Hurricane essentials

[LA_MERC_Sabre]

Ok guys, this is my first experience of a hurricane up close and personal, what kind of things do I need to get in preperation...that is other than bottled water, canned food, filling up the propane bottles......maybe some stuff that I wouldn't normally think of????

Someone just told me to fill up the tubs w/ water in case of water outtages for flushing the toilet....I thought that was a pretty good idea

[LA_MERC_Temp]

a generator and a small tv and dvd player. u are gonna get bored if the lights are out for a while and you dont have anything else to clean up or fix. definetly fill the tubs. we lost water in hattiesburg and that will be the only way u can clean up and flush the toilets.

make sure all your vehicles are filled with gas too. theres other stuff i know i'm forgetting

[LA_MERC_Dirge]

matches
candles
batteries for radios and flashlights
fill ice chests with ice or water
fill vehicles with gas
canned goods/dry foods
bottled water
secure all loose items in yard into garage or shed (they can and will become missiles in strong winds)
close all blinds and curtains if you don't board up so if something comes through the glass, it has additional resistance

Do NOT go outside during the storm. If something came flying at you, you probably would not see it until it hit you. And rememebr that if water/wind force you into an area, make sure you have someway to egress yourself. Examnple: in NOLA, carry an axe to the attic with you, etc.

[LA_MERC_Dirge]

This is another good resource:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/prepare/family_plan.shtml

And another one:
http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_587_,00.html

[Biggs]

-get a couple 5 gallon gas cans to use for car/generator (we had 8,lol)
-can and dry food, water
-batteries and battery opperated radios and stuff
-board up windows
-get ammunition for ur pistol/shotty and keep em with u for just in case
-if possible fill up containers with tap water to use to flush toilets and clean urself (i.e. wash off after u sweet ur butt off)
-here is my favorite: get some beer and scotch. becuase when u and ur family and friends get stuck together after the storm the booze helps after u spend all day cleaning up or just sitting in ur house with no power/water.
like dirge said, if u can get the ice, get as much as possible u will need it when the power goes out.

[LA_MERC_BS]

Roman noodles. Seal them in zip lock bags just in case your house gets 6 foot of water in it. Trust me, it happens.
Definatly a gun.
Gas is like gold after a hurricane.
Plenty of drinking water.
If you leave, post your name and a phone number where you can be reached on your residence.
If you are married, get a bunch of night time tylenol sinus. After a few days without AC, you'll want to kill her. Slip her a few tylenol in a piece of cheese. That should give you a few hours of silence.
Take pictures of your house, it may not be there after the storm.
Get clan mates phone numbers, and give them yours.
After the storm, if you travel one hour away from where the storm hit, you'll find a town that still has gas, power, and warm food. I ate in Daphnie AL two days after the storm.

and lastly I'll quote the great Ron White "It's not how hard the wind is blowing, it's WHAT the wind is blowing" Keep that in mind when your outside checking out the storm.

[LA_MERC_BS]

Oh I almost forgot. It will be several weeks after the storm before the ATM's will work. Clean out your checking account before the storm. The last thing you want is to need money and cant get it out of the machines.

Cats dont like to be left alone in a hurricane. The first thing they'll do is take a crap on your favorite pillow.

[Little Birdy]

Cats dont like to be left alone in a hurricane. The first thing they'll do is take a crap on your favorite pillow.

Lol, I didn't reallize it was that mad!

[LA_MERC_Cowboy_From_Hell]

Lol, I didn't reallize it was that mad!

Let me lock you in a house for 2 days and floating on a matress with 6 feet of nasty water under you and see how pissed off you'd be.

[LA_MERC_Sabre]

lmao BS....

Damm! I went to wally world too late doh! them bastages cleaned the shelves already...oh well. I'm going to try again in the morning but I got some bottles of drinking water from the gas station and I have a 5 gallon water jug to fill. BTW....batteries are a thing of the past in Walmart too. So are inflatable matresses....good thing I have a blow up dragon pool toy :) to float on.

It looks like we may see a CAT 4 by tomorrow, luckily I live outside all the evacuation zones listed for Harris County (I'm in Katy, just north of I-10). Galveston may look like MS and NOLA by the end of the weekend sadly...I hope people learn from recent weeks.

I have friends in Monroe, LA that I/we can go to if we did have to leave.

I've been praying for all the people affected by Katrina, and have volunteered to help out around here and it looks like the people of Texas are going to need some prayer too.

btw...the cat can float for all I care, my wife may have something to say about that though...lol

[LA_MERC_Cowboy_From_Hell]

You can always come to our house Sabre. I'll even take you to a Kings practice while youre here...lol

[LA_MERC_Andyconda]

Also, Al, since you have a couple of days before it gets there, start eating everything from the refrigerator. Try to clean out as much of it as you can becuase if power goes out like it did for me for Ivan for a week. Then your refrigerator becomes your worst enemy. One word, STANK. Also, BS, You were in Daphne and didn't call me. I live 1/4 mile or less north of I-10 right above Daphne in Spanish Fort. I could have definaltey given you some beer and food or at least let me know and I'll take you to Hooters, My treat all you can eat and drink<--Beer that is. Good Luck Al, Rita was CAT 4 last time I checked. That equals BAD.

[LA_MERC_BS]

I didn't have you phone number. That was a pretty good idea on eating the cold goods from the fridge.

Get your insurance policy and keep it dry. If your upside down in a car payment your trying to get rid of, locate your fload areas and park that puppy there. Did I mention gun? I have a buddy that almost had to shoot his way out of a neighbor hood because he had gas cans in the back of his truck. About twenty people stood in the road trying to get him to stop, but the Z71 cleared the way for him. If you get in a bind call my office number (I'll post it in another section).

[LA_MERC_Sabre]

Well I own my Rodeo but I'm looking to get a F150 :)

[LA_MERC_T4rg3T]

Sabre, get a good generator (maybe 2) with lots of extra gas. You can run a light, your fridge and get a 110 A/C unit. Also, a gas grill would be nice. A good hot, cooked meal is good for the soul when you are dealing with no eletricity.

Be prepaired for everyone to stay in the same room with the a/c so you can get some needed nights rest if there is no eletricity.

[Biggs]

oh yeah,

get all ur paper work for the bank, investments, bills, insurance, birth certificate and anything u can think off.

[LA_MERC_Sabre]

I looks like I'm heading to Monroe for the weekend...CAT 4 running right over my house probably isn't a good thing to stick out with 3 kids at 4 and under. I'll probably only get a bunch of wind and rain, and my street floods up to the sidewalk during a heavy rain fall...crap no flood ins.....

houston evacuation is probably going to start early tomorrow, I'm going to try to beat the rush.

[LA_MERC_BS]

OMG man, you dont have any flood insurance? Dude get all your appliances up high in the house. Unplug the battery from riding lawn mowers or cars your leaving behind. Dont forget to turn off your water at the street and flip your breakers off.......... wait ah minute, you dont have flood insurance. Leave the breakers on.

Dont forget gun, tylenol, hard currancey, jewelry and cat. Unless cat is a pain in the rear. Find a neighbor that is staying and get his phone number. You'll want to talk to that dude after the storm.

[LA_MERC_T4rg3T]

I looks like I'm heading to Monroe for the weekend...CAT 4 running right over my house probably isn't a good thing to stick out with 3 kids at 4 and under. I'll probably only get a bunch of wind and rain, and my street floods up to the sidewalk during a heavy rain fall...crap no flood ins.....

houston evacuation is probably going to start early tomorrow, I'm going to try to beat the rush.

If it floods bad in your house, drive back and burn that mofo down.

[LA_MERC_Dirge]

Yep, that's one of the reasons for so many fires in NOLA

[LA_MERC_Andyconda]

Lol, The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire. We don't care let the mf burn, cuase we set it to claim fire damage instead of flood damage, LMFAO. This website is such a plethera of knowledge and good, hehehehehehehehehe.

Hey BS, my number is on the merc member info page. Give me a call next time your in the area, beer is on me. I've been trying to get James to visit as he flies into Mobile sometimes but he's givin me the cold shoulder as well. It must be me. I'll understand if you don't want to assiciate with me seeing as your in law enformcement and I'm in law breaking, hehehehehehe. Pay no attention to the still construction going on in the garage. "These aren't the droids your looking for"

[LA_MERC_Andyconda]

P.S. Oh yeah, AL, RUN LIKE HELL!!!!!!!!!!!, RITA is bad arse and headed right for you. I had a CAT 3 go right over my rent house last year. It ain't good and you don't want to be there. I was without power for a week and it was BAD!. The smell, the heat, and did I mention the STANK. No AC is evil tooo!!!!!!RRRRRRRRUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[LA_MERC_BS]

"These aren't the droids your looking for"

hahahaa

175 mph , man you guys better haul ass.

[LA_MERC_Dirge]

The winds will be dwon a lot from that at landfall. But those high winds have already started pushing the dome of water to inundate the coast as in Ms with Katrina, so Haul Arse!

[LA_MERC_th33_r00k]

Good luck and God Bless to you all.
The most I have to worry about is the occasional forest fire, blizzard, and avalanche. That and Montana Militia, Uni-Bomber types, Freeman clan, and others.