What's your opinion of people stranded on the islands?

[CF DolFan]

I was reading comments in the paper after one of the articles and people seem to be overwhelmingly negative towards the stranded people. I know it's common to have negative comments in the paper but it made me wonder about how people felt in general. There were posts like

-do not send any extra $$ to evacuate the stupid !!
- only help them when all the other people have been looked after
- we should help the children and leave the idiot parents there
- these people should be forced to pay their rescuers, because they refused to leave when    asked to, so they only have themselves to blame..!!!
- They wanted to sit it out, so let them sit. I am sure the resources could be used elsewhere.
- Honestly it is hard to muster up any sympathy for folks who arrogantly and foolishly ignored mandatory evacuations. Why should our tax payer dollars go towards prioritising their 'rescue'.

So my question to you guys are do you have any sympathy and compassion for thiose that chose to ride it out but were told to evacuate?

[Phishfan]

I have to admit, I don't have much knowledge on the specific situation. Is this a big issue? I just did a quick search for some background and it brought back stories covering one rescue by the polic helicopter. How many of these rescues are we really talking about?

Throwing a charge for the service doesn't sound like a bad idea to me. I tend to be sympathetic and feel as a society we just can't sit by and watch someone starve or dehydrate while sitting on top of their house but I also see that they need to take some responsibility. I know a neighbor of mine has their grandfather living somewhere on Long Island and they took some water. The last I heard no one had made contact since the water started coming in, before the majority of the storm hit.

[Brian Fein]

I think, in the future, they ought to make it clear that there will be NO rescue operations in mandatory evacuation zones.  We told you to get out and you didn't listen.

I think there needs to be individual accountability and that needs to be stated ahead of time, as it will affect people's decision-making.  I don't think you can leave these people stranded now, but I think you also need to make it clear that ignoring the evacuation order isn't a wise idea. 

[CF DolFan]

I have to admit, I don't have much knowledge on the specific situation. Is this a big issue? I just did a quick search for some background and it brought back stories covering one rescue by the polic helicopter. How many of these rescues are we really talking about?

Throwing a charge for the service doesn't sound like a bad idea to me. I tend to be sympathetic and feel as a society we just can't sit by and watch someone starve or dehydrate while sitting on top of their house but I also see that they need to take some responsibility. I know a neighbor of mine has their grandfather living somewhere on Long Island and they took some water. The last I heard no one had made contact since the water started coming in, before the majority of the storm hit.

Last I heard was about 500 people stranded. That could have been a high estimate but it still in the hundreds. I saw a teen girl died because her dad refused to leave.

[Landshark]

I think, in the future, they ought to make it clear that there will be NO rescue operations in mandatory evacuation zones.  We told you to get out and you didn't listen.

I think there needs to be individual accountability and that needs to be stated ahead of time, as it will affect people's decision-making.  I don't think you can leave these people stranded now, but I think you also need to make it clear that ignoring the evacuation order isn't a wise idea. 

I agree here.  My house is on the water, therefore I'm in a mandatory evactuation zone.  I remember being ordered to evacuate during Ivan and Katrina.  I wasted no time doing so.

Bottom line is this:  When officials declare your area a mandatory evacuation zone, they are doing it because they feel that people's lives will be in danger if they stick around during a storm.  If you choose to ignore their decree, don't blame anyone but yourself if any disaster befalls you.

[Phishfan]

I saw a teen girl died because her dad refused to leave.

That is tragic and raises a question. Providing he survived, would anyone support or be opposed to charging him for manslaughter (by hearing teen I envision she was a minor still)?

[Spider-Dan]

I think, in the future, they ought to make it clear that there will be NO rescue operations in mandatory evacuation zones.  We told you to get out and you didn't listen.

Do you also believe that we should do BAC screenings on drivers before we provide medical services at the site of a car accident?  I mean, we told you not to drink and drive, so individual accountability demands that we let you bleed out on the side of the road.  Well, you, and anyone else you were driving.

[Brian Fein]

Do you also believe that we should do BAC screenings on drivers before we provide medical services at the site of a car accident?  I mean, we told you not to drink and drive, so individual accountability demands that we let you bleed out on the side of the road.  Well, you, and anyone else you were driving.

So are you suggesting that we should revoke their houses and put these people in jail?  Because that's what happens if you get caught drinking and driving...

[Spider-Dan]

If you're saying we should bill people for rescue services, fine.  I don't think we should leave people dying on rooftops to prove our dedication to accountability.

And for the record: you don't put a drunk driver's passengers in jail.  Similarly, not every person that's in an evacuation zone is there because they personally made the choice for Rugged Individualism.

[Dave Gray]

I think you have to indiscriminately help people in emergency situations.  Some people are idiots.  Some are uninformed.  Some don't have the means to get out.  Some are dependent on those that do.  What if you're taking care of a stubborn old coot who refuses to get out, so you stay behind to tend to your aging, senile father and now you're both stranded.  Every situation is different.  It's easy for us to judge not knowing everything.  On top of that, these things are unpredictable.  Lots of times we prep for hurricanes and it's not a big deal and we mock the news organizations for over-reacting.

[mecadonzilla]

It's immoral to let people die if you can help them.

[CF DolFan]

That is tragic and raises a question. Providing he survived, would anyone support or be opposed to charging him for manslaughter (by hearing teen I envision she was a minor still)?

She was 13 and they lived on Staten Island. Apparently he is still missing and mom is in critical condition.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

We most certainly can't leave them to die.

I would not have a problem with the gov't requiring that those who ignored manditory orders to leave to repay the cost of rescues.

I also woud not have a problem with passing laws making it criminal to ignore evecuation orders and prosecute those who ignore them ON THE FOLLOWING CONDITION - that all who ignore it are prosecuted regardless of the actual storm outcome.  E.g. Govenor orders flordia key evecuated.  Storm heads out to sea at last minute resulting in almost no damage and requiring zero rescues -- every person who didn't leave is still required to pay what ever the fine is for not evecuating. (I can't see making this a law that results in going to prison)

[Phishfan]

^^^ If there is no rescue effort, how do you document who left and who didn't? Too much involved with that theory.

[Landshark]

We most certainly can't leave them to die.

I would not have a problem with the gov't requiring that those who ignored manditory orders to leave to repay the cost of rescues.

I also woud not have a problem with passing laws making it criminal to ignore evecuation orders and prosecute those who ignore them ON THE FOLLOWING CONDITION - that all who ignore it are prosecuted regardless of the actual storm outcome.  E.g. Govenor orders flordia key evecuated.  Storm heads out to sea at last minute resulting in almost no damage and requiring zero rescues -- every person who didn't leave is still required to pay what ever the fine is for not evecuating. (I can't see making this a law that results in going to prison)

A law making it a crime to ignore an evacuation order is unconstitutional, IMHO.  However, I agree with making people repay the cost of rescue efforts if they ignore an evacuation order.  Also, a negligence charge if someone dies or gets hurt as a result I would also agree with.