Or Any Hurricane for That Matter!
The Outer Banks vacation just got put on hold. Damn, I’ve been planning this all summer. Wonder if we should just go ahead and go….humm. Ken says it’s not worth getting stuck in a hurricane, and chances are enormous we won’t have water or electricity after it passes. I was so looking forward to hitting the beach with our new Voodoo Blue FJ Cruiser, and I bought a killer new bathing suit.
We’ve decided to prepare for both! Ken and I will ride out the storm in the mid-Atlantic, and head for the beach as soon as we know it’s safe. The beach stuff is packed in the car (along with copies of our important papers, just in case), so we’ll be ready to take off immediately after the storm.
A hurricane is a bit more complicated to prepare for than a beach vacation, but well worth the effort. At least we can see a hurricane coming, unlike the earthquake last Tuesday.
A MAJOR HURRICANE HASN’T HIT THE NORTHEAST IN A VERY LONG TIME – neither has an earthquake, of course. Tree branches are old and will break easily. Glass here is not hurricane proof and cannot withstand the force of wind and the debris being flung at it. My aunt was in Hurricane Alica in Houston, Texas in 1983, it was a category one with 90 mile an hour winds when it hit downtown. The windows in the office buildings started to break from flying debris and furniture was whisked out, and then started smashing into all the other buildings for a total of $2.6 billion in damage. Get ready!
BE PREPARED:
1. Bring in everything from outside. All patio furniture, potted plants, gardening tools, coolers – everything! Board up the windows if you can, or make sure the curtains are pulled and the blinders are closed.
2. If you are evacuated, where are you going to go? Nearest shelter? What about your animals? There is usually 24 – 36 hours before meteorologists know where/when the storm will hit and at what speed. You will look better if you listen to them, and leave when they tell you to!
3. Have two (2) weeks of food/water stored for you and your family. When the electricity goes out, you have 36 hours until all the food is rotten. Trust me on this one – it’s not pretty. This means EVERY meal has to be fresh unless you have cans of food and a can opener which isn’t rusty (that’s a whole other problem). I’ve seen young men with guns break into lines for ICE - yes, they were willing to shoot for ice (this happened after Hurricane Andrew).
4. Purchase a disaster preparedness kit or make your own. Portable transistor radio, flashlight, lots of candles, wet matches, water cleaning pills, currency, compass and first aid kit are a must. Make sure your car is has a full tank of gas.
5. Have your important documents in an easy to grab pouch. Keep a copy of these in your ‘tornado’ room (we call it the Harry Potter room because it’s underneath the stairs). Include recent pictures of loved ones and pets.
6. Memorize important numbers. It’s essential you know your insurance agents number, family member numbers, and any other numbers that are important in your life, i.e. Doctor, friends, etc. Chances are slim your cell phone will work.
7. Get a ‘hurricane’ phone. If you have a landline, do you have a phone that works without electricity? They cost about $10, and an ordinary analog line will be your best friend in the storm (don’t forget to have a print copy of your phone numbers). A car charger could come in really handy too.
8. Fill up your bathtub with water (note: clean first if necessary). In most disaster cases, the water will be bad and you’ll have to boil it for a few weeks, so a tubful will come in handy (if nothing else to make the toilet flush).
9. Make friends with your neighbors because you’ll need them and they’ll need you. After one hurricane, Midge and I were in the street clearing a tree (yes, we did it ourselves because the city didn’t have enough people to send out). Midge had the chainsaw and I was pilling the branches in a pile. The neighbors whose house it was in front of was gone, and when she came back didn’t even say ‘thank you’, in fact she was rather uppity to us. The following year an electricity pole with a live wire fell into her pool; none of the neighbors even bothered to call 911. So important to be friendly to your neighbors.
10. The best thing I learned: it only takes one (1) gallon of water to wash your hair; I shampooed twice and used cream rinse once, and I have long hair! But, of course, you know I have long hair, because you know me!
If the hurricane does hit you, it’s very important you have access to emergency announcements. Be sure to have lots of extra batteries for the portable radio. The most important question when the sun comes out: is the storm over, or are you in the eye?? If it’s the eye, the wind will come from the opposite direction with the same force, and things will start snapping, tree branches, patio enclosures, etc. If you’re outside, you could really get hurt!
In Florida, the emergency personnel seek shelter when the winds reach 45 miles per hour. So, at that point, you’re on your own. One great thing the mayor of West Palm Beach did was to throw anyone in jail who was out after curfew, or if they were looting. She didn’t let them out of jail until the power was restored everywhere – it was about a month later.
Well, with any luck at all, this storm will head out to sea, and Ken and I will spend a glorious week at the beach. In the meantime, we’re taking advantage of all the candles in the house to have a very romantic weekend. Yummy!
