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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