Hurricane Irene Death Toll & Our Reactions to It

So my friend Jesse on Facebook called out all the haters of Hurricane Irene. He called us all who survived "lucky" and our wont for more of a dramatic storm "ignorant." I had to disagree with my old friend; I couldn't let him call the vast majority of us who survived "lucky" because we used our common sense. Yes some people died as a result of ancillary damage from this storm, but a quick look over the at-present 25 people who died (of 55 million potential people in the path of the storm) and a curious pattern begins to emerge.

"20-year-old Celena Sylvestri became trapped in her vehicle, which was completely submerged in New Jersey floodwater. She called for help but when they arrived there, she was already dead, police said." What's more important? Your car or your life? Get out of your car!

"68-year-old Joseph Rocco of East Islip, New York drowned while windsurfing in Bellport Bay." Your choice. Officials told you not to go out into the water during the storm. I'm sorry to be so cold but you risk it and you die.

"Two men were taken by the Croton River in New York after their inflatable boat upended, according to Croton police." What were you doing on a boat? Get to higher ground!

"55-year-old Florida high school teacher Frederick Fernandez died near New Smyrna Beach after being tossed from his board." Don't SURF!!

"46-year-old Shane Seaver died in Connecticut in a canoe on a flooded street. The man in the other boat survived the accident." What are you doing on a canoe? Stay in your house! If they told you to evacuate and you didn't listen; that's on you!!

Now of course the people who died when trees fell onto their homes or that guy who was trying to rescue that kid; that's sad. But by and large I'd call this just another weather event hyped up by the media.

What do you think of the effects of Irene? What do you think of many people's reactions to it?

Source:

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/205445/20110829/hurricane-irene-death-toll.htm