So I've been thinking about preparation, have you? Because the thing about BEING PREPARED is that it won't hurt, it can only help. If nothing happens, what have you lost? Maybe a little time, that's about it.
I'm NOT stocking up on milk and eggs, because I don't use them that much anyway. And besides, if we lose power, what good will they be? I'm already stocked up on other kinds of food, food that I know how to prepare without electricity, and that won't spoil.
I have a bunch of jugs of water, and I put them all in my freezer. I'm thinking that if I lose electric, I don't usually lose water, but I'll have the water if I need it. And if I lose electric, my freezer will be full of these huge blocks of ice already, and everything will stay colder longer.
I've got plenty of batteries and a few of those really good little LED flashlights and a radio.
And the day before the storm, I'm going to go around my yard and clean up all the summer stuff. It had to be done eventually anyway, right? I'm going to put away the table and chairs and umbrella and decorations, and basically make sure nothing is laying around.
I read this "Public Information Statement" from the National Weather service... the capital letters are theirs, not mine:
...PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT... ...PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION FOR THE UPCOMING COASTAL STORM... THERE IS AN INCREASING CHANCE THAT A STRONG COASTAL STORM WILL TRACK CLOSE TO THE TRI STATE AREA EARLY NEXT WEEK. WHETHER OR NOT TROPICAL SYSTEM SANDY REMAINS A TROPICAL CYCLONE BY THE TIME OF ITS CLOSEST APPROACH TO US...SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS TO THE AREA COULD BE FELT AS EARLY AS SUNDAY AND LAST THROUGH AT LEAST TUESDAY. NOW IS THE TIME TO START PLANNING FOR THESE POTENTIAL IMPACTS. STAY INFORMED BY MONITORING THE LATEST HURRICANE AND TROPICAL STORM ADVISORIES IN ADDITION TO YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOCAL FORECASTS. LISTEN TO RADIO AND TELEVISION REPORTS...AS WELL AS NOAA WEATHER RADIO TO GET THE LATEST ADVISORY UPDATES. SIGNIFICANT COASTAL FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. FIND OUT IF YOU LIVE WITHIN A STORM SURGE EVACUATION ZONE. KNOW THE LOCATION OF DESIGNATED OFFICIAL SHELTERS AND LEARN THE MOST DIRECT SAFE ROUTE TO GET THERE. MOST SHELTERS WILL NOT ALLOW PETS...AND SOME SHELTERS HAVE FACILITIES FOR THOSE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS...SO TAKE THESE INTO CONSIDERATION. ADDITIONALLY...KNOW YOUR EVACUATION ROUTES IN ADVANCE. MUCH OF THIS INFORMATION MAY BE FOUND AT YOUR LOCAL TOWN HALL...OR ON THE INTERNET AT YOUR COUNTY'S OFFICE OF EMERGENCY WEBSITE. LISTEN CAREFULLY TO LOCAL OFFICIALS AND EVACUATE THE AREA IF TOLD TO DO SO. IF YOU DO NOT EVACUATE TO AN OFFICIAL SHELTER...YOU MAY CONSIDER STAYING AT A FRIEND'S OR RELATIVE'S HOME OUT OF THE EVACUATION ZONE. LEAVE LOW LYING OR COASTAL AREAS...AS WELL AS OFFSHORE ISLANDS. THESE ARE THE LOCATIONS MOST PRONE TO STORM SURGE. STORM SURGE IS THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF A STORM SUCH AS THIS ONE. THE SURGE IS A DOME OF WATER THAT COMES ACROSS THE COAST AS THE STORM MAKES LANDFALL. IF YOU LIVE CLOSE TO THE COAST IN A MOBILE HOME YOU SHOULD EVACUATE TO A MORE SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER...EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT IN A STORM SURGE PRONE AREA. SEVERAL INCHES OF RAINFALL WILL ALSO BE A POSSIBILITY WITH THIS STORM. BE PREPARED FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF NEEDING TO HEAD TO HIGHER GROUND IF YOU LIVE NEAR FLOOD PRONE RIVERS AND STREAMS. IF EVACUATION IS NOT REQUIRED OR RECOMMENDED...STAY AT HOME IF YOUR HOUSE IS STURDY AND ON HIGH GROUND. STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE FOR A RELATIVELY LONG DURATION OF TIME. BE PREPARED FOR THE POTENTIAL OF PROPERTY DAMAGE AND AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF POWER OUTAGES. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE FOLLOWING SUPPLIES... OBTAIN A PORTABLE...BATTERY OPERATED RADIO ALONG WITH A FRESH SUPPLY OF BATTERIES. A RADIO WILL BE ONE OF YOUR MOST USEFUL SOURCES OF INFORMATION. OBTAIN SEVERAL FLASHLIGHTS WITH FRESH BATTERIES. USE OF CANDLES FOR LIGHTING IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR SAFETY REASONS. HAVE ENOUGH EXTRA BATTERIES TO LAST FOR SEVERAL DAYS. THERE MAY BE NO ELECTRICITY AFTER THE STORM. HAVE A FULL TANK OF GASOLINE IN YOUR AUTOMOBILE. NEVER LET YOUR VEHICLE GAS TANK BE LESS THAN HALF FULL DURING A STORM LIKE THIS. ELECTRICALLY OPERATED GAS PUMPS MAY FAIL DURING THE STORM. OBTAIN CANNED GOODS AND NON PERISHABLE FOODS. THERE MAY BE NO ELECTRICITY OR GAS AFTER THE STORM...SO STORE PACKAGED FOODS WHICH CAN BE PREPARED WITHOUT COOKING AND NEED NO REFRIGERATION. REFILL NEEDED PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS. OBTAIN CONTAINERS FOR DRINKING WATER. HAVE CLEAN...AIR TIGHT CONTAINERS TO STORE A SUFFICIENT WATER SUPPLY FOR SEVERAL DAYS. THE WATER SUPPLY WILL POSSIBLY BE INTERRUPTED OR CONTAMINATED. OBTAIN MATERIALS FOR PROTECTING GLASS OPENINGS. HAVE SHUTTERS OR LUMBER FOR PROTECTING LARGE WINDOWS AND DOORS. USE MASKING TAPE ON SMALL WINDOWS. PUTTING TAPE ON GLASS WINDOWS OR DOORS WILL NOT PREVENT FLYING DEBRIS FROM BREAKING THE GLASS...BUT WILL MINIMIZE THE SPREADING AND SHATTERING OF GLASS IF THE WINDOW DOES BREAK. HAVE MATERIALS FOR EMERGENCY REPAIRS. YOUR INSURANCE POLICY MAY COVER THE COST OF MATERIALS USED IN TEMPORARY REPAIRS...SO KEEP ALL RECEIPTS. THESE WILL ALSO BE HELPFUL FOR ANY INCOME TAX DEDUCTIONS. FOR THE MARINE COMMUNITY...MOOR YOUR BOAT SECURELY OR MOVE IT TO SAFE SHELTER. FINALLY...DONT FORGET TO BRING PETS INDOORS...AND SECURE OUTDOOR OBJECTS IF NOT BRINGING THEM INDOORS AS WELL. DISCUSS STORM PREPAREDNESS WITH YOUR FAMILY. SHARE YOUR IDEAS WITH FRIENDS...NEIGHBORS AND RELATIVES. PREPAREDNESS IS A JOB FOR EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY. FOR ADDITIONAL HELP OR ASSISTANCE ON STORM PREPAREDNESS...PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY OR YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE. IT IS BEST TO FORMULATE YOUR PREPAREDNESS PLAN WELL IN ADVANCE OF A STORM SYSTEM...DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE.
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