Hurricane Irene: A ‘Historic’ Storm

r-HURRICANE-IRENE-2011-large570 — A lone taxi drives down the west side highway in the hours before Hurricane Irene's arrival, Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011, in New York. The low-lying Battery Park city area was evacuated the as the region girded for wind, rain, and flooding as the storm stood poised to bear down on an already saturated New York state. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

President Obama said on Friday that Hurricane Irene is looking like a “historic” storm. He urged the citizens along the US East Coast to prepare for the worst.

From all indications Hurricane Irene is an extremely dangerous hurricane. All precautions should be taken by the people in its path. Local, state and federal governments are making emergency decisions.

Listed below are news links. The FEMA, FDA and American Red Cross links have timely advice as you prepare for what is coming.

Never ignore the potential devastation that a severe storm can bring to an area. Keep your family safe. Do what is necessary to ensure that you are prepared for the worst case scenario.

Houses, cars and possessions can be replaced. A human life cannot.

I will update this blog as the weekend progresses. I hope the damage is minimal and the loss of precious life is as well.

We all share this planet traversing the cosmos. What affects one geographic section affects us all since we are all brothers and sisters on a cosmic journey.

Be safe. Use commonsense. Be prepared.

MSN: Evaluations, Traffic Jams, Gas Shortage

Evacuation orders covered 1 million people in New Jersey, 315,000 in Maryland, 300,000 in New York City, 300,000 in North Carolina and 100,000 in Delaware.

Irene not only is packing 100 mph winds, it is also massive: hurricane-force winds extend 90 miles from the center, and tropical-storm winds extend 290 miles. Up to 15 inches of rain could be dumped across the East Coast by the time she barrels through.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44285405?GT1=43001

THE HUFFINGTON POST:

The center of the storm was still about 300 miles (483 kilometers) south-southwest of Cape Hatteras, N.C., and moving to the north at 14 mph (22 kph). Forecasters warned wind-whipped water could create a dangerous storm surge, with levels along the state’s Albemarle and Pamlico sounds rising as much as 11 feet.

The latest forecasts showed Irene crashing into the North Carolina coastline Saturday, then churning up the Eastern Seaboard and drenching areas from Virginia to New York City before a weakened storm reaches New England.

In Washington, Irene dashed hopes of dedicating a 30-foot sculpture to Martin Luther King Jr. on Sunday on the National Mall. While a direct strike on the nation’s capital appeared slim, organizers said forecasts of wind and heavy rain made it too dangerous to summon a throng they expected to number up to 250,000.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/26/hurricane-irene-us_n_937659.html

NPR: FEMA

Some 65 million people along the East Coast could by affected by Hurricane Irene. FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate talks to David Greene about on-going preparations for the arrival of Hurricane Irene.

http://www.npr.org/2011/08/26/139966128/fema-s-challenge-to-get-people-ready-for-irene

FEMA

http://www.fema.gov/

AMERICAN RED CROSS

http://www.redcross.org/

http://youtu.be/vvmDm8hn-Qs

WEATHER CHANNEL

http://www.weather.com/

USA TODAY: FDA Tips On Food and Safety

http://yourlife.usatoday.com/fitness-food/safety/story/2011-08-26/FDA-food-safety-and-other-tips-for-hurricane-preparedness/50149520/1