Hurricane Ernesto?

Almost 71 years to the day after the Labor Day Hurricane — the strongest hurricane on record to hit the United States — tore through the Florida Keys, are we about to get a Central Florida sequel? I hope not.

Where do you think you’re going?

But I have to say, this does not look good. Ernesto appears to be heading straight for us.

Few people remember the Labor Day Hurricane. On Sept. 2, 1935, the Category 5 storm roared ashore in the Keys, tossing parts of the Overseas Railroad into the bay and killing 400 people.

When I lived in the Keys in 1995 and in 2001, people still talked about the Labor Day Hurricane, and the evidence of its destruction remained — the abandoned railroad bridges and, of course, the hurricane memorial in Islamorada. It was almost as if we collectively knew that we shouldn’t take anything for granted, that history could repeat itself.

We’ve been lucky this year: No major storms, despite an active forecast. I wonder if our luck is going to hold.

As I look at Ernesto taking aim for us here in Florida, and begin making the usual preparations — buying water, batteries, gas — I wonder in ernest whether living in Florida is more trouble than it’s worth. I’m reminded of Max Mayfield’s comments about the potential for a mega-hurricane that makes Katrina look like a thunderstorm.

“People think we have seen the worst,” he said. “We haven’t.”

Update: As of the afternoon of Aug. 27, Ernesto has been upgraded to a hurricane and its predicted path takes the eye right over my house. Gulp!

Christopher Elliott is the author of Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. Critics have called it “eye-opening” and “inspiring” — it’ll “grab your attention and won’t let go.” Order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.

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