How will you prepare differently for the next storm??

I think I was prepared, however I didn't lose power or get flooded, so I can't say I experienced anything horrible. I imagine next time I'd prepare more for losing power food-wise (had water, flashlights, batteries, candles, radio).

As far as gas for my car, I'd fill up (I had 1/2 a tank). I have to research how to fill up a gas can and store it in or around a garden apt.

How will you prepare differently for the next storm??

I did everything I needed to prepare. Next time, I'll just have to do it earlier because everyone else will be filling up on gas, getting out cash and stocking up on items. I was shocked at how few people I saw out and about preparing for this storm. Once things get back to normal, I will pick up another camping lantern and possibly a generator. We've never lost power here but there is a first time for everything.

Re: How will you prepare differently for the next storm??

Re: How will you prepare differently for the next storm??

get cash

Re: How will you prepare differently for the next storm??

generator

Re: How will you prepare differently for the next storm??

We will buy a generator some time in the next few months when the craziness dies down. We keep talking about it, and then when you need it, you can't find one because of demand.

We will also need to invest in some gas cans...so we can actually use the generator.

And seeing as I have gas heat, I think I need to figure out how we can keep the heat/hot water working without the electricity. I don't know how you would plug that into a generator Something worth exploring.

Our camping lantern (solar) broke. We need to replace it.

We will reinvigorate the oral tradition circa 800BC so we can entertain ourselves with no power for our gadgets

Re: How will you prepare differently for the next storm??

How will you prepare differently for the next storm??

Get cash, and as soon as we get gas im going to home depot and buying two massive gas tanks and filling them. Otherwise, we were pretty prepared. Oh, im also going to cut all our trees down. They scare me, they are old, and break with the smallest winds, so they will go.

Re: How will you prepare differently for the next storm??

Buy a generator.

How will you prepare differently for the next storm??

Get a kerosene or oil heater and a crank radio. The battery compartment of my radio wasn't working, so we had nothing to listen to during the storm. I suggest some of the solar motion flood lights for outside your house. It will light up the area in case of power outages. I bought mine on amazon.

Re: How will you prepare differently for the next storm??

We were pretty well prepared with the exception of our generator being too small to run our well( so we had no running water) or our heating system. DH was lucky enough to get a very large generator yesterday that we are going to wire directly to power a good part of our home next time.
We always keep plenty of bottled water, flashlights, batteries
We had plenty of gas, all three vehicles full prior to the storm plus about 20 gallons in cans but Id like to figure out a safe way to store even more gas on our property.
We also made it a point to have more cash than usual on hand.
Prior to Irene DH bought tarps, plywood and other supplies to protect or repair our home, thank god we didn't need them but we store them in our shed just in case as well as a chainsaw.
I would like to add more outdoor solar security lights to our home.
We are going to have a lot of tree trimming done because it's a miracle our house didn't get hit by anything this time. Overall I think we were pretty prepared

Re: How will you prepare differently for the next storm??

Have a generator, fill up my car and a gas tank, get more milk, take out cash.

Re: How will you prepare differently for the next storm??

While we will absolutely evacuate, I also want to purchase a rowboat or a canoe to have on hand "just in case".

It was nuts the amount of people we saw who panicked and needed to be rescued in the height of the storm.

DH and a neighbor also rescued a man from drowning, when his car got stuck in the floodwater, he tried to push it and fell underneath it. It was insane.

I also feel like a moron because I initially said I was going to evacuate and then changed my mind because it was nothing "but wind" for the majority of the storm.

Until I saw the water come out of nowhere from all directions and surround our homes in our neighborhood.

Neighbors flocked to our house since we are one of the highest on the block.

So yeah, evacuation is what I will do differently.

Re: How will you prepare differently for the next storm??

We did pretty much everything right. There are some structural issues we need to deal with on the terrace before the next storm...but I feel pretty good about how we prepared.

Re: How will you prepare differently for the next storm??

We were actually pretty well prepared thistimearound.

We may be buying a generator once the price inflation goes down. We don't NEED it, but it would be convenient to have the fridge and stove with three kids in the house (and COFFEE!). We were fine without heat because we have a wood burning stove that warms our house better than our heat (at least the first floor)

We filledour cars prior to the storm, but next time (wether we get a gen or not) we will be filling up multiple gas cans as well so if our cars run out, we'll have that little extra to get us by!

Re: How will you prepare differently for the next storm??

Re: How will you prepare differently for the next storm??

Re: How will you prepare differently for the next storm??

I think we handled things good, but DH would like to have a BJ's-sized pack of C-batteries on hand that we only touch for emergencies. He was panicked that we didn't have enough. He also wants us to get some lanterns.

I did fill up right before the storm, but drove 2x to check on my parents house and twice we hung out at a friend's house that had power, so I am down to almost 1/4 tank. Next time I will think twice about driving around so much.

How will you prepare differently for the next storm??

We were very lucky and never lost power and filled up the cars on Sunday before the storm but for hurricane season next year we'll have a LO so we're going to buy a generator just in case. Also we'll take cash out, I never remember that if places lose power they can't do debit/credit.

How will you prepare differently for the next storm??

I was very stor ready I would just fill my gas tank....I had a little more thank a half a tank. I never thought it would get like this to get gss

How will you prepare differently for the next storm??

Did everything I could. Got gas, cash, food, batteries, flashlights, candles, filled the propane tank for the grill.
I have a 2 burner propane stove (used for camping). I wold get more propane for that. It helped out a lot. Used it more than the grill.

Maybe get a generator.

Message edited 11/3/2012 9:51:31 AM.

Re: How will you prepare differently for the next storm??

A generator and fill up the gas cans.

Re: How will you prepare differently for the next storm??

I think for us it's more a matter of being prepared before ther is even talk of a storm.
I don't do well with rushes and standing on lines and raiding the supermarket the day before with 1000s of others in a panic.

So we are going to get a generator- once this all dies down.
And buy some camping gear like small gas burner to cook on, lanterns etc.
Flashlights and batteries to store for when needed.
Also- I realized we have no radio - at all.
So I'd like to get a small battery operated one.

Just stuff like that so when another storm comes I don't feel like I am in a paniced rush- and I have all those things already

Re: How will you prepare differently for the next storm??

Generator
More batteries (although we haven't run out yet I'd just like to not have to worry about rationing our flashlights)
More canned food


And we have a small camping stove that uses propane canisters. Next time I'd buy fuel for that b/c we could have used it indoors during the storm to heat water.

How will you prepare differently for the next storm??

Nothing different. I did nothing different than I do for any storm. I have no power but I actually have a great attitude through all this. I'm alive and my family is safe. That's all that matters to me. I'll drive my car next week when things are better. Until then its family time