What to do during a Hurricane?

So…

I’ve done some research and I got some links to share with ya…
So I have done a lot of work on my own...

I’ve never been in a Hurricane… Seen em on TV…
Read about them… But I don’t have the slightest clue…
To what it would be like, to actually sit through one…

I’m taking a trip in about a months time…
First week or so in June to Florida…
Somewhere in the Daytona area…
but not quite Daytona…

Now let me get this out in the open…
I am not predicting a Hurricane…
I am not hoping for a Hurricane…

But Hurricane season does start June 1st…

If one does happen its by chance and chance alone…

But I believe in being prepared for anything life throws your way.

So just in case a CAT 5 stirs up and comes right down our throats…

I wanna know what to do… I want to be knowledgeable,
I want to take the right steps to protect my family.

I have a “Bug Out Bag” I take everywhere and its got some of the basic things in it…

But we are staying right on the beach/ocean…
The place we are staying is on the 6th floor…
I’m actually not sure on the number of floors in total…

We will be there for a week…

We will have a family member that will be about 3 months pregnant at that time.

Is there anything I should know that may ensure her safety and the safety of her unborn child?

Since I am in the Daytona area…

Is there any emergency numbers I should know

or radio station I should listen to?


Now… This thread isn’t just meant to be about me…

Its for anyone who may be traveling to the beaches during Hurricane season…

Think of it as an… “Idiots Guide”

If you have been through a hurricane… please share your story and what you did…

Your past experiences may help me or someone else...

Plus I can read a thousand websites that give precautionary advice all day long...
They are good... and I plan on reading as many of them as I can...
But nothing compares to actual experiences of actual people in actual Hurricane's


Those links I mentioned are here

What to do in a hurricane situation by FEMA

and the one below... which seems way more informative than the above

What to do During and After a Hurricane


I appreciate everyone’s response and participation ahead of time

-Peace and Safety
-Evol Eric

Think of it as an… “Idiots Guide”

I'm regretting saying that now...
Seems it brings them out of the wood work...

What to do in a Hurricane.

1. Watch the weather.

2. See if the weather calls for a hurricane in your area.

3. If a hurricane is scheduled for your area then leave that area.

Thats about it.

I've been through a couple, it's scary.

If you're a tourist and don't have to be there the best thing to do is get out, even if it means cutting your vacation short. If you watch the news or the Weather Channel you will have plenty of warning. This is probably your best source for hurrican information: www.nhc.noaa.gov...

If a Cat 3,4,or 5 is coming and you can't get out then ask the hotel staff what to do. They will probably direct you to a shelter and you should go.

Understand if a Cat 3,4,5 hits an area headon buildings will be damaged or down, power will be out, water may be out, roads will probably be impassable from water or debris. Odds are you will not be able to get out for some time lasting from days to weeks. Orlando is not right on the coast so that will help.

If you elect to stay at the hotel and they will let you stock up on water, batteries, and non-perishable food. Not a lot if you're a tourist but maybe enough for a couple of days.

Don't go out in the storm or stand near breakable windows. Yes, it's quite a show but flying debris can be deadly.

Edit:

Somehow I thought you were going to Orlando. Daytona is on the coast and any major hurricane will likely bring a significant storm surge with it. You said you were going to be on the 6th floor so that's probably alright but you could end up trapped. Realistically they probably will not let you stay in a hotel on the beach with a major hurricane coming. Hurricanes build strength over water and lose it over land. This means the hurricane will be at it's strongest when it hits land. Also the size of the storm and your distance from the eye will affect how strong winds are where you are.

I also agree if it's only a Cat 1 or 2 stock up on booze and batteries and invite a few friends over.

I was in Navesink, NJ for the 1991 Perfect Storm or the Halloween Nor'easter. All I can say is, it was the time of my life.
We threw a hurricane party and everything. Eventually we had to let people in the low lying area stay with us once the coast flooded especially Sea Girt.
Watching the force of nature up close is awesome, just make sure you have a way out!

Hi,EvolEric,
I have lived through a few hurricanes and can answer any of your questions.
There are many levels of preparedness.
You usually have a weeks notice to start preparing.
Winds 80 mph or less,hurricane party.
Winds 80 mph to 100 mph,drag out you numbered plywood and screw them over your windows,then hurricane party.
Winds over 100 mph,board up your windows and head away as far as you can from the path of destruction.

Winds over 100mph and you stay will be the scariest 12 hours of your life!!!!!!!!!


Oh,and you don't have to worry about those pesky hurricane til at least late August through mid October,
so enjoy your vacation worry free.

reply to post by kdog1982


You forgot to remind him, that for storms 100 mph and under, he'll need a generator to power the fridge. Hot beer makes for a bummer hurricane party.

Originally posted by Flatfish
reply to post by kdog1982

 

You forgot to remind him, that for storms 100 mph and under, he'll need a generator to power the fridge. Hot beer makes for a bummer hurricane party.

or just make sure you have stocked up on plenty of ice,and don't forget to fill your bath tub up in case you lose water!!

wasco2, AnteBellum, kdog1982


Thanks... some good pointers there!

I will certainly keep those in mind!

Glad to know I don't have to worry about them in early June...

but just in case one does stir... I'll head my hillbilly ass home...

But it would make a great thread wouldnt it?

"Live from Florida... Hurricane -Whatever-"
lol


btw, I bookmarked that National Hurricane Center Link on both my computer and my phone.

One of the reasons I moved to Kentucky was I couldn't take evacuating anymore 'cause of those pesky hurricanes.

reply to post by EvolEric

So far, all good advice. If you can leave, leave. The emergency folks have enough to deal without extra people around. Check and see the hotel has vacation insurance where they will reimburse you if you have to leave.

I've lived on the NC coast for the last 40 some years and have been through a few. These days-older and wiser-anything over a Cat 2 and I leave. Thing is, hurricanes can go quite a ways inland. I've left and still got stuck in flooding and no power. It's not fun.

I had a house on the beach in the keys, stayed there for
over a week due to flooding. The house was on stilts and
stayed dry but I couldn't get out without a boat. Take a good
look at where you are going to be staying during the
hurricane - areas that will give you the best protection.
Don't sit in front of a glass door in a condo as I did -
the ceiling disconnected from the wall.

Always have a good supply of water and non perishable
food.
Medical supplies
flash lights

Enjoy your vacation - you are probably safe until August at least.

You may get a tropical storm in june but the big bad monsters usually come between late august and early october. The absolute best advice I could give you as a guest, get the hell out. The beach is ruined after a storm anyway. Plus the power will be out. It will be a miserable vacation so why bother staying?

Now if you were relocating to that area, I would have some different advice on what to do to protect yourself and your home.

Our rule of thumb, if it's above 2, we leave. And if you leave, do it before everyone else. Don't wait till the last minute or you'll be riding it out in your car, or sitting in long lines with gas stations that are out of gas.... then your really in trouble. And yes, that does happen. And have a place secured ahead of time. If you think your just going to find a hotel along the way, you are sadly mistaken. 3 years ago I knew people who had to go all the way from south Louisiana to Tennessee just to find a vacant room.

Also, ask anyone who works in a hospital. Everytime there is a hurricane, the maternity ward fills up. That low pressure causes babies to come out, sometimes early. I wouldn't want to be around a major hurricane if I was 8 months preggers. In fact 3 years ago was the last time we had to evacuate, and I was six months pregnant at the time.

As someone pointed out, I would not worry about hurricanes in early June. At the most, perhaps a tropical storm, but not a hurricane. If you were in an area that a cat 3,4,or 5 was expected to hit, one simple piece of advice.....leave. Leave before the traffic is so horrific that you are on the road when the storm hits. You do not want to be out in the open with a hurricane. I am also not sure I would want to be on the 6th floor, or near the water as I would worry about storm surge and the hurricane winds.
I have lived in Florida since 1969 and have been through quite a few hurricanes. The last one that was a pretty bad hit on my area was Ivan in 2004. I was out of power for one month, no running water or sewage for 3weeks, and no phone( land or cell) ability for 3 weeks. We had to wait three days after the storm to even be able to drive out to Atlanta. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that no power means no power for gas pumps. Once they can work again, gas disappears very quickly! If you have a vehicle, get it filled.
If you were to stay , stock up on water, food, flashlights and batteries, any medications that are needed, fill the tub with water, and for sure avoid the windows while the storm is hitting. Do not leave shelter when it suddenly calms and sunshine appears as it is the eye of the storm. It is wonderfully eerily normal, and then boom, the backside of the storm hits. Have a battery operated radio to be able to hear news and bulletins about the weather and what to do after.
I agree that usually August, September and October are it, with August and September the most active....I have never really worried about June. Enjoy your trip , you should have a great time in Florida!

Thanks everyone for the advice so far!

By the sounds of it I am just being paranoid...
and jumping the gun... as they say


Don't misread it... I am not shaking over the matter...

But I believe it to be foolish of me not to at least be prepared...

cos whats that saying?

"The Paranoid always see it coming" lol

Know ahead of time what to do... just in case you have to do it

Also this thread might help someone else who is planning on traveling during the later part of summer



I spent Christmas in Florida back in '08
Absolute beautiful place! It was nice to leave the freezing temps here in Kentucky for the 85 degree weather in Florida

As June 1st gets closer I will begin to feel excietment.

I like storms

If it is going to be less than 125 mph I'll start cooking for the hurricane party two days before it is supposed to strike.

I live prepared for any disaster so not much to do but secure the farm and board up the windows.

I usually take several of the grandchildren a few miles over to Jekyll Island so they can experience the angry ocean and wind just before it is time to duck and cover at the compound.

Later in the evening when the power goes out and the children are asleep we adults just might pass the jar of good home made sipping whisky a few times as we keep watch over storm.

My first good hurricane experience was in the early 50's.
I hope to have at least one more before I check out of this life.

Living life with gusto and on the thin edge is where I like to be.
Bring it on Mother Nature.

I live in the Caribbean I can tell you... Hurricanes are like tornadoes but way more bigger, with very fast winds and heavy rain...I could last from 4 to 10 hours, all depends on the hurricane movement.

they start to loose intensity when touching ground...I live in front of the beach so there's no much hope for me for the hurricane to slow down when coming.

my basic preparedness are many flash lights (at lease one for each member of the family), plenty of can food and water (be sure you can open the cans ). if you can get a small gas grill where you can cook and warm up some food you'll be good too.

Get salt in grain, if you have meat in your fridge and the ice starts to melt, you can place them in a beach cooler with plenty of salt in grain and it will last for days.

fully charged batteries for hand held video games, plenty of candles and safe little cups or something where you can place them to avoid fire up the house and please place them very far from curtains, the wind can blow the curtains and reach the candles.

if you have kids and they have Walkie Talkies, they are a great tool too...many of them can pickup reports from NOAA and you can even use them to communicate with neighbors and people in your area.

you can use a small AC/DC inverter hooked to the battery or cigarette lighter of your car to charge the battery of your laptop and many other devices like cellphones.

I have a bank of golf cart batteries hooked to a inverter to light up bulbs in my house during the night.

be sure to lock all windows and doors, and stay away from large crystal windows and doors, flying objects could crash against them breaking them into peaces and fill any hole between doors and the floor, the rain combined with the wind can get the water into the house.

with that you'll be pretty much fine for a interesting night or day

remember to fill you car tank and have some cash money too...ATM may not work during power outages.
and don't forget to have plenty of rum and whiskey!!!!!!

I went for a walk.

Try it might be fun, might be deadly.