The year was 1960 and I was eleven years old when hurricane Donna struck Medford in September. Six of us and the cat were huddled in a bedroom for hours without electricity or air conditioning. The wind was howling like a freight train and objects were hitting the house with explosive sounds.
One of the worse parts of the ordeal was not knowing what was happening outside. We could hear glass breaking and we wondered if the roof was going to blow off. There was a huge maple tree in the back yard and we worried about it coming down onto the house. There was a lot of crying and praying. Overall, at least 364 people died as a result of the hurricane and 50 of them were in the United States.
After the storm the entire street and yard were covered with water. People who had boats were paddling around Metcalf Street and our basement had about five feet of water.
Please take Hurricane Irene serious. There are two generations who have never experienced a hurricane. All the storms that have missed us have created a false sense of security. Remove all loose items in your yard and on your porches. Loose items can be blown through a window with such force that they can become embedded into your wall.
Keep away from windows if you are going to stay here and ride out the storm. Watch the news for important updates.
Check the American Red Cross website for important preparation tips.
Jimmy Morse 