8.26.11 Adam News & Info

Being an old hat at hurricane preparedness, try to get anything that would become airborne out of the yard. If you have no room to do that, stack the metal furniture and put it in a corner or some other protected area in the yard. If you have any potted plants outside, get them inside or do the same. You can tie the metal furniture up, because the heavier the thing is, the less chance that it will turn into a missile. When I lived in FL, hurricane Andrew actually blew cars into the street.

We're doing all of the preps tomorrow as the damn storm should be here by Sunday. I know this sounds like a government/city problem, but if you have any storm drains in the street near your house, pull all of the leaves and debris out of the top. Be sure to put any garbage cans and recycle bins inside or in a protected area. We actually lost a few during various hurricanes in FL - never to be found. Also any window box flower pots should come down. I don't know where you live, but if you're getting the brunt of the storm, leave a few windows in the house slightly cracked. Something about the pressure. They can shatter if your house is locked up tight.

We've actually got a hurricane preparedness list that we made when we lived in FL and the Bahamas. Can't believe I'm actually using it on Long Island. They will be shutting down all of the public transportation in NYC tomorrow. Can't imagine how people will get off the island if they issue an evacuation order. That all doesn't effect me, thank the universe. Also fill your cars up with gas, and get cash from the ATM. If power is lost or streets are blocked by flooding or falling trees, etc., you won't be able to get out.

If it really hits your area bad, the best place to be in your house is the bathroom. I might sound OT here, but take a mattress in with you and hold it over your heads. That is the only thing that saved my uncle when Andrew blew away his mobile home trailer. When the storm was over, everything was gone except he and his cat covered by the mattress in his bathtub. Take any pets with you as they would likely try to hide in a possibly not safe place.

Oh, and cover your firewood with a tarp, or even blankets. That way you don't have individual missiles.

While the eye passes over, the air will get very still and the sky can sometimes turn an eery green color. The storm is not over, you will still get the other half of it, once the eye passes over.

And make sure you have batteries for flash lights and radios. If it's bad, power could be off for days. As far as your roof, maybe a rain tarp from the Home Depot (if there are any left).

I would probably disassemble the play house and stack and tie it up. The main thing with potential missiles is they could come flying through your windows or your car. Park your car as close to your house as you can, if you have a driveway. And try to keep it away from any trees.

If I think of anything else, I'll post. Anyone not in Irene's path just ignore me. I know this stuff is totally OT, but anyone who has not lived through a major hurricane needs to be prepared. Of course, we have gone through all of this shit and the storm could change it's path and it's all for nothing, but you really should be as prepared as possible.