Beaumont Investigator Rides Out Hurricane in South Texas

A private investigator from Beaumont was in the middle of Hurricane Dolly when the storm hit South Texas.

LinMarie Garsee has opened a quilt shop near Harlingen, and she drove there to keep her business safe and try to prevent any looting that might follow the storm.

KFDM News spoke with Garsee by phone Wednesday afternoon as the hurricane was moving ashore.

"We lost total power about 10:20 this morning, so we have no idea, of course, when that's going to be turned back on," said Garsee.

"And of course, 'Hello, Dolly!' hasn't even gotten to us yet."

Garsee remained in her one hundred year old home in Beaumont during Hurricane Rita and says it prepared her for Dolly.

"We rode Hurricane Rita out there in Beaumont, but this time, we were a little bit more prepared," said Garsee.

"We had been stocking up on batteries, radios, televisions that run on batteries, food. We were very early in getting our ice, we have an extensive amount of water, fluids, liquids and food. I think that she prepared us better than anyone who had not been through a hurricane had. So, I think that, all in all, we're in very good shape."

Garsee told us now that she's been through two hurricanes, she has even greater respect for the job emergency planners in Southeast Texas did in advance of, during, and after, Hurricane Rita.