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Web posted Sunday, August
15, 2004
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Editorial: There but for the grace of God go
I ...
Voices of Carolina
Special to the Carolina Morning News
That
loud wind you heard early Saturday morning across
Beaufort and Jasper counties was not from
Hurricane Charley, it was the collective sigh of
relief everyone gave when they realized the storm
had passed us by.
While we are grateful
another killer storm left us unscathed, we are
mindful of the fact that we were simply lucky,
nothing more.
It is tempting to accuse
officials for overacting to the hurricane threat,
especially when one wakes up in the morning to
sunshine and chirping birds instead of scenes of
destruction. We have already heard many complaints
about the Beaufort County School District's
decision to cancel school on
Friday.
Emergency response officials have a
tough job predicting where storms that are
hundreds of miles across and have already traveled
thousands of miles will make landfall. They are
wise to err on the side of caution.
Red
Cross officials reminded us Saturday morning about
a typical phenomenon that occurs every time the
Lowcountry dodges a hurricane: Complacency sets
in. People hear the hype and hyperbole from The
Weather Channel and CNN and other media and have
the daylights scared out of them. Then, when the
storm does not strike, they vow to stay put the
next time a storm threatens, thinking it will
never happen here.
Julie Dimitrov, who
manages emergency shelters for the Red Cross in
the Lowcountry, said we need only look to the
example of Port Charlotte, Fla., to see what can
happen when evacuation orders are ignored. Some
people there decided to tough out the storm and
now many are injured or dead.
So, if you
are feeling especially thankful, there is
something you can do to help the people who were
affected by Charley. Make a contribution to the
American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. Sending
money makes the most sense because people in the
affected areas can buy exactly what they need.
Sending money creates no logistical headaches on
the receiving end.
There are several ways
to donate. Call 1-800-HELPNOW, or visit
www.redcross.org and make a secure credit card
donation, or checks can be mailed to the American
Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, P.O. Box 2839,
Bluffton, 29910. Any amount is
welcomed.
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