Lessons from the Hurricane - Hidden in the Humor

I got this from a friend (who lives in the Pacific Northwest now, but he used to live in Houston.) While it is an exaggeration, there is a significant kernel of truth in it... and even a few lessons on emergency preparedness hidden away in there.

See if you can find them.

(By the way, Centerpoint is the electric provider in that area.)

You know you're from the Gulf Coast when….
1. You have FEMA's number on your speed dialer.
2. You have more than 300 'C' and 'D' batteries in your kitchen drawer.*
3. Your pantry contains more than 20 cans of Spaghetti O's.*
4. You are thinking of repainting your house to match the plywood covering your windows.
5. When describing your gutted house to a prospective buyer, you say it has three bedrooms, two baths and an open air feel to it.
6. Your SSN isn't a secret, it's written in Sharpie on your arms.
7. You are on a first-name basis with the cashier at Home Depot.
8. You are delighted to pay $3.50 for a gallon of regular unleaded.
9. The road leading to your house has been declared a No-Wake Zone.
10. You decide that your patio furniture looks better on the bottom of the pool.
11. You own more than three large coolers.*
12. You can wish that other people get hit by a hurricane and not feel the least bit guilty about it.
13. You rationalize helping a friend board up by thinking It'll only take a gallon of gas to get there and back
14. You have 2-liter coke bottles and milk jugs filled with water in your freezer.*
15. Three months ago you couldn't hang a shower curtain; today you can assemble a portable generator by candlelight.
16. You catch a 13-pound red fish - in your house.
17. You can recite from memory whole portions of your homeowner's insurance policy.
18. You consider a vacation to stunning Tupelo, Mississippi.
19. At cocktail parties, women are attracted to the guy with the biggest chainsaw.
20. You have had tuna fish more than 5 days in a row.
21. There is a roll of tar paper in your garage.*
22. You can rattle off the names of three or more meteorologists who work at the Weather Channel.
23. Someone comes to your door to tell you they found your roof.
24. Ice is a valid topic of conversation.
25. Your drive-thru meal consists of MRE's and bottled water.*
26. Relocating to South Dakota does not seem like such a crazy idea.
27. You spend more time on your roof then in your living room.
28. You've been laughed at over the phone by a roofer, fence builder or a tree worker.
29. A battery powered TV is considered a home entertainment center.*
30. You don't worry about relatives wanting to visit during the summer.
31. Your child's first words are hunker down and you didn't go to Ole Miss!
32. Having a tree in your living room does not necessarily mean it's Christmas.
33. Toilet Paper is elevated to coin of the realm at the shelters.*
34. You know the difference between the good side of a storm and the bad side.
35. Your kids start school in August and finish in July.
36. You go to work early and stay late just to enjoy the air conditioning.
37. Your garage smells like gasoline.
38. Your more concerned about someone stealing your generator then your car.
39. You get excited when you see a Centerpoint truck in your neighborhood.
40. You get really excited when you see the cable guy.
41. You can create memorable meals with a can of SPAM and one gas burner.*
42. You are prepared to wait in line at Starbucks for 2 hours to get a cup of coffee.

Well, how did you do? I'll give you a hint... look at the lines with the * at the end.

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Lessons from Hurricanes - Prepare for the aftermath

If you follow the standard Red Cross and FEMA guidelines for storm preparation (such as for a hurricane), you will have 72 hours worth of food and water on hand. (Food that does not have to be cooked or heated to be edible.)

The guideline is based on the statistics that emergency aid workers will be able to arrive in the storm-ravaged area and provide food and water to distressed victims within three days.

This, of course, assumes that the victims will be able to get to the aid workers. And that the storm survivors will want to spend their days at an aid center (I am resisting the urge to call it a refugee center). If their only food and water (and toilet facilities) are at the aid center, then there is not much choice but to hang around. And besides, you will be standing in long lines with all the other aid recipients, moving from line to line, so there isn't much time to go back home, anyway.

But what if you would rather be at home, cleaning up the debris, working on getting what you can of your life back together?

Then, you need to be prepared to be without external assistance for more than 72 hours, don't you?

And don't forget that you will need things besides food and water (as important as those are.) The Houston area residents report serious shortages of toothbrushes, toothpaste, toilet paper, soap, and similar "comfort" items. It is important to pay attention to good hygiene in the aftermath of a disaster or you will become a victim, yet.

By the way, if there is no power, the ATMs won't be working . A bit of cash you can draw on might be helpful, too.

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Lessons from Hurricanes - Houston

Last time, I talked about lessons from hurricanes... and how some learn them and others don't. We have touched on those who experienced Hurricane Ike in Galveston. Now, what about those in Houston?

Downtown Houston is about 45 miles inland from Galveston. Of course, greater Houston encompasses all the way to the coast. And Galveston Bay gives way to the Houston Ship Channel on the eastern edges of greater Houston. Being further inland (and 50 ft higher) gave them the ability to only require evacuations from the lower, flood-prone areas.

Of course, there are still the hurricane winds and debris to deal with. Which they did. And while Greater Houston is still standing, the general description is likening it to a war zone. Trees down everywhere. Power out (at the one week mark they were boasting that they had restored power for half the area). Water supplies compromised. Waste water treatment unavailable. Services out.

More than a week after the hurricane, there are no gasoline supplies in the area.

The lessons from this aspect of the hurricane, is that even if your structure survives intact (and many did not), you still have to cope with the aftermath. Do you have the supplies you need? How long will you need to be using your own supplies (because the stores aren't open)? Do you have enough?

Next time, I would like to touch on some of these questions.

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Lessons from Hurricanes - Galveston

Hurricane Katrina gave people some valuable lessons in emergency preparedness... including what to do (and not do) after a problem situation.

The lessons were not new to those who have been studying emergency preparedness, but the lessons must be re-learned by new generations and new groups of people as the years go by.

Now hurricanes Gustav and Ike have given new opportunities for learning. Folks in the New Orleans area learned their lesson from Katrina and evacuated promptly. While New Orleans did not bear the brunt of the storm - and the levies held - it was not missed by much, so evacuation was the proper procedure.

That evacuation was much smoother and more successful than the one relating to Katrina. See, humans can learn - if the stakes are high enough or we are motivated enough.

Of course, that learning was not transferred to the residents of Galveston and Houston. It seems incredible to those of us watching, that 40 percent (dangerously close to HALF!) of the residents of Galveston Island did not obey the evacuation order. It is even more amazing when you consider that Galveston Island is for all intents and purposes, at sea level. Unlike islands that are formed as a result of volcanic action, there are no mountains, hills, or elevated places on Galveston (except for what has been man-made). This virtually guarantees flooding when the seas are high (which happens in tropical storms and hurricanes.)

Of course, many of these people changed their minds when the storm actually hit and the water was entering their houses. And kept rising. Then they called for help. Of course, by that time, the hurricane winds were enveloping the island and rescue was impossible. That is bad enough, in my mind. But then, after surviving, many complained that rescue workers and "the government" were "unresponsive" and "uncaring".

Nothing about their own unpreparedness. Nothing about their own poor choices. Clearly, the blame belonged elsewhere.

They were fortunate that the storm softened just before landfall or they wouldn't be able to complain afterward.

There are other lessons for the rest of us and we will address those in upcoming postings.

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Are You Ready for Severe Weather?

It used to be that there were pretty defined seasons for certain severe weather -- like hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires (which are the result of a combination of severe weather conditions), blizzards, etc.

But, with the climate change that is occurring, those defined seasons are blurring. Tornadoes are happening throughout the USA--even in places that seldom (or never) see them. Flooding rains are dumping on places that don't normally get such rains. And the severity of such storms is increasing.

It is pretty clear that for the next few years, at least, we will be experiencing more extreme weather--both in the US and around the globe.

Are you prepared for it?

If you are not, what do you need to do to get ready?

To help answer that question, I would like to refer you to the US National Weather Service. They have put together a Severe Weather website that draws upon many websites (and organizations) to help you prepare. Please visit www.srh.noaa.gov/lub/safety/swaw and browse around the site. It has tabs that cover Thunderstorms (including hail and lightening), Tornadoes, Hurricanes, and Flash Flooding.

The information covered here comes from more than just the usual government sources and is a great starting point to helping you get prepared for severe weather and it's aftermath.

Do you have a favorite site for preparing for severe weather? If so, don't keep it to yourself. Share it with us.

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A mini-Maglite for your Preparedness bag?

Here is one reason to have a mini-Maglite for emergency preparedness.

Maglight Mod Fire Power - Free videos are just a click away

If you want to go to the site directly, then click this link: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/839261/maglight_mod_fire_power/

Admittedly, you have to have a couple of extra pieces (like steel wool and exposed wire/paper clips) but it does illustrate what you can come up with when you start asking "what else can I use this for?"

What are your favorite "what else can I use this for" uses?

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Flashlight for Preparedness

There are two flashlights that I always reach for when I need one. Both are LED flashlights.

The first is a Maglite. It is a two cell model that uses size D batteries. It is comfortably weighty without being too heavy. It is about 30 years old and did not start life as a LED light. It started out as a regular bulb light. Later on, when Maglite came out with the krypton bulbs, I put those in for greater light. Finally, about 2 years ago, Maglite came out with an LED model and a conversion unit for older units. I bought a conversion unit on hope... and was not disappointed. I love it!

Because my 2D Maglite is as old as it is, I will probably replace it with a straight from the factory LED model. (My old one is a bit fritzy.... but not because of Maglite but because of some batteries that went bad in it. As a result, there are a couple of spots that cause a short when I twist the focus ring. It is a minor annoyance and doesn't impair the general functionality of the light.)

The other light I reach for is a Princeton Tec Impact II. It is an LED light that uses 4 AAA batteries and is both lightweight and handy. It has a built-in belt clip and a focused beam. I was initially skeptical about the AAA batteries as they just don't have as much staying power as the larger ones. But they really work for this unit. I am still on the original set of batteries (I think). I bought this flashlight four or more years ago! And that is one reason I love LEDs for emergency preparedness.

The other reason I love LEDs is that they are impact resistant. Anyone who has used filament bulbs in flashlights very much has had the experience of dropping the light and having the bulb filament break from the impact. That is why spare bulbs are always advised. Have you ever tried changing the bulb in the dark? I mean the really dark of a moonless cloudy night or in a cave? With an LED, you just don't have to worry about it. If the impact hasn't broken the wires leading to the LED, it is going to light. It adds to the dependability factor, which is just what you want in emergency preparedness.

I have other flashlights and use them on special occasions. I will talk more about them in another post. And also why I like these over crank or shake lights for emergency preparedness.

In the meantime, you could do much worse than getting the LED Maglite or the Princeton Tec Impact II.

Do you have a favorite flashlight we should know about? Don't keep it to yourself... share it with us.

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Emergency preparedness vehicle

Our current emergency preparedness vehicle is a '92 Ford Explorer with over 200,000 miles. It was not originally purchased as an emergency preparedness vehicle, but as a family vehicle. Due to the fact that it was an SUV, it was easy to look upon it as an emergency preparedness vehicle as well.

If we were buying an emergency preparedness vehicle today, I would make different choices. In fact, that's just what I need to be doing.

If I were going to be looking for such a vehicle, what would it need? Since our needs very from person to person, the answer for each of us will be very different. Here are some qualities I think should be in an emergency preparedness vehicle.

• It should be dependable and reliable.
• It should be capable of navigating difficult terrain.
• It should have the ability to carry cargo, as well as people.
• Some means of protecting the cargo from the elements is also a good thing.
• Good fuel mileage is desirable.
• It should have a reasonable level of comfort.
• A trailer hitch (and the power to pull a trailer) is desirable.
• A front mounted winch is a handy accessory (and something I have wished I had on occasion.)

For these requirements, if money were no object, I would probably try to pick a hybrid SUV for the combination of space capacity, reasonable gas mileage, and comfort.

However, in addition to normal emergency preparedness requirements, our family has an additional requirement or two for the vehicle. I can't afford to have a dedicated emergency preparedness vehicle (one which will be used only for bugging out or going for help, or that sort of thing.) Since, like most people, I can't afford to have a dedicated emergency preparedness vehicle, my emergency preparedness vehicle also has to serve as a work truck for us.

Because I need to be able to carry our dogs to the vet (or if we had to bug out), as well as cargo to and from the home center, hauling our trailer around, providing moving services for the kids and other things that require the vehicle to help pay its way, a hybrid SUV isn't the right vehicle. So right now, I think I have figured out a set of compromises and features that I will be looking for.

So, I think I am looking for a pickup with crew cab (that's got more room for the passengers than an extended cab), four-wheel drive or all wheel drive, trailer hitch and appropriate towing package, and a bed topper (the boxlike cover that fits over the bed of a pickup). This combination should give me a reasonable bug out vehicle as well as a family work truck. I expect to leave the topper off for day-to-day use and put it on when I need to keep the cargo protected from the elements.

Now all I need to do is find such a vehicle at a price I can afford.

What do you think? Would you choose differently? Leave a comment and tell me.

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A Bandanna for Emergency Preparedness

When you start to put together your emergency kit, I would suggest you strongly consider the lowly bandanna.

Why? The bandanna has many things going for it is cheap, it is versatile, and it covers a lot for such a small piece of cloth.

The bandanna is so useful that it is considered a staple in travel guides, and it is also recommended in hiking and camping guides.

What are some of the things you could do with a bandanna from an emergency preparedness standpoint? For starters, a bandanna can be used as a cover-up went for your head, neck, and face. It can be used in first aid. It can be used to keep the sun out of your eyes. It can be used to cool an overheated person or serve as a wind break to warm exposed skin.

Let's just run down the list of some of the things that you can do use it for:

• a head scarf (pirate style)


• a headband


• A hat (knot each of the corners) -- it's not fashionable, but it keeps the sun off your head


• a sunshade:
• 
  
  • Foreign Legion-style (hanging from the back of your hat )
  
  
  • from a rolled-up car window
  
  
  • around your neck
  
  


• a dust mask--just like the Cowboys in the western movies


• A sleep mask or a blindfold


• a washcloth


• a towel (although you can't use it as a washcloth and a towel at the same time)


• a bandage


• a tourniquet


• a cold, wet compress


• a hot pad

On camping trips I've seen people use it as

• a toothbrush


• as a flyswatter


• as an oven mitt picking up the coffee pot or other hot-handled items


• I've seen them use it as fingerless gloves to protect the hands when they didn't have gloves.

Are there more uses? No question about it.

Since the bandanna can be obtained for as little as one dollar apiece and take up very little space, is there any reason we shouldn't have one or more in our emergency kits?

Do you have additional uses for a bandanna? Share them with us, please.

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Emergency Preparedness -- Which Way to Go?

At the end of December I posted a blog that talked about my new website Emergency-Prepared. At that time I promised to continue blogging. I have fulfilled that promise, but not as well as I would like.

I have been busy with the website, but also with other things related to emergency preparedness. (And also financial preparedness--like making sure I have an income.) I have been on other forums, keeping involved and continuing to find appropriate material for blogging. (And for the website. ) Now that the holidays are behind us, and life is settling in, I am expecting to be able to devote more attention to this blog and I hope you'll join me.

Also, I hope that you will join me and make this a dialog and not just a monologue. I'd really like to know what you are interested in, especially as it relates to emergency preparedness and where you're at in your preparations.

There are a lot of directions that I could take this blog, emergency preparedness has so many different facets. I would love to be able to aim it in ways that are most useful to you. Some of the ways we could take this--you and I--we could talk about emergency preparedness on a shoestring (a limited budget.) We could talk about how to buy your way into emergency preparedness. We could talk about emergency preparedness for natural disasters, or man-made emergencies, accidents, -- a huge assortment of possibilities. We could also talk about emergency preparedness as it relates to the Scouting movement.

Depending on your personal situation, you might also be interested in a discussion on emergency preparedness as it relates to your personal economic situation. In uncertain economic times, it's important to be prepared for financial emergencies. Financial emergencies can arise from losing your job or an unforeseen health issue, or even an inadvertent speeding ticket or legal matter. Preparation can lessen the impact of all of these.

I'll write again, soon. You write, too. And in the meantime, stay prepared.

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