Hurricane kits

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing.

I had heard it was going to be a very active season, but this author had a lot of specifics. So we're looking at lots of storms, but maybe not as strong winds?

P.S. I didn't like that part at the end about flood insurance and "total loss". !! yikes.

The storms of Marilyn and Hugo in 95 and 89 were direct hits on the USVI and wrought extreme damage throughout the Territory - months of no electricity and many homes destroyed totally - I am not a big fan of predicting the future as this article does but I do believe in learning from the past experiences -- take Hurricane preparation seriously no matter what kind of predictive info is heard - do as much as you can and hope it doesn't get tested is the best way for me.

We're unaccustomed to the season starting so early, though. Even though it "officially" starts in June every year, hurricane season doesn't seem to pick up until August in most years.

For newcomers who haven't faced hurricane season before, here's a decent list of things to think about having on hand. Keep in mind, though, if we get a direct hit from a major storm, two weeks of supplies is a best-case scenario.

http://www.southcom.mil/hurricaneprep/hurricane_survival_kit.htm

It's especially important to remember that ATMs and gas pumps don't work without power! Keep your tank and wallet full.

One thing that *has* changed since the Marilyn days: a lot more people here have generators. It will be interesting to see if there will be enough fuel and propane available to power them for an extended period if a Category 3 or 4 hits us dead on.

Thank you, fdr. I was thinking as I read the original post that I have no idea what goes in a hurricane kit, having only grown up in "Tornado Alley" and never around hurricanes!

Lisa

GULP. This is not only informative, thanks to all contributors thus far, but also confronting. I am not a doomsayer or naysayer, but this forecaster spelled it out, eh? Also, never having been in a hurricane, and living in Savannah Georgia when Hugo came through, I remember the semi-massive hysteria/ardent preparation for the onslaught, only to have it divert last-minute and pound just north of us, at the time, in Charleston, SC- then driving through like 2 days after it hit and seeing the decimation way inland as well- all the way to the middle of North Carolina. I have a question to those that HAVE BEEN HERE for a big 'un- do you stay at home or do you go to one of the "shelters" in advance, and what are your experiences( good and bad) or any "tricks of the trade" in doing so? Thanks y'all!!! 🙂

People here stay at home. If their home isn't the best for hurricanes, they go to a neighbor. Think about it and make a plan.

The best thing to do is throughly prepare and then forget about it. We will have plenty of warning if a bad storm is coming. You'll drive yourself crazy if you obsess for 6 months!

Clean socks and undies. Nothing quite as comforting as opening a new package of each and slipping into something that has never been out of the package. It was luxury after Marilyn.

I always put "odd" things - comforting things - in our hurricane package. In addition to the standard stuff I buy things that are normally too expensive to have in our daily diet to have a treat waiting. I put in not only ordinary candles and lots of them but a few aroma therapy things to make me feel good. Fresh razors. Hand cream, foot cream, face cleansers .... don't forget a craft project, some books you have always wanted to get around to reading, whatever will soothe your soul.

Then if we don't get a storm, we break it all out and have a great Thanksgiving weekend!

I've been here since before Hurricane Marilyn. Trust me, it will all be ok. There is not a darn thing you can do about so just make sure, as Linda J said, to make plans and then relax.

If any of you have boats in STT/STJ the hurricane hole lottery is May 29.

Pamela

Thanks for those so far... please keep 'em coming, and though this may be obvious, I must ask, what should I put my "hurricane kit" in ( container-wise) and where should I keep it?

We use one or two plastic tubs that we keep on the shelf in our bedroom closet. Again, you will have plenty of time to get it out, no matter where you store it.

We also have a plastic file storage box that we keep under our desk. If a storm is coming we make sure all our important papers are collected and in that box.

On a related topic -- does anybody have suggestions for the healthiest options for prepared foods, beyond trail mix and dried fruit? Everything is so high in sodium and preservatives (yes, I know that's the point). I eat a mostly vegetarian diet that's high in fresh fruits and vegetables, so I don't even know what to look for when it comes to healthy-ish packaged and canned foods. Would love to hear everyone's thoughts.

Now this I can answer fdr. Get a dehydrator and a vacuum sealer and go crazy. 😎

Good thinking -- I have a dehydrator already, hadn't thought about a vacuum sealer. Not sure if my WAPA costs will go through the roof while I'm doing all that, though!

having house sitter for the summer from hurricane alley. i will copy the hurricane kit list and give to her when i am on the way to the airport so she can't back out. guess we ha ve to remember we are a "dot" in a big massive ocean so hopefully will miss us.

I get 4-5 cases of water, the big variety pack of Ramen, other non-perishables batteries, candles, lamp oil, an extra propane tank for the generator, gas for the cars, and chainsaw, extra prescriptions, cash and don't forget the bug spray. Critical papers in a plastic box and some light plastic sheating to cover stuff up. I installed anchors on my gallery and use strap ties to secure the furniture. Then get the boat out of the water and tied down. Then I go to work and secure the condos.

Lots of info here if you do a search.
some depends on where you live...and your specific situation....If you trust your roof and structure, then the biggest issues might be lack of power afterward....with all the accompanying inconveniences, so just think of ....if you had no electric for a couple weeks...lots of possibilities/alternatives...batteries seem to get sold out quickly before the storm...and you will want to get gas for cars, some cash, etc...one year I got a tetanus shot at Charles Harwood... mosquitoes after a few days...but alot of what if anything you want to stock is a personal choice...
in one office we used to put all papers in trash bags, easy enough to put them back in the file cabinets afterward. Even after Hugo the commercial airline flights were back 10 days after the storm, but it was hard living for months afterward...the exception but you never know. No credit cards, no one would accept a check, no phone service, curfew every night, fresh water was an issue (cisterns were pretty contaminated if the downspouts were not disconnected prior, something no one mentioned here)...if you don't have a generator then you have to plan accordingly, and last storm...(2 years ago?) the generator repair guys were swamped within a few days after the storm....last time our cable was out for months, and we had "news" withdrawal...would go out to EE pizza or elsewhere to watch the evening news...at some point without electric I start to chase down the WAPA trucks, cause you can never find out from WAPA when they will be in your area...seems like it's always a STT crew that re-energizes our "current"...they appreciate cold drinks etc, they are not allowed to accept gratuities but we got a friend of theirs to stop by so we could show our appreciation...we had an elderly neighbor recovering from an injury, and once they heard about her, they said they'd work on the lines till she had power again and they did. Of course, it was 2 weeks after the storm...Decide how you might get water from your cistern if no power, swimming pools can get pretty nasty after a few days, but if you put chlorine in and stir it around it helps...it can be subsistence living, but you deal....and of course if you have a big generator you might have your a/c running and your TV dish and everything be good...

Mine also goes in large plastic tubs and becomes a fixture tucked under the dining room table. Bottles of water, bleach, etc. are stored in the little overhang off the front porch away from the sun.

Ditto on the important papers, cash, etc. I've also scanned them to CD over the years. Just keep it handy. I keep mine with the jewelry. It's not like a tornado. You'll have plenty of time, as the posters above have said, to gather it together but you want to keep it all in one place - under the rum bottles. You'll need those for the storm.

Pamela

ok so 'usually' will the worst of it be over by the end of october? my baby is due november 8th. ive got the first baby jitters,lol. :$)

yep! Usually.

Pamela

beachy, great post -- esp. good to know about commercial flights being up and running fairly quickly after Hugo. I'm thinking of travelling for couple of weeks in October and am afraid of either not being able to get out ... or not being able to get back! 😮

thanks again everybody...and beachy, why were you saying you should disconnect your downspouts connecting roof water to cistern?

Lots of bleach for cleaning and peanut butter and jelley and bread. I think you disconnect your downspouts so that the storm doesn't dump saltwater and fish that it picked up from the ocean into your cistern. Am I right beachy?

Never heard of the fish bit, but the rainwater during a real storm is dirty beyone belief, and salty besides. I had to dissemble my door locks and clean them entirely because you could not get a key in the slot because of the sand etc...now I have shutters over that door, but duct tape locks in other places...after Lenny my cistern, which was pretty full before the storm, was so nasty that you could not use the water for anything cooking/food related....not even to wash the vegetables etc...and I had disconnected most but not all my downspouts. After Hugo most insurance companies paid to have the cistern dumped and cleaned and refilled...but not later storms. The salt in the water was amazing to me...but that time our gutters blew off right away (different house) along with half the roof, and when we had the water tested a year later when we rebuilt the water was perfect...without adding any chlorine or anything for the year...so who knows...

Prepare for the worse, hope for the best.
As someone said, we are a blip(but still pretty much in the center of the hurricane belt).
It doesn't take much to miss us, but all it takes is one direct hit!

When I was a boater, we used to ride these out(NOT a good idea), we would get over our anxiety buy preparing a hurricane meatloaf(slicing & dicing peppers, onions , sauteing etc).

After the storm, we would invite the people in the anchorage for dinner!
One of the boaters would only buy toilet paper & beer with the idea that if it hits he'll be doing alot drinking & shiteting <(I ment that).
He always got invited(mostly for the beer).
Interesting on a boat, your life is normal as all systems are working even when the island is dark from no power.

I found its necessary to have clothes pins and rope for clothes line, usually have to hang things out to dry. and i found during hurr. marylin (sp) and lenny and others since, that either boots or heavier shoes then flips. when you go out after storm could be nails, tin or other things you could cut feet on.
of course i am sure someone mentioned lots of bug spray.