Very early on I learned that you do not cry for material things. You only cry for human beings. You are in the same stadium.
You are aware that there is a big difference between unnecessary risks and necessary risks. Either by experience or training, you know that at times a very thin line separates those two. All things considered, the only fatality during Idalia's path through Florida involved a car crash. I didn't read the story because my gut feeling told me that it seemed like those covid cases during the pandemic, namely, motorcycle accident victim, 50% whole body bone fractures including skull, that just happened to be infected with the virus, and the death goes to the records as a covid death.
Naw, I've been through Cat. 5s and all the way down, in the Caribbean, Florida, and the Pacific. But nobody had to tell me that you do not stand anywhere near a pallet of unsecured 18 gauge metal sheets, either upwind or downwind (depending on your position), during a storm. Heck, even if completely strapped-down and fully secured. Not even Jim Cantore would try something like that. It's just common sense.
A couple of things bother me a lot. Three days out, the weather/climate experts and models still did not have a clear picture on where landfall would be. And those experts are some of the folks blaming it on...climate change. To me, it all boiled down to this. Take high tide, 120-130 winds, and the blue supermoon, mix it together and voila! There you have it...Idalia. And flooding.
Very nice to know that people evacuated the storm surge-prone areas in the immediate vicinity of the eye. Glad to see that common sense prevailed. I really thought that Cedar Key was going to be wiped out.
Take care, be safe.
ETA: Ok, I admit it. When I was young and a lot more stupid, I've gone sightseeing in a vehicle or just walking around. One thing is clear. Even when using a Zippo, it's impossible at times to be able enjoy a cigarette interlude during one of those out there.
