Goodnight, Irene

You can call them second-guessers or Monday morning quarterbacks…I would prefer idiots, morons and I could go even stronger. My wrath is directed at those who are overly critical of the preparations and evacuations that took place before the arrival of Hurricane Irene. Yes for the most part the storm was not as powerful as many had thought and thank goodness for that. But those who are taking shots at Governor Christie as well as local officials are so far off base you really have to wonder what their agendas are.

First I would point out that predicting the weather never has and probably never will be an exact science. However based on what we knew it was quite probable that the Jersey Shore was in line for a direct hit and the responsibility of rational-thinking officials was to do all they could to protect lives and property. All you have to do is remember the pictures of those on roof tops praying to be rescued after Hurricane Katrina. Those were people who did not leave when they were told to and many died because of that.

I laugh at the old-timers who today will be going around saying “I told you so.” They will tell old war stories of all the other storms they rode out and insist this was nothing compared to them. I again say “thank goodness” and you’re lucky…if not necessarily very smart. It turns out the much of Ocean County escaped with only minor problems as the storm ended up saving its biggest punches for certain inland sections of New Jersey. However if you think this was nothing than ask those who have been flooded out with more water on the way. Then there are those still without power who are trying to figure out what to do as it may be a while before everyone is fully restored. Then there is the family of a Salem County woman who was found dead in her submerged car.

No this was not a conspiracy to drive sales of flash lights, batteries, generators, bread, milk and eggs. It was the right course of action to take based on the information that was available and if and when this happens again we should do the same thing. I applaud the efforts of all whose top priority was to protect their fellow man, especially the volunteers who left their own families to look out for others.