Hurricane survival tips and prep info!!!

FYI....


Hurricane Sandy raged through the Bahamas early Friday after leaving 21 people dead across the Caribbean, following a path that could see it blend with a winter storm and reach the U.S. East Coast as a super-storm next week.

[link to bigstory.ap.org]

Please prepare and be safe everyone this storm is already a killer.

This is really important. In our region there is always a death or two during a cold weather emergency from somebody trying to heat the place with charcoal briquets or a heater without proper ventilation.

Here's a link on carbon monoxide poisoning:
[link to www.nipsco.com]

When the power goes out, immediately wrap your stand alone freezer in several layers of blankets/material. It will stay cold for several days. You will not lose any frozen food.

I did this in Toronto in the blackout of 2003, and didn't lose a thing. Others lost hundreds of dollars worth of expensive food.

In the Atlantic provinces, the old-timers are used to two-story high drifts burying their houses in snowstorms. Heating with oil, their stoves continue heating even without the electric blower fan. Consider buying a propane catalytic or kerosene heater to keep warm.

Thanks to all the good suggestions folks.

You bet, CowgirlK, and thanks so much for starting this thread! Much good advice on here indeed.

Absolutely canned fruit is important, sister!

I have lived my life in Oklahoma and Colorado and have been through many blizzards, ice storms, dust storms, tornados but never a hurricane....Golly Moses.

1. Generators (Good ones cost dearly. Gas storage, risky. Noisy...target of thieves; maintenance etc.)
2. Water Filters/Purifiers
3. Portable Toilets
4. Seasoned Firewood. Wood takes about 6 - 12 months to become dried, for home uses.
5. Lamp Oil, Wicks, Lamps (First Choice: Buy CLEAR oil. If scarce, stockpile ANY!)
6. Coleman Fuel. Impossible to stockpile too much.
7. Hand-can openers, & hand egg beaters, whisks.
8. Water Containers (Urgent Item to obtain.) Any size. Small: HARD CLEAR PLASTIC ONLY - note - food grade if for drinking. Fill-up bath tubs or trash cans for flushing toilets
9. Mini Heater head (Propane) (Without this item, propane won't heat a room.) or portable kerosene heater.
10. Propane Cylinders (Urgent: Definite shortages will occur.
11. Survival Guide Book.
12. Mantles: Aladdin, Coleman, etc. (Without this item, longer-term lighting is difficult.)
13. Baby Supplies: Diapers/formula. ointments/aspirin, etc.
14. Cookstoves (Propane, Coleman & Kerosene)
15. Propane Cylinder Handle-Holder (Urgent: Small canister use is dangerous without this item)
16. Feminine Hygiene/Haircare/Skin products.
17. Thermal underwear (Tops & Bottoms)
18. Bow saws, axes and hatchets, Wedges (also, honing oil)
19. Gasoline Containers (Plastic & Metal)and extra gas.
20. Garbage Bags (Impossible To Have Too Many).
21. Toilet Paper, Kleenex, Paper Towels
22. Milk - Powdered & Condensed
23. Fire Extinguishers (or..large box of Baking Soda in every room)
24. First aid kits
25. Batteries (all sizes...buy furthest-out for Expiration Dates)
26.Extra pet food.
27. Matches. {"Strike Anywhere" preferred.) Boxed, wooden matches will go first
28. Flashlights/LIGHTSTICKS/Lanterns
29. Cast iron cookware (sturdy, efficient)
30. Duct Tape
31. Tarps/stakes/twine/nails/rope/spikes
32. Candles
33. Canned Fruits, Veggies, Soups, stews, etc.
34. Bleach (plain, NOT scented: 4 to 6% sodium hypochlorite)
35. Extra sleeping Bags & blankets/pillows/mats
36. Carbon Monoxide Alarm (battery powered)
37. Board Games, Cards, Dice
38. Paper plates/cups/utensils (stock up, folks)
39. Baby wipes, oils, waterless & Antibacterial soap (saves a lot of water)
40. Rain gear, rubberized boots, etc.
41. Hand pumps & siphons (for water and for fuels)
42. Chocolate/Cocoa/Tang/Punch (water enhancers)
43. Woolen clothing, scarves/ear-muffs/mittens
44. Boy Scout Handbook, / also Leaders Catalog
45. Graham crackers, saltines, pretzels, Trail mix/Jerky
46. Popcorn, Peanut Butter, Nuts
47. Socks, Underwear, T-shirts, etc. (extras)
48. Lumber (all types)
49. Cots & Inflatable mattress's
50. Gloves: Work/warming/gardening, etc.
51. Lantern Hangers
52. Glue, nails, screws,, nuts & bolts
53. Teas
54. Coffee
55. Chewing gum/candies


If you have a extra Frig go ahead and fill the Freezer with ice.

If you have a Freezer, fill up and extra space with 2 ltrs of water or I use empty ice cream tubs so they have a chance to freeze and will help keep your freezer cold if the power goes off.

Check your meds and make sure you have enough to last you a couple weeks or better.

Don’t buy food that needs refrigeration. If you have kids buy powder milk or hot chocolate mix made milk.

If you don’t have or need a chain saw think about at least buying a axe and or a bow saw. You won’t be able to cut up downed trees, but you can clear away branches and small limbs for those who do have chain saws. and DONOT forget some good leather gloves.

Here’s another suggestion; If you don’t have any get yourself some space saver bags and vacuum seal changes of clothes, photo albums important papers and bedding. This way if you must bug out, because you house gets damaged, flooding, etc you will have dry stuff that’s protected from the weather on your move out.

Get cash!!!

Makes sure you can get to your fire wood and it is covered so it stays dry.

You should consider going over to the Halloween thread.

People here are really working to post positive input, and you are kind of out of place. You would feel more comfortable there.

'Nuff said.

********

If you have Dollar Tree stores in your area, they have been stocking canned heat (Sterno) lately. I bought a lot of them because they provide a few hours of cooking fuel without a lot of hazard. They are good to toss in the trunk of your car with a little pot, a metal tray of sorts for a base and a couple of bricks to make a stand for your pot over the heat, for travel emergencies. The same will work in your house.

Also, Walmart sells packs of Hot Hands like product that are pretty cheap and last for 8-10 hours. I keep them in the car in the winter too. They would be good in your pockets if the power/heat was out.

I am really sending a lot of positive thoughts for all of you on the other side of the country, you are in my prayers.

Solar lights... good idea!

Not much I can add to some of the excellent lists here.
We have used the garden LED's, the solar type, indoors. The lighting with a few of these per room is very nice.

DRY ICE ! Freeze it ahead of time. It can keep frig, freezer, and coolers cold longer, helps ice last longer.

Make sure you have a battery operated radio or tv. Important for the info, but also it makes you feel less alone and isolated.

If you are an apartment dweller, I wouldn't usually advise this because of fire danger, but in this situation, you may need it. Make sure you have a small outdoor grill with a lid. Keep it as far from walls as you can. Use Matchlite charcoal, no lighter fluid needed. It catches nicely, just hot enough to cook. After Ike, I cooked chicken, mac and cheese, and made coffee this way.
I know the cold temp factor is part of it, but if you can tolerate a little cold, the excellent food can make a big difference in mood and sense of well being.

Make your favorite baked goods ahead of time. Cookies, cakes, brownies.
Have some hot cheese dip mixed and ready to remelt. A batch of chili that only needs rewarming, or stew can get you through a night or two.

If you play music, and have instruments that can run on batteries, charge 'em up. Play for the kids, the neighbors.
It's a mainstay of evac centers in coastal Texas.

It's going to be an adventure, so do what you can to take the crisis out of it. If you are chowing down on hot chili, or barbqued chicken, chasing it with pastries, and listening to great music, with led's for mood lighting, what's a little super storm anyway? Ha

Don't bother responding to the fools, I'm deleting their posts so that we can keep this thread on topic.

Thanks for your help and great comments Waterlily

Shotgun and plenty of ammo. It sounds bad but it was incredibly helpful when looters were messing around at my apartment complex.

One thing to consider is it's the fall. It will be cool or down right cold. If you lose power make sure you can keep your house warm.

I lose power two or three times every winter. My fireplace heats my whole house. also I have some propane space heaters. Make sure you have wood and fuel. everything will be sold out days before the storm hits.

also make sure to have propane for your grill and gas for your chainsaw.

Last Edited by indiandave on 10/26/2012 05:55 AM

I am not sure if this was said yet (just woke up) but please remember to check on your elderly neighbors. A little kindness goes a long way.

It's great for kids too! Camping indoors keeps them entertained.

buy this now:

"Have a Plan and Plan to Act"

[link to www.amazon.com]

WARNING - NEVER USE CHARCOAL INSIDE!!

DEATH is often the result!!

Charcoal puts off massive amounts of Carbon Monoxide ... using a charcoal grill inside is a favorite way of people to commit suicide without putting holes in their body since it just puts you to sleep and you D-I-E.

STERNO, a gelled alcohol, is cheap and being an alcohol product IS SAFE TO USE INSIDE.

"IF" you are cooking or heating inside Sterno or other Alcohol based products are the cheapest way to go, others are OK with SOME ventilation (coleman stoves, keroscene heaters etc) BUT NEVER USE CHARCOAL INSIDE!!!

(the chemical output from buring alcohol is merely oxygen and water - which is why alcohol stoves are the PREFERRED inexpensive stoves to use on boats - and are about the only boat installation of which does NOT require special coast guard approved safeguards to be built into the cooking system)

Just carrying this list forward with the additional observation about cooking and heating.

STERNO or other alcohol based systems ARE SAFE TO USE INSIDE for cooking and heating. Keroscene or propane systems can be used with some venting.

NEVER EVER EVER USE CHARCOAL INSIDE. Charcoal puts out massive amounts of Carbon Monoxide which can quickly kill in a confined space.

31 sSevere Studios‏@severestudios

RT @EricFisherTWC: #Sandy preparedness information from the NWS out of NY: [link to 1.usa.gov]

Totally shameless

Just bringing it back to the front.

Mods, please pin this again for the people that haven't read it yet. New people are finding out they're in the path of the storm. Thanks.

Absolutely. It is so hard for many oldsters to get out to get groceries, meds, and the like. Good karma accumulates for helping out

Thanks TB. There's plenty of valuable info on this thread which could help a lot of people weather the storm.

It's a challenge keeping the thread spam and political free in that I have to keep deleting OT posts. (and pissing people off)

But, It's well worth my time to keep the thread on topic and in order, so interested folks can get through the pages without having to wade through a lot of unnecessary nonsense.

Yw! It was sooo hard to do!LOL You have the hard job.

One more time for the back from lunch bunch.

Thought this was an interesting article...


>>I think we have all had to deal with a power outage for a day or two. Some of us have had the experience of being without power for 5 to 7 days. What if you had to survive and adapt to a power outage for 3 weeks or longer? Can you imagine that? Can you manage? I’m sure most of you are ready with the basic things, like, candles, flashlights, some extra food, and a means to cook your food. Do you have enough for weeks? Months?

Rather than talking about the basic things every household should have, let’s talk about some things most people don’t think about regarding power outage. Let’s talk about human reaction. A few days in a power outage is tolerable, but after several days or longer, you will begin to notice people stressing, nervous, and going stir crazy. Realistically, many people cannot go through a day without their laptop, cell phone, iPhone or iPad, HDTV, or other vices.



Here is a list of a few situations that you may have to deal with.

Children - It’ll be tough dealing with younger children who won’t be able to watch ‘Bubble Guppies’ or ‘Sponge Bob’. Keeping them occupied will be a large enough task for you.

Little kids love toys. Instead of electronic ‘babysitting’, you will need to be creative, the way it used to be, and come up with solutions with what is on hand. It’s a good time to teach them things too!

Teens - I think a lot of them will become very bored very quickly. There will be no video games or the ability to hop on facebook.

Even with electronic gadgetry, teens become bored. That’s just the way they are (we were too at that age). Recruit them as a helper and assign responsibilities that they can be in charge of for themselves.<<<

the complete article can be found here...

[link to modernsurvivalblog.com]

lite sticks are a excellent source of light at nite. Buy a bunch at the dollar store and lay them down in your home at nite. You can mark the front/back door, bathroom, and other areas that are dark. Completely safe and cheap.

Also, make up a pot of coffee and poor it in water bottles. Wrap in towels and in a warmer.Do the same with tea, hot chocolate,soup .Cook chicken and wrap up in aluminum foil and towels in a thick box. Play music on a portable cd player so the little ones are not afraid of the storm's sounds and noises from the wind. Unplug all major appliances. Wrap up in plastic. Incase tree limbs are blown into the roof, it will protect that flat screen tv. Stay safe.

-In order to protect against possible voltage irregularities that can occur when power is restored, you should unplug all sensitive electronic equipment, including TVs, stereo, VCR, microwave oven, computer, cordless telephone, answering machine and garage door opener.



(If the storm becomes a noreaster and people have to deal with freezing rain or snow)

-To keep pipes from freezing, wrap them in insulation or layers of newspapers, covering the newspapers with plastic to keep out moisture.

- Let faucets drip a little to avoid freezing.

- Know how to shut off water valves.

- If pipes freeze, remove insulation, completely open all faucets and pour hot water over the pipes, starting where they are most exposed to the cold. A hand-held hair dryer, used with caution, also works well.

[link to emergency.tufts.edu]