Be sure you have plenty of bottled water, batteries of various sizes, canned goods, ice, stuff to watch on laptops, board games, whatever makes you happy. The aftermath without power is usually worse than than the cane.
Have a propane grill. Be sure to have cash at home. Stock up on kitty litter, dog food, snacks. Hard boil a bunch eggs. Good source of protein and they keep for a long time without refrigeration. Gas up you car. Have plenty to read. Write on your laptop in your car, the laptop plugged in to the lighter.Have a generator, if possible.
Use plywood on your windows if you don’t have shutters. If you don’t have plywood, then use masking tape on your windows – makes Xs. It supposedly keeps glass from shattering. Trim trees. Be kind to the animals that seek refuge on your porches, in your home. Pay attention to what the birds are doing. They always know.
Have plenty of towels available. They’re good for leaks. Have a safe room and an evacuation plan.
When the power goes out, start loading your cooler with ice and perishables.
Fill prescriptions before the storm hits.
Crank up the numbers on your fridge, your freezer. Maintain your sense of humor. Get to know your neighbors.
It’s really important to do what your authorities recommend. But this comes with a caveat. If they tell you to evacuate and everything inside of you screams against doing that, then stay put. These screams are your instincts speaking and, besides, your fear and trepidation may attract unwanted experiences.
I remember that in 2005, accuweather.com showed Hurricane Charlie coming right up through Florida as a cat 4 or 5. I called Millie, a psychic who has proven to be accurate about about weather stuff, and when she said their forecast was wrong, that Charlie would hit on the west coast of Florida, we stayed put. It turned out she was right.
And remember: this too shall pass.
bookmarked !!
Thanks guys. This is crazy here on Long Island.
You must still have power, that’s good! Lots of rain?
It is raining now, wind has picked up a bit but will be hitting us directly around midnight through 3 pm tomorrow.
They shut down Broadway, I have never known them to do this before! All subways and trains are also stopped.
They were just showing a map of long island on one of the TV channels and said that for 10-12 hours, irene would be pushing water inland. Do you have sandbags? I used them in hurricane years ago and they kept my living room from being flooded. Stay safe!
am so hoping irene decides to veer off to her water playground instead of continuing her path along the coast! stay safe there –
Thank you Gypsy.
sending you and so many good thoughts – thanks for this article, such good advice. You surely have much experience! And although I’m not currently in the path of a hurricane, you remind me of my own lack of any kind of disaster preparedness.
Meteor interesting, will read more about it. I know you are very busy dealing with elements right now, but perhaps for future weirdness interest as well, have you heard about the Bosnian pyramids? Fascinating.
Here in south Florida it was a gorgeous – though hot – days.
Bosnia pyramids? Off to Google this one! Thanks, Lauren. Your book goes out Monday.
oh, man, bosnian pyramids – sounds so familiar – but off to check it out while i can! thanks!
Really great article with very interesting information. You might want to follow up to this topic!?! 2012
we’re as ready as we can be i guess – have filled plastic tubs with lids w/extra water for household stuff – plenty of bottled water – gas tanks all full – i had found a little carry-all hibachi grill in a bag w/carrying case for food plates utensils etc several weeks ago and have it ready – cells and laptops charged – plenty of bottled water and canned foods etc flashlights – tomorrow i’m putting together a little backpack of 1st aid stuff and meds toothbrushes etc – and a small bag of a couple of changes of clothes – have cash in small bills – state shut down at noon today – roads shut down tomorrow 9am – beaches all evacuated today – about the birds – i’ve not heard nor seen one in hours today – although this morning they were out – droves and droves of the little black birds pecking around on lawns – another weird thing – a human thing – is that our next door neighbor pulled his large motor boat on its trailer out in between our two houses – over toward where our cars are in the drive – now, he always keeps it down at the edge of the property at the bottom of a hill where to me makes sense to have it safer – and it’s now sitting in the southeast space – i keep thinking of it as a battering ram right by our cars –
lest i forget, the other day i also found a great site at
https://www.quakekare.com/
where i am getting several emergency preparedness backpacks that are complete with everything needed for 4-5 people’s total survival for a period of 3-4 days – $109 for backpack:
The Home Kit – A 4-person emergency survival kit packaged in a 5-gallon container and designed for the home. This comprehensive survival kit contains the most effective emergency supplies for emergency preparedness including the emergency food, water, lighting, radio, first-aid, sanitation, and shelter supplies to prepare for all disasters. This deluxe kit also contains a Solar / Hand-Crank Powered Flashlight, Radio, Flashing LED Siren & Mobile Phone Charger with a universal adapter – just plug in your cell phone car charger to charge your phone using the hand-crank / Dynamo Power Generator.
anyway, they offer car kits, school kits, etc – but for this basic item, seemed good to me –
thanks so much for the post from the experts!!! 😉
Not so sure about experts. I think they call this the school of hurricane knocks!
Alex Bonnie and “Charlie” then Francis a week from tommorrow where in “04” Bozo only knows this because………………………….
They look to be good tips. And to think I was grumbling this morning because it was raining very heavy when it’s supposed to be summer – Irene puts this in perspective.
Trish mentioned filling the car with gas, but even better fill a few 5-gallon gas containers. In the aftermath of a couple of our hurricanes, there was no electricity for days and actually weeks in some areas. Gas stations had gas, but no power to pump it. So it took several days to find an open and functioning gas station.
Cool! Cuzco, capital to an ancient Inca Empire. How sci-fi sounding 🙂 There was an impact back in 2007 also, which is linked to the story of people feeling ill. Hmmm…
It really IS fitting!
Opps never mind, see this why I just hate taking some of these news clips or other webcasts at face value, I was wrong about the towns-people being sick, I guess that was back from September in 2007. This particular “meteor” I guess hasn’t been found yet. Who knows, but it is still curious. Ok back to Irene.
No, actually, you’re right. Here’s the link – it’s a new meteor…. https://ascendingstarseed.wordpress.com/2011/08/26/fiery-meteorite-falls-from-the-sky-over-cuzco-peru-aug-25-2011/
Prayers and good thoughts out to you guys and all those within the path of the storm. On a side note, did you guys see the news regarding the meteor that hit Peru? Even weirder was a report by the BBC who said that a large number of the town’s people around the possible impact site are ill, it seems the gases or something from the Earth are possibly toxic. But there is straight out questioning as to what this was that actually fell from the sky. Just wondered if you both knew about it. Obviously with Irene coming you have all been hopefully hunkering down.
Wow, Cole, hadn’t heard about this meteor! Thanks for the info. I’ll see what google can send me to. It’s a bright, sunny day in Florida!
weird cause earlier i sent you a comment at omarr asking astrologically what oct/nov 2011 showed for meteorites etc –
have got to check that blog more often and get going with it!
How very strange – just before clicking to read your post I said to myself – “this too shall pass.” I was referring to something else in my mind, but the words were exactly the same.
All of this advice is welcome. I cannot imagine what it must be like knowing this is bearing down on regions not used to these types of storms. I am in the process of traveling to Portland on Saturday with my car loaded with emergency prep items for our daughters. I think everyone should be prepared for anything at this time. You may never need it, but if you do, it’s best to have it available – not only for yourself, but for others that may not have the wherewithall to be able to put some things aside.
I spent yesterday visiting elderly family members with my cousin – letting them know to call us if they need anything. Unfortunately the elderly are the most vulnerable to power outages. I think I will buy them the converters to run their oxygen machines off of their cars…
Here on the West Coast we are worried about earthquakes and the Rim of Fire in the Pacific Northwest, but many of these ideas are good for any emergency. Thanks!
Preparation! Total agreement with you here, Nancy.
These are great tips. To all my friends out east…stay safe. I’m hoping Irene fizzles out….but from the looks of it from space it’s frightening. Take care everyone.
I don’t think Irene is going to fizzle. But let’s hope