Start preparing for hurricane season

[Bodhi]

Gotta have power to charge the cell phones to make posts on the GCGF.

 

[BluesBrother]

Gotta have power to charge the cell phones to make posts on the GCGF.

I have a few power banks that I keep charged for just that purpose and other. If necessary I can also charge my phone from my truck.

 

[Rebel_Rider1969]

Whole home Genrac if need be. Don't plan to run it much in case the Zeds and Haitians are out looting.
Ammo...check. Bottled water....check. TP and wipes....check. Fuel for lanterns....check. Batteries....check.

Everything else we do is geared toward the 72-hour window of being on our own (canned goods, etc. Although we can cook on gas grill if have to).

Starting June 1 I never let any of our vehicles go less than half-tank of fuel.

This could be a well-thought-out thread with lots of good advice for us all.

Yep, same here and nasty mres jic. I like em, but bride doesn't. Got extra gensets and window shakers. If needed. Last time we used them to just cool one room and everyone had a sleepover.

 

[Rebel_Rider1969]

I am headed out now to buy as much bread and milk as my fridge will hold!

And fireball!

 

[Bodhi]

And fireball!

Trip to the ABC store is first on my list the moment we get a named storm in the Gulf. Then the gas station and finally the grocery store.

I figure that trading liquor for supplies will be far easier than trading Vienna sausages and condiments packets for supplies. Am I wrong in that thought process??

 

[pete repete]

Trip to the ABC store is first on my list the moment we get a named storm in the Gulf. Then the gas station and finally the grocery store.

I figure that trading liquor for supplies will be far easier than trading Vienna sausages and condiments packets for supplies. Am I wrong in that thought process??

i have a good collection of cheap vodka. it has many uses.

 

[Rebel_Rider1969]

Trip to the ABC store is first on my list the moment we get a named storm in the Gulf. Then the gas station and finally the grocery store.

I figure that trading liquor for supplies will be far easier than trading Vienna sausages and condiments packets for supplies. Am I wrong in that thought process??

Nope. People always wanna drink.

 

[chef_josh]

I’m usually self sufficient for about 3 weeks. After that I either have to leave or will need help. It has been my experience that help shows up a couple of days after you don’t need it any more. FEMA and the red cross come around after the power has been restored. Both are as useless as tits on a boar hog in my opinion. The only help I’ve ever gotten has been from friends . I have truly been amazed by some of the younger guys and gals in our social circle.

2 different volunteers with the Cajun Navy were on my street within the first 12 hours after the storm passed. I saw no one for the following three days. The National Guard arrived on Day 4, but they were not trained and didn’t have many tools, and me and the neighbors had finally made enough progress with axes and chainsaws to cut the Guard into the neighborhood. That’s right, they didn’t make it in, we cut them a way in. I left on day 5 and never saw FEMA once. Red Cross is a complete joke and didn’t do anything but press conferences.

 

[ccc]

Gotta have power to charge the cell phones to make posts on the GCGF.

We bought these off Amazon, have one in each of our three cars. You charge them in about 30 minutes from any standard 110 wall outlet. They stay charged for months. Then they can jump your car, charge your cell phone, power bank, compass, led light with strobe and SOS. Best $49 ever spent. They get GREAT reviews!

 

[gfb46]

I've been through almost every major hurricane in the panhandle and I have yet to see real looting here. New Orleans had its own problems and a lot of bad stuff happened there after Katrina for sure and Miami had their problems after Andrew but I've never seen anything like that in N Florida.

After Michael came through Tally in 2018 there were a few young men that decided to try their hand at a midnight crime spree. With all of TPD and LCSO on Alpha/Bravo shifts literally half the department was on staff when they kicked off. The effect was like rolling a tennis ball down a sidewalk lined with 300 bored golden retrievers. Their spree ended quickly and with a whimper.

If anyone has stories from Panama City after Michael please share!

Gulfport had some looting after Katrina, my son in law was a cop for Gpt and told me about them and what happened when they were caught, it wasn't nice.

 

[fisheadgib]

Nope. People always wanna drink.

Ironically, back in around 78, hurricane Frederick was supposed to hit FWB so my roommates and I bought a bunch of wine cause we figured that we could drink warm wine when power went out. We never lost power on that one and we had a bunch of cheap wine to deal with,

 

[MarkS]

Ironically, back in around 78, hurricane Frederick was supposed to hit FWB so my roommates and I bought a bunch of wine cause we figured that we could drink warm wine when power went out. We never lost power on that one and we had a bunch of cheap wine to deal with,

Fredrick hit in 79 I was working in the mess hall on Duke Field. Some of the personnel thought it was a good time to throw a hurricane party as they had never been in a hurricane. They were lucky that it missed the area unlike Eloise that did major damage in 75. After 75 we had a few close calls but then in 95 Opal came calling doing much more damage than Eloise because of more building on the coast. 9 Years later Ivan did a lot of damage even had a tornado take off the back half of the roof of my buddies house where we were riding it out. I thought the house was falling in. We had the roof replaced a week or two before FEMA showed up.

 

[Bay Ranger]

FEMA is a joke. Wasted money. When I went through Katrina the church groups were in the area days after handing out water and setting up cooking station giving out hamburgers and hot dogs. Later, more diverse foods. It wasn't til about 5 days later that FEMA showed up with water. I worked at Stennis Space Center and weeks later semi after semi was lined up at the base with ice that was melting in the trucks. Either no one needed the ice or they had no where to take it. Our tax dollars at waste!

 

[MarkS]

I was born In Crestview in the 50’s and have lived here since. Been through every hurricane and tropical storm since and FEMA has never showed up until days after. After 3 or 4 days the road to Andalusia,Al. has always been open so we could go there for supplies we needed because FEMA was nowhere to be found

 

[Bodhi]

FEMA is a joke. Wasted money. When I went through Katrina the church groups were in the area days after handing out water and setting up cooking station giving out hamburgers and hot dogs. Later, more diverse foods. It wasn't til about 5 days later that FEMA showed up with water. I worked at Stennis Space Center and weeks later semi after semi was lined up at the base with ice that was melting in the trucks. Either no one needed the ice or they had no where to take it. Our tax dollars at waste!

So is the FDA, the CDC...name a federal agency that isn't a joke....

When in doubt, you can't rely on big gubment.

 

[BluesBrother]

So is the FDA, the CDC...name a federal agency that isn't a joke....

When in doubt, you can't rely on big gubment.

I think most reasonable people know this as fact. It's the reason so many help and count on each other in a calamity.

 

[fisheadgib]

I got stationed at Elgin in 1976 and have experienced ever storm since and I don't recall ever seeing much of a presence by any government organization or the Red Cross for that matter. After hurricane Opal, Anheuser Busch probably passed out more water than the government and there were numerous private organizations passing out ice.

 

[Bodhi]

I think most reasonable people know this as fact. It's the reason so many help and count on each other in a calamity.

Exactly. Get to know your neighbors.

 

[Welldoya]

One more thing that won’t be available after a hurricane - extension cords. Get what you need for your generator before the storm hits.
I’m having a transfer switch installed in my new house. That will be nice not having to run extension cords.
Chain saws and 2 cycle oil is also hard to find.
As someone said earlier, get a window AC unit. I’ve got a 5,000 BTU for the bedroom and an 8,000 for the den but I think I’m gonna upgrade and use the 8,000 in the bedroom and get a 12k for the den. That 5k just doesn’t cool a big bedroom very well.

 

[B52]

A few years ago we bought a high-end generator, which has successfully kept major hurricanes off of Tallahassee for at least the last two years!

I made the same sacrifice to the weather gods this year. I bought a whole home Generac generator because I didn't want to hassle with my portable for any reason.