Hurricane Irene

[justplainbill]

Can only hope that the impact of Irene turns out to be as innocuous as last winter's snow storms.

 

[Dawgluver]

Best of luck to all our Easterners! Our thoughts are with you!

I saw where a guy filled up his bathtub with water for "just in case", flushing toilet, other water use. He's keeping a bucket by the tub. Made sense to me.

When we had some big tornado scares, we filled up empty plastic jugs and bottles with tap water, keeping them in the basement.

 

[justplainbill]

Best of luck to all our easterners!

I saw where a guy filled up his bathtub with water for "just in case", flushing toilet, other water use. He's keeping a bucket by the tub. Made sense to me.

Thanks for the good luck wishes. We would be less vulnerable if development during the last 30 years had not denuded our area of much of it's protective vegetation.

 

[babetoo]

best of luck to all that are in the path or irene. be safe, we would miss you.

 

[Aunt Bea]

These things always remind me of the old Bogart movie Key Largo.

Stay safe and keep us posted.

 

[vitauta]

Thanks for the good luck wishes. We would be less vulnerable if development during the last 30 years had not denuded our area of much of it's protective vegetation.

so true, jpb, same thing for the gulf coast, and other coastline expanses once protected from erosion by dunes, forests, wetlands and other natural vegetation. we are now paying the steep price for not having been more conscientious caretakers of a most sacred heritage....

 

[Constance]

Good luck to all of you in the path of the storm. Don't underestimate the seriousness of this event. God bless you all.

 

[PattY1]

This tip was posted on another forum I read. I thought I would pass it along.

Bath Tub Tip If you are filling your tub with water make sure it holds the water.
Fill the tub.
Mark the fill (or eye the level) and let it sit for a couple hours.
If you have lost water the seal (stop) on the tub is not good.


Use Saran Wrap (folded over a couple times) and cover the drain.

Very Important:
While covering the drain (tub full) with the Saran Wrap, lift the drain tab.
This will create a suction, and the Wrap will seal to the drain.
Close the drain tab.
Then place something on top that contours to the drain.
I use a bag of Pea gravel in a zipped locked bag.

 

[Selkie]

Another tip:

Fill large ziplock bags with water and fill your freezer with as many as it will hold. Do it now, before you lose power and to give them a chance to freeze so you may not lose anything already frozen.

 

[Bolas De Fraile]

I hope everyone stays safe and does what they are told to do.

 

[vitauta]

I hope everyone stays safe and does what they are told to do.

thanks, bolas. what a caring and cohesive group of people we have here at dc.

 

[Bolas De Fraile]

Vit mate I have been watching on the bbc, they stated that this is the biggest evacuation ever.
We watch these things carefully because apart from the people here we have a lot of friends at sea.
They will be running for safety and should be OK thanks to your coastguard info but having been in the middle of the Atlantic in a force nine gales and high sea's it not fun.

 

[PattY1]

I hope everyone stays safe and does what they are told to do.

 

[purple.alien.giraffe]

I hope everyone stays safe and does what they are told to do.

I'm a little late to this, been a busy few days, but I completely agree with Bolas. Stay safe everyone. Also (kinda late again) I thought this article How to prepare for a hurricane – This Just In - CNN.com Blogs had some good advice and even more of it in the comments section.

I especially liked a post by user brend, about third or fourth post down. She listed a lot of good ideas..

 

[jabbur]

We're starting to feel Irene here in VA. Lots of rain gusty wind. One tornado spotted in Norfolk. Still have power. Fortunately our house is on the same circuit as a fire station so we rarely lose power and are a priority to get it back. Irene downgraded to category 1 last night so that really eased my mind. Isabel was a cat.2 and that was bad enough. I said then I'd evacuate for a cat.3 for sure. Thought I'd post JIC the power goes later. Thanks for all the thoughts.

 

[pacanis]

I'm glad to hear it has been downgraded.

 

[Claire]

Please, please, please remember that it is far better to be over-prepared than not prepared. If this turns out to be much ado about nothing, then, you're out not much. On the other hand, try going weeks without electricity, food, water. Been there, done that, and not fun. Better to evacuate than have rescue workers threatening their own lives to save your sorry, unprepared ass. I understand even public transportation is taking pets with evacuating people. So, if you go, you have had a great adventure, if you stay and some poor cop, EMT, fireman, etc, has risked his life because you thought you were stronger than Mother Nature. Get your body and your loved ones out of harm's way. Then you can go home with your loved ones and do the best you can to fix. But don't DO NOT risk other peoples' lives out of foolish pride.

 

[vitauta]

Another tip:

Fill large ziplock bags with water and fill your freezer with as many as it will hold. Do it now, before you lose power and to give them a chance to freeze so you may not lose anything already frozen.

great idea, selkie, but my freezer takes forever to make a few ice cubes.making one last store run before the storm hits--i will buy a big bag of ice--if they haven't sold out already. thanks for your good tips and good vibes.

 

[Claire]

Even if it isn't frozen, any water you save is a good thing. I lived in hurricane-heavy areas, and always made sure my fridge and freezer were totally full, period, before a storm hit. I filled bottles of water in mid-summer, and tossed them in the freezer (at that time I had a big freezer). When it would get to the point where we were at crisis mode, we filled very sink and tub in the house, aftter scrubbing the tubs/sinks with a bleach based cleaner. I've lost electricity for extended periods of time, but luckily, never took a direct hit. So I lost a couple of tubs of water. Better safe than sorry.

As the saying goes, You cannot fool mother nature.

 

[LPBeier]

Due to me not being around much I just now read this thread from beginning to end. I am humbled beyond words.

My dear DC friends who are affected by all these natural disasters, you have my thoughts, my prayers and most of all my admiration for how you are not only getting prepared but taking the time to come and report here.

As others have said, please be safe, don't try to be a hero (get out if you have to) and know that you are loved here.

I wish I could do more.