I really should know better: SAVE ALL WORK BEFORE CALLING IT A NIGHT.
Good morning, everyone.
In times of weather emergencies be prepared to care for your family for up to 3 days. The following list includes basic items you should consider.
1. Fill your gas tanks.
2. Store water. (1 gallon per person per day.)
3. Stock nonperishable foods.
4. Non-electric can opener.
5. Acquire needed medications & medical supplies.
6. Fully charge cell phone batteries.
7. Flashlight & radio with extra batteries.
8. Mobile home residents plan for safer shelter. (Winds)
9. Sufficient cash on hands. (ATMs don't work if power is out.)
10. Assist mentally or physically challenged neighbors with preparations.
11. Secure pets & livestock.
Timely thread for us Gators, I guess!
Hurricane time means taking in all the loose stuff--potted plants, patio furniture, hoses, etc...
Making sure we have plenty of nonperishable food and water and packing the freezer with Zip Loc bags or Tupperware containers of water--to help keep stuff cold in the event of a power failure as well as to provide fresh water. Filling up the propane tanks and getting a couple extra, for cooking on the grill if we don't have power (our grill has side burners for pots as well). Checking to be sure we have enough batteries for flashlights and stocking up on candles.
Yes, even filling the bathtubs, not for drinking water, but to assist in flushing the toilets!
That's it! I try not to go overboard. Four hurricanes in the space of 1 1/2 months last year gave me a severe case of "hurricane fatigue". Even if we don't get a direct hit, if that thing brushes by, we could get some pretty good winds and possible tornadoes. However, if we are in line for a "direct hit", I will pack plenty of pillows and blankets into the laundry room for a "safe room". It is actually the most interior room (my ONLY interior room, actually--every other room is on an exterior wall) and it makes the kids feel safe and cozy, not to mention a good spot if we hear that dreaded "train coming". Better safe than sorry!
While seemingly off-topic, there is a lot of information here if you use all the links within links:
Everything from NBC warfare to storms & quakes can be accounted for there.
Funny you should mention power-- I'm in the middle of building a 10,000 watt standby generator for hurricane season here. My wife- the lovely Emily- simply refuses to evacuate ( for a variety of fairly sensible reasons ) and this old house is almost unfit for habitation without some electric power, so I'm rebuilding and old, defunct welder chassis with a new generator head. One criteria for a plant is that has to be easy starting ( electric start ) and simple to use, which the welder's engine end was when it was in service.
And naturally, like any home manufacturing project, everything is running behind schedule- wrong parts shipped, parts missing, the lathe I use for turning down the old armature shaft died two days ago, and I just got it swung out enough from the shop's back wall to gain access to the electric panel, where I think ( hope! ) the fault lies. I do have a much smaller metal lathe that- in a pinch- can turn the shaft, one tiny pass at a time.
Once that is done, a keyway is cut in the shaft, a subchassis of angle iron welded to hold engine & generator, the rotating assemblies mated via a flexible coupling, another subchassis for the generator welded up and joined to the engine subchassis- then we test her and see if we have a practical powerplant.
Just wanted to let everyone know that I started up a Freeper Kitchen at http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1439671/posts. I would have put it in chat myself, but I don't know how. Spread the word. I could also use some tips on the ping list thing Gabz. Thanks