HURRICANES Wiped out in strength and spirit
A state hasn't been hit by four hurricanes in a season since Texas in 1886.
COMBINED DISPATCHES
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Bruce Stephenson used to wake up every day around 7 a.m. But after Hurricane Charley sent a tree smashing through the roof of his Winter Park, Fla., home, his routine changed.
He hopped out of bed at 5:07 each morning to get the latest update from the National Hurricane Center. He became obsessed with the paths of hurricanes Frances and Ivan. He moved into a dormitory at Rollins College, where he teaches environmental studies, because his home was deemed uninhabitable.
"My life became this big adrenaline rush," said Stephenson. "By four or five in the afternoon, I was wiped out." When Ivan finally steered away from central Florida, he felt as though a load had been lifted off his shoulders.
But Stephenson's life hasn't returned to normal -- and neither has he.
"I'm still running on adrenaline," said Stephenson, 49, who is now dealing with insurance adjusters and contractors. "About a month from now, I figure I'll just collapse."
Chances are, he won't be alone.
For a month, central Floridians have been glued to The Weather Channel. They've kept boarding up, shopping for supplies and waiting in gas lines. They've dealt with an inexhaustible list of chores, fueled by a combination of adrenaline and caffeine.
Latest worry
Now Florida residents have a new reason to worry. Hurricane Jeanne churned westward Friday and threatened to become the fourth hurricane to pound the state in the last six weeks.
A single state hasn't been hit by four hurricanes in a single season since Texas in 1886. Jeanne could continue a devastating run that has thrashed Florida's Panhandle (Ivan), southwest coast (Charley) and the state's midsection (Frances). Together, they have caused billions of dollars of damage and at least 70 deaths in the state.
"I know people are frustrated, they're tired of all this," Gov. Jeb Bush said. "Trust me, their governor is as well."
The 100-mph storm could come ashore somewhere on the state's east coast by Sunday, targeting some of the same areas hit by previous storms and potentially turning piles of still-uncleared debris into deadly missiles.
Eight counties along about 300 miles of coastline issued evacuation orders for residents on barrier islands, low-lying areas and mobile homes. That includes more than 750,000 people.
The timing of the storm raised concern for Jews observing Yom Kippur. The holiest day on the Jewish calendar began at sundown Friday and ends sundown today. During that period, observant Jews usually do not work or carry cash and many do not travel by car, all of which could hamper their hurricane preparations.
The National Hurricane Center advisory even asked people to consider that Jewish neighbors may not be listening to radios or watching television and may be unaware of the situation.
"I don't know if I will evacuate or not," physician Armand Braun said as he stocked up supplies at a grocery store in Satellite Beach. "Jewish law says you put Jewish requirements aside if there is any danger."
Hitting the wall
While warily watching Jeanne, Florida residents are hitting the wall, mentally and physically. They are tired of talking about, waiting for or even thinking about hurricanes.
"We're mentally worn-out from being up a lot or overworking," said Alan Keck, a psychologist in Altamonte Springs, Fla. "For weeks, we've been mentally focused on survival. And it takes a while to recover from that."
For those whose homes suffered major damage, the stress -- and its aftereffects -- are compounded. Liz Santos lost her home during Hurricane Charley, when the roof of her Winter Park apartment was ripped off.
Now it's the little things that bother Santos, an adjunct English professor at Valencia Community College. If she's out in bad weather in her flip-flops and her feet get wet, she experiences a sudden panic, because it reminds her of trying to salvage her possessions from her apartment.
And when she began looking for another apartment, Santos, 31, insisted on brick buildings -- and then promptly covered the windows with plywood.