How To Prepare

How To Prepare for Tropical Storms and Hurricanes.

      As a true Floridian who has experienced 8 Hurricanes and over 30 tropical storms, I am compelled to inform those unfamiliar with this type of weather how to better prepare themselves for impact. First and foremost, you want to know what kind of monster you are dealing with. These storms are categorized by intensity or wind speed. A Tropical storms minimum wind speed is 39 miles per hour and the maximum wind speed is 73 miles per hour. These winds can generate tornadoes, rip trees from the ground, remove roof tiles, and cause a rise in sea level called a storm surge. Once a tropical storm has reached 74 miles per hour it is then classified as a category 1 hurricane. The maximum speed of a category 1 hurricane is 95 miles an hour. These are dangerous winds and can absolutely cause significant damage. You can be sure that the same effects of a tropical storm will occur, but with more risk of flooding and wind damage. A category 2 hurricane has a minimum wind speed of 96 miles per hour and a maximum speed of 110 miles per hour. These hurricanes are extremely dangerous and will most definitely cause extensive damage. A category 3 hurricane has a minimum wind speed of 111 miles per hour and a maximum speed of 130 miles per hour. You can expect devastating damage to occur from these incredible wind speeds. A category 4 hurricane has a minimum speed of 131 miles per hour and a maximum speed of 155 miles per hour and a category 5 hurricane is classified as 156 miles per hour and any wind speed above that. Both category 4 and 5 hurricanes will cause catastrophic damage and the possibility of death becomes much greater.

When/How To Evacuate:

      For categories 4 and 5 I recommend getting the hell out of dodge well before it makes land fall. If you decide not to evacuate for a category 4 and 5 hurricane you can expect your home to be destroyed around you by either flood, wind, and/or debris and you will likely be injured or killed. If you are living within 6 miles of a shoreline or in a mobile home you should evacuate for categories 2 and 3. You might even consider evacuating for a category 1 hurricane if you live in a mobile home. A recommendation would be made by your local weather advisory and in some cases evacuation becomes mandatory.

     Be sure to pay attention to any weather reports to stay updated on the storms intensity. A category 1 can become a category 4 in the matter of a day or two. A good example of this would be Hurricane Katrina. I experienced Katrina as a category 1 in Florida; radar showed the storm covering the entire state. Once Katrina moved over the warm Gulf waters it quickly became a category 4 hurricane before it made land fall in Louisiana and Mississippi. If travel is not possible, seek shelter in local stadiums. These large structures are the next best thing to evacuation if you want to survive mother nature's fury.

     If evacuation is eminent, be sure to map out at least 5 possible routes. Having only 1 or 2 exit strategies increases the risk of being stuck in a grid lock and can make evacuation difficult or a “too late” scenario. If possible have a GPS available and most definitely have road maps. Try to avoid bridges; as winds exceed 40 miles per hour, local authorities tend to close them. In my case, I lived 23 years in a peninsular county and the only routes consisted of 4 bridges, one major highway north out of the county, and various small two lane roads. If bridges closed before evacuating, you were basically screwed.

Make sure to pack enough clothing for up to a 3 weeks, a first aid kit, and all important/perishable documents ( i.e. Identification, birth certificate, social security card, deeds, titles, etc) Pretty much any documents you do not want destroyed. It is a good idea to always have these documents in a locked file folder so they can be easily packed for a situation such as evacuation. Do not by any means board an animal or leave them alone in your home if you your self are evacuating. Always have an animal carrier ready for travel and bring your animal with you. Hurricane Andrew and Hurricane Katrina both claimed the lives of hundreds of animals because they were either left behind by their owners or their owners decided to wait out the storm.

How To “Ride out the Storm”:

     If the storm you are facing is a tropical storm or a category 1 through 3 hurricane and you decide not to evacuate, the following preparation tips will ensure your survival, minimize property damage, and decrease the risk of insanity by boredom.

Items To Have in the Home:

     While enduring a storm such as these, it is inevitable at some point the power will go out. Some residential areas could have power out anywhere from a few hours up to a few weeks. It is important be prepared for the long haul. In my neighborhood it was common for power to go out up to 1 full day for tropical storms and up to 4 days after a cat1-3 hurricane. We are all now accustomed to refrigerators, lights, television, microwaves, toasters, electric stoves, etc. When these things fail, you need to have a back up plan and it can not involve starting a camp fire in the living room (not smart). My parents have lived in Florida since the late 60's and over the years have perfected storm preparation.

     It is vital to have at least 10 gallons of bottled/jugged water available in the event the tap source has been contaminated. Luckily my family and I never had to resort to using the bottled water during or right after a storm. Having at least 3 weeks worth of dry foods is most ideal. If the power fails cold foods in refrigerators and freezers could go bad before power is restored. We always had plenty of bread, peanut butter, raisins, cereals, crackers, etc available. Fortunately for us we had plenty of dry foods during these storms. On 4 occasions we had to throw away pounds and pounds of food due to lack of refrigeration and live off of the above mentioned foods for three days. Also, as a child I would make sure to have a stash of candy hidden (nerds and tootsie rolls), just in case. I can't lie, I still keep a stash of candy hidden. Also, It doesn't hurt to keep a cooler with ice on hand for those first few days. I am a milk-o-holic and have to ensure I can get my dairy fix even in the face of disaster. If for some reason you can not get your hands on a cooler or ice, try not to open the fridge or freezer very often as that lets the cold air out.

     During a power outage it can be convenient to have a generator. A portable generator should be stored inside until the storm passes so it does not become dangerous debris. However, it by no means should ever, ever ,ever be used indoors. Using a generator indoors will cause death by carbon monoxide inhalation. Anything that runs on liquid gas produces the deadly odorless gas. A generator is to be used outdoors after the storm has passed as a means of having electricity until power has been restored. Some idiot in the middle of redneck Florida a few years back decided he could not wait the 24 hours for the storm to pass before using his generator and ended up killing his entire family.

     During the storm you will still need a light source, so having a number of flashlights is very handy. I recommend having at least one per person and plenty of batteries. I do not recommend candles because they are hazardous and rescue response time will be dramatically increased during a hurricane. Why put yourself at greater risk? In addition to having batteries for flashlights they will be needed for a radio. You will want a radio to keep yourself updated on the weather for threats of flood or tornadoes. Always remember that the television is not a reliable news source during a storm.

     These days just about everyone has a portable house phone, if they even have a house phone, or a cell phone. In a power outage these two phones will not last as long as you may need them too. Every home should have a land line phone in case of an emergency and to stay in contact with family/friends. Finally, a first aide kit and a fire extinguisher are vital, as you will be on your own until the storm blows over. Make sure the first aide kit has antibacterial ointment, bandages of various sizes, gauze, and dermoblast (for burns) and the fire extinguisher has not expired.

Steps to Prevent Injury/Property Damage:

     It is most ideal to have hurricane proof windows, but that is not always the case. Before my parents had these windows installed, my father had permanent screw anchors around the perimeter of every window, including the sliding glass doors to the backyard. When needed, we had custom sized pieces of plywood behind the tool shed that could be secured around all glass openings of the entire house in under an hour. This way if any debris came flying at the windows it was much less likely to break through. This also made the interior of the house darker than the Mariana Trench and flash lights became life savers during power outages. Some people have used duct tape in a criss cross pattern across their windows to prevent shattering, but this unfortunately has never worked, so don't waste your time. To protect your entry ways it is wise to use sand bags to create a boundary between your doors and flooding. My parents house is on a hill and luckily we have never had to deal with standing water.

      Protect yourself and others by bringing hanging and potted plants indoors and basically anything that is not glued or nailed down. Be creative in finding ways to secure large outdoor items. We put our garbage can in our outdoor shower, the lawn equipment in the tool shed, including the hose, the grill in the tool shed, and anything else that could no longer fit in the house, garage, or tool shed, underneath of the pool deck. Securing all of these items reduces the amount of dangerous debris flying around. In a category 2 hurricane, a hanging plant can become a deadly missile. Growing up my favorite part about preparing for these storms was bringing all of the hanging plants inside. We had so many that our house became a jungle and our cats would go bananas chasing whatever lizards that were hiding in plants.

     In addition to flying debris. do not park cars under trees if at all possible. If your home is in the path of large oaks, you might want to consider evacuating. Even after mild tropical storms I have seen oak trees completely uprooted and during a stronger hurricane the possibility is much greater. You never know which way the tree will fall. Finally, never go outside or drive during these conditions. I made the mistake of driving during a tropical storm once and a 7 foot branch landed on the roof of my S.U.V. right after I watched a traffic light come crashing to the street and a transformer box get struck by lightning and catch fire.

How to Prevent Boredom:

     There are a variety of ways to keep yourself busy and the crazy at bay while you are riding out the storm. In the passed I have prepared for this by making sure I have playing cards, bored games, puzzles, and arts and craft supplies. Some people have tropical storm or hurricane parties (as long as its only a category 1). These people under estimate mother nature and give themselves a disadvantage by being impaired in the event they actually need to react to a serious situation. But, never the less, I have attended a few tropical storm parties in my day. Usually these parties start before the storm hits and everyone rides it out together. It is fun for a while, but eventually you just want to go home and lay in your own bed. These storms last too long and I can not party for more than a few hours.

      If all this fails to entertain you during a tropical storm or hurricane just look out the window. Its amazing how a tree with a trunk as thin as a pencil wont snap like a tooth pick, but rather bend with incredible resistance, and a mighty oak tree can be in the ground for over a 60 years and in a matter of seconds be taken to the ground. If nature doesn't make you awe at its turbulence and time is still lagging, just go to sleep, I don't know what else to tell you.