Thread by @TheLastRefuge2

1. I have been asked to put my hurricane prep into a thread. This might be long. It's a buffet of prepper stuff that others have found to be valuable. Take what you find valuable, ignore what you don't. It's just information.

https://twitter.com/NHC_Atlantic/status/1843572292821070050

2. Due to this path, the area north of the impact eyewall will see winds offshore.  The area directly south of the impact eyewall will see winds directly onshore.   Preparations are always critical within the cone area; however, preparations for a west to east storm are even more critical.  A few miles and a little wobble can make all the difference in the storm surge.

3. For those in the cone of uncertainty, remember, planning and proactive measures taken now can significantly reduce stress in the days ahead. As a general rule: take cover from wind – but evacuate away from water.

4. If Milton hits below you the hurricane force winds will initially be blowing offshore, pulling water out (tidal variables notwithstanding). 

If Milton hits above you, the hurricane force winds will initially be blowing onshore, pushing water in.  When considering threat variables, the specifics of intensity and eyewall size will play a big role in determining impact scope, storm surge and subsequent damage.

5. It is very important to pay attention to your local officials and emergency management teams.  Each area is very different, and each community can feel a totally different impact depending on topographical, geographical and regional distinctions.  Listen to state officials, pay attention to the National Hurricane experts, but the best suggestion is to focus your attention on the advice of local EMS officials.

6. Communication is important. Update your contact list. Stay in touch with family and friends, let them know your plans. Select a single point of contact for communication from you that all others can then contact for updates if needed. Today/tomorrow are good days to organize your important papers, insurance forms, personal papers and place them in one ‘ready-to-go’ location.

7. You can see the importance of this communication plan, from the recent results of the emergency in Western North Carolina.  Tell your family who your primary contact person is, then tell that contact person what you EXACTLY plan to do.  That contact person then becomes the information hub for you that relays information to your family and friends.

8. You can always tell those people who have been through direct hurricane impacts by how they parked their cars.  I now include this information in all hurricane prep because it makes such a difference.  If you lose your Florida garage door you will more than likely lose your roof.  That’s just the reality of having a massive opening in your structure to 100 – 150 mph winds that will lift the trusses.

If you have two vehicles, put one vehicle inside the garage with the front bumper against the door to help stop the flex (do this carefully).  Put the other vehicle outside blocking the garage door facing down the driveway or facing parallel to the garage.  The goal is to use the aero dynamics of the car to push the wind away from the door and provide protection.

Purchase a cheap car cover to protect the outside vehicle and/or use old blankets (cable ties, bungee cords) to stop the outside vehicle from getting sandblasted and destroyed.  Place double folded corrugated cardboard in front of the radiator to protect it from storm debris.

Additionally, if you live in a flood zone, or if you are concerned about storm surge, the day before impact take your #1 car to the nearest airport or hotel with a parking garage and park in the upper levels.  Take an uber back home if you don’t have a friend or partner to help you.  This way you know you will have one workable vehicle, just in case.

9. During a hurricane, even if you experience significant impacts, the odds of being in the eyewall part of the hurricane itself is very low.  The eyewall gets all of the attention: windspeed, intensity, Cat status, etc.  However, the eyewall is not the total of a hurricane, the eyewall is a very limited area and the most dangerous.

To give scale to the size of the buzzsaw, again we are talking about the most dangerous part of any hurricane – the eyewall itself, this next image shows a comparison between the eyewall of Hurricane Charley in 2004 and the eyewall of Hurricane Ian in 2022.

11. Both Hurricane Charley (’04) and Hurricane Ian (’22) came ashore in generally the same place.  Charley made official landfall at Upper Captiva Island and Ian at Bokeelia. The distance between both landfall locations is only about 4 miles as the crow flies.

Both storms were Cat-4 landfall events.  However, Charley was much smaller, had a smaller buzzsaw and moved very quickly around 20 mph.  Ian was big, had a much bigger buzzsaw and moved very slowly around 5mph.

The duration of Charley was around 2 to 3 hrs.  The duration of Ian was around 8 to 9 hrs.   Ian was bigger and just moved slower.  Inside this distinction you discover why, despite their almost identical regional proximity, the damage from Ian was much more severe.  Topography was changed.

If there is a possibility you will be hit by the eyewall section; you should evacuate – period!

12. Additionally, and this should be emphasized and discussed within your family, if you cannot be self-sufficient in the aftermath – for any reason, then you should evacuate.

Self-sufficiency in this context requires being able to cope for up to several weeks:

(1) potentially without power; (2) potentially without potable running water (3) potentially without internet service; (4) potentially without communication outside the region; and (5) with limited municipal and private sector assistance.   If you decide you cannot deal with these outcomes, you should evacuate.

Additionally, as a family or individual, you should also honestly evaluate:

(1) your physical abilities; (2) your emotional and psychological ability to withstand extreme pressures; and (3) your comfort in losing daily routines, familiar schedules and often overlooked things you might take for granted.

Post hurricane recovery is fraught with stress, frustration and unforeseeable challenges.

13. ♦ Hardening your home is a matter of careful thought and physical work.  However, every opening into your structure must be protected, leaving yourself with one small exit opportunity just in case. Hopefully you have a bolted door with no glass windows you can use as an emergency exit.  If not, select a small window and leave only enough room uncovered for you to get out in case of emergency or structural collapse.

14. Beyond the ordinary supplies like drinking water, batteries, flashlights, battery or hand-crank radio, generators, gasoline, etc.  Evaluate the scale of what you have against the likelihood of weeks without power or water.   A few pro tips below:

15. ♦ Put three 30-gallon trash cans in the shower and fill them with water before the storm.  This will give you 90 gallons of water for cooking and personal hygiene.  You will also need water to manually flush your toilets.  Bottled water is great for drinking, hydrating and toothbrushing, but you will need much more potable water if the municipal supply is compromised or broken.

16. ♦ A standard 6,500-to-8,500-watt generator will run for approximately 8 hours on five gallons of gasoline.   Do not run it all the time.  Turn it on, chill the fridge, make coffee, use the microwave or charge stuff, then turn it off.  Do this in 4-hour shifts and the fridge will be ok and your gasoline will last longer.  Gasoline is a scarce and rare commodity in the aftermath of a hurricane.  Gas stations don’t work without power.  Check the oil in the generator every few days.  Also, have a can of quick start or butane available in case the generator starts acting up.

17. ♦ Extension cords.  If you are purchasing them buy at least one 100 to 150′ extension cord with a triple ponytail.  This way you can use one cord into a central location to charge up your electronic devices.  Establish a central recharging station for phones, pads, laptops, and rechargeable stuff.

18. ♦ Purchase a box of “contractor garbage bags” and just keep them in the garage.  These are large, thick, industrial trash bags that fit 40-gallon drums. They can be used for trash, or even cut open for tarps in the aftermath of a storm.  These thick mil contractor bags have multiple uses following a hurricane.

19. ♦ Do all of your laundry before the hurricane hits.  You will likely not have the ability again for a few weeks.

20. ♦ Cook a week’s worth of meals in advance of the hurricane. Store in fridge so you can microwave for a meal.  Eating a constant diet of sandwiches gets old after the first week.  Dinty Moore canned beef stew and or Chef-boy-ardee raviolis can make a nice break…. anything, except another sandwich.

21. ♦ Have bleach for use in disinfecting stuff before and after a hurricane.  Also have antibiotics and antiseptics for use.  Hygiene and not getting simple infections after a hurricane is critical and often forgotten.  Again, this is where the extra potable water becomes important.  Simple cuts and scrapes become big deals when clean potable water is not regularly available.  Keep your scrapes and abrasions clean and use antiseptic creams immediately.

22. ♦ Do not forget sunscreen and treatments to relieve muscle aches and pains.  Hurricane recovery involves physical effort.  You will be sore and/or exposed to the elements.  Remember, it’s all about self-sufficiency because the normal services are not available.  A well-equipped first aid kit is a must have.

23. ♦ Buy a small camping stove.  Nothing big or expensive, just something you can cook on outside in case of emergency.  You can also use Sterno. It will be a luxury when you are 2+ weeks without power and all the stores and restaurants are closed for miles.

24. ♦ Those small flashlights that you can strap around your head that take a few AAA batteries?  Yup, GOLD.  Those types of handsfree flashlights are lifesavers inside and outside when you need to see your way around.  Nighttime is especially dark without electricity in the entire town.  Doing stuff like filling a generator with gasoline in the middle of the night is much easier with one of those head strap flashlights.  Strongly advise getting a few, they’re inexpensive too.

25. ♦ Cash.  You will need it.  Without power anything you may need to purchase will require cash, especially gasoline.  Additionally, anyone you hire to help or support your immediate efforts will need to be paid.  Cash is critical.  How much, depends on your individual situation, but your cash burn rate could go into the thousands in the first few days.  Also keep in mind, you may or may not be able to work and without internet access even getting funds into place could be challenging.

26. ♦ Hardware. A box of self-tapping sheet metal screws (short and long) is important, along with a box or two of various wood screws or Tyvex screws.  A battery drill or screw gun is another necessity.  Check all of this stuff during hurricane prep.

27. ♦ Fill empty space in your freezer or deep freeze with bottles of water. Make sure you remove some before positioning to allow room for ice expansion.

Use small bottles of water to fill small spaces. You can drink this water post storm, but use it to fill space and help freezer maintain temp during any power outage.

28. ♦ Place a tall glass filled with water in the middle shelf of the Freezer. Let the water freeze. Before evacuating place a coin on top of the ice.

If the coin is at the bottom of the glass when you return, throw out everything inside the fridge. That means the temp was compromised too long.

29. If you have doubts, fears or worries, trust your instincts. Lockdown, clean up outside, bring inside all the patio furniture or throw it into the pool, and just evacuate.

Prayers for all in the path of Milton.

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