how typical it is for Americans to step up when tragedy strikes.
Remember…
We are witnessing pitiful, catastrophic scenes here in Matlacha & Cape Coral. Search and rescue very active. Grim discoveries being made, we are told. #BREAKING #foxweather #ian pic.twitter.com/qmjWN2FpU2
— Will Nunley (@willnunley) September 29, 2022
Not every moment of need could be met by an act of heroism.
Floria will be recovering from its losses — human, more than material — for a long time.
Previously on Florida Man Friday: That Is a Ring Doorbell AND He’s Happy to See You