saltysenior
(Verified CFHC User)
Sat Aug 13 2011 07:51 PM
tis the season

can people who live in a local that could be hit by a hurricane put forth some tips and ideas that would help others if and when a storm should hit ???

my tip----portable tv's are now available for about a $100..


Sheeper
(Weather Hobbyist)
Mon Aug 15 2011 08:38 AM
Re: tis the season

As emergency managers we have a bunch of tips.

our hurricane emergency preparedness kit tips


saltysenior
(Verified CFHC User)
Tue Aug 16 2011 07:00 PM
Re: tis the season

search, find and record the freqs. of strong AM radio stations in a 100 mile area.....both day and at nite..

GuppieGrouper
(Weather Master)
Tue Aug 16 2011 10:22 PM
Re: tis the season

Quote:

can people who live in a local that could be hit by a hurricane put forth some tips and ideas that would help others if and when a storm should hit ???

my tip----portable tv's are now available for about a $100..




This may sound a little crazy but a lot of people drink coffee and teas and they forget that the power can go out even in the mildest of storms. Then when it does go out, the misery is much more than the situation merits. If it is a severe storm, then your beverage is a comfort to you. Alcohol is not recommended due to its ability to incapacitate the clarity of the thinking mind at a time when quick decisions are needed such as go or stay in your home.


saltysenior
(Verified CFHC User)
Wed Aug 17 2011 06:49 PM
Re: tis the season


a 12v system [ your car or a spare battery ] can be a great help.....lites,fans,tv's even coffee maker are on the market....look at whats available at marine,truckers,and r v stores..


MichaelA
(Weather Analyst)
Wed Aug 17 2011 07:28 PM
Re: tis the season

I have a gas grill and three propane tanks that I have filled/exchanged before a storm threatens. I'll be able to cook and eat, at least.

berrywr
(Weather Analyst)
Wed Aug 17 2011 09:31 PM
Re: tis the season

When power goes out during summer months...you can't be without a generator or at the very least a DC/AC inverter that you can connect to your auto/truck battery. I own both a 5250/7350 watt generator and an 800 DC/AC inverter and if I had the money I would have a residential solar/battery backup system but we simply don't lose power often enough to justify the expenditure. Honda makes excellent small generators that are real gas sippers and if I had to do it all over again that would be the way I go...these units are light enough to make them extremely portable and are extremely quiet.

cosmicstorm
(Registered User)
Wed Aug 17 2011 10:23 PM
Re: tis the season

I have been a lurker for years. I do not post as I do not have the expertise the rest of you have. I have learned so much from this site and enjoy it tremendously. Glad to be able to contribute on the subject of being prepared.

1. Lets start easy….a basic need is the non electric can opener!
2. For cooking surface similar to stove top consider a Butane burner stove. They are found in the camping department and on the web. It will give you 1-2 burner surfaces. This is safer than the opened uncontrollable flame of sterno.
3. A French press will help those folks that need that cup of coffee. No electricity needed for the French press, just hot water. The butane burner will come in handy to use for boiling water.
4. For those who enjoy the TV. Be aware that the digital TV’s use mostly lithium batteries that only last about 2 hours. (The analogs used to last about 12 hours and ran on 4 AA….oh well….) To recharge during a storm would be a challenge for most (unless you are lucky enough to have a whole house generator!). Better to get the digital TVs available that operate with AA batteries. (10 of them). They too only last 2 hours, but you will have the ability to replace batteries if you want to.
5. Another idea is the battery operated fan. O2cool makes a great 10 inch that is powerful and runs on 8 D batteries.
6. Another thought is the solar shower. 5 gallon solar shower made by Coleman and others (sold on Amazon). It uses the sun to heat the water so those showers are not so uncomfortable after a power outage. Not everyone likes a cold shower, even when there is no AC!
7. For good non generator power, check out the xantrex power pack that is recharged with a solar panel. We have 2 packs and 1 solar panel. It was a great help during outages with Francis 04, Jeanne 04, and Wilma 05. http://www.xantrex.com/power-products/backup-power/xpower-powerpack-1500.aspx
8. Last but not least, a block of ice stays cold much longer than cubes. Use plastic juice bottles, like ocean spray, filled almost to the top with water (don’t overfill as frozen water expands). This will create a block of ice and is very effective at keeping things colder in the freezer or cooler chest.
9. But wait there is one more idea; invest in coolers that will keep your items cold for 5-10 days. Icy tech coolers can do this for up to 10 days.

Always a good idea to be prepared and hope you never need to use these things!!


Lamar-Plant City
(Storm Tracker)
Wed Aug 17 2011 11:56 PM
Re: tis the season

Be sure you have a cell phone charger that hooks into your car. My mom and dad found out how important that was when Charlie left them without phone for almost 2 weeks (got power back in 5 days....). Wal-Mart had a universal car charger in the check out line last month for $5. Also, having basic potential repair supplies around can be VERY important. A couple of blue tarps and the nails and wood strips to hold them down aren't too expensive but can save your house and contents.

berrywr
(Weather Analyst)
Thu Aug 18 2011 12:48 AM
Re: tis the season

I failed to mention having a small DC/AC inverter for cell phone charging and laptops that plugs right into the cigarette lighter...they may or may not come with USB charging ports. I also like Michael's idea of the propane tanks...they have a number of uses and last a good long time. I also forgot to add some generators can be made to run on propane and/or natural gas, others on diesel and for folks really off the grid...solar. One note about AM radio; at night many stations must reduce transmission power to within a few miles of their towers or completely go off the air in favor of stations allowed to broadcast at 50,000 watts at night; the one we most know is WWL-AM 870 out of New Orleans which has excellent hurricane reporting regardless of where along the Gulf coast.

saltysenior
(Verified CFHC User)
Fri Aug 19 2011 03:20 PM
Re: tis the season

wwl---old truckers station comes in in s.fl. early am.....thats why it is good test to see what you can receive...tried a few years ago to get the fcc to put together a string of am stations along the coast,about 100 m. apart that would remain strong 24hrs.in the event of a storm....0.......one can learn spanish , for those stations are strong all nite
..

tip---bug spay and bug bite stuff


GuppieGrouper
(Weather Master)
Sat Aug 20 2011 01:07 AM
Re: tis the season

Avoid salty snacks if possible. The storm tends to make people hungry. And crunchy replacements might be your fresh vegetables like carrots and so forth. These things will hold up for a good time without refridgeration

danielwAdministrator
(Moderator)
Sat Aug 20 2011 08:39 AM
Re: tis the season

WWL-AM
Unless they have changed their programming they normally start Hurricane Reports as the storm nears the GOM. I'll try to check with the station and see if I can pin it down.

You can also catch them online at:

WWL AM 870 Online Audio

http://www.wwl.com/

http://www.wwlhurricanecentral.com/


saltysenior
(Verified CFHC User)
Wed Aug 24 2011 03:21 PM
Re: tis the season


with debris all over the roads,a can of Flat Fix in your trunk might save your day.


saltysenior
(Verified CFHC User)
Fri Aug 26 2011 06:53 PM
Re: tis the season



one of the biggest killers during and after a storm is electricity......be careful of what you touch and beware of the fumes of a generator...



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