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The Times Advocate, 2004-08-25, Page 16Crossroads 16 Wednesday, Aug. 25 , 2004 Exeter Times Advocate In the path of Hurricane Charley's destruction By Pat Bolen TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF EXETER — "The winds almost screamed. We could hear flying debris and the windows shaking. The concrete walls were vibrating and things were hitting the walls." Joanne Wilson describes what it was like for her and her family Aug. 13 in Port Charlotte, Florida, as Hurricane Charley pounded the town with 145 mph winds. With power not expected to be restored in Port Charlotte for several weeks Joanne and her children Brandon, Tyler and Emily are staying in Exeter with her mother Lillian for the next two weeks. With winds of 145 mph, the storm was one of the worst in U.S. history and the most devastating to hit Florida since Hurricane Andrew caused almost $35 billion worth of damage in 1992. Initial reports of dam- age for Hurricane Charley are estimated at over $15 billion with over 500,000 without power. Wilson grew up in Exeter, attended Usborne Central and South Huron District High School. After tak- ing nursing in Stratford, she moved to Florida with her husband Mike, a corporal with the Sheriffs department in Port Charlotte. Wilson said they have been through tropical storms before, but nothing like Charley which was a stage four hurricane. The storm had been predicted to hit Ft. Myers and the Wilsons had three or four days to prepare for what they thought would be a tropical storm. Wilson said they stored basic items such as flashlights, batteries, water and propane, "but you never plan to be out of power for a month." The storm surprised forecasters and resi- dents alike when it took an unexpected turn east towards Port Charlotte. The Wilsons were fol- lowing the track of the storm constantly through the afternoon hoping it would turn back north. Wilson said it was "really eerie from noon until 3 p.m. You knew something was going to happen." As the storm closed in on the community, winds continued to increase in speed, reaching 55 mph at 3:30 p.m. when emer- gency crews were pulled off the road. Living in a higher neighbourhood, Wilson said she wasn't afraid of flooding so the fami- ly and most of their neighbours didn't go to shelters. "I felt safer in my own home." Wilson decided to board up the house at noon, and removed all the loose objects from outside the house. Like most homes in Florida, the Wilson's home has no basement so the family moved to the master bedroom and bathroom to wait out the storm. She said it finally hit at 3:45 p.m. and was over by 4:50 p.m. "You feel very alone. All you can do is pray your neighbours are where they are supposed to be." H e r youngest child Emily was hyper- ventilating and the boys were crying for be over as the storm shook the house. The front of the storm was 20 minutes long before the quiet of the eye descended. Although the radio kept warning people it was only a lull and not to go out, Wilson said her neighbours went out to check for dam- age and then ran for shelter. Wilson opened her front door and it looked so bad she shut the door and told the chil- dren to go back in the bathroom. As the back of the storm came in, the winds were still 125 mph. "It came in like a bear, we had never seen whitecaps on the canal." When it was over the "The winds almost screamed.We could hear flying debris and the windows shaking. The concrete walls were vibrating and things were hitting the walls." JOANNE WILSON it to Brandon, Joanne, Emily and Tyler Wilson were in the path of Hurricane Charley Aug. 13 when it hit the town of Port Charlotte in Florida where they Iive.After making it through the storm they are staying at the home of Joanne's mother Lillian Johns in Exeter for the next two weeks. (photo/PatBolen) (Below) Some of the damage inflicted by the 145 mph winds of the hurricane. winds were still strong at 35 mph but the sun was trying to come out and Wilson said they knew it was over. After waiting 20 min- utes the family went to a next door neighbour to call her mother in Exeter shortly after 5 p.m. Power had gone out immediately just before the highest winds hit. "Power lines were hanging all over and poles were broken in two or three pieces." The Wilson's house had a big section of shingles pulled off and a chain link fence pulled out as well as gutters, soffets and facia ripped off. But damage in the rest of the neighbour- hood was worse. "The damage was ter- rible with shingles and roofs off. We got off easier and I can't explain it. A 50 foot Oak tree came down that could have crushed the bedroom but it fell towards the canal. The Wilsons stayed in the house Friday night in the darkness. "Without air condi- tioning it is 95 to 98 without humidity and 110 with the humidity." She says they slept on and off through the night until Mike came home at 4 a.m. and said to pack up and go. Joanne and the chil- dren drove to Knoxville, Tenn. where they met her mother for the drive north. Wilson said, "I cried all the way out of Florida," as a line of emergency vehicles headed south all the way from Georgia. She said the family is sleeping much better now and the children are back to normal. According to Wilson, the insurance company says it will be two weeks to a month before anyone can be sent out and all the companies want right now is claim calls. Although the National Guard has been deployed, Wilson said the looting is bad. "People are going in with garbage bags and taking everything. There are a lot of angry people." She added there have been several suicides in Port Charlotte since the storm as well as a shooting over a traffic dispute. "It's catastrophic. It's hard to explain. I've been through a tornado but it's hit and miss. Your whole town isn't wiped out." She says it is the loot- ing that worries her the most, with most of the town having packed up and left. Although school had started in Florida Aug. 9, estimates are at least a month before it can resume with schools having to undergo structural safety inspections after power is restored. Wilson isn't in a hurry to return south immedi- ately, saying, "what's to return to? We'll just enjoy our family and friends here."