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Home Page > Blogs > News blogs > Periscope > Hurricane Irene teaches us a very valuable lesson ---don't take modern life for granted

Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

Hurricane Irene teaches us a very valuable lesson ---don't take modern life for granted

Posted on Monday, August 29, 2011 at 06:36 AM

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The late and unlamented Hurricane Irene has departed our shores, never to return but has left some vital lessons behind.

Authorities were right to hype it in the end.

One in two homes in Connecticut, 40 per cent of homes in Long Island without power is a grave crisis in itself.

Major highways and bridges closed after flooding, all mass transit ceased , is a clear sign that this storm deserved the attention of the public totally and completely.

We can only imagine what damage it would have done if it were category two or three, or heaven help us four or five.

When you have tens of millions of people living cheek by jowl along the North East the potential for massive catastrophe is very real.

Whether we all like it or not we are part of a fragile ecosystem that is utterly interdependent and dependent on nature's good will.

A massive hurricane, which fortunately, Irene was not, would have catastrophic consequences for not just the North East but the US itself.

Nature's power teaches us humility and how much we take for granted electric power, light, water, air conditioning etc.

On Sunday morning millions were catapulted back to the MIddle Ages and it was not a pretty prospect.

No laptop, no phone or ipad, no freezer, no gas , no traffic lights no mass transit, no nothing.

Thank you Irene for making us aware of the sober lessons that nature's havoc can wreak.

And just let's be thankful it wasn't a whole lot worse.

Listen to Niall O'Dowd speak on RTE's "Morning Ireland" radio show about Michele Bachman's views of Ireland

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Porickseantuny | Aug 30, 2011, 10:06 AM EDT

As bad as it was, Irene proved that the experts can't predict the intensity of a storm or it's landfall within 24 hours but they want us to believe their projections that fossil fuels will cause devastation in 100 years. The weather channels had several computerized tracks, none of which were accurate, further showing the limitation of "computer models" that they want to use to project global warming. By the way, warming, ask the Irish about last winter and this summer. Or isn't Ireland on the globe they use?

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jamieLM | Aug 30, 2011, 09:34 AM EDT

It's human nature to take for granted what and who we have until it's or he/she is gone. Situations like this remind me of how my ancestors lived and how grateful I am to be living in the age of electricity and running water, to name a few things. I'd make a lousy pioneer, a real wimp.

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antoman | Aug 30, 2011, 06:06 AM EDT

@Searlit & jamieLM-Cheers :)

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jamthecat | Aug 30, 2011, 12:48 AM EDT

Reread it yourself, stephendoyle. You seem to think you're more aware of what hurricanes can do and that warnings should be heeded than other people, including people in the North. Why? Why do you think that just because this storm didn't devastate NYC people will decide the next one won't? Especially considering what it's done to New England.

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jamieLM | Aug 29, 2011, 10:00 PM EDT

@antoman - you're always good with the humor. At the Level 2 Trauma Center in the ER where I work, we'll be glad to take you without underpants - lots of folks go "commando." We'd rather see that or dirty underpants than the guy who came in with 3 pairs on. That was 2 pairs of ladies bikini panties and 1 thong (ouch) - for real. So antoman, I hope you won't stress out to much over clean underpants - LOL.

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Searlit | Aug 29, 2011, 08:01 PM EDT

You've outdone yourself Antoman. I practically cried from laughing! It's the antidote to my PHS (Post Hurricane Stress, it's a new ailment affecting New England and other parts of the East Coast.

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stephendoyle | Aug 29, 2011, 10:02 AM EDT

jamthecat- you do not get what I am saying. I live in South Carolina and believe me I heed the warnings. Hell I heed rumors when it comes to hurricanes. What I am saying is the "general population" especialy people in the North will remember this and not be mindful of leaving the next time.It is my point exactly that the next one may very well be the big one.People have short memories when it comes to this though, and they will remember leaving for nothing. All I am doing is pointing out a fact, not future "hypeings". Get your criticisms straight!!!!

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jamthecat | Aug 29, 2011, 09:45 AM EDT

And if the storm had not been "hyped" and turned out to be the catastrophe it could have been, people like stephendoyle would have complained because people hadn't been warned. As someone who lived in a part of the country that gets hit by hurricanes on occasion, you know better then to ignore the warnings when they come. Even if this one wasn't the big one, the next one easily could be.

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stephendoyle | Aug 29, 2011, 09:21 AM EDT

Although it wasn't just a normal storm, it in no way lived up to the hype it was given. In the long run this will be far more dammaging. The next storm that comes around, which will eventually, people will be less likely to heed the warnings. And the next one will probably exceed the hype.

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antoman | Aug 29, 2011, 09:19 AM EDT

My greatest fear is being sat on the toilet or getting out of the bath just as an earthquake or storm strikes. The thought of being pulled from the debris without underpants on makes me shudder. To arrive at the hospital and hear the doctor say "there's nothing I can do, he's got no underpants on", most disheartening to say the least. You may say no laptop, no phone or ipad, no freezer, no gas, no traffic lights no mass transit, no nothing. These deprivations are as nothing compared to being without clean underpants. No doctor or State agency will deal with you without an underpants. Be prepared at all times and keep a spare set of underpants in the arse pocket.

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