lessons learned form hurricanes

[Trigger Mike]

Hurricane Michael came through my area and appeared to be centered toward Vidalia, where I live as possibly a CAT 1 but thankfully it shifted west and north and came through as a tropical storm.  We have had 3 storms like that in the last two years even though we are 150 miles from the coast.  This area is generally not suited to such storms.  There are a lot of trailers in this area.  Being away from the coast gives the storms time to weaken but if there is destruction try to have a plan B.  Having said that I have learned a few things about survival that I thought that I would share:

 

1)  Generators.  I am amazed at how many people run out the day of the storms to get a generator and then sell it for a loss the days after the storm and and the same thing again for the next storm.  GET A GENERATOR.  sometimes the power company may take a few days to get everything fixed while your food spoils or you lack water since we are mostly on wells down here.  If you can get a standby generator and its own propane tank.  If you can't get a standby generator at least get a portable one and keep it.  Buy it long before the storm gets here.  A few cans of gas would be wise as well to fuel it.  

 

2)  This time around I took a water cooler like the orange ones on the back of work trucks and filled it with ice.  two days later there is still ice and the kids still drink from it.  They actually prefer it.

 

3)  non perishable food is good to have around as well in case the refrigerator food goes bad

 

4)  don't park all of your cars in the same place.  if a tree falls and hits them you are totally out of transportation.  don't park them under trees either since branches might fall on them.   

 

5)  the most important factor and God.  

[Father Kit Cool Gun Garth]

Trigger Mike,

     Well said. 

     When Hurricane Irma came through our area last year,  after the storm,  our RV was or life saver. 

     A/C, water,  bathroom and shelter almost everything one would need after a storm,  especially with no power.

   Generator on the RV gave us power, and our portable generator kept the refrigerator going so we had food. 

    That said,  after the storm there were several other things we did. 

     1. Bought two (2) 5 gallon gas cans,  as lines at the pump could prevent you from getting gas.  Remember stabilizer if you don't use the gas for some time after. 

        2. Bought two (2) water coolers on rollers to fill with water and ice prior to any storm. 

        3. Specialized LED night lights to put on a dozen outlets in the house so they would come on when the power goes out.  They can be unplugged and used as flashlights as well.

      Always remember to be prepared ahead of time. 

[Chief Rick]

Buy real gas for generators. 

[Pat Riot]

1 hour ago, Chief Rick said:

Buy real gas for generators. 

Yep, not that 10% Ethanol gas. Put stabilizer in it per the directions. After 6 months or so put the gas in the tank of a car and refill your gas cans and put in stabilizer again.

[Pat Riot]

Glad you and yours are okay, Mike. 

[Dawg Hair, SASS #29557]

In some area it might be difficult to get non-ethanol gas, which is what you should be using in any small gas engine.  The best bet, though, (I've done it) is to get a tri fuel kit for your generator so it will run on regular gas, propane or natural gas.  It is not hard at all to do.  There's half a dozen or so companies that have one that will fit your generator.  

I have two gens, a 7.5 KW and a 15KW.  The big one burns an average of one gallon of regular gas per hour.  That's a lot of gas to store on your property.  Years ago I caught myself hoarding 86 gallons of gas under bushes in my back yard.  If the county would have heard about that they would have used them to burn me at the stake!  It brought me to my senses and I started converting the E/G's.

[Trigger Mike]

I keep my spare gas in a separate building away from the house just in case.  during the Y2K scare I heard of folks storing their extra gas in their basement and their house blew up as the fumes reached the pilot light for the water heater.  

[Utah Bob #35998]

50 years of hurricanes gave me a lot of lessons. Especially livng on the coast.

[Linn Keller, SASS 27332, BOLD 103]

Wise Foods sells dehydrated foods in a squared five gallon bucket.
This will require water to rehydrate.

My standby generator went belly up so must replace it, shekels are tight but don't want to go the cheap Harbor Freight route, Honda gasoline is the workhorse -- but in a power down, any generator is better than no generator.

I'm reading the several voices of experience and taking careful notes!

[Pulp, SASS#28319]

My Yamaha 3000 was recently stolen, insurance paid me about 1/2 what it cost me.  I'd had it for 8 years so I couldn't complain too much.  Anyway, I did some research on Consumer Reports, the second highest rated small generator was the Predator brand, sold by Harbor Freight.  I bought the 3500 watt inverter version.  I've only used it once so far, but was impressed with the very quiet engine.  The only downside I can find so far is it doesn't have a gas cut-off valve.  

I'd recommend anyone looking for a small generator to at least think about the Predator.  It won't run a whole house obviously, but it will run lights and fridge, or everything on my camper, should the need arise.

 

I have no financial interest in the brand, just sharing information.

[Capt. James H. Callahan]

Heard a guy on a radio talk show who had gone thru Katrina. He said if anything like is ever coming again, he was gonna spend every nickel he could scrape up on three things.....gasoline, bottled water, and TOILET PAPER! Pretty hard logic to argue against!

JHC