What does Hurricane Georges have to do with Franklin and Jefferson counties?

copyright Suburbn Journals  2000

Note:  This was written before Hurrican Katrina.  Also, Sandy is now working at Des Peres Hospital.  She and her fiance, Dave, live in Wentzville.

What does Hurrican Georges have to do with Franklin and Jefferson counties?

"A lot.  It's why we're here," said Mike Crihfield, 46, former Mississippi resident, and recent transplant to Catawissa, along the Jefferson/Franklin County border.

Crihfield, a disabled military veteran and his wife Sandy, 39, came through Jefferson County in 1998 in their attempt to escape the effects of Hurrican Georges.

The trip was a first through the area for Mike, a former professional bass fisherman and avid outdoorsman.

"I just fell in love with the rolling hills and country feel of the area, Mike said.

The couple had enough of hurricanes and was ready to make a change. 

"I never thought there would be a place as beautiful as Mississippi," Mike said.  "Until I came through here."

Crihfield said he has vivid memories of Hurricane Camille, a 1969 killer that took more than 250 lives and caused over $1.42 billion in damages.

"Even though I was only a teenager, I volunteered for the cleanup.  There were bodies everywhere," he said.  "I never want to see a sight like that again."
Preparing for and anticipating hurricanes can take tis toll on people as well, Sandy said.

"We got tired of sitting the storms out in our shelter.  We would be stuck in there with our two large dogs and two cats, with no electricity or air conditioning.  We just didn't want to go through that again," she said.

Sandy wanted to move back to this area for years.  Most of her family lives in St. Louis and surrounding counties.

"But it took a hurricane to get Mike to go," she said.

Mississippi and Louisiana newspapers regularly print hurricane preparations.  The instructions could cause outsiders to wonder why anyone would want to continue living under such a threat.

Residents are told to keep an axe in their attics in case they have to climb into them to escape rising water.  The axe will come in handy if they need to break through the roof.

New Orleans residents who live under continuous threat of having their entire city covered over with waters from Lake Pontchartrain are given even more explicit directions.

Those lucky enough to survive such a flood will probably find themselves clinging to roof or tree tops until rescue attempts can be made.  Until then, they will have to fend off any passing allligators or poisonous snakes, none of which will be in a very good mood, considering they too, will have been recently displaced from their homes.

There will also be a threat from fire ants, which cling together to make themselves into a floating ball.  When the ant balls bump into anything solid, it breaks into a swarm in a desperate attempt at survival.

Sandy, a reigstered nurse at St. Luke's Hospital in Chesterfield, worked at a hospital in New Orleans.

After their 1998 visit to Jefferson County, the Crihfields decided to put their lakefront Mississippi home on the market.

In April they moved into their dream home in Catawissa.  The home sits on about nine acres of woodland and has a built-in, indoor swimming pool, as well as a recording studio.

"Mike has arthritis real bad and the only thing that brings him relief is hot water, so the heated pool really appealed to him," Sandy said.

The former helicopter pilot is also a musician/songwriter and has dreamed of having his own recording studio.

"Now I just have to learn how to use the equipment, Mike said.

Mike has invited the former homeowners, Jerry and Angie Austin, to come back and use the studio, and in turn, show him how to operate it.

Jerry Austin is a member of the local band Joybone.

Mike and Sandy have been settling in and enjoying the country atmosphere of their new home, which includes almost daily visits from deer and other wildlife.  But even though they are glad to leave the threat of hurricanes and the testy creatures that pose a threat to hurrican flood survivors, the Crihfields have quickly discovered that Missouri counties have their own share of pests to be contended with.

"The chiggers here, they're incredible," Mike said as he scratched around his ankles.