Hurricane Preparedness Tips (1 Viewer)

[cajuncook]

I will begin with the ice tip since it takes time to make the ice.

Use containers such as gallon milk jugs,etc... fill with water to about 4 inches from top and freeze.. while freezing, keep lid off, but replace when ice is frozen.
Lable as "drinkable" any bottles that were properly washed and safe for drinking... (ex: you would prob not use a washed cooking oil bottle for drinkable water, but you would a washed milk bottle.)
Freeze as many containers as possible in the spaces you have in your freezer...... they can be used in your refrigerator in the vegetable bins and turn your refrigerator into a massive "ice chest"....
you put the ice into the fridge as the last thing you do before evacing or when power is about to go out if riding out the storm. Spread tighly closed bottles of water around on various shelves in boht freezer and refridgerator. Lids help prevent water spillage as the ice melts .
Large tupperware square or rectange containers work great..... to make blocks up to 3-4 inches thick, and then popped out and bagged in a large ziplock or wrapped in serveral grocerery plastic bags, taped tightly shut in order to reuse the hugh "ice tray"/

I do the freezing of ice each year as spring comes to an end.... while eating out of the freezer to minimize quantity of food therein as it is used. Then when a storm is headed in just a few more need be prepared.

I have a side by side freezer/fridge and an upright freezer... as I use food from the sidebyside, freezer section, I replace the space wiht ice.... and free up more space to make ice in the big freezer...... Sometimes jugs are not removed for a few years if the space is not needed. c

 

[cajuncook]

copied from another thread - RiverCitySaint's tip:

Get your cell fully charged up.
Emergency water supply in the sinks, bathtubs, jugs, etc.
Stock up on propane gas grill tanks.
Put together a survival kit in a large duffel bag.


I know there's more, but that's all that comes to mind right this second at this late hour.

 

[Rob Beaux]

solar powered landscape lights...charge them up and then either turn them off or pull the batteries. My have AA batteries, so I bough an extra set. I can charge one set on one day and then pull the batteries. And charge the other ones. Not alot of light but safer than candles or coleman laterns. And its self renewing with no prep, Since i have a few smaller AA flashlights for bathroom runs at night without power, it works out nicely.

 

[Colin311]

I pulled out old MRE's I had from Hurricane Katrina. I thought about throwing them away but it seems like they could come in handy.

 

[SharonT]

Thanks for posting your tips again, Billie!

Here are some of mine:

- If you're on higher ground in a sturdy house, you may be the contingency plan for family/friends. This means getting the house ready for 'company' in the midst of the other usual pre-hurricane chaos. I know they don't care, but it stresses me out so I do it anyway.

- Think about what you will need next week if you had no electricity/shopping until then. This means staying ahead of the laundry and groceries that we are all so accustomed to putting off until the last minute. Clean linens on the beds, dog blankets and crates washed and ready to go, tubs scrubbed and ready to fill, stuff put away and junk tossed now. Organize now, especially if you have kids at home, so you're not stressing/wasting time later searching for the proverbial missing shoe.

Electricity was out for a few weeks last time, so we'll need a reserve of clothing ready in addition to what is packed and ready to go. Think about what we take for granted and how you will do without: dishwasher, washing machine, air conditioner and fan, cellphone recharger and all your devices. Do you want to use your precious gas to drive to get ice and scrounge snacks every day? Start making that block ice!

Next is making sure the pantry is stocked with:

- foods that don't need to be cooked, (crackers, peanut butter, tuna, fruit cups)
- gallons of water,
- disposables: tp, babywipes, paper cups and plates, etc,
- charcoal,
- massive amounts of bug spray (Deep Woods Off for you, Bengal for the roaches!)
- and a large variety of Ziplock bags!

We have a gas stove, propane grill, camping stove, but you never know. Redundancy is a good thing.

Fill up gas cans for lawnmower, fill and mix chainsaw fuel and have bar oil handy as well.

Check over your collection of flashlights, radios, lanterns, and batteries. See about getting a crank radio and flashlight. If you've switched to LED flashlights, test to see if they are truly bright enough to be useful outside at night, and not just gimmicky.

Make sure everyone who needs them has copies of keys to the cars, house, shed, boats, whatever, so if evacuation happens quickly or in stages, those people who need access or the ability to secure those locations can do so.

(edited 2013)

 

[Saintlady]

These are great.

I also like having a cell phone charger in my car.

 

[superchuck500]

Something so simple that might be overlooked- if you might need to evacuate in your car, make sure you have a good map (or gps)! You might need to use back roads during the evac or may end up in areas you aren't familiar with

 

[Joe OKC]

If you have any of these, fill em up.

Fill the car with gas, and also have some cash on you... Good luck, and I hope Dean misses you all.

Joe

 

[billinms]

Something many of us learned from Katrina is that some things are unreplaceable. We've already made a list of things such as family photos, heirlooms and such. I know this isn't a survival tip, but of all the things my mother lost in the storm, losing old family photos bothers her the most.

 

[cajuncook]

Make plans for your pets!!!!!!!!!!
If you evac you can search ahead for motels that accept pets.....
My favorite mid size, mid priced was RedRoofInn in West Monroe LA..... call direct, not the 800 number... ask if the pets have to be placed in the motel's kennel or if they may stay with you in the room. Gather a supply of the pets travel needs.... a water and food bowl/bottle (to pour in to water bowl) during the travel.... feed and water and walk them when you take your own "potty/food" breaks.
If your dog needs help jumping into bed, consider packing some of your items in a container that will serve as a "stepstool" to help a generic pet feel at home. Bring a favorite toy for them too. Leash.

For a motel/hotel stay for yourself, find out if you need to bring your own supply of coffee makings, or if it is provided. Bring foods you can "fix in room" like a cup size jar of mayo, and canned chicken or tuna, crackers, bread, peanut butter. The padded lunch boxes kids use are handy to keep extra ice for keeping that left over food cool instead of having to toss it.

I have a 1/2 gal size electric hot pot.... perfect for heating coffee water, or a doggie bag of food from last nite's restaurant meal... kept in a ziploc bag in one of those lunchboxes..... Brought the water to a boil, tossed in the bag, and turned the heat off so the food could heat with out busting the bag..... yummy left over spaghetti....
Fried chicken left over makes great chicken salad..
Bring your own paring knife, etc.... instead of having to rely on plastic. But do bring throw aways too..... and take leftovers to the trash bin yourself, rather than waiting for house keeping to do it........ remember the hotel is generally not used to "full house" and those little things make you favorites of the staff...for this stay and future ones....... Ask for "just towels, etc" rather than a full room cleaning EVERY day... (do you get that at home??? bet not, lol) You will endear your self to the staff.
Don't expect a favor or DISCOUNT in return... your reward is all those little favors they do for you now and on Future trips-like squeezing you in, at the top of their waiting list when no rooms exist..... Too, all that support staff, housekeeping, etc, will be singing your praises to the Good Lord Above for making their day, easier, sweeter, less demanding and intense.
make sure you befriend and stop and chat with the staff, dropping your name often so they will remember you the next time...... call early to make reservations....... make reservatons for a day or so before you think you will need them, you can always call before 6 pm and push your arrival date later - or sometimes sooner accordingn to what the storm is doing.
I learned the hotel tips from being a customer AND from being a hotel employee having to juggle room availability, etc in times of over the top activity.

Afterwards, send a thank you to the staff, and a letter to the local (their) newspaper complimenting their effency and service..... and let the hotel know to look for it.......... its especially helpful if you research and read their newspaper online.....and if you spot a complaint, write in defense and let the motel know you did...... Nothing like building a great association with a place you may need again...... Also if you DO have a problem, like a need for extra towels, or a stopped up drain, or runny toilet...... they will get to a buddy faster...... small tips dont hurt either..... or leave the cleaner a mint that you bought.....

Ok, that's it for this time; fighting a sinus infection and get rather sleepy often and for extended periods.

Please forgive the mis-spellings.... that's one of my rather new symptoms
God Bless you all,
cajuncook
And keep your good tips coming too....... and
SOMEONE PLEASE VOLUNTEER TO MAKE A COPY OF THE THREAD TO POST FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.....
CC

 

[BullDawg]

SOMEONE PLEASE VOLUNTEER TO MAKE A COPY OF THE THREAD TO POST FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.....
CC

I'll take care of it.

 

[cajuncook]

:hearthrob: Bulldawg

 

[primadox]

more pet evacuation tips

Residence Inns (Marriott) usually take pets as well; so does La Quinta, for those who need that info. As cajuncook said, Red Roof Inn's pretty much all take pets.

More tips: Make sure you take a few jugs of water from home for your pet...you don't need the additional "strange water" factor adding to their stress and causing a case of doggie or kitty runs...been there, done that...in addition to your own meds, bring meds for your pets if they need them...and add shot records to your important papers...rabies, DHLPP, bordetella, etc....collars with tags, also; there's still time to go to Petco/Petsmart and make little tags for their collars -- WITH YOUR CELL PHONE NUMBER, not your home number. Crates are wonderful things; even if your dog/cat is a good traveler, most hotels will be happier if you crate your pet, and you certainly don't want to leave them loose in the room when you go out for food, etc. If your pet rides loose in the car (and they shouldn't), or they ride in a pet seatbelt because you don't have room for a crate, invest in a suitcase type of crate. I have one and it's invaluable. It folds down to a flat size that can fit easily in your trunk, and it sets up to be a nice, sturdy wire crate for the hotel or someone else's home.

Favorite chew toys will ease their stress. An old sheet to cover the crate will ease a dog that is stressed out in a hotel room. Now may be a good time to ask your vet about some sort of sedative for your dog; also metronidazole is something I keep on hand for intestinal upset. I never travel without it. My dogs' stuff is packed NOW. As much as my dogs and I go to shows, I always keep a small bag with the metronidazole, some other frequently used meds, bandages, shot records, leashes/collars, vitamins, etc.; I just have to add any current meds and we're ready to go. I keep a few empty large plastic ice cream containers for food; they fit perfectly in the storage bins of my stow & go caravan , and I don't have to worry about buying food where I go. Again, that stuff is ready NOW.

Other tips: My important papers are either easily grabbable, or scanned onto the computer, along with most of our pictures (still have several photo albums of older, pre-digital pictures to scan). Those that aren't scanned yet will be placed in an empty plastic container and put in a safe place upstairs in my house, if they don't fit in the car. All important computer files are on my notebook.

Those of you with wooden playsets...get out your power screwdriver and take off that slide. The wind can get under that and twist it away. Swings too...easy to take off and put away. Since I don't board up, I'll put tarps on a couple of pieces of furniture that I care more about, and move them away from windows, and big baggies over the feet/legs in case there's just a bit of water in the house via a broken window (we're not in a flood area at all). I'll leave a key with a neighbor if they're staying and I'm not. I also let them know if I'm leaving, they can use my garage if they need an extra space for a car or other things.

Get cash from the bank NOW. They will run out at the cash machines...!

If you have two refrigerators/freezers, consolidate, and add that ice that cajuncook described. A full refrigerator stays much colder than an empty one. FYI, back to the pets, if you're concerned that your pet may overheat while you're evacuating, you're in sloooooow traffic and you have no a/c in your car, a frozen 2-liter bottle of water placed inside of their crate will cool them off some. Plus, as the ice melts, you have more water for them. Freeze those bottles now, also, and have them ready for the crate when you evacuate.

Make sure any gas cans and propane tanks are filled, you have some sort of light source besides candles, and you are caught up with your laundry. Find that old manual can opener, and having a few cans of sterno on hand isn't a bad idea either. I also make sure my car battery starter is charged up, since it can be a backup power source for little things like charging a cell phone or a computer, if you don't have a generator.

More later as I think of things. I hope to goodness I don't have to use any of those tips next week...

 

[cajuncook]

Make copies of your valauable computer files.. keep 1 copy with your important papers (insurance policies ,etc) and exchange copies with a friend or relative, so there is an alternate copy/backup in at least 2 places.
Businesses need to do this particularly...... remember you may have to return t o by hand paper recordkeeping. You need all the pertinent business info and all your "monthly reports" etc. for future city, state and federal filings.
If you have a laptop, take it with you..... handy to have.

besides everyday clothes, take at least a couple of of better sets in case you lose all at home, and need to attend a business meeting, etc..... same goes for work clothes..... you will need them when you get home if you have damages..... and remember to make the work clothes, the coolest possible..... there will be no air conditioning for days most likely. We get used to wearing "spring weight" clothes in a/c in the summer, but they are too warm for outdoor work; take those sleeveless and tank tops. (I like to keep 1 suitcase of items I don't need until I get back home..... it can be let in the vehicle and not even unloaded at the motel or wherever you are staying.
Only once... Hilda in 1964, did we have a "cold snap" right after (October 6th, I believe) and needed long pants over shorts and sweaters.

Before you leave, stock up on batteries you may need, as well as items to salvage any food items that may need to be cooked.... Charcoal, items to make basting sauce, seasonings, plastic containers to store cooked food.... (labeled and dated of course) DO PLAN your food needs around the types of meats, etc you have in your freezer which may need to be cooked to save it.
spaghetti, rice for stew, bread for sandwiches and or/garlic bread..... breakfast items that need no bowls or cookign (pb&j for ex.) Remember dishwasher will probablybe out of commission w/no power.
Have plenty of paper towels, etc on hand. Anything you can pick up before the storm, will make your like so much easier if you don't need to do that when you return......... picture shopping in an un-airconditioned store, with clerks who suddenly have to add up your tickets by hand.......and add with no calculator at that. Forethought keeps the frustration down.

Course, you men may want to get some basic supplies on hand for emmergency home repair...... a few tarps, or other quick repair items so you too don't have to deal with the hassel of "we're out of that," and other problems like in the grocery. Not to mention the overcrowding.

Bungie cords are great to have to help secure items that may otherwise, blow or cause damage... for ex lawn furniture and garbage cans can be secured tightly to hurricane fencing to prevent them causing damage, for those who dont have room to store them indoors.

 

[cajuncook]

When you know the direction you are headed in, go online and search for the official evacuation route maps.... just in case you need to take an alternate route at some point... (the road gets blocked ,etc) - official routes have been known to become impassable... as has happened near Lafayette for a heavy rain day a few years ago.

be sure to have either copies of medical prescripions for chain pharmacies where you may be or extra refills if your insurance will allow it. (Some refuse to refill until its a couple days before the current script runs out.)


Make arrangements to have a contact person.... out of the danger area.... whose number you can give to others to contact and/or relay messages to one another. Don't count on cell phones to always be operapble.