Ice Storm Prep

All weather forecasting sources predict "Significant Ice Storm" for a large section of the country. No links provided here, if you have checked weather you have heard it.

My question for those out there is Kerosene shelf life. Have searched google, you can find anything from 1-3 months to 5 years to a chemist who says indefinite.

Anybody out there that can help?

Have 5 new gallons, 10 old (1year) and going out for more. Will check any replies when I get back.

Any other Ice storm tips would be great.

Thanks

Step 1: Have a survival kit
Prepare a storm survival kit that includes flashlights and extra batteries; a battery-powered radio; water; foods that require no cooking or refrigeration; a manual can opener; first aid supplies; and a battery-operated cell phone charger.

Step 2: Prepare a car kit
Prepare a survival kit for your car that includes all the items in step one, plus flares, blankets, warm clothes, sand or kitty litter, a small can and waterproof matches for melting snow, and a shovel.

TIP: If your car becomes stuck, tie a bright cloth to your antenna so rescuers can see you.

Step 3: Fill up your car
Keep your gas tank filled to avoid ice buildup in the tank and fuel lines.

Step 4: Avoid driving
Don’t drive. If you must get in the car, go slowly and keep your distance from others. SUVs with four-wheel drive might drive well on ice, but they cannot stop better than any other car.

TIP: Make sure someone knows your travel timetable and the route you’re planning to take.

Step 5: Stay with your car
If you get stranded in your car, stay put. Run the motor 10 minutes every hour; if it’s dark out, turn on the interior lights as the engine runs so rescuers can spot you. Prevent carbon monoxide poisoning by keeping the windows open a crack and making sure the exhaust pipe is clear. Move your limbs occasionally to keep your blood circulating.

Step 6: Walk with caution
If you are outside, walk slowly, taking short steps. Stay away from utility poles and downed power lines, and avoid walking under trees; ice can cause branches to break off.

TIP: Be especially cautious around cars; ice may prevent them from coming to a stop at intersections.

Step 7: Watch for fire hazards
Beware of common fire hazards: Don’t use an outdoor grill inside, and if you’re using space heaters, keep them away from anything flammable. Never leave a candle unattended. Place fireplace ashes in outdoor covered metal cans.

Step 8: Check on the neighbors
Check on your neighbors, especially elderly ones. They are the most vulnerable during power outages.

Winter Ice Storms

Safety In Ice Storms

Ice Storm Prepardness

There you go...

Originally posted by SANTA CLAWS
All weather forecasting sources predict "Significant Ice Storm" for a large section of the country. No links provided here, if you have checked weather you have heard it.

Any other Ice storm tips would be great.

Thanks

Give us a clue, US, Canada, UK, South Africa,Australia or New Zealand ? is it thats going to be affected, the whole world is here.

reply to post by Northern Raider

Western Kentucky here and they already have us under a winter weather advisory for late tomorrow into Wed. morning. Significant accumulations of ice expected. Whatever happened to snow? For the past 3 years the winter storms have consisted of ice! The damage to trees around here last winter is still evident.

Originally posted by Greenize
reply to post by Northern Raider

 

Western Kentucky here and they already have us under a winter weather advisory for late tomorrow into Wed. morning. Significant accumulations of ice expected. Whatever happened to snow? For the past 3 years the winter storms have consisted of ice! The damage to trees around here last winter is still evident.

Thanks Greenize NE Uk here and fortunately we have missed to big storms this week, one hit Scotland and Ulster killing 5 in total, and the other just rippede through Spain and France killing 14. Oddly enough in the last twenty year this area has had very mild weather til now, but this year it appears to have not got above zero for at least three weeks.
Anyhoo take care and stay warm.
NR

Keep a couple bags of charcoal briquettes on hand for cooking. It's about the cheapest fuel for heating food or boiling water. Just don't use it indoors.

There is an ice storm forecasted for Oklahoma, Arkansas, parts of Kansas and Missouri starting tomorrow.

I am jumpy about ice storms as in december of 07 we had one that knocked out our entire city for two and half weeks. The first week was incredibly cold and miserable. Then thankfully my father was able to get a generator so we all piled into their house to stay warm and fed for the next week and a half.

It was a full three weeks before we had electricity back at our house. Miserable!!!

It was so bad that the fire department went door to door about week later and checked on the residents. Anyone who wasn't able to be checked on got yellow tape on their door and rechecked until they were found. People were freezing to death in their homes, mostly elderly and disabled.

We went this morning and bough a large propane tank with adapters so that we can use it on our camping stove and tent heater. The tent heater will make a bedroom habitable with the door closed so that at least we can sleep in relative comfort.

My dad went and filled up six gas cans because even with the generator, finding gasoline to run it with was a nightmare last time.

We also bought groceries, cat and dog food, bottled water and other necessities since last time most of the grocery store were closed for several days to a week as well.

We have our wind up radio flashlights ready along with candles and matches.
All the extra blankets and winter boots and hats are also washed and ready for use.

I am just keeping my fingers crossed that this one isn't so bad, I hate being cold more than anything in the world.

Don't forget to charge your cellphones and anything else that needs charging so that they will last you as long as possible.

[edit on 25-1-2009 by gluetrap]

[edit on 25-1-2009 by gluetrap]

reply to post by Northern Raider

I saw some of the damage in Scotland on the national news last night. Terrible! We went without power last winter for a fews days due to ice storms, but we are fortunate to have a secondary heat source, so I will get out of trusty crank radio/flashlight and hunker down! Take care!

You should make sure there aren't any weak, diseased, or dead trees nearby that might be brought down on your house in the event of a heavy layer of ice and snow.

I learned the hard way that the effort of removing a dead tree from your yard is less than the effort of removing a dead tree from your bedroom, porch, and living room.

If you don't have the time to cut a tree down, you could always throw some line(s) around it and stake it to the ground opposite your house, which should incline the tree to fall away from the house rather than toward it, if there's any tension in the line(s).

Healthy trees usually don't come down in ice storms, but it does happen, especially those with shallow root structures, like willow trees.

It goes without saying that you should have plenty of fresh water and light sources, along with food and blankets.

If you've got a generator, don't run it inside, or at least make sure it's venting to the outside. Dozens of people die every year from carbon monoxide resulting from trying to run a generator in their living room with all the windows shut. I know you're thinking "Who's dumb enough to do that?" Well, plenty of people are dumb enough, so it needs to be said.

If you have a fireplace, pellet stove or a washer/dryer, make sure the vents are clear. A chunk of ice and snow can effectively stop up the vent. The exhaust fumes are going to follow the path of least resistance right back into your house.

Oh, and if you drive an SUV, say this to yourself over and over again until it sticks.
"My 4x4 is not a magical form of transportation immune to bad weather."

Every time we get a wicked bad ice storm in my part of the country, there are dozens or hundreds of cars stranded on icy roads. The vast majority of those vehicles are SUVs and 4x4 trucks, the drivers thought "I've got four wheel drive, I'll be fine."



Having four wheels spinning on ice instead of two is not better. If anything, the foolhardy confidence these vehicles inspire in inclement weather is more dangerous than the actual driving conditions.

Originally posted by Northern Raider

Thanks Greenize NE Uk here and fortunately we have missed to big storms this week, one hit Scotland and Ulster killing 5 in total, and the other just rippede through Spain and France killing 14. Oddly enough in the last twenty year this area has had very mild weather til now, but this year it appears to have not got above zero for at least three weeks.
Anyhoo take care and stay warm.
NR

It did what with the who now!?

I know (according to national radio) Lincolnshire has no strategic value any more but I completely missed all of this. It was a bit blowy on Friday and the ducks were having fun swimming against the river flow. Other than that just a normal rainy/wintery few days.

I did ask my 'other' if anything of note had occurred. This was not, apparently...

This looks to be a nasty one, they are forecasting an inch of ice in our area which is a devastating amount of ice to be on utility lines and poles.

I went to the grocery store to get a few just in case items and it was busier than I have ever seen it tonight. Every checkout line had at least 6 people in it and just about everyone had totally full carts.

They were nearly out of milk, bread and bottled water. And the storm hasn't even started yet. Just goes to show that if there is really a problem food and supply stocks will run out very quickly.