Reflections on Life in the Hurricane Zone

Hurricanes are a fact of life when you live along the Gulf of Mexico. I have lived in the hurricane zone my entire life, and I have been fortunate enough to have escaped major damage thus far.

Understand that what I consider 'without major damage' doesn't mean I have escaped unscathed. I mean that I have never been left homeless as a result of a storm. I have never lost someone that I love because of storm damage.

However, I have been without power for weeks at a time in the middle of the summer. I have been unable to contact friends or relatives for days on end. I have literally lived in a camper in my driveway for at least a week, and was grateful to have that opportunity.

When you live here, you end up marking years and major life events by which storms affected your life. I remember that Hurricane Elena headed our way the year I was a freshman in college. I remember being carried down the street as a small child while my father pointed at the sky and said, "There is Hurricane Camille. She is passing to the west of us."

I remember waking up on September 12, 1979 to hear my father saying, "Wake up. There is a hurricane heading directly toward us. Your mother doesn't believe me. Make her go to the store and buy supplies." That is the day that Hurricane Frederic directly hit Mobile Bay, and rendered my community powerless (literally) for weeks.

Countless other storms have impacted my life and the lives of my friends and family over the years. Betsy, Ivan, Opal, Erin, Danny, and of course Katrina -- these storms, and many others, have all left their mark on everyone who lives along the Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, and Louisiana coasts.

When you live in the hurricane zone, every August you start to expect the worst when it comes to the weather report. This time of year, there is no surprise to hear talk of tropical disturbances, hurricane hunters, or rushes to purchase gasoline. When you plan trips to the grocery store, you avoid buying very much food that needs to be frozen, because you don't want to lose your investment if there is a lengthy power outage.