Praying for you and your family's safety, pisces

Makes me think of the thread a while back about what you would take with you if you could only bring 10 things to survive.

That's basically what I'm doing. I'm leaving with about a week or two of clothing, a bin full of keepsakes, toiletries, some tools, bedding, a tent, my phone and laptop, and three little kittens, and food. My sister will have about the same, plus her fish and her cat. And we have to bring my nieces dog....they were up North and it doesn't make sense to come back when we can tote the dog.

Everything else I am considering history! I look around and see 40 years of hard work my father did to build this place. And even though it's getting old and falling apart, it still has been in the family for quite a while. We've been told to tear it down and rebuild, but my sister and I refused to do that in memory of our father. Guess Mother Nature may have different plans!

It is what it is, and as sad as it is, it's just stuff! Some of it may not be able to be replaced, but it will always be there in our memories to hold dear to our hearts. So long as we're still breathing, that's all that's important.

It's just hard to decide what goes with you and what you have to say goodbye to. I know there's a slim chance it will still be here, but in deciding what to take, I feel I need to be in the mind set that whatever I leave behind, I will never see again.

I'm just about ready to go.

Suggestion: Take a lot of pictures from many angles. Take more pictures than you think are needed. Pack tite! Be Safe!

Memories can never be taken away so you'll have them. material things although achieved by you and your family can to a degree be replaced.
If it comes to it you'll be making new memories and replacing material things with ones that reminds you of the past.
Be prepared for the worst hope for the best

Thank you rosie and Blondey

Yes Blondey, they are evacuating the people with special needs and who ever needs help. The Keys have a mandatory evacuation. There are a lot of shelters in Dade and Broward Counties, but they are also talking about evacuation there as well.

Thanks Mikey

Tom, that's an excellent idea...thanks

they only come after, local police do the evacs

You're welcome


Not only for the memories but potential monetary help or insurance claims.

PS:
Might also help when trying to replace something that was lost with the same kind or quality.
example: A lamp with a certain design you really like.
With eBay you can find just about anything if you look hard enough.

Best wishes for you Pisces that all will be there when you return and more important that you and your sister will be safe as you travel out of harms way.

Cherish your memories as those can't be taken away from you.

Thanks 2e, we'll be leaving early in the morning, before the sun comes out. I'm keeping the faith that all will be well, regardless of whether I have a home to come back to or not.

Thanks Tom, my sister is having a harder time with this than I am. I'm not really a material person. There was a time if it didn't fit in my car, then I didn't need it. She's got a lot of antiques and attaches her memories of my father to his material things. So, she's pretty much freaking out right now. That's one reason we're not leaving til morning, she's wearing herself out and needs rest.

Now the monetary issue. I just remembered a little bit ago that my bank is a Florida Keys Bank. Could be a major problem getting my money out if there's no banks, and the system shuts down. So on Friday when I get paid, I'll have to get to an ATM and make a withdrawal. We have all the legal papers in order.

pisces if you can find out who their sister banks are. you should already be on record w/ any affiliates so simple debiting should work fine even if yours is closed down

Thanks eric, but there aren't any sister banks. It's a Florida Keys bank that is only in the Keys and has no affiliation with other banks. So if the system shuts down at one location, it pretty much affects all locations. It's better to withdrawal anyways, since the rest of Florida is at risk also for losing power.

Good thinking - I hadn't considered that. My bank is in Missouri and has multiple branches. Yeah, Internet will probably be down so ATM's won't be able to call your bank over needed withdrawals, plus any card purchases will be limited similarly. Very smart planning. Might also want to consider cashier's checks made out to you. Especially if you have large funds to keep secure.

Have you considered how long you may be displaced? I mean is there a time frame to your planning? 2 weeks, a month or more? I'm sure your bank has a backup server elsewhere but as for ready cash and reserve funding?

I think you said Tennessee. I assume you have family or friends to stay with. Are they prepared for a long duration stay or have you considered a plan if all is lost (not that it will be the case)?
However, if you must start over elsewhere you will need secured deposits and probably first and last month's rent to even rent a place to live. Chances are you will also need some kind of storage for your stuff.

Sorry to bombard you with all this but sometimes someone mentioning something beforehand can make all the difference.
Better to prepare now for the worst than to be terribly surprised when you are most vulnerable.

We have family and the folks in Tennessee are my sisters friends. Not sure, if worse comes to worse, I can go to Michigan and stay with my son and his wife. I really miss them, and Michigan, so who knows.

All good things to consider Tom, thank you

My 2 cents..

As you are driving, always keep the gas tank above half full. I have friends in Miramar talking about some gas stations being out of gas already.

Thanks 2e, we'll be sure to do that.

very true... there are some stations here in Houston that still can't get gas yet..and we make it here...

When a disaster draws near, suddenly, preppers don't seem quite so crazy anymore. Right now, with Irma heading our way so closely on the heels of Harvey, a lot of people on the Southeast Coast are feverishly preparing for a hurricane.

UPDATE: The Florida Keys are under mandatory evacuation.

Some are projecting that if Irma doesn't change course, it will be so powerful that meteorologists will need a new Category to describe the storm: Category 6. Keep in mind that Harvey was a Category 4 and that tells you how bad the potential of this storm is. There are many articles out there focusing on that - this one focuses on how to get ready for it.

During times like this, it becomes mainstream to engage in a flurry of activity that looks like an episode of Doomsday Preppers being fast-forwarded across the screen. People rush to the stores in a frenzy, and often get all the wrong things. Most of these folks aren't preppers in the traditional sense - they're just hurrying to get ready because they know something is headed their way.

Even when you aren't a prepper, if you know a hurricane is on the horizon, the best thing you can do is focus and get things together as early on as possible.

This article is for the folks who have never really considered getting ready for an unusual event. If you need to get ready fast because something is headed your way, this may not cover ALL of your bases, but it will get you through at least a short term disaster. Nearly all of the supplies will be easily available at your local Wal-Mart, Target, or hardware store. Some will need to be ordered by mail so do this as soon as you hear that the storm is on its way.

A better option, of course, would be to pick up these items ahead of time and having an emergency kit, sitting there ready when a storm is bearing down. (Wink.) But for now, let's get busy and get prepared for the possibilities.

Action Plan

Here is a plan for getting everything together as efficiently as possible.

Keep on top of the news. (You can sign up for my daily preparedness newsletter here.)
Go over the shopping list below and figure out what supplies you already have. You'll be spending a bit more money than usual so there's no sense wasting any.
Immediately order the things that you won't be able to get locally to give them time to arrive. This article is filled with helpful links to resources.
Check your insurance coverage to make sure you don't need to make any changes.
Print off the shopping list (Link at the end of the article) and cross off the things that you have or have ordered.
Make your purchases and beat the last-minute, frenzied rush.
Create an evacuation plan in case you can't stay at home. Where will you go, will your pets be welcome, and what are two different routes you can take in the event that the first one is impassable?
Include a list of things you will want to take with you and put these things together. We always used Rubbermaid tubs when it looked like we might have to evacuate. You can find an evacuation checklist here.
Gather together important papers like ID, birth certificates, deeds/mortgages, insurance paperwork, licenses, etc.
Photograph and inventory the things in your home. Store this in the cloud in case you need to make an insurance claim.
Depending on the type of the storm, prepare the outside of your home by tying down anything loose and boarding up your windows. (Here's a list of things to do before a hurricane.)

Below, you'll find the things you need to focus on to prepare when a storm is coming.

A water supply

Many events over the past years have taught us that a water emergency can happen to anyone. In the event that your area suffers from tainted tap water, you'll want to have a backup supply on hand to keep your family (including pets) hydrated. This does not mean a case of 24 water bottles.

The thriftiest quick option is to purchase those one-gallon water jugs that are less than a dollar at the store. Get a supply that will last for 2 weeks - one per day, per family member. That will cost approximately $14 per family member. But if you wait too long, the water will be gone.
Some stores are already selling out of water. Circumvent this by filling your own containers. Here are some great containers for storing water. If you aren't in an extremely humid area, this storage system will help you store a lot of water, less expensively, in a small space.
You can find instructions for building your personal water supply in this book.
Here is an emergency water filter.

Communication

Being able to keep in touch with the outside world can help you get essential information or reach out for help. Social media was a primary tool for communication during the aftermath of Harvey.

A phone charger battery like the Jackery
A solar phone charger (This one will go for 45 hours and includes a solar lantern. This one is less expensive but not as powerful.)
A crank-radio so you can get the news (This one also has a phone charger)

Sanitation supplies

Good hygiene is even more important during a disaster. Food and water borne illnesses can be deadly.

Paper towels
Bleach wipes
Baby wipes
Supplies to make a kitty litter toilet for humans. (Instructions here)
Bleach
Disposable rags for cleaning up
Heavy duty trash bags

Keep the lights on.

When the lights go out, you'll want to have backup lighting. That scented candle in the middle of your coffee table isn't going to last for days and days.

Buy tea lights. They are safe and inexpensive. These burn for 6-7 hours apiece.
Don't forget lighters and matches!
Bring in your solar garden stakes at night for a cozy glow.
Pick up some glow bracelets for the kiddos. This is a safe way to give them some light in their bedrooms.
Be sure to have flashlights and extra batteries on hand.
We love our LED headlamps. With these, you can do things hands-free at night, like reading, knitting, or other tasks that require steady illumination.

A way to cook

Even if you have loads of food in your pantry, it won't help you much if you have no way to cook it. Here are a few options.

If you have a gas stove, it will probably work during most power outages. A great way to test this is to simply throw the breaker and make certain it still comes on. Some stoves have an electric ignition and will not turn on without being manually lit.
A backyard barbecue is another thing that most folks already have on hand that can pull double duty during an emergency. Mine also has a burner.
An emergency stove that can be used indoors - this is the one I just ordered. and it's less than $40 with 4 fuel cans. Make sure you have plenty of extra fuel for it. The cans are rated to burn for 4 hours each, and most bucket meals take 15 minutes to prepare.
A Kelly Kettle is a popular rocket stove that can use any type of biomass to boil water quickly. Find one here.
A camp stove is another excellent option. Coleman is a trusted name and these can be found in any store with a camping/outdoors department. This one is a classic. Be sure that you have enough propane to last for 3 meals per day for a couple of weeks.

A food supply

Finally, you need a food supply, and it needs to be shelf-stable. During a longer power outage, the items in your refrigerator will spoil fairly quickly, and eating something that could make you sick is even less of a good idea during an emergency. There are numerous options.

Buy some buckets. Buckets of food are generally considered a one month supply for one person. The fastest, easiest way to build a food supply for emergencies is to pick up a bucket for each member of the family. You can find some good quality, non-GMO buckets here.
Stock up on canned soups, stews, fruits, and vegetables. These will last a long time on a basement shelf and can be heated up very quickly to conserve your fuel.
Get canned meat: tuna, salmon, chicken, and ham are all readily available.
Consider no-cook options. If you don't have a secondary method, look to things like peanut butter and crackers, dried fruit, canned veggies, and tortillas. Here's a whole list of no-cook foods.
Protein powder is a good option to make a filling, tasty beverage (a lot of emergency food is pretty low on protein.)
Keep dry milk on hand for coffee, cereal, and drinking. It also comes in chocolate.
Skip the beans and rice. Unless you are cooking them over the fire in your fireplace, you are going to use far too much fuel to prepare stuff like that from scratch. Focus on foods that can be reheated or prepared in less than 20 minutes.
Don't forget a manual can opener!

The most important thing to remember here is not to rely on the things in your fridge and freezer during a lengthy power outage. You want to eat those things for the first day or so, working from fridge to freezer, but after that, you need to switch to shelf-stable mode.


Comment: See also: Are you prepping your diet?


Disposables

It may not be green, but the last thing you're going to want to deal with during a power outage in which you may not have hot water is washing tons of dishes or laundry. Pick up some disposable items to have on hand for basic sanitation:

Paper plates
Styrofoam cups
Plastic flatware
Napkins
Paper towels
Cleaning wipes

Tools and special supplies

This will vary depending on your disaster, but here are some basics.

Plywood
Screws
Fully charged screwdriver and manual backups
Duct tape
Tarps
Bug spray and insect repellent

Something to do

In our electronics-addicted world, one of the most difficult adjustments for some people during a power outage is the loss of their electronic device. You'll want to have a few things on hand for entertainment that doesn't require an internet connection or a gadget.

Get some books and save them for just such an emergency.
Pick up some magazines and put them away so they'll be fresh and new.
Pick up games, puzzles, and other old-fashioned forms of entertainment.
Do crafts like knitting, carving, painting, or scrapbooking.
Here's a list of power-outage activities for the kiddos.

Special needs items

This will vary from family to family, but this list should trigger some ideas. Think about the things your family members use and need on a frequent basis.

Prescription medications (probably the most vital thing on the list)
Over the counter medications
Antihistamines
Diapers and baby wipes
Hair elastics (ask any woman with long hair how essential this is!)
Lip balm
Sunscreen
Hand lotion

Keep it all in one place.

I can't encourage you enough to buy these things ahead of time. When an emergency is pending, everyone else is out there with the same idea. However, if you've waited too late, now you know exactly what you need. Go here to download your FREE shopping list. This will make it easier to ensure that you have everything you need when you head out for your shopping spree.

It's wise not to intermingle your emergency supplies with your other supplies. The particularly tasty things will get used up and you'll be left eating saltines and canned peaches. Not fun. Pick up 1-2 large plastic tubs and keep the majority of your supplies in them.

Hurricane hosse is close on the heels of itma, could be just as powerful!