Actual non-trolling question about hurricane prep

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  • NOLAShootist

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    As a few of yall know, I just moved to the area. Was speaking with my octogenarian neighbor last night, and the subject of hurricanes came up. He talks like the asst coach out of The Waterboy and we were splitting a bottle of rum, so there was a bit of a language barrier. So, at least, I think we were talking about hurricanes. One of the things he said, was basically every 10 years comes a massive hurricane. He says this year, the water is too cold for a "biggin'" but next year will be spot on for one. Apparently, he knows his hurricanes, because I found a few sites about the history of hurricanes in this area, and one specifically mentioned that New Orleans gets hit with a major one, on average, every decade. He also stated that, generally, you dont evac because so often the storm zigs or zags and misses the area, so most people get to the point that they just adopt a "f-it" attitude and just weather the storm if one actually hits.

    It got me thinking, which made me realize I know jack sh*t about hurricanes, which, in turn, got me perusing this section. This section, for the most part, seems to be the finest collection of generator threads in all the internets. I read through all 6 pages, and didnt find much in the way of "What do you need to have on hand for a major hurricane?"

    Moved here with:
    5 gal water cans (tan water ones)
    5 gal gas cans
    MR RATS Pack with full med load
    BH STOMP Pack with a full load
    MRE LRPs
    guns/ammo (i dont "collect" guns and have a ton of them, but I have what I need - bolt, carbine, pistol and a few toys for fun)
    Girlfriend (Pain in the ass type 1 each :D )
    Labrador

    Basic needs - no clue.

    How much water do you need to store? Whats the best storage method? I read once that collecting rain water is illegal in some places - that the case in LA?
    Food - same questions. I assume that canned is the way to go and frozen is pretty well hosed once the power goes out.
    Heck, how long is the average power outage?


    A few other dumb questions:
    Ive heard the term "mandatory evac." Is it mandatory? How is it enforced?
    Are there any PD/FD/EMS capabilities down here, on avg, during major storms?
    Communications?
    Saw the chain saw thread... those a necessity down here?

    What am I not considering? In an emergency, stuff tends to go sideways and the guys on the ground can usually Monday morning QB the thing and point out the holes in the original plan...

    Thanks
     

    Hattrick 22

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    Heck frozen is usually the first stuff I eat when a hurricane hits I'll hit the freezer and Grill up steaks chops sausage. Usually gain weight when a hurricane hits.

    Other than that I fill up the tubs with water to flush the toilets and I have a generator that sips gas. Most of the rest just maintaining things like food rotation food for a couple of weeks, full propane tank, running the generator.

    As for home defense. Dog, full mags and you should be good to go.

    Cover most of everything.

    http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/prepare/ready.php
     
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    olivs260

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    I can't answer all those questions, but we keep 1 gal/water per person per day that we expect to be out of contact. I normally go in with 3 5-gal bottles.

    For food, plan to go through what you have in your fridge/freezer on day 1 if there's an outage. Keep 2 full propane tanks to run your bbq pit. It's not a bad idea to keep a couple loaves of bread in the freezer. I remember after Katrina, that was one of the hardest things to get our hands on.

    Mandatory evacuation pretty much means emergency services won't be available in your area, so don't expect fire/police/EMS.

    Keep a few gallons of gas on hand and rotate it in your cars to keep it fresh. 5 gallons is probably enough to get you to wherever you need to be.

    Own a good chain saw and know how to use it.

    Another thing to keep in mind is that you have to feed any pets you have. For a winter project, if you don't have it done yet a good idea is to either make shutters or pre-cut plywood for all your windows. You don't want to be stuck doing that 24 hours out. Ask me how I know :mamoru:

    Oh and have a few hundred bucks cash, just in case.
     

    deuxlatch

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    We got a couple of large totes from Lowes and packed what we call a "72hr kit" because it will sustain us for 72hrs if we need to evac. In it we have meds, toiletries, non-perishable foods, utensils, batteries, flashlights, toys for the kiddies (they gonna be miserable), rain ponchos, and anything we think we might need on the road. In my garage, I test and fill my generator in June and keep 3 full 5gal cans of gas at the ready. We have 3 5gal water cans that we fill just before we leave and have several 1gal jugs of water in the freezer (also helps the freezer to run more efficiently throughout the year) and several coolers, all of which can be thrown in the back of the truck and car in a matter of minutes. Forgot to mention we also have old backpacks filled with our old clean clothes in case we don't have time to pack the ones in our closet and drawers.
     

    Emperor

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    Here are the degrees of aggravation scale if you hunker down: From most aggravating to least.

    You die, Roof collapses/blows off, flooding in your house, no electricity (No A/C > No Fridge > No TV), no natural gas service, no water service, no food, no ice, no gasoline for generators, no propane for cooking, no gasoline for car, neighbors wanting to borrow **** from you.

    If you are not from here, and a major hurricane hits, and you lose power for more than a few days you will know what misery is. The clearest hottest days of the year in New Orleans come right after a hurricane devastates the area.

    Prep for the scenarios above, with the emphasis on keeping your A/C running. ;)
     

    olivs260

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    Here are the degrees of aggravation scale if you hunker down: From most aggravating to least.

    You die, Roof collapses/blows off, flooding in your house, no electricity (No A/C > No Fridge > No TV), no natural gas service, no water service, no food, no ice, no gasoline for generators, no propane for cooking, no gasoline for car, neighbors wanting to borrow **** from you.

    If you are not from here, and a major hurricane hits, and you lose power for more than a few days you will know what misery is. The clearest hottest days of the year in New Orleans come right after a hurricane devastates the area.

    Prep for the scenarios above, with the emphasis on keeping your A/C running. ;)

    True, but the best cook-outs also happen the day after a big hurricane :thumbsup:
     

    Hattrick 22

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    Some folks keep a window a/c unit layin' around too.


    Yeah a little 110 unit is the best thing since sliced bread.

    Had one I put in my bedroom while the power was out for issaic was great comfortable camping!

    Want to say someone mentioned it awhile ago that keeping all of your important documents on a zip drive is a good way to keep everything just in case the worse were to happen.
     
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    Emperor

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    Not to mention the hangover. So don't forget the booze.;)

    Oh, extra chains for saw, 2-stroke oil, and bar lubricant never hurts.

    Some folks keep a window a/c unit layin' around too.

    And some folks keep a girlfriend around so when you see the electric company guys working down the street, and they tell you they won't be by your neighborhood for days, you have something to change their work plans with! :naughty:

    Five days after Katrina, I was almost ready to take one for the team! :p
     
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    NOLAShootist

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    Diggin the advice. Especially this:

    True, but the best cook-outs also happen the day after a big hurricane :thumbsup:

    A few things:
    -no kids, so no worries there. Yay vasectomy.
    -chainsaw: no idea what I need or anything past cutting a tree with one. I assume that the manual has care instructions?
    -flashlights: good call. Didnt even think about those. Have a few SureFires laying around, so will stock up on 123s to feed them.

    Not to mention the hangover. So don't forget the booze

    So, hurricane parties are a real thing, I take it. I knew there was a reason I moved here.

    For a winter project, if you don't have it done yet a good idea is to either make shutters or pre-cut plywood for all your windows. You don't want to be stuck doing that 24 hours out.

    Oh and have a few hundred bucks cash, just in case.

    ^^Damn good advice. Thanks man, more stuff I didnt think about. Im guessing anywhere youd have to buy something isnt gonna have a powered up credit card machine.
     

    Emperor

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    Forgot to mention we also have old backpacks filled with our old clean clothes in case we don't have time to pack the ones in our closet and drawers.

    Unless a cat 5 pops up in the middle of the night in Lake Pontchartrain, how could you possibly not have time for this? I've been watching the track of Eduardo for 5 days now!?! And we'll know where it is going in the next 4.

    I'm not harassing, just wondering what hurricane scenario would require this.
     

    kingfhb

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    With that being said... ALWAYS have a large first aid kit. They're expensive, but definitely worth it when you need it. Add to it a couple of QuickClot trauma packs, bottles of iodine, rubbing alcohol, peroxide, etc. It's always better to be safe than sorry. Bandages aren't a huge deal as anything made of cloth can be a bandage.

    How much water do you need to store? 1 gallon per person per day at a minimum (guestimate 7 days).

    Whats the best storage method? The best method is having the large "springwater" type plastic jugs (LIKE THESE (they sell them at some stores or online) or like the Kentwood jugs. This would give you 5 gallons per jug. One of those per person is a good start. They are refillable and easy to store/stack. Above that, I would strongly recommend the bathtub bladder if you have more than one bathtub. It is a large plastic bladder that you can fill in your tub that gives you a large supply of pottable drinking water. There are plenty of options for this. In an absolute emergency, anything and everything that can be filled will help you. Storage containers, pots, etc. Even the water in the resovoir of your toilet is drinkable. Keep boxes of trash bags in your bathroom... and a stock of toilet paper. If the water pressure dies (the pumps run on electricity), put the trash bags in the toilet and you can still use it... then tie them up and put them outside.

    Another recommendation depending on your situation, just buy eight to ten cases of bottled water and keep them in your garage or something. They won't go bad.


    I read once that collecting rain water is illegal in some places - that the case in LA? I have never heard of collecting rainwater being illegal. Not in Louisiana.

    Food - same questions.

    How much Food do you need to store? Fortunately, food is a much lesser necessity than water. You can go 3 or 4 days (or even more) without food... water, not so much. MRE's are good, but have a shelf life. Canned goods are good... but I always recommend things like protein shakes, power bars, etc. They have expiration dates... however, a number of the producers of these have said that the FDA forces them to put expiration dates on their products, and that they actually never expire. I would also recommend keeping emergency emergency food... which are small squares of concentrated food that is meant to keep you alive. If you're more of a gourmet person... Wise makes some great meals that are pre-packaged.

    Anything that you can keep for a minimum of 7 days... but don't trust that you will be able to stock up before hand. Stores are usually packed with shoppers and shelves are empty. Also, don't trust that you'll only be down for 7 days. Plan ahead.


    I assume that canned is the way to go and frozen is pretty well hosed once the power goes out. -- Get used to eating cold food unless you go buy a small camping stove or survival stove with gel block or small propane fuel. They work. Frozen food is not always gone once power goes out. Put water in Gallon zip lock bags (don't fill them to the point of stressing them... water expands when frozen) and then put them in your fridge and freezer. It will buy you time and then once it melts, it will provide you with additional drinking water. This can also be done with 2-liters or other items. I just find that zip-lock bags form fit where you need them. Generators help with this also... just make sure you have plenty of gas... run your generator first... then once you've depleated the gas, worry about the melting ice. The point is to have it in there before hand.

    Heck, how long is the average power outage? It depends on the TREES and flood waters most of the time. The electrical companies spend more time clearing trees and "safing" lines than it takes them to actually get the power back on. CANDLES CANDLES CANDLES... a lot of people rely on batteries. That's fine if you keep a weeks supply for everything you need. Save your batteries for radios or (a STRONG RECOMMENDATION, A hand-held CB).


    A few other dumb questions:
    Ive heard the term "mandatory evac." Is it mandatory? How is it enforced?
    Are there any PD/FD/EMS capabilities down here, on avg, during major storms?

    In reality, if you wanted to stick it out, thats your decision. Mandatory evacuations do not mean they come to your house and drag you out. You are warned however that emergency services (EMT, FIRE, POLICE) will not be available to you. So looting, fires, emergencies will have to be handled on your own.

    Communications?
    A hand-held CB or handheld two way radio. Someone is always listening! Keep something in your attic that is easy to see from the sky... white sheet, smoke canisters, signal mirrors, etc. and keep them in your attic in case of a forced evacuation to your roof. Also, an ax or pry bar, sledge, etc. to break through your roof if the waters get too high.


    Saw the chain saw thread... those a necessity down here? DEFINITELY. -- However, this is a POST-SURVIVAL tool.

    What am I not considering? In an emergency, stuff tends to go sideways and the guys on the ground can usually Monday morning QB the thing and point out the holes in the original plan...

    Know your neighbors and find out their plans. If you stay, form a coalition to protect your homes together. We've even teamed up and pooled gasoline to run generators and all slept in a single room of one persons house running a window unit to conserve gas, food, water, etc.

    Also, as mentioned above... KEEP A SUPPLY OF WATER AND FOOD ALONG WITH TOOLS, TARP, ROPE (tether yourself if needed), CANDLES, WATERPROOF MATCHES (BE CAREFUL IN YOUR ATTIC), DRY BEDDING & TOWELS (IN PLASTIC CONTAINERS), WEAPONS, AMMO, ETC. IN YOUR ATTIC!!!! -- Put them there just before the storm hits.

    PUT A LARGE BUCKET WITH TRASH BAGS AND TOILET PAPER IN IT in your attic for a make-shift toilet.

    Words of caution... lighting candles (or anything for that matter) in your attic without proper ventallation could cause CO2 build up and death. Make sure you have ventallation. FLOOR your attic! Sheetrock does not last long with water under it... it will collapse. You can utilize your attic as a shelter if the water doesn't come up high enough once you break through.

    Last note... LEMON JUICE. You can use it in SO many different ways. Found an old can of Tuna? pour some lemon juice on it and let it sit for a bit... you can eat it! Even raw fish you may have had in your freezer that has thawed.


    There's plenty more... but there are also a ton of resources you can find. Plenty of Hurricane preparedness lists, etc.

    OH, one more... MEDICATIONS!!! If you have any REQUIRED medications, make sure you have a supply of them in your emergency kits.
     
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    kingfhb

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    Unless a cat 5 pops up in the middle of the night in Lake Pontchartrain, how could you possibly not have time for this? I've been watching the track of Eduardo for 5 days now!?! And we'll know where it is going in the next 4.

    I'm not harassing, just wondering what hurricane scenario would require this.

    Those who remain and do not evacuate could run into problems where this would be needed. I know some who remained in St. Bernard and when the water began to rise, it came up faster than some could even get out of their houses. A buddy told me that in the time it took him to get from his bedroom to his front door the water was at his waist.

    I would recommend a "Go" bag with everything in plastic bags. Old clothes in a bag in a scenario like this are old WET clothes.
     

    Emperor

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    For a winter project, if you don't have it done yet a good idea is to either make shutters or pre-cut plywood for all your windows. You don't want to be stuck doing that 24 hours out. Ask me how I know :mamoru:.

    This is extreme. Do you know that I have lived in New Orleans for over 40 years since 1963 and never, not once, did any windows in any of the houses I lived in (Uptown and the Lakefront), nor any of the windows in any of my friends or relatives houses ever be broken during any hurricane?

    Now, I won't say it would never happen; but this is a huge expense to undertake not to mention the storage of this stuff.
     

    olivs260

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    This is extreme. Do you know that I have lived in New Orleans for over 40 years since 1963 and never, not once, did any windows in any of the houses I lived in (Uptown and the Lakefront), nor any of the windows in any of my friends or relatives houses ever be broken during any hurricane?

    Now, I won't say it would never happen; but this is a huge expense to undertake not to mention the storage of this stuff.

    Depends on how many/how big your windows are, but it could be as simple as a few sheets of plywood and some wood screws.



    Another trick we use if we're evacuating, is put a cup of ice cubes in your freezer. If the power is out for a while and then restored before you return home, you want to know if the food has spoiled. Melted/re-frozen ice = do not eat. And on that note, have a plan of where you're going if you're leaving. If you're going to a family member's house, make sure they know ahead of time.
     

    Emperor

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    Those who remain and do not evacuate could run into problems where this would be needed. I know some who remained in St. Bernard and when the water began to rise, it came up faster than some could even get out of their houses. A buddy told me that in the time it took him to get from his bedroom to his front door the water was at his waist.

    I would recommend a "Go" bag with everything in plastic bags. Old clothes in a bag in a scenario like this are old WET clothes.

    But with living under sea level and behind levees, that is the risk you take if you stay regardless. When the levee at 17th Street broke, it was 4 feet of water at the corner of Stafford Place and Fleur De Lis Drive in about 40 minutes. You aren't going anywhere in that scenario anyway. So say you do hear about a breach, and you haul ass? What if you don't make it to the safety outside of the levee system you are trying to escape from? Now you are on you car roof until you either swim or get rescued.

    And if you stay and let yourself be worried about levee breaches, then you ought not stay. And if you have a family, you really don't want to chance flooding with them. It's one thing to swim to a roof if you live alone; it's a whole other enchilada if you have a wife, girlfriend, elder parent or relative, and heaven forbid young ones.

    I am good with a "Go Bag", but they already make waterproof bags for kayaking/canoeing/diving. Dry bags.
     

    deuxlatch

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    Unless a cat 5 pops up in the middle of the night in Lake Pontchartrain, how could you possibly not have time for this? I've been watching the track of Eduardo for 5 days now!?! And we'll know where it is going in the next 4.

    I'm not harassing, just wondering what hurricane scenario would require this.
    It's not just for hurricanes bro. We had to evac once when a chemical train jumped the tracks and spilled it's contents. Never know when you gotta go NOW!!!
     

    Emperor

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    Depends on how many/how big your windows are, but it could be as simple as a few sheets of plywood and some wood screws.



    Another trick we use if we're evacuating, is put a cup of ice cubes in your freezer. If the power is out for a while and then restored before you return home, you want to know if the food has spoiled. Melted/re-frozen ice = do not eat. And on that note, have a plan of where you're going if you're leaving. If you're going to a family member's house, make sure they know ahead of time.

    I guess, if you want to do all that.

    As for your trick with the ice, let me go slightly one better. Freeze a cup of water in advance of a storm. Put a penny on the frozen surface of the water before you leave. If the penny falls all the way to the bottom, you have a freezer full of death. If it didn't go all the way to the bottom, the food is still good.
     

    Emperor

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    It's not just for hurricanes bro. We had to evac once when a chemical train jumped the tracks and spilled it's contents. Never know when you gotta go NOW!!!

    But that's completely different. The OP wants to know about hurricane plans. None of us, sad to say; are going to be completely prepared if a cloud of poisonous gas or radiation is heading our way.
     

    Redd508

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    Dont forget that during clean up there will be a snake under or in everthing you pick up.
     

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