|  Hurricane season is upon us once again and a lot of people still haven't recovered from Hurricane Ike last year. I survived Hurricane Ike and wrote in my blog about it.
http://grou.ps/artistsden/blogs/18458
A friend of mine in Tennessee wrote a topic earlier today about bad storms and I saw responses ranging from hate to love and about power outages. It got me to thinking about how people react to storms and some of the things I witnessed just last year. Personally, I love big storms as it is natures fury at its best. But I also use common sense and respect these potential killers.
The aftermath of a storm can be fascinating and dangerous! Stay away from downed power lines, don't drive into water of undetermined depth and if you use a generator, put it outside!!! Several whole families lost their lives to carbon monoxide poisoning from generators, drowning in their vehicles and getting electrocuted after surviving the hurricane!
If you are in a bad storm, chances are the power is going to go out and you will be left sitting in the dark but have you also considered, water wells stop pumping and if you live in an area where a pumpstation moves your city water supply to your neighborhood, you will be without water.
Here are things I do to prepare for a hurricane or even major T storms.
Fill the bathtub with water.If the water pressure drops, we will need this water to flush the toilet and to wash with. I keep three gallon jugs of water sitting in the hallway for washing dishes or ourselves. In the kitchen cabinet there is a case of bottled water, 20 oz bottles for drinking and six gallons of purified water for cooking and making coffee.
I make sure we have things that don’t require a lot of water or refrigeration. Paper plates, paper towels and plastic utensils for eating so we only have to wash pots and pans. Antibacterial dish soap for cold water washing. Canned foods though high in salt are a necessity and we have plenty of corned beef hash, spam, tuna, smoked oysters, kippered herring, raviolis, spaghetti, chicken noodle soup and vegetable beef stew. A couple loaves of bread, case of cup o noodles, boxes of flavored crackers, boxes of snack cakes, fresh potatoes, fresh onions, a case of sodas and cans of vegetables and mushrooms. We will not starve nor will our food spoil.
I routinely empty the ice trays and put the ice into gallon freezer bags back in the freezer. I know this will extend the storage life of our cold foods if the power goes out. Open the refrigerator only if necessary to preserve temperature!
Since our bedroom has a sliding glass patio door, I move our bed into a room with few windows.
Windows that are susceptible to wind damage should be covered with plywood or 1x4 slats which break up wind force. In addition, inside you should hang heavy blankets or canvas tarps in front of windows to stop flying glass if they should break.
Top off vehicle fuel tanks and spare fuel cans, especially if there is a chance you might have to evacuate or need to use your generator. Even if you live in an area where you aren't concerned with evacuation, remember, power outages mean gas pumps don't work! Having fuel to get to a better area is a necessity!
Candles, lanterns and oil lamps. These are all good to have but have some important considerations.
Lanterns burn gasoline or propane which uses oxygen and creates carbon monoxide, not a good choice indoors but if necessary, keep cross ventilating windows open and locate lantern near a window - but be aware of fire danger with curtains!!
Candles - the best candles for emergency use are votives which are candles inside glass containers or jars. Since the wax does not run down the candle, the wick lasts longer as it burns the wax. The glass encloses the flame and reduces fire hazards. Clear glass votives can be wrapped on one side with aluminum foil to reflect light.
Oil lamps - often called hurricane lamps, these can be tricky to use if you don't know them. Too much wick and they smoke the glass, too little and they give little light. Not trimming wicks causes reduced light and even smoking. They burn a lot hotter than candles and materials touching the globe are subject to ignition!
Flashlight trick - flashlights are great for temporary light while you get out the candles or lamps. To maximize light, shine flashlight onto white ceiling or wall to give whole room an even glow of light similar to sconce lighting.
First aid kits, bug repellant and sunscreen. These should always be in your home but especially during storm season! Accidents happen and during crisis after a storm, medical assistance may not be immediately available as doctors and nurses are people too who have just weathered the same storm you did! Be prepared.
Several people died last year during after storm cleanup because they were stupid! More than one person died when the trees they were removing from their homes fell on them and others succumbed to chain saw injuries. If you aren't someone who knows how to safely use a chainsaw or other power tool, wait for someone who does! Sure you might have to pay them but your family will be glad you did!
Looters - this is more a warning than advice. I always buy a fresh box of buckshot 12 guage 3" magnum, before major storms and I also keep a couple boxes of ammo for my deer rifles. What's mine is mine and what's yours is yourn but if you try to make mine yourn, I hope you wrote your will cause I'm not shooting to wound and have your sorry azz sue me later. nuff said.
For the advanced storm weathering person such as myself, I wouldn't be caught without my propane stove, bottles of propane and ice chests. I look upon the storms as a chance to do some urban camping with comfy furniture!!
Have you weathered bad storms?
Are you ready for the next one?
Did you see something I failed to consider here?
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