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September 27th, 2022 at 12:01 pm

Not just Storm Season Planning

in: Planning,Safety
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Some things are “best” as habits.

If ordered to evacuate, unplug everything (except refrigerator or freezer) This will help protect everything from your coffee maker to your electronic devices from damage related to power surges.


Keep a week or so of your medications “ready” and the back up supplies at the top of your go bag. Do this all the time and the go bag will be as useful for a trip to an Emergency Room, or other quick trip away from home. Just remember to regularly rotate the supply so it is always fresh. Not packed and forgotten.

My personal go bag also has what I call “pocket projects” and my tablet is loaded with enough books for a few weeks of reading. Both are almost as necessary as food, water, and meds for your well being. If you have children, they just might be more important than you might think.

Make sure your First Aid kit has more than just wound care. A good supply of “over the counter” items that have been rotated on a regular basis so they are “unexpired” Aspirin, antibiotic ointments, antibacterial pads and rubs, etc.

It may be useful to have a separate “Safety/Protection” go bag that continues “survival stuff” from firearms and ammo to “space blankets”

One of things often overlooked are “sanitary” supplies – whether it is toilet paper, or personal hygiene, try to keep at least a month on hand –

For the freezer, 3/4 fill and freeze as many bottles of water as will fit to pack your freezer. Freeze upright and leave the cap just a bit loose to allow for expansion. When fully frozen, tighten the lids.

Fill & pack as many bottles of water as will fit into empty spaces in your refrigerator =
in advance of the storm, if possible – fill bottles for Frig and then rotate with fully frozen.
Fugal Tip: If you get the water cold in your refrigerator, it will freeze faster
With a bit of luck from the planning – both freezer and refrig’ will have ice to help extend the life of its contents. AND you will have “measured” amounts of safe water for preparing food, drinks etc.

Don’t forget to fill your bathtub with water to be used for flushing toilets – hopefully you have already checked the tub to be sure the drain can be closed to hold water. Be sure to have a pan or some sort of jug so you can transfer water to toilet. This is also time to remember that jingle from drought times
If it’s yellow, let it mellow
If it’s brown, flush it down

If you cannot get a good seal on tub – fill gallon or larger jugs, or pick up some water cans and rotate frequently. At the very least, year round, keep a few of those blue water cans in the bathroom in case of brief electric outages. Baby wipes or anti bacterial wipes are very useful when fresh water is at a premium.

Do your laundry NOW. It is amazing how clean you can feel with a “wipe down” with baby wipes and then clean clothes.

Regularly check your property for anything that can be picked up and become a missile…. Flower pots, garden decorations, yard furniture, barbecues, etc. Have a plan for how to quickly gather and safely store.

If you have an in-ground pool, you can throw your plastic deck furniture in the pool and retrieve it after the storm. If you have a cover, make sure it is in place and properly secured. It was always much easier to sweep away storm tossed debris like leaves and twigs than clean it out of the water.

Board your windows. The one thing Duck Tape can not do is protect your windows. Spend the $$ – buy the plywood. I am told that a single broken window allows high velocity winds to get into your home and “lift the roof”

Speaking of the roof, have some tarps on hand “just in case” you need to cover damaged sections of your roof as soon as is safe to keep out ongoing rain, sleet or snow.

If you have a mobile device of any kind, have a car charger to be able to keep it charged until regular electric service is restored. Another reason for keeping the gas tank topped off.

If you have a place to safely store it, keep some gas cans filled (and rotate regularly) If you are stuck/trapped at home, it can be used for the car to keep devices charged and if you have to evacuate may make a difference in how far you can get when electrical outages make gas at the pumps unobtainable.

HAVE CASH. If power is out and if internet is out, card readers will not work. You will need cash.

The ONLY time we ever use paper plates is when the electric is out and so inadequate hot water to clean regular plates. Don’t forget disposable knife, fork, spoons. And of course a bag or two of the amazing useful wooden skewers for grilling and then disposing since washing can be an issue.

For the caffeine reliant = a French Press might just be an emotional life saver. Because there is no such thing as “good tasting” instant coffee.

If you use electric tools in the kitchen – be sure to have alternatives on hand.
Keep your knives sharpened all the time and a good hand operated can opener in the junk drawer.

At least a few days of bottled water all the time and more during “storm seasons”

Make sure the Non-Perishable foods you have on hand for emergency is something you eat.
Preferable as little as possible that needs to have water added – soups, stews, chili, and such.
Don’t forget some of the fun stuff to life your spirit like pudding cups, snack bags.
Keep a good supply of “powdered” ingredients. Taste test them in advance. Milk & Cream Butter and Cheese powders can be the flavor difference between hardship and decent tasting food in times of high stress.

If you are planning to use your grill, keep an extra propane tank or bags of wood/charcoal – we liked keep a full trash can of grill fuel. Nothing worse than a freezer full of defrosting protein and no way to grill.

Try to avoid opening your fridge once the power is out. Keep some bagged ice and a cooler handy. If the power goes out, open then and only then to get the ice out.

Food safety I keep a largish Rx bottle with frozen water topped with a quarter. Takes less space and serves the same purpose as a get a glass of water. When frozen put a quarter on top and put it back in the freezer. If power goes out and you are lucky enough to have it come on fairly quickly, check the cup of water. If the quarter sank that means the freezer defrosted and your food will go bad. If the quarter is on top, your freezer stayed cold enough to keep the water frozen, your food is good. This is a great tip if you evacuate and come back home and don’t know how long power was out.
Edited to add: You may also want to add, if space allows, a few of the bottles in different parts of the freezer It is also handy to check if you have been away from home for vacation, etc.

Flashlight, Batteries are a given and either a hand crank or battery operated radio will be your best way to get news and may be your only way to keep track of the storm. It is also handy to at least know if there is a local “Ham Radio” devotee in your circle of friends and neighbors.

Unless there is a need to power life support equipment, do not start your generator until after the storm has passed. Hopefully you have had the forethought to create a same place OUTSIDE the house or in a DETACHED garage. Gas/Diesel fumes usually kill more people in the aftermath of a storm than the storm itself.

Even “outdoor” animals need to be brought in so they are not trapped by floods or other storm hazards If you don’t want them in the house – well have what you need to keep them safe in your garage. Be sure to have any necessary food, water and medications on hand.

If they are too large, then photograph and create some sort of ID. If livestock “escapes” you may need to be able to id and prove ownership to get them back. Remember fences and such can be blown down or destroyed by flying debris. So no they are not safe in the fenced areas.

Standing water and wet conditions are an invitation to critters to invade your home and outbuildings. Keep an eye out for everything from ants to wild creatures.

For the farm. Fill clean garbage cans with water. If they are not clean enough you can line them with heavy duty can liners. Fill extra water buckets and much buckets with water. If you have extra troughs fill them with water. If your power is out your well pump will not work and you cannot always count on the local fire department to come by and fill empty troughs.

Stolen Tip: Have gas in your tank, know where your firearms and ammunition are. Some areas may have looting. Florida is a stand your ground state, familiarize yourself with those laws. If you have acreage, stay armed while walking it.

If you have lots of trees, you may want to invest in a chainsaw and have the proper gas and chain lube. You may have to remove trees from driveways or structures in order to leave the house or property.

Some rural areas may be without power for two or more weeks. Power is usually restored in high density areas first. Be prepared to drive around looking for gas and ice.

Have mosquito spray. You will be sleeping with open windows once the boards come down. Your house will be hot and humid. Personal tip. Get those blue ice bricks and keep them in your ice chest with ice. Sleep with them to stay cool.

Wind destroys property but water kills more people. If you are in a flood zone, evacuate.

After the storm when driving around, be careful when driving in flooded streets. You cannot see the shoulders of the road and could drive into a water-filled ditch.

It can be bad, but just remember that most people and properties will be fine. The news crews always focus on the most devastated locations, but once the storm hits land it will quickly lose power and the biggest concern would be tornadoes. These are usually on the southwestern side of the eye wall which tends to be the stronger part of the storm.

Stay safe and have your medications, valuables, and irreplaceables ready to go if you are forced into evacuation.

But most importantly PLAN AHEAD



 

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