Issue Date: 2/8/10
Surviving the storms: Students share their stories
|
Students said they faced lightning strikes close to their homes, pools almost over-flooding and impaired vision due to the weather.
"I hydroplaned making a right hand turn into an apartment complex and crashed my car," said Greg Paramore, 20. "I don't know how I survived it. I got lucky."
Anthony Keeter, 20, had a rough time as well.
"(I) broke my car driving through a mud puddle. My axle snapped in half, so that kind of pissed me off," he said.
Traffic was considerably heavier and roads were closed throughout most of the week.
"There was a tree that fell on Buena Creek and South Santa Fe and a power line that fell over the tracks," said James Gordon, 28. "So the new trolley couldn't run to Palomar and the buses couldn't run on Santa Fe for probably about three or four hours. I didn't get to crash class that day or get what I wanted."
Despite the weather conditions, students still attended class. This dedication has been evident of previous Palomar students as well, Mike Ellis, Palomar's facilities director, said.
From the 80s to the early 90s every time it rained, it would flood the campus in certain spots. The brick walls students often sit on are there to retain water, according to Ellis.
In 1991, an earthen dam above the college broke and flooded classrooms with two feet of water. Instead of calling it quits and going home, most students lifted their feet while class went on, Ellis said.
During the most recent storms, classes were able to take place because of the ground personnel, Ellis said. There were only minor problems throughout the campuses.
Students explained that they were unaccustomed to the severe weather.
"In California you don't see that too much. You hear about Florida and Alabama, all those places get tornadoes," said Keeter.
Jaleh Majmi, 16, went to a boarding school in India and was prepared to handle monsoons for three months.
"I've never seen wind that strong or hail coming down like that, so I was surprised it was that powerful," Majmi said. "Tornado in California? All you hear [about] are earthquakes."
Be the first to comment on this story