Storm preps

[orangetom1999]

This weekend I made sure to top off my car and truck. My scooter fuel cans were topped off from last week....so they are mostly full except that used in the lawn mower.

Also this weekend I purchased another two cases of bottled water.....though i also have several those military Tan looking jerry cans for water. Some of the big 5 gallon water bottles too.

This leaves two cases of water here in the house and two each for my car and also two for the back of the truck. If nothing happens they will be consumed.


Food stuffs have been topped off....

If it comes to it.....plans are to do last minute clothes washing and drying...then thoroughly rinse out the washer and fill with water..

Same with the bath tubs......everyone gets cleaned up ...then the tubs.....cleaned then filled with water...

This I learned as a teenager living in Japan for three years during the typhoons....which would come ashore.

One needs to be prepared to go this route should the water be shut down for a period of time.

Also have tools and such to secure lawn furniture et al.....that which will not be taken into the garage..

Meds are in good shape....generators ready to go...

Battery supplies in good shape too.

Most of these preps I wanted to have in place well before a storm bears down on us...as I do not like running around in the stores at the last minute with all the desperate crowds.....competing for Dwindling resources.


Looks like hurricane Lee may be turning north before it gets too close to here....but need to keep an eye on it nonetheless.

Also there is another potential storm brewing up off the coast of Africa following Lee....


But ...those of us who have been out here awhile...know that Mother Nature can be a very very rough taskmaster....


Praying that we get through another year with no storm.....


Orangetom
Not an Ishmaelite.

[Tugaloo]

We keep our vehicles filled or close to it. I also have a couple of 5 gallon cans of non-ethanol gas.

The whole house generator has one filled 250 tank or due to expansion filled is 200 and the other is at 70%. Code here requires a 500 to be buried. According to the well driller, bedrock was at 20' where he drilled. That means it's a coin flip whether or not a 500 could be buried.

One thing I do that isn't a concern for most is I keep a chainsaw in the vehicles. Hers has a lady's Makita 16" electric and mine has a Husky 455 Rancher 20". Where I live, there is only one way in or out after heavy rains followed by high winds, trees fall down and block the road.

I try to avoid BPA plastics.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/bpa/faq-20058331

Quite a few companies who sell bottled water have a no BPA label on their bottles. I avoid it using Forrest Gump's adage about "one less thing."

https://weather.com/storms/hurricane/news/2023-09-10-hurricane-lee-forecast-east-coast-rip-currents-bermuda-canada?cm_ven=hp-slot-1

It appears Lee will go farther North; however, it pays to be prepared. Let's be blunt about it, none of either of our preps can't be used if the storm misses.

[orangetom1999]

Verily agree here Tugaloo...

It appears Lee will go farther North; however, it pays to be prepared. Let's be blunt about it, none of either of our preps can't be used if the storm misses.

Orangetom
Not an Ishmaelite.

[Tugaloo]

OT,
Today, I refilled the side by side ATV with non-ethanol gas and it has a full tank. I'll refill the containers tomorrow.

I've read at another site that a prepper has a bedroom filled with preps. How does "he" rotate them before their life is over?

[RICHFL]

Living in Florida you have to be ready from summer to December. I keep a minimum of 6 cases of bottle water. Seen too many people standing in line to get handouts of water. Last year we got the hurricane windows/doors installed. Bought an additional portable generator 8700 watts if flooding starts. Other wise watch the weather. Keep every thing cleaned up in the yard.

That shows what living down here for 30 years means!

[Tugaloo]

RichFL,
You're doing the wise thing.
Over the years, I've experienced a few outages that lasted a week or so and a few that lasted a few weeks. I so many ways prepping has common sense.

After numerous power outages, I bought a whole house generator.

To save $$, many install a generator and do not turn off the panel's main breakers. That puts power into the grid which is dangerous.
Another money saver that is risky is not exercising the whole house generator because exercising also charges the battery. 3 families at church learned that the hard way.
With portable generators, filling the tank with non-ethanol gas is wise. Same as lawnmowers etc. after setting all winter, too often they will not start when the lawn needs cut.

I also installed a whole house surge protector. Over time, I bought surge protectors for all the expensive appliances. I believed surges were covered until a nearby lightning strike knocked out the LED display in the thermostat. Everything worked except the HVAC. After that, I installed the whole house surge protector.
They are easy to install in the panel just turn off the mains.

If you're concerned about BPA, you can take steps to reduce your exposure:

Use BPA-free products. Manufacturers are creating more and more BPA-free products. Look for products labeled as BPA-free. If a product isn't labeled, keep in mind that some, but not all, plastics marked with recycle code 3 or 7 may contain BPA.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/bpa/faq-20058331

Although I'm not all that concerned; however, it is just as easy to buy containers that state no BPA as it is to buy the those that don't say it.

[orangetom1999]

Watching the storm come up the coast..


Have most preps in place...

One of the things I have done is to put a one eighth...inch diameter nylon string on the outside handle of my screen doors and plan later to tie it off to the inside door handle...so as to brace/strengthen it should the wind get too wild.....I do not want my screen door to get blown off or sprung in the wind....

I always keep a pocket knife on me should we have to abandon the house for some reason..it can be quickly cut..for egress.

I do not feel properly dressed if I do not have a pocket knife on me...was so since I was a kid... Also today I keep Gerber Pliers on me as well. They too come in handy as the oddest times. Same thing with a small tape measure.


Filled up my truck on the way home this afternoon. Car is already full.


Charging up my cell phone and also two of my Ham Radio walkie talkies... Spare batteries for the cell phone and also the walkie talkies too.

Have an Abree 42.5 inch antenna for my walkie talkie as well as the short factory issued antenna...

I just know not to entirely count on cell phones as service can often go down in severe weather.


I am up standing the night watch here.in Tidewater, Virginia. We have been fortunate here in Virginia in these storms...as compared to other locations.....blessed..


Orangetom
Not an Ishmaelite.

[orangetom1999]

Was in touch with my friend some 400 miles west...in Tennessee....as we are both Hams.


Expect my Antennas to take a beating but have the facilities and materials to quickly put them back up in the air...

To fabricate quickly new antennas if need be. Both long range wire loops and even short range VHF/UHF.


We shall see how this works out.

Treating this as a full blown Storm. I am not into disrespecting Mother Nature...as I know she can be a rough and tough taskmaster....as well as can she catch you flatfooted....if not prepared..


My non Ishmaelite .02,
Orangetom

[Tugaloo]

There is nothing quite like lots of copperweld wire, coax cable and connectors... Plus enough space for the antenna(s).. Even if one has all the proceeding items, height is also important. ;)

From weather.gov
"Overnight
Rain and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Steady temperature around 73. Windy, with a northeast wind around 26 mph, with gusts as high as 39 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Saturday
Rain and possibly a thunderstorm, mainly before 5pm, then a chance of rain and thunderstorms after 5pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. High near 77. Windy, with a northeast wind 25 to 30 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 44 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Saturday Night

A chance of rain, mainly before 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63. South wind around 16 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Sunday
A slight chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 77. Southwest wind 10 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%."

I'd bet that you'll be repairing antennas.

IMO, preps are more important simply because when Mother Nature decides to disrupt us? The shelves at grocery stores empty rapidly..
.

[orangetom1999]

Looks like most of it went inland to the West of us...into Central Vriginia. We got lucky ...again.

However....there is another front brewing up in the Atlantic....and coming off the coast of Africa....will watch that one as well.


Verily agree with Tugaloo...here..

IMO, preps are more important simply because when Mother Nature decides to disrupt us? The shelves at grocery stores empty rapidly..

One should have most of ones position....;provisions.... in place ahead of time and also rotate stocks....and buy a new and well ahead...not at the last minute...as do so many ....and as Tugaloo aptly states...shelves are empty...

Had light winds...not the big frenzy I was expecting.....

Rain....definitely.. but not the chaos...I for which I was prepared..........we were Blessed...again.


Orangetom
Not an Ishmaelite.

[Tugaloo]

There's an old saying on any given day, it's preferable to be lucky than good.

In 2005, western NC had an ice storm. My backyard looked the same as a battle scene from Braveheart. Only it was tree limbs sticking in the frozen ground and not arrows. A week and a half later, the power came back on. I discovered coffee could be brewed in an old perk coffee pot on top of a kerosene heater. And, the gas grill was my friend. No power meant no well; so a shower and shave was in a motel.

In 1990 to 1992, I worked in Detroit. No offense to others who live there, but Michigan's draconic firearm's laws were not for me. The biggest surprise was when snow was predicted, the grocery store shelves were empty.

IMO, too many ignore having preps. In 2000 when I lived in SE NC, there was a blizzard. A neighbor knocked on the door and asked if she could borrow a some cooking utensils because all she had was glass and they don't survive being used on a gas grill.
I loaned her a pot, frying pan and a perk coffee pot I used for camping.

You dodged the bullet and you'll replenished what you used unlike those who never get the message.