Hurricane Irene - be safe, be prepared

Wishing all well, and safety during and after the hurricane.
Hope all east coasters are in serious prep.

Don't forget all the particulars on the check list ...This is one often used by NOAA, and I feel it's a good one.

Water - at least 1 gallon daily per person for 3 to 7 days

Food - at least enough for 3 to 7 days
- non-perishable packaged or canned food / juices
- foods for infants or the elderly
- snack foods
- non-electric can opener
- cooking tools / fuel
- paper plates / plastic utensils

Blankets / Pillows, etc.

Clothing - seasonal / rain gear/ sturdy shoes

First Aid Kit / Medicines / Prescription Drugs

Special Items - for babies and the elderly

Toiletries / Hygiene items / Moisture wipes

Flashlight / Batteries

Radio - Battery operated and NOAA weather radio

Telephones - Fully charged cell phone with extra battery and a traditional (not cordless) telephone set

Cash (with some small bills) and Credit Cards - Banks and ATMs may not be available for extended periods

Keys

Toys, Books and Games

Important documents - in a waterproof container or watertight resealable plastic bag
- insurance, medical records, bank account numbers, Social Security card, etc.

Tools - keep a set with you during the storm

Vehicle fuel tanks filled

Pet care items
- proper identification / immunization records / medications
- ample supply of food and water
- a carrier or cage
- muzzle and leash

Sending my thoughts to all,
-Shell

[Lulu54]

Those are all excellent tips.  May I add one more I heard?

Select a person who lives well outside of the area - like an aunt in Minneapolis! - and make that person the contact person.  Have everyone who is separated during any events check in with the designated person, who can then keep a tally of every one.  It is often easier to call outside of the area, then in.

and if you pick your contact person who also lives within the emergency area, they might not be able to respond to calls.

be smart, be safe

Lulu

[Lulu54]

Oh yeah - don't forget your meds.  I wouldn't want to go cold turkey off of many of mine and neither would you!

[sllowe]

I hope the lack of responses are because our east coasters are safe. Not a good scenario coming our way, and definitely bad for NC.

Thanks for the add on, Lu.
See you all on the flip side of this.
I'll be offline working on tying down my yard and house.
Be well,
-Shell

[grannyhotwheels]

Take care Shell and anyone else in the path of this storm... Make sure you copy the list down that Shell and Lulu provided and get that taken care of... Praying it wont get that bad for ya'll but it's best to be prepared...

I'll be praying,
Carol

[kerrtelli]

I live in ct.  Not on the coast.  Should I be worried?

[essdipity]

Everyone on the east coast should be concerned. As to your specific area, that's one good thing about TV--very good immediate info.

ess

[sllowe]

If you are in the path of the hurricane, coast, ocean, or not. This is big. Like Ess says, if so, all should be concerned. Prepare if your state is in the path.

[HVAC]

So far we are not in the path. That said storms can shift. We got hit with Fran in the 90's the last thing my Dad said was "Hurricanes inland do not do much damage" then the phone went dead. I called him back a week later when we had phone service. We were with out power for over a week and it was hot. We could not get the car out to go to a shelter. We were lucky to have no damage. What was in short supply all over was ice for a week. For months there were piles of debris. Floyd to the East was terrible with the flooding they called that a hundred year flood. I helped rescue animals. There are town who still have not recovered. The Coast often gets hit hard. They have evacuated some places.

I keep an Emergency kit year round because of the ice storm we got a few years back. I have fold up dog crates if we have to leave in a hurry.

When I was a kid we lived through many hurricanes on Key West and Virginia Beach everyone would come to our house and have a hurricane party (get really drunk). We did not have a TV or forecasts like today. It was crazy. I would evacuate in a minute.

Alex

[tripnstumble]

My husbands family is all in Delaware and suppose to get hit pretty hard (They just got shaken up by the earthquake, my poor mother in law isn't getting a break lol). They told us that Ocean City is going for a mandatory evacuation tonight at midnight. :(

Hope all stay safe!!!!

[drsdonthelp]

My family and I are going on vacation to Ohio, we will be leaving NY at  5 am, Saturday morning.  First, we feel an earthquake (not too bad in my area) just alittle shaking, and now a hurricane. Mother Nature must be mad about something. LOL

Shell, I saw your Mayor on our news station talking about the hurricane. You said you live in NJ right? Please be safe!!!!

Hope everyone stays safe from this craziness! I will say a prayer.

Pam

[doublevision1]

Yikes, looks like a bad one.  Take care and be safe, my friends.

[nancihelp373]

  Just checked the weather and delaware is very likely to get hit hard. The whole east coast really needs to be prepared and concerned. I live in De and as the other east coast states we had an earthquake also. Very strange to have both of these things a week apart. The check list stated above is great !!!!!  

Everyone be safe and smart. If they call for evacuation ... do it !!! I wish you all the best.!!!!!

[tripnstumble]

Your up near Smyrna? I use to live down there (Rehoboth Beach) and still remember many places etc :) My family down there is all in Lewes, Rehoboth Beach and Ocean View. All near the darn beaches.

I'm going down for Labor Day Weekend and I'm sure I'll still some of the trees laying around etc. :( It gets so scary. We had a small one when I lived down there and I was so scared. I can only imagine what this is going to be like :(

[HVAC]

I guess we in NC are getting the direct hit. They are expecting another Hazel.  The President has already declared our state a disaster area so the folks in the path will get help quickly.

I think we will be okay in the Triangle but we are preparing. We could get peripheral wind and rain. Possibly power outages from downed trees.

If I am not on the forum you will not have to worry,

Alex

[cainer]

got a nephwew in south carolina- his wife taked like its - headed more to the sea- hope shes right !!  its to close for comfort! ok-lol just read hvac post- maybe it will just knock power out- nothing bad!!   man you all ought to get away from the coast anyway-  thats scarey-

[essdipity]

Not only am I worried about Irene here in MD, but I am royally pissed about my much-anticipated trip to the Outer Banks!

I have been looking forward to this since January. Will/would see my oldest friend for the first time in 3 years.

My friends have taken refuge in Eliz City, NC, evacuation required. If I were Jewish, I'd say Oy vay. Think I'll say it anyway.

Witan luck, I'll leave here Monday.

ess

[HVAC]

Sorry about your trip. I know how disappointed you must be.

The Outer Banks is definitely a good spot to be in. Even the Coast Guard is leaving that area should tell people something. I heard some idiot on the coast say he is staying because he wants to see what a big hurricane is like. Even the veterans of big storms are leaving. They say this is the storm of the century for the NC Coast. I would not even be in Elizabeth City. It may go right through there up to Norfolk.

Alex

[kathylund]

I am in CT. and it seems that we will be getting hit fairly hard, hopefully it will loose some strength, prayers out to all of you!!

Kathy

[Lulu54]

Everyone stick to your plan and be smart the next few days.  

[meg321]

While i was looking at that list, i was thinking hit takes me a week or two just to get ready for a trip..seriously.

keeping track of you,,

meg

[kerrtelli]

I am in ct also.
What do you know.
We are in the cone.
Hope you stay safe.

Kerri

[kathylund]

Doesn't look to here in CT, Think the shoreline will get the worst, we did tie all are patio furniture down,
Stay safe Kerri!

Kathy

[Yankeesfan4life]

just very humid here in Virginia Beach right now,  light rain, no winds yet, but TY sllowe, and I wish all of us well wherever we are.

Michael

[doublevision1]

Watching CNN...looking very nasty.  Hope you're all safe.  I just looked at the NY Times storm tracking map.  Looks like Nova Scotia - I'm here visiting right now - will be spared, though a lot of rain is forecast here for tomorrow.  Hope you are all OK and remain so until this storm runs its course.

[HVAC]

I am in NC, it was not as bad as they thought. The problem is it is a slow moving storm so it is dumping a lot of rain. Because it is slow and moving over land it will lose steam as it goes. We are getting whistling wind gusts even this far inland. Sometime 50 miles an hour. We are getting relatively little rain here unlike to Coast which will get a foot in just over 24 hours. Flooding is an awful thing from Hurricanes.

I am grateful it did not hit the coast with the fury the expected. They bought body bags for all those who stayed on the Outer Banks, I am so glad they did not have to use them.  The only fatality I have heard of is someone who went swimming at Midnight, they were either drunk or had good life insurance.

For those whose State is not Hurricane prone or have never been in one. remember to Stay in and whatever you do don't drive until well after the storm. Standing water which does not look deep can sweep a car away. Tree branches can crack and fall in a heart beat. My husband I were recently in the back yard before a storm. We heard a crack and before we could run half a tree came down near us. Downed trees and power lines (especially in water) can come up in a road unexpectedly.


Hopefully this storm will weaken, move more quickly, or better yet go out to sea and not turn back.

Alex

[twopack]

Glad to hear things are manageable there Alex and that you are safe.  I haven't heard from my sister yet and the Jersey relatives are waiting for whatever ends up getting that far.  Apparently this storm is not the usual.  I hope it doesn't drive more snakes out of the ground!

I haven't been through a hurricaine but we did have an overnight storm here last week that produced a heavy downpour, lightening, thunder and a tornado.  It seemed similar.  I was glad we had new gutter put up a few weeks back and didn't flood the basement again.  I don't have it back in order from last time.

A safe week end to all.
Mary

[rendean]

GREAT advice ! You can tell this isn't your first hurricane. If only everyone would follow those simple safety precautions.

Good news about the Outer Banks!

Ren