Riding the storm out. Don't be a snowflake.

I'm sure most of you watched the "live" media coverage of the recent hurricanes. Did you learned anything from it?

Within a 2 week period the US had 2 Category 4 hurricanes make landfall in Texas and Florida. Texas received 52 inches of rainfall over a 5 day period causing massive flooding and property damage to our fourth largest metro area. The Florida Keys took a direct hit with the destruction of 25% of the buildings and severe property damage to the rest. The entire state of Florida had flooding and storm surge; especially in the southern portion. 7.8 million customers lost power and 60,000 workers from all over the country are still working feverishly to restore service. Approximately 1 million customers in GA and SC lost power as well. There is major tree damage. Food, water, fuel and batteries are unobtainable in many ares...difficult to find in others. Cellular phone service and the internet are out in many areas too. At one point before Irma made landfall 6 million people clogged the interstates in a desperate attempt to evacuate. At least 200,000 who could'nt leave sought shelter in government buildings. Fuel and motels became non existent.

During the 60's and early 70's I spent my summers in the Orlando area with an aunt and uncle; so I'm very familiar with Florida.

We rode more than one storm out. My uncle always said there were two kinds of people in FL...real Floridians and the snowflakes. Real Floridians knew better than to live on the coast and always prepared for hurricane season. Snowflakes live on the beach, never prepare and panic every time there is a storm.

I've watched a lot of both kinds of people in the news the past few days and some of them really are a special kind of stupid.

So here's my perspective for all those "panic preppers" out there.

Unless you're a special kind of stupid, you know you live in a hurricane prone area. Even if there hasn't been a major storm in years, you know one WILL come some time in the future. So, why aren't you prepared NOW?

Every time a hurricane begins to brew out in the ocean you always have a week or two of advance notice; so why do you procrastinate till the last minute, then rush to the store and fight with the hoards of unprepared over "essential" supplies?

If you live along the coast, in a low lying area prone to flooding or in a mobile home why do you not have a evacuation plan?

Unless you are a special kind of stupid you KNOW several things WILL happen during a hurricane.

Gas and propane will become unavailable or at best expensive and extremely hard to find.

Same for water, food, batteries and generators. They will disappear from the store shelves overnight.

ALL the interstates will become clogged with traffic as panicked people make a mad dash to run from the storm.

There WILL be extremely high winds with flooding and the loss of electricity.

Trees and power lines will come down with debris scattered everywhere. Roads will become impassable making travel dangerous or impossible in many areas.

Communications will be difficult if not impossible...cell phones, the internet, tv stations etc. may all go down.

And, when the storm makes landfall, don't expect the government to be there to hold your hand or save you from you're own stupidity. You will be on your own for several days, possibly weeks. You are going to have to depend upon yourself, friends and neighbors to make it through the tough time.

If you fail to prepare now while you still have plenty of time you have no one to blame but yourself when chaos arrives at your doorstep.

So, what should you do to prepare?

I'll give you some suggestions in part 2.

One good thing to do, is not build (or rebuild) in areas that are prone to flooding. The problem is, the government subsidizes and encourages people to build there by providing low-cost flood insurance.

If you want to live in the Florida Keys, I don't blame you. It's beautiful there. But I live in Oklahoma, and nobody subsidizes my tornado insurance, so why should I pay for your flood insurance?

When more people realize they can't afford to live in areas prone to flooding because of the high insurance rates, fewer people will build their homes there. And then hurricanes will be responsible for less damage and fewer deaths.

Unfortunately nobody listens to us free market guys.

Onward and upward,
airforce

My uncles old house in Winter Garden was built in the early 50's long before the "modern" standards. Back then they knew how to build something to stand the weather. It's still there and has survived every storm so far.

It's made out of concrete block with a terrazzo floor a couple of feet above ground. The roof sloped on all sides to shed the wind and had a large overhang over the windows for shade. All the windows had metal storm shutters. Water came from a shallow well. And there was a kerosene stove in the center of the house for the occasional cold spell.

Uncle always said people were making a big mistake when they went to 'modern stick built' houses...especially along the coast.

I rode out a couple of (smallish) hurricanes in the Caribbean...All the houses were made of concrete, with tile roofs, storm shutters that really worked, and most had standby generators.

And afterwards: Best diving EVAH!

When I was stationed at SAC Headquarters back in the early 80's, I helped clean up after a couple neighborhoods were flooded by the Missouri river overflowing its banks. I felt sorry for them - until I learned this happens to them about every ten years. They just keep cleaning up and rebuilding in the same place.

And guess who's paying for their flood insurance. Yep. We are.

Onward and upward,
airforce

That's the people in the Keys. I've always thought the were a strange combination of crazy and extremely brave. Used to know I guy from there who got off on riding the storm out. The worse the storm the more he found it a challenge to be overcome. Would not leave no matter how bad it got.

Back then only the hard core lived on the keys. He was like "uber survivalist" always prepared for anything and lived in a house that was built like a tiger tank.

Watched several videos of the Keys now...could not believe what I saw...entire islands covered bumper to bumper with camper trailers that weren't even anchored down. Now that's a special kind of stupid. And these tourists are crying because their stuff is gone or trashed...and 'da goobermit needs to do sumpin'.

I remember when Anthony hit Florida years ago. One fellow was complaining that he needed baby formula, and no one was providing it.

Just who the hell prepares for a hurricane without stocking up on baby formula? I'm not wild about Child Protective Services (putting it mildly), but maybe that baby really would be better off somewhere else.

Onward and upward,
airforce

Get ready to ride the storm out

Get ahead of the herd. Don't be a panic prepper. You should begin your storm preparations at least One month before the start of hurricane season:

Situational Awareness:
Maintaining situational awareness before and during a disaster is of critical importance. Under NO circumstances should you depend on the systems infrastructure. It WILL fail when you need it most. Things like the cellular phone service or the internet can and will go down during a hurricane or other natural disaster. Begin monitoring the news and weather for any storms brewing out in the Atlantic or the Gulf.

Plan: If you fail to plan; you have planned to fail.

Get to know your neighbors. Figure out the good guys from the jerks. You need to become friends with at least a couple of them. Make plans to help each other during and after the storm.

If you live in a high crime area with lots of gang activity; PLAN on having to defend yourself from looters and thieves. Include your 'good' neighbors in your defensive planning.

Create a Basic Communications Plan for your group. (family and neighborhood)

Create an EVACUATION PLAN; especially if you live near the coast, in a RV or mobile home or in a flood prone area. FIRST: you must have somewhere to go. Forget trying to find a room at motel 6. Find a friend or family member in a reasonably secure area who will be willing to let you come visit for a few days. Better yet find several friends...one 60 miles from your location, one 100 miles and one 500 miles. Make arrangements with these people in advance. When the storm season starts, contact these people and let them know you may be coming. And when the time comes, contact them and let them know: When you're leaving, Which route you intend to take and When you think you will arrive. SECOND: You must know how to get there. Unless you are leaving well in advance of the herd, AVOID the interstates like the plague. You do NOT want to be caught in this mess...


Get a roadmap and locate several of those old 2 lane highways leading out of your area. You want to use the roads everyone but the old timers have forgotten. Once you�ve mapped out a primary and a couple of alternate routes, get out and actually drive them for a bit. And remember, fuel may not be available on the road; so plan on carrying enough to get you to your destination.

Bug Out Vehicle:
You don't have to have a monster truck. A SUV or mini van is a good candidate for a �Bug Out Vehicle�. Your B O V must be able to hold everyone plus a 96 hour Bug Out Bag for every passenger, plus essential evacuation gear, extra fuel, water and supplies. Make sure this vehicle is in a good state of repair. Now is a good time to change the oil and filter plus air and fuel filter. Make sure ALL the lights work and that tires, brakes and wiper blades are in perfect working order. Make any needed repairs now.

Clean up:
Trim all the bushes and trees around your property.
Secure everything. Make sure there is nothing lying around the yard than can go flying during a high wind.
Make sure you have no loose gutters, shutters or shingles. If so, fix it NOW.
Measure all the windows and doors of your house. Figure out how much plywood you will need to secure them.

SUPPLIES.
PLAN your shopping trips in advance. BEFORE you rush out and buy a bunch of "stuff", TAKE STOCK OF WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE ON HAND. Do an inventory and make a list of everything you think you'll need and the stores where you can find it.

FOOD. Go to the local discount grocery store and purchase ONE months supply of canned goods. Several cases of things like green beans, corn, chili, beef stew, spaghetti, soup and spam etc. Pick up several cases of canned soft drinks. Dry cereal and peanut butter is a good idea as well.

WATER. Don't waste your time buying cases of bottled water. Instead purchase at least 4 5-6 gallon water containers . You can find these many places. They look like a blue gas jug and are clearly marked �WATER�. While you�re out shopping pick up 4 5 gallon food grade buckets and gamma seal lids at the local building supply store. Also begin saving 1 gallon milk jugs. Pick up a couple of gallons of unscented 'plain' bleach.

If at all possible you should build a rain barrel system with 2-4 55 gallon food grade barrels. These can be found inexpensively used at restaurants.

MEDICAL
If you have ANY medical condition that requires medication, stock up on extra meds now. Make sure you have a well stocked First Aid kit. Forget those cute little "survival" kits. You can purchase everything you'll need at stores like Dollar General.

FUEL. Several 20 pound cylinders of propane or top off the ones you already have. If the power goes out use these with your gas grill for cooking and boiling water.

At least 4 5 gallon fuel jugs for gas. Fill these with non ethanol gas and fuel stabilizer.

NOTE: A generator will use a lot of fuel. If possible, you should find a clean 55 gallon steel barrel and fill this with treated non ethanol fuel. Keep this barrel in an outside shed with plenty of ventilation. To transfer the fuel into smaller cans a barrel pump will be necessary.

BATTERIES. Buy a ton of AA and D cells. You need enough to keep flashlights, lanterns, radios etc running for a period of ONE month.

LIGHT. Make sure every person in the house has a good quality LED flashlight. You also need several LED lanterns ...one for every main room in the house.

PLYWOOD. Buy enough sheets of plywood and screws to cover all doors and windows. As soon as you get it home cut it to fit and store it ready for immediate use. Note: Mark each piece of plywood so you will know which window it is cut for.

While you're at the building supply store pick up several tarps, a roll of clear plastic sheeting, duct tape, some rope and anything else you think you might need to make emergency repairs on your house after the storm.

TOOLS. Make sure you have basic carpentry tools, a axe, shovel, large crowbar, AND a chainsaw with fuel, oil etc ready to go. If you don't have these things; get them now.

POWER:
GENERATOR. Purchase one of these during the off season. Don't plan on powering the entire house. Your priority will be keeping the freezer and the fridge going. Also, make sure you have plenty of heavy duty extension cords.

BATTERY. Purchase a group 29 or 31 deep cycle marine battery and a �smart� battery charger like this - 4 Amp Fully Automatic Microprocessor Controlled Battery Charger/Maintainer You will use this battery to power all your communications equipment and a LED light.

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS:
Since water may be in short supply you should also buy a large quantity of Styrofoam plates, plastic cups and flatware. And, don't forget the garbage bags. It may be some time before garbage pickup resumes after the storm so have plenty on hand.
Several large packs of toilet paper and paper towels...enough to go for at least a month.
Several large packs of bar soap and large bottles of anti-bacterial hand soap.
Several packs of bic lighters and several boxes of large kitchen matches.

Communications
When there�s a disaster or a long-term power outage, you need backup communication.

During Hurricane Katrina, more than 70 percent of cell towers went down � and stayed down for weeks. The truth is that cell phone communication is very vulnerable, and if you�re currently relying on cell phones as your primary communication device in the event of that kind of a situation, you need to reconsider.

Cell towers need AC power to operate, and most don�t have an automatic backup system. Even those that have emergency generators are only on during short-term emergencies.

To monitor news, weather and emergency frequencies you will need several battery powered radios.

NOAA radio - Midland WR-120 NOAA Public Alert-Certified Weather Radio with SAME, Use this to monitor the weather.
Shortwave radio - CountyComm GP-5 AM/FM/Shortwave SSB Radio This little radio will operate 225 hours on 3 AA batteries. Use it to monitor AM and shortwave broadcast staions as well as the hurricane watch frequencies on the amateur bands.
2 handheld vhf/uhf radios - BTECH UV-5X3 VHF, 1.25M, UHF Tri-Band Radio Use these to communicate with family and neighbors out to about 3-5 miles. Program them with all the MURS, GMRS/FRS frequencies. You should also program several of the important public service and local area amateur freqs for monitoring during an emergency.
1 CB - President McKinley AM SSB Install this in your BOV with the appropriate antenna.
1vhf/uhf mobile radio - BTECH UV-25X2 X-Series - MobiLe 25 Watt Dual Band Radio Install this in your BOV with the appropriate dual band antenna.

One week before expected landfall:
Monitor your local AM talk radio station and the tv for news and weather updates. Keep your NOAA weather radio running 24/7. Pay particular attention to where they expect the storm to make landfall. Remember this will probably change so stay on it.
Fill all vehicle gas tanks and keep them topped off every time you go out.
Make a 'normal' grocery shopping trip. Pick up plenty of "comfort" food like chips and cookies.
Pick up several bags of ice and put them in the freezer.
Make sure the generator is secured, fueled up and ready to run. TEST IT.
Pack your 96 hour Bug Out Bags and put them in the Bug Out Vehicle.
If it�s a certainty that the event will be catastrophic in your immediate area, secure the house and get out now. Before you leave shut off the gas supply and all circuit breakers.


96-72 hours before landfall:
Fill ALL water containers, jugs etc. with fresh water.
Install your pre-cut plywood over the windows.
Make sure every flashlight, lantern and radio has fresh batteries installed. TEST these devices and make sure they are in working order.
Do any necessary last minute shopping. Be prepared for shortages and long lines of irate panic preppers.
Stop by the bank and pull out as much CASH as possible. After the storm the atms's and card readers may not work.

24 hour before landfall:
Shut off the gas supply to the house.
Shut off circuit breakers to non essential rooms and appliances.
Crank up the thermostat on the fridge and freezer. You want these to be as COLD as possible before you loose power.
Do the same thing with the house AC.
Fill all the bath tubs with water.
Gather everyone in the safest room of the house.
Make sure everyone has a pair of sturdy work boots...NO flip flops.

Aftermath
The storm is over and you survived. If you're lucky all you have to do is clean up a big mess and repair some minor property damage. But, it may be much worse.

First make sure everyone in the house is safe. Do not let the wife and kids run outside to "check it out".

Evaluate the damage:
Do not go fumbling around outside in the dark unless absolutely necessary. If you must go out after dark, a good LED Rechargeable Cordless Spotlight will be helpful.

When you go outside to evaluate the damage be extremely careful. Use common sense and pay attention to what you are doing. Expect trees and power lines to be down. You may have a tree on the house or severe roof damage. If there is any water around the property and live power lines are down don't just run out and jump in...unless you want to be electrocuted.

Once you've checked your property go check on your neighbors; especially the elderly.

Generator:
If you loose power you'll have to run the geny to keep the food cold and charge your batteries.

Be safe. Make sure the generator and all drop cords are not in contact with any water.
Provide plenty of ventilation. Do not place the generator in the house or close to a open window where gas fumes will enter the house.
NEVER refuel a hot generator while it's running. Shut it down and let it cool off.
To save precious fuel don't run the generator non stop. Keep a thermometer in the coolers and when the temp goes up start the generator and cool things down. Then shut it off.

Sanitation:
Flood water will be contaminated with all kinds of nasty stuff. Don't let the kids play in it.
Makes sure everyone washes hands regularly...especially before cooking or eating or if you've been in contact with contaminated water.
Clean and disinfect all cuts immediately.
Sewer service may be out; so be prepared to make and use "bucket toilets" lined with a heavy duty garbage bag.
Dispose of all waste as far as possible from your living area.
Be prepared to boil and or disinfect all water.

Good advice.

Do any of you in hurricane areas use RV's/travel trailers for bugging out for when these storms hit, and if you do have you made any special modifications or accommodations to them or for special needs family members ?

Ducttape, I'm tweaking my last post this afternoon. Adding some links and info. Check it again later this evening.

Even better C.S.C., THANK YOU !

Here's an excerpt from another AAR. This person left his BOL and went back to his home in Fla to secure it and make any necessary repairs after the storm passed. Note some of what he ran into.

After Action Report On Hurricane Irma,
by Florida Dave

The Prep Prepping

Our prepping to deal with Hurricane Irma was done in a series of steps based on the probability of a strike affecting my area. I wrote about this in a previous article posted on SuvivalBlog. My preps for a Hurricane started two weeks prior when I notice a storm taking a track towards Cuba and local meteorologists saying, �We need to watch this one.� I had recently completed a quick inventory and tested the generator, lanterns, and camping stove. So my two week prior check was done, or so I thought.

Pre-Labor Day Preliminary Prepping

On the Thursday before the Labor weekend, August 31, Irma was tracking towards Cuba and ten days out. It was then that I did the following:

Checked my supplies.
Purchased 30 gallons of fuel in 5-gallon cans for use with the generator and cars. (I added 4oz of Stabil to each 5-gallon can of gas. This will keep the gas good for up to 1 � years.)
Purchased 40 Gallons of purified water for home and 10 gallons for use at work.
Purchased one package of D batteries.

Sunday, September 2

The Storm was tracking more towards Florida and the masses were not yet preparing. At that point, I:

Filled up all the cars.
Cleaned the rain barrels. Rain barrels can provide my family with about 150 Gallons of water each time it rains. The water is clear and silt free. To purify the water, I run it though a Berkey water filter.
Pulled the box fans, coolers, and storm shutter fasteners from the attic.
Picked up AAA batteries at Lowes and salt for the water softener. (It could be a long time before salt would be available.)
Shopped Walmart for last minute items to pick up: two gallons of unscented, regular bleach, large pack of toilet paper, bandages, and some additional first aid supplies, dish soap, and body soap.

Storm Tracks Toward Florida
Monday, September 4

The storm was tracking towards the east coast of Florida. After garbage and recycling was picked up, I cleaned and bleached both cans. From this point on I took garbage to work and tossed it in the dumpster, thinking it could be a couple weeks or longer before garbage would get picked up. Should the storm get close to us, I would fill each can about 1/3 up with water to keep it weighted down and tuck them between shrubs on the side of the house. My son cleaned the rain gutters.

Tuesday, September 5

The hurricane path was now tracking towards the center of Florida and panic prepping was all around. Gas lines were long, 10-15 deep at Costco. The county was preparing to order Level A and then Level B Mandatory Evacuations. People were trying to get out. Ironically, people were still being civil and polite. My prepping of supplies was done except for keeping the cars filled up.

Wednesday, September 6

The track looked like it was holding on the center of the Florida, and reports were saying my area was expecting Tropical Storm force winds (below 74 mph). People were a little more relaxed. I needed some non-prep related items from Costco, so I stopped by on the way home from work. Gas lines were five deep, but at least they had gas. Most stations by this point were out of gas, though some still had diesel. I was able to get some eggs and items I would like to have but did not need. The lines at Costco were normal, but water was completely gone. I overheard a Costco employee say they only had 2500 gallons of fuel left.

Thursday, September 7th

The track had changed, and we were on the X for a CAT3-CAT 4 storm. The seriousness of the situation was sinking in. People were not panicked; they were frightened and almost sad in their demeanor. Roads were clogged with people evacuating. Most gas stations did not have gas. I had overlooked one thing and that was shuttering my front door. This required installing mounts using Tapcon screws, which I had purchased some time ago. I did this after getting home from work. It was tiring and kept me from doing other prep work I should be doing. (Note to self: Next project like this, don�t procrastinate!)

Serious Matters With High Patrol Escorts

It was on Friday and Saturday, September 8 and 9, that the Florida Highway Patrol began escorting tankers to gas stations. Regular gas was becoming available although only at a few gas stations. By Friday night there were very few cars on the road, and most business were closed. Both my wife and I found regular gas, so we topped the tanks off. By Saturday at noon all stores, including gas stations and grocery stores were closed. Walmart, Lowes, and Home Depot may have stayed open a few hours later.

The roads were empty; it was eerily quiet. Local and state government personnel held regular news conferences, One thing that stuck in mind was when the Sheriff stated, �After the storm, the County would be locked down; no one would be allowed in until a full damage assessment was done.� The reasoning was to make sure electrical lines and trees were not blocking roads and EMS personnel could operate without interference from a hoard of people trying to get back in. I began a 12-hour on/12-hour off work schedule preparing the business I work for to operate during the storm.

Remaining Preps

My wife and two teenagers completed the bulk remaining preps, which included the following:

Installed the hurricane shutters.
Brought all loose objects in from outside.
Made ready two battery-operated lanterns and two additional flashlights.
Put new batteries in the radio.
Communicated with family members and asked them to use text messaging only when communicating and to not worry if they don�t hear from us for a period of time.
Finished all the laundry.
Turned the fridge and freezer temps down.

Final Preps as Storm Pounds Key West

Then on Sunday and Monday, September 10 and 11 Irma was pounding Key West and destroying infrastructure. At home before going into work, we finalized plans for dealing with the storm. Prior to wind gusts starting, we did the following:

Moved immediate needed items from the fridge and freezer to a cooler. Fridge and freezer were not opened from this point on.
Cleaned the kitchen sink and ran the disposal unit.
Charged cell phones and laptops.

I had my �go bag� with me and necessary supplies at work. Now, we rode the storm out and hoped our preps were done right.
Irma, The Aftermath.

The storm had past and we got lucky, experiencing only �tropical storm� force winds in our area. We did have a major power outage affecting most of the county. There was no power at the house; however water, sewer, and cell service were all working.

County Opened Only After Prompt Damage Assessment

It did not take long for the county to complete a damage assessment, and the county was opened around noon on Monday 9/11. On my way home at 3:30pm, I noticed none of the traffic lights were working. The city already had generators running to provide power to the lift stations (sewage pumps). City and County LEOs were positioned at major intersections and around gas stations. They kept traffic flowing by preventing left hand turns at major intersections. All intersections were treated as 4-way stops. Driving was slow, but with little traffic on the road driving was not much of a problem.

I arrived home to hear the generator running and was told my son had fired the generator up at 10am. Everything in fridges survived. The generator was then run 7am-11am, 1pm-3pm, 6pm to 11pm. The schedule easily allowed us to charge laptops and cell phones, provided lights as needed, and kept fridges cold. This schedule required five gallons of fuel per day. Prior to the storm, I gave my son instructions on how to get the generator going, which he executed to perfection.

Generator Setup and Operation

My generator setup and operation is as follows:

The generator is a standard 5500 Watt gas generator.
The generator connects to an NEMA L14-30P 30 AMP outlet on the side of my house. This outlet accommodates up to a 7500 watt generator.
The outlet feeds a 30 AMP breaker on my main panel.

Cutting House Power Over To Generator

To cut over to generator, the process is manual and is as follows:

Turn off all breakers.
Cut the main breaker off.
There is a metal device that slides up, blocking the main breaker and allowing the generator breaker to be turned on. This prevents back feeding the grid or damaging the generator when power is restored.
The generator is locked to a large tree and grounded to a grounding rod using battery jumper cables.
Turn on the generator and let it warm up for 5-10 min. Flip the generator power output switch on and the generator is now feeding the panel.
Breakers marked in green can be turned on; those marked in red should not be turned on.
Breakers are turned on one at a time. When a breaker is turned on, anything not necessary on that breaker is turned off.

Actions During Power Outage

During the power outage, we did the following:

Food from the fridge was used first, and cooking was done using the grill as an oven or using the side burner.
It was hot in the house but not intolerable. Nights were relatively cool. Taking a cold shower right before bed helped.
Coffee kept me going. We made a pot each morning while the generator was running. If it got bad, I have an ample stash of instant coffee.
During the power outage, we always had someone stay at the house.
Time was passed reading, listening to the radio, cleaning up, and prepping food.

I have not discussed security for OPSEC reasons. If anyone tried to rob us or do us harm, they would have a had very bad day.

Observations

The stress of dealing with these situations cannot be underestimated. Prepping for and dealing with the aftermath takes a lot of energy. Sleep and eating schedules are thrown into disarray. For three days prior to the event, I got about three or four hours of sleep per night. The day of landfall, I was up for 36 hours. I ate when I could and not my normal diet. Lack of sleep, a not so great diet, and stress leads to slower reaction time, clouds judgment, increases frustration and irritability. This can be mitigated by paying attention to diet, prepping as much as possible way ahead of ahead of time, and resting whenever possible.
The generator was too loud. There were many generators running in my area, so the noise was not an OPSEC problem. I am working on a solution to quiet the generator down. Solar would be nice, but it is not in my budget.
By the second night of no power, some neighbors were starting to get irritable. This will be a problem for longer events.
Hooking the generator into the panel as stated above worked great. There were no extension cords strewed about the house. It was a good investment and made things easier.
I like outdoor cooking and thought I would cook up some good meals using the camp stove or open fire. That did not happen. I was just too tired. We cooked quick and easy using the grill.
Gas lines started earlier than anticipated. I need to store some extra fuel for the cars.
Government from the state down to the local level did a fantastic job preparing for Irma and managing the aftermath. Their communication was excellent. Local TV and radio were a big help with communication. Critical infrastructure was protected and brought back online quickly and efficiently. There was very little looting in my area and surrounding communities.
We did not lose water or lift stations. It would have been much worse if we had.

Final Thoughts

This was a wake-up call. Sixty miles in the storm track made a huge difference. My preps worked fine for me and my family, but we have some tweaks to make. We only had the inconvenience of not having air-conditioning for few days. We could have gone way longer and in much worse conditions if we had to. However, the neighbors were already on edge and that would have or could have been bad.

Thanks to JWR, HJL, and all who have contributed to SurvivalBlog. I salute those of you who have relocated to the American Redoubt.

Hurricane Preparedness–Floridian Style, by R.L
.
SurvivalBlog Contributor September 13, 2020

Florida. The name conjures images to people from around the globe. Sure, most people imagine the beautiful beaches, Disney, NASA, the Daytona 500 and others, but one cannot think of the State of Florida and not think hurricanes. Hurricanes are not concerns for Florida residents only, no way, as we have witnessed many of the most destructive hurricanes in the United States impacting states such as Louisiana, North Carolina and South Carolina, Texas, even New York State! The reality is that a major hurricane (Category 3 or above) is going to wreak havoc and devastation anywhere the storm impacts. This article is not about the destructiveness of hurricanes or a plan for surviving a major hurricane, instead, I’d like to shed some light on the unique challenges that major hurricanes pose to residents of the State of Florida.

I am a Floridian, born and raised. I’ve lived my entire life residing in this state. I grew up near Cocoa Beach, have lived in Tallahassee and currently reside in Jacksonville. I have been an active participant in most every hurricane since my birth in 1979. During that time I have hunkered down for storms, evacuated for storms, witnessed the destruction of homes, roofs, windows and trees due to hurricanes. I have lived without electricity for days and weeks, and unfortunately witnessed friends and neighbors who have suffered complete losses due to hurricanes. There is no other way to put it….hurricanes are horrible. They destroy, kill and devastate. And yet, with God’s grace, we overcome. Along the way, I have learned a few lessons that I would like to share.

In case you were unaware, the State of Florida is at the extreme southeastern portion of America. In reality the state is a giant peninsula. Florida is surrounded by water on three sides with over 1,300 miles of coastline. The waters of the Southern Atlantic, Straights of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico are warm year round and are perfect breeding grounds for storms to strengthen from Tropical Storm to major hurricane overnight. In addition, unlike other states that hurricanes impact, due to the peninsular shape of Florida, evacuation routes are limited to just two Interstate highways and a handful of State Highways and local routes. Florida also boasts a population of nearly 22 million people, the majority of which reside on the peninsular portion of land mass. In other words, when evacuations are ordered, gridlock ensues.

The population grows every year in the state with many new residents who have no clue when it comes to hurricane preparedness and evacuation. State and local officials do a fantastic job of making sure that residents receive the information needed with regards to storm shelters, flood zones, items to prepare and evacuation routes, but unfortunately the implementation from residents come too late in my opinion. So what to do?

By The Numbers

First. Be aware of the storm. Does this sound ridiculous? Of course it does. I am not ashamed to admit that I faced this dilemma in 2001. While attending college in Tallahassee, my wife and I were typical poor college kids. Needless to say, we did not own a television or follow local radio reports. Tropical Storm Barry was moving into the Panhandle from the warm waters of The Gulf of Mexico towards Tallahassee unbeknownst to us. What resulted was record rainfall with flash flooding while both of us were away from home that evening. The entire city was caught off guard. Electricity was lost, cell towers were offline, streets flooded, disabled vehicles clogged local roads, there were even a few deaths from drowning. Both my wife and I lost our cars due to rapidly rising waters. Point is, Be aware of the storm!

Second. For a major hurricane, have a evacuation destination out of the State. I cannot stress this enough. Get out of Florida! I have witnessed people evacuate the East Coast and head to the West Coast, and vice-versa, only to get caught in a rapid shifting hurricane! They would have been better off staying put, instead they are holed up in a hotel, out of power, no preps, in the middle of a hurricane. Never make the mistake of assuming that the hurricane will not affect another portion of the State. Florida is around 160 miles wide for the central peninsular portion of the State. Hurricanes are generally 300 miles wide. When hurricanes make landfall, on either coast, you will be impacted if you are in the peninsular portion, guaranteed. If you are in the panhandle portion of the state, there is a better chance of missing the direct impact of a hurricane. But with the elusiveness of the hurricane’s track, I would evacuate if I were within 150 miles of a Category 3 or larger storm. The goal is to put as many miles between you and the point of impact. Panhandle evacuations are oftentimes no safer if you head North into neighboring Alabama or Georgia. The hurricane will chase you. You may need to adjust your destination East or West away from the storm’s path.

Third. Evacuate early. How early? If you reside in the southern portion of the state or the Florida Keys, no less than 4-5 days before landfall, the central portion 3-4 days and the northern portion 2-3 days. Again, this is before anticipated landfall. You may be asking yourself, “Why so early?” Prior to landfall, all traffic in Florida will increase. Residents will be driving around attempting to purchase preparations for the storm. Shipping trucks, fuel trucks, National Guard and emergency vehicles will be pouring into the state with anticipation of the hurricane. Inside of 3 days to landfall, the unprepared will be frantic and driving erratically searching for water, plywood, bread and gas. Your best bet is to avoid these types at all cost. They will be panicked, short-tempered and ready to engage. By evacuating earlier you also will avoid the bumper to bumper gridlock of the highways. The Interstates and Highways will be clogged. This cannot be stated enough. I’ve had family members stuck in traffic for 8 hours, only to move 60 miles, because they delayed evacuation. In addition, another benefit of earlier evacuation is that you arrive safely at your destination with time to watch the hurricane’s path and plan a safe return. Hurricanes are very unpredictable and change paths fast. If the storm shifts in it’s path, you may be able to get an early start back toward home. Please be advised that after the storm passes, you will be limited to travel. Road closures, downed trees and flooding prohibit movement. This is especially true regarding barrier islands. Due to bridge closures, it’s likely that you cannot enter. One thing all evacuees have in common is the desire to return home ASAP. Proceed with caution.

Fourth. Preparations. Your reading Survival Blog, have your preps ready. The most important preparation you need is a destination that you are familiar with to evacuate. I have heard stories of people evacuating with no plan, only to end up in an undesirable part of town in a raunchy hourly-rate motel. When a hurricane is imminent and evacuation orders are given, expect lodging throughout Florida, and the nearer portions of Georgia, Alabama and even Mississippi to be full. In your hurricane preps, make absolutely sure that you have a safe destination for your family and pets. I am fortunate to have family in surrounding states, but if I didn’t, I would choose a safe location that I am familiar and have visited before.

If you decide to stay, expect the worst, prepare for the worst and pray for the best. The evacuation timeline applies here as well. I would be ready three days before landfall at a minimum! In addition to your long-term and storm preps, make sure you have everything you need days before the storm hits. Stores will be stripped bare of essentials, gas will dry up, ice will become critical and then impossible to find, propane refilling stations will have 30+ guys standing in line all day long. You can forget about purchasing a generator and cabling. People literally lose their mind with an approaching hurricane. If you do not have to be out among the un-prepared….don’t!

Fifth. Mindset. All the preparations you buy cannot substitute a proper mindset. Experiencing a hurricane is a uniquely singular event that can test even the most prepared individual. Tornados and other destructive weather events possess similarities, but none offer the combination of situations a hurricane presents. For example, with a hurricane, you have months to prepare, weeks of warning and days of all-out panic with the coming storm. It’s like the anticipation of Christmas morning as a child, except you lose everything rather than gain it! Schools and businesses are closing, the local media is running non-stop hurricane coverage and you have mission-critical decisions to make with regards to evacuations and timing, while your neighbors are losing their minds. A clear and focused mindset is critical to making these decisions. The ritual of watching the weather updates, witnessing the wrath of death and destruction during the storm’s approach is a psychological exercise that will test even the most stoic.

During this period, most people make the mistake of hasty and erratic decisions based on a haughty “I will escape this” attitude. This results in people to make critical mistakes that sometimes prove to be deadly once the storm hits. The loss of sanity and reason are the norm in the events leading up to landfall, and yet, sometimes all for naught. The storm may simply pass and impact our neighbors in the Carolinas or in Gulf States. Many a weatherman have been on location, preaching gloom and doom, anticipating the storm with live coverage, only to have the storm miss them completely.

What happens next is automatic. The non-prepared residents ridicule those who were prepared and or evacuated. The same people who less than 36 hours before were losing their collective minds, have now crowned themselves as the authority on all things hurricane related. Pay these people no mind. It is my opinion that they ridicule the prepared residents to justify their lack of foresight. By mocking the prepared, they falsely obtain redemption from the embarrassment, shame and fear they recently suffered due to lack of preparation. Hurricane fever is real. Don’t fall victim to this. Develop a strong mindset and you will weather the storm.

Conclusion

Florida presents unique challenges with regards to major hurricanes. Namely: It’s landmass and shape, the number of evacuations routes, and a population largely of retirees and non-natives with little to no experience of major hurricanes. If you have never experienced a major hurricane in Florida, then please keep these words in mind during the next approaching storm: Mindset is absolutely critical to your survival and safety. Be prepared, not scared.