Hurricane Tips and Tricks

Joined: 26 Aug 2005 Posts: 1457

It's time NOW to get ready for the season. After the past two years, we are weary... but that's the way it goes. Please add your suggestions.

One tip that I find most people don't think about is
A land-line phone.

Don't depend on your cell to work when the power goes out. And nine times out of ten... your regular 'ole land line phone will still work.

Joined: 26 Aug 2005 Posts: 1457

I have ten 5 gallon cans of gasoline in my garage. Not that I recommend this for just anybody... but after the gas shortage that, for some mysterious reason happened to our part of the state.... when we had NO gas for weeks.... you gotta do what you gotta do.

Joined: 18 Mar 2005 Posts: 245 Location: 3rd coast

Get your car tuned and serviced. I know that people with limited incomes will cross their fingers and let a few things pass, but you don't want to take that chance. When you're stuck in stop-and-go traffic for 18 hours where you've only driven 30 miles, and it's 100 degrees outside, belts and hoses will snap and pop. During Rita, more cars stalled because of poor maintenance rather than just running out of gas.

Contact your local precinct judge, mayor, or county official and request updates on evacuation procedures, escape routes and if necessary, public shelters.

And for pete's sake, buy a generator NOW, not with 48 hours to landfall. Get those sheets of plywood for your windows NOW and store them flat against the wall in your garage, laundry room, tool shed, even hall closet. Then, when the storm is 3 days to landfall, you don't have to drive to Home Depot or Lowes and gripe at their hard-working staff all because you didn't take precautions in early May. Remember, they are just as terrified as you.

/end of rant.

Joined: 26 Aug 2005 Posts: 1457

Buy a case of bottled water NOW. Don't wait.
Buy another when you go to the store next week.

Stick them in your freezer NOW.

If you loose power for a few days, not only will it help to keep your frozen stuff cold... as they thaw --> cold water to drink!

Joined: 26 Aug 2005 Posts: 1457

Joined: 18 Mar 2005 Posts: 245 Location: 3rd coast

Check your first aid kit for extra band-aids, ointment, aspirin/pain reliever, ace bandages, and mosquito repellent.

If you lose power and there's flooding, standing water will be a breeding ground for mosquitos. You will have windows and doors open to cool down the house. Guess who will be waiting for you? Usually, four days to one week after landfall, mosquitos will be everywhere, and you will feel it. Evil or Very Mad

If you choose to evacuate, have a separate kit for your car.

Get all prescription medications refilled, if possible. Call your physician if this is a problem.

Joined: 26 Aug 2005 Posts: 1457

Happy Camper - here's some good info about the radios.

From RW site....
trueairspeed Says:
Sat, 04/15/2006 - 7:29pm

magnolia wrote:
TRUE... I need some advise. I want to purchase a good weather band radio for hurricane season. Can you recommend any?

Joined: 18 Mar 2005 Posts: 245 Location: 3rd coast

Great help there, Mags. I'll check it out. Thumbs Up

Joined: 18 Feb 2005 Posts: 162

also for a couple of bucks you can get battery operated lights. Candles are not the safest, and radiant more heat. Gas for the grill, you need something to cook with.

Joined: 18 Mar 2005 Posts: 245 Location: 3rd coast

Have an emergency clean up kit at the ready. Stock it with Clorox, mildew removing products, sturdy rubber gloves, cleansers, extra sponges, trash bags, etc.

Someone suggested that you stock extra bottles of "hand sanitizer lotion." This will help you save on water - you won't have to wash your hands as often. Of course, such products won't completely eliminate contamination and bacteria, but every little bit helps.

Joined: 26 Aug 2005 Posts: 1457

Put some cash in that emergency first aid kit. $50 will seem like a fortune when all the power is out.

Joined: 26 Aug 2005 Posts: 1457

happycamper, Here is a radio that is recommended by trueairspeed from the RW site. He's the resident radio expert.
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=br_1_2/602-1865269-2385415?%5Fencoding=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B0002HSM2O
I just ordered one for myself. Not a bad price compared to some that I found on line.

Joined: 26 Aug 2005 Posts: 1457

I received this timely reminder today.

The only people who will appreciate this have 'been there done that'. Personally, I think this is a riot.
____________________________

To:
Former Gulf Coast Residents
Current Gulf Coast Residents
Future Gulf Coast Residents; and/or
Those who know a Gulf Coast Resident

We have just entered the 6-month hurricane season. Any day now, you're going to turn on the TV and see a weather person pointing to some radar blob out in the Gulf of Mexico and making two basic meteorological points:
(1) There is no need to panic.
(2) We could all be killed.

Yes, hurricane season is an exciting time to live along the Gulf Coast. If you're new to the area, you're probably wondering what you need to do to prepare for the possibility that we'll get hit by "the big one." Based on our experiences, we recommend that you follow this simple three-step hurricane preparedness plan:
STEP 1. Buy enough food and bottled water to last your family for at least three days.
STEP 2. Put these supplies into your car.
STEP 3. Drive to Nebraska and remain there until Thanksgiving.
Unfortunately, statistics show that most people will not follow this sensible plan. Most people will foolishly stay here in Gulf Coast area.

So we'll start with one of the most important hurricane preparedness items:
HOMEOWNERS' INSURANCE: If you own a home, you must have hurricane insurance. Fortunately, this insurance is cheap and easy to get, as long as your home meets two basic requirements:
(1) It is reasonably well-built, and
(2) It is located in Nebraska.

Unfortunately, if your home is located along the Gulf Coast, or any other area that might actually be hit by a hurricane, most insurance companies would prefer not to sell you hurricane insurance, because then they might be required to pay YOU money, and that is certainly not why they got into the insurance business in the first place.

So you'll have to scrounge around for an insurance company, which will charge you an annual premium roughly equal to the replacement value of your house. At any moment, this company can drop you like used dental floss.

Since Hurricane Katrina, I have had an estimated 27 different home-insurance companies. This week, I'm covered by the Bob and Big Stan Insurance Company, under a policy which states that, in addition to my premium, Bob and Big Stan are entitled, on demand, to my kidneys.

SHUTTERS: Your house should have hurricane shutters on all the windows, all the doors, and -- if it's a major hurricane -- all the toilets. There are several types of shutters, with advantages and disadvantages.

Plywood shutters: The advantage is that, because you make them yourself, they're cheap. The disadvantage is that, because you make them yourself, they will fall off.

Sheet-metal shutters: The advantage is that these work well, once you get them all up. The disadvantage is that once you get them all up, your hands will be useless bleeding stumps, and it will be December.

Roll-down shutters: The advantages are that they're very easy to use, and will definitely protect your house. The disadvantage is that you will have to sell your house to pay for them.

"Hurricane-proof'' windows: These are the newest wrinkle in hurricane protection: They look like ordinary windows, but they can withstand hurricane winds! You can be sure of this, because the salesman says so. He lives in Nebraska.

"Hurricane Proofing Your Property:
As the hurricane approaches, check your yard for movable objects like barbecue grills, planters, patio furniture, visiting relatives, etc. You should, as a precaution, throw these items into your swimming pool (if you don't have a swimming pool, you should have one built immediately). Otherwise, the hurricane winds will turn these objects into deadly missiles.

Evacuation Route:
If you live in a low-lying area, you should have an evacuation route planned out. (To determine whether you live in a low-lying area, look at your driver's license; if it says "Galveston, New Orleans, Houston, or any other location close to the coast, you live in a low-lying area.) The purpose of having an evacuation route is to avoid being trapped in your home when a major storm hits. Instead, you will be trapped in a gigantic
traffic jam several miles from your home, along with two hundred thousand other evacuees. So, as a bonus, you will not be lonely.

Hurricane Supplies:
If you don't evacuate, you will need a mess of supplies. Do not buy them now! Hurricane tradition requires that you wait until the last possible minute, then go to the supermarket and get into vicious fights with strangers over who gets the last can of SPAM.

In addition to food and water, you will need the following supplies: 23 flashlights. At least $167 worth of batteries that turn out, when the power goes out, to be the wrong size for the flashlights.

Bleach. (No one knows what the bleach is for. But it's traditional, so get some!)

A 55-gallon drum of underarm deodorant.

A big knife that you can strap to your leg. (This will be useless in a hurricane, but it looks cool.)

A large quantity of raw chicken, to placate the alligators. (Ask anybody who went through Hurricane Andrew in Florida; after the hurricane, there WILL be irate alligators.)

$35,000 in cash or diamonds so that, after the hurricane passes, you can buy a generator from a man with no discernible teeth.

Of course these are just basic precautions. As the hurricane draws near, it is vitally important that you keep abreast of the situation by turning on your television and watching TV reporters in rain slickers standing right next to the ocean and tell you over and over how vitally important it is for everybody to stay away from the ocean.

Good luck and remember ... it's great living in paradise! Those of you who aren't here yet you should come. Really!

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