Stores are mobbed with folks rushing to prepare for Sandy, who may or may not pay an (unwelcome) visit to the east coast early next week. Surviving last year’s week + snow-tober power outage taught me a few lessons about how to be prepared:
- Fill water jugs. Buy water if necessary, but be sure to have potable drinking water.
- Fill the tub. We’re on a well, not town water, and we need to supply our own eau de toilet.
- Stock up on non-perishable food. I have lots of Amy’s soup, granola bars, fruit, pretzels, etc. to keep us going.
- Check the batteries. Oh, we have flashlights. Man, do we have flashlights. I even have a tiny battery-powered Ott light that allows me to read and knit after the sun sets.
- Get all the laundry done. We were lucky to wash our clothes on power outage day 7 at a friend’s house, and because I’d ensured I was caught up on laundry, that was fine.
- Clean the house but good. It will get messy if power is out for more than a few days, but a good scrubbing helps keep it livable.
- Gas up the car. If escape is necessary, be able to hit the road.
- Tuck away some cash. A few local stores were open last year, but they couldn’t accept my debit card. Luckily, I had cash on me.
Neal has procured a generator, which should alleviate worries about the sump pump not working and the basement flooding. We’ll go out for a few more supplies throughout the weekend. The biggest challenge right now, and I know many of my fellow 2011 power outage survivors feel this way, is to not get panicked or anxious.
Good thing I have some knitting to soothe my mind!
What’s your best storm preparation tip?
We had the gas insert put into the fireplace and a gas line put in for a stove. Never did buy the stove….I swore I would never be cold like that in my own home again and never be able to not cook. We now at least have the generator. Panicking, no not really. At least this year I will be healthy. My one tip, I use my kerosene lamps instead of candles.
We’ve debated an insert for the fireplace (wood, not gas), but we haven’t yet decided. Since the blower on the insert wouldn’t work if we lose power, it hasn’t been a priority…but at least I know I can come to your house for a hot meal!
For Irene, I filled my washing machine with water and then turned it off – it was great for filling up the back of the toilets to flush (we are on a well). It held water better than the bathtub.
I’d also add – don’t forget to charge your cell phone. If you have cable phone service and the cable goes out then you don’t have a phone. If you have regular phone service make sure you have one land line that doesn’t need power.
Just my observations – we were without power for 10 days after Irene…
Great tip on the washing machine for folks w/top loaders. Our tub holds the water nicely, which is lucky since we have a front loader! Good reminder to charge devices!
Make sure you have a heavy-duty waterproof tub (like a Rubbermaid)with important stuff for pets ready for evacuation (or holing up in the basement in a tornado). Stuff like cat/dog food, litter and pans, extra leashes, treats, etc. Copies of their vaccination paters are good idea too. Also make sure you have access to their carriers to put in the car as well.
Also make sure you know how to disconnect the automatic garage door opener if you have one in case of a power outage, and have a C-clamp to lock it shut from the inside of the garage.
If you own a passport, take it with you in an evacuation. It isn’t something to leave behind, no matter where you think you are headed.
Also you can use the water in your hot water heater in a pinch. I did buy an indoor/outdoor kerosene heater today and a battery operated carbon monoxide alarm. The new Kerosene heaters are very efficient and safe.
I am trying to remain calm.
also, sign up for the local and state text alerts and figure out how to use twitter. Twitter was my source of info during last power outage.
I’m hoping this is going to be a case of much ado about nothing. Be safe, sweetie.
We are on a well, too. Unfortunately, our tub seal is crap and won’t hold water for very long. But we’ve got a bunch of big tubs and a neighbor with a generator who makes water easily available to everyone. I do keep a bottle of antibacterial hand gel next to the sink for handwashing after using the bathroom.
We’ve also made a “reservation” at T’s work wife’s house if we lose power since they have a generator, and have invited us to stay. All the local hotels are already fully booked for next week in anticipation! I really hope we are all more prepared than the storm requires. Gah!
We don’t often get big wind storms (everyone here is still talking about the one that occurred 50 years ago) but we do get ice storms that sometimes create havoc. Since I hate being cold when the electricity goes out, I’m grateful for my gas fireplace. And I make sure I’ve got tons of blankets on hand that aren’t covered in cat and dog fur. I’ll be thinking of you and sending you good thoughts tomorrow and the rest of the week!
i must pass these tips to my daughter .>THANKS
We’ve discovered that kitty litter buckets are food-grade plastic, so we save them and fill them up with water and put the lids on in advance of any water shut-off in the building (and in a 30-year old building, we have a lot of those). Pots and pans and jugs are filled up for water for eating, and the water in the buckets is good for washing and flushing.
Hope the storm passes quickly!