Having seen my fair share and prepared for the same here are a few Hurricane tips for my friends in the NE.

1.Start making ice. Store Cubes in ziplock bags. Make Blocks of ice in plastic containers.

2.Charge laptops and cell phones

3.Get a non electric can opener

4. Bathtub full of water. (if water system goes out at least you can flush the toilet)

5. Move garbage cans and patio furniture. Anything that will blow around. (Flower pots etc)

6. Fill propane tanks for grill or stock up on charcoal. If you lose power, don't try to save your freezer, eat out of it. (Don't rush to the store to buy food!!)

7.Blue Tarps for covering damaged roofs and nails or staple guns to attach it.

8. Locate and put in a safe place all of your homeowner insurance papers, phone numbers.

9. Cash a check. If power goes out so does the ATM

10. Fill car with gas. It takes electricity to run gas pumps.

11. Turn your refrigerator and freezer to a cooler level now in anticipation of power outages.

12. Candles are not safe. Visit a camping store and purchase battery operated lanterns. Look for table top propane stove. I have one that works off a canister the size of a hairspray bottle, called Mr. Stove. It's great!

13. Make sure you have a good pair of work gloves for the cleanup and a good first aid kit for minor cuts and scrapes.

14.Lots of adult beverages help too!!

15. Tornados spin off of hurricanes. Stay away from windows, in the center part of your house.

Good luck and stay safe!! You are in my prayers.

I hope others add to this list!!

Thank you.

Making a list now!

Fill a couple of large trash cans with water for flushing, washing dishes, a different one for rinsing hair.
battery operated fan and tv and radio.
get bleach if you think you may get water in.
Lift furniture up on large cans.
Put those important papers into a ziplock bag.
have a place to meet in case of people missing.
Have one relative out of the way to be a contact person.
get powdered and canned milk.
bug spray!
If they say GO, you GO, your life is in danger.

Thanks--the tips are very helpful.

Wonderful tips.

Also have a Go bag ready in case it's time to leave right now.

http://www.ready.gov/america/getakit/index.html

http://www.ci.mil.wi.us/ImageLibrary..._checklist.pdf

Great advice. Thank you for taking the time to share. I am in New Mexico right now, but praying for all of you in the path.

Don't forget pets, their meds and food and water. I have 5 cats and 2 dogs. Leases and bowls are in the car. We have 5 large kennels with small square containers in each with litter in them for each cat- they don't travel well or together :) Also everyone always laughs at me but I have a cute notebook with info on each animal and shot records, micro chip info along with pictures names and other valuable info. The pet sitter uses it to keep track of everyone when we are away and I take it with me if we evacuate.

Thanks to everyone for the terrific tips. I've never been around a major hurricane. We usually only get the tail ends after they've blown out over the ocean on the way up the coast.

I like the part about the adult beverages!! Can you recommend any in particular??

Bamagal great tips!

If you take medications make sure you have enough for at least 2 weeks.

If any of your medications need to be refrigerated make sure you have plenty of ice on hand.

After the storm to cool down place a damp cold towel around your neck (using ice water from a cooler)

We evacuated with family pictures but couldn’t fit all of them for a hurricane in 04’ for Hurricane Jean. I wrapped up the pictures we were leaving behind (limited space) and put them in a plastic bag with my name, address and phone number in case they blew away and someone found them.

If possible back up your photos on your computer on a flash drive and take them with you if you evacuate.

Prepare to have 1 gallon of drinking water per person and per pet for each day you are without power.

Some thoughts for Pets:

After the Storm: To cool off dogs & cats take a towel, hand towel or wash cloth, depending on size of your pet, wet it down and put it on ice from the cooler. Put the cold towel on your pets back or around their neck. You can also place their paws in cold water to bring down their body temperature. We kept an extra cooler for the pets and rotated towels so there was always a cold one for them.

After a storm ALWAYS keep your pet on a leash. They can get spooked from the debris and run off in fear even if they are a well trained dog that normally would never do his.

Keep pet toys on hand to comfort them during and after a storm or if you evacuate.

If you are going to evacuate keep pet records with you to show proof of vaccines being up to date.

If you evacuate bring pet medications, toys, blankets, leashes and cages if you use them. It doesn’t hurt to take extra paper towels and/or towels on hand for upset tummies.

Be safe. Hugs & prayers.

I forgot to mention for pets: Remember food & water bowls! Seems obvious but when we are in a hurry and nervous it’s easy to forget the obvious.

When things return to normal again consider putting together a Hurricane Preparation List(s.) One in case you are staying for the storm and one if you will be evacuating. It makes it so much easier if you need to prepare again.

Any one you like will work. LOL You just want to take the edge off of the anxiety! :D

All good suggestions. I got a sterno camp stove and cans of sterno and was able to do a little cooking. Very simple stuff but we got tired of peanut butter sandwiches fast and you can't grill scrambled eggs!!!!

I boil water, then pour the water over the filter basket that holds the coffee in my coffee maker. I can't function without coffee!! :D

:thumbup: Great idea!

Were I'm at, we're not getting evacuated, just lots of flood warnings (good thing we're on a mountain away from water, and power outage warnings. I guess we have my grandma to thank (we now live in her house after she passed away) for not trusting electric stoves and insisting on gas. We now have propane with an electric start, but it's not that hard to light a match.

We have extra water and other necessities, but if the power does go out, we're not expecting to be without it for too long (prepared for longer than we think!) as we're on the same circuit as a police station, a fire station, and up the road from the township buildings where all the equipment is stored. Gonna charge my laptop after school tomorrow morning and have my GFG quilt basket and everything needed all ready to go if the power goes out. Prayers for those on the coast and getting worse than we're supposed to get!

Thank you, thank you, thank you for including your fur family in your plans. Remember to have photos of each pet and a photo of the pet with you. Upload the photos online as a backup. If you get separated from pets and "stuff", eventually you can get to a computer to download that picture. Wishing you the best from the west coast.

Great list of things to remember.
I will add that when the hurricane is near, the air is unusually thick with humidity. I notice that it gets very still and no sounds of birds (if it's daytime). Then the winds and rains, soon after, the skies clear (eye of the hurricane). Do NOT go out because the backlash of the hurricane is coming.

Additionally, if you cannot find plywood to board up your windows, we use masking tape on the glass making a big X mark. We also keep windows a bit open so the air can flow through the house. Some people use those marine ropes to throw over and secure down their roofs (criss cross) and pound spikes in the ground to secure the ends of the ropes down.

Keep safe!!!

fill your washer with water (so you can at least flush your toilets)

fill your bath tub with water (so you can at least flush your toilets)

get cash out of bank (as ATM Machines won't work if no power)

keep the car full of gas

plenty of non perishable food to eat (get a can opener) not electric one in case no power

check on your neighbors

Make sure you have a battery powered/hand cranked radio. You will need communication from weather stations/civil defense/Red Cross if you have no electricity.

I know this is a silly question but how long does a hurricane usually last?

Stay out of any room with medium to large trees located outside. Try to convince any elderly neighbors to come stay with you during the storm. I know they will be reluctant, but I can't tell you how many times and ways my dbil (NC firefighter/emt) has put himself in great danger to rescue elderly that refused to leave their homes, but were not capable of taking care of themselves and pets. It is so much safer than trying to get to them in the storm when you think they may be in trouble.
Also Do Not let your teens badger you into letting them go down by the beach Before or After the storm to just "see the water,waves, damage". For many the water can be irresistible with tragic results. Stay safe,we are all praying here in Florida and realize how fortunate we are to have Irene pass by us.

I believe it can't be predicted how long a hurricane will last. It depends upon the strength as well as how quickly it's moving. Keep watching your news or radio to listen to the latest news because they have the most updated info put out by the NOAA and the National Weather Service.

Depends on the size of the storm. They are saying this could be 1/2 day coming and a 1/2 day going. However I think they expect it to pick up speed after NC so maybe won't be that long. Won't be hurricane winds the whole time mostly tropical storm but with higher gusts. It just seems to go forever. The power going out makes it seem worse. But most places cut the power off on their own when the wind gets a certain speed. Thats a safety thing Give each child his own flashlight. Make a game of it with the kids. Built a quilt fort in an interior room and camp out!! If you are calm they are calm. If you are asked to evacuate, do so. Do what you would do for blizzard but stay to interior rooms as hurricanes can spawn tornados. This is what we do when it hits the Gulf Coast. The worst part is the clean up. No power; hot weather and everyone seems to be better off than you are. You laugh about it later. You and the neighbors become better friends 'cause you help each other out. You have stories forever !! Stay safe!! You should be fine!!

Bamagal, thanks for answering. One advantage to living in Maine is that the hot weather doesn't last too long.

My husband and I covered the truck and my car with large tops and anchored them down with cords so they won't fly off. The tops we used use to be our pool covers.

Thank you....#14 was taken care of first. HEEHEEHEEHEE!!!!!

I did that during Charlie. Had the neighbors wondering how I got my Mr. Coffee to work without electricity, lol, until I let them in on the secret.

Great list! We also brought the RV near the house, so if/when the power goes out, we'll be able to use the generator and large water tank in it, as well as cook if we so desire. We are not looking forward to cleaning up the tree debris- we have a 200 ft. row of old elms just waiting to drop their dead limbs on our side of the line this time. So I personally would add- make sure the chainsaw is ready for action :(

Just enjoying the wait here on the board, until the thing passes!

Thank you for your thoughtful posts...will be glad when it is past us!

My daughter is in the path so I just called her with your advise. Thank you :thumbup:

Late to the hurricane party, but I like to make sangria by the gallon for hurricanes.

The cool thing is, when you finish the liquid, there is lots of fresh fruit in the bottom of the pitcher.

Get a French press coffee pot. You can boil water on your grill and with a mortor and pestle grind the coffee.

Charcoal or propane is a must to have..... I even made cristota's on my charcoal grill in VA Beach during Isabelle, not a notable storm, but knocked the heck out of the power for a week.