varjohaltia | Hurricane Log

Friday, 13th, 20:50

Well, the hurricane didn't hit Tampa. Watching the footage from Punta Gorda, I can only thank higher powers for it. There's a very real chance the building I live in would not have survived, considering that Charley pummeled houses with block construction! People are griping that they were told to evacuate needlessly--It's hard for me to grasp this stupidity. If the storm had hit Tampa, this would be a total disaster area, and the loss of life would have likely been dramatic. When winds get to the level that fire stations are torn apart, EOC roofs are ripped off, and walls of buildings cave in there really is no point of trying to ride it out in your home. Not only that, this from a storm that was supposed to be a category 1 or 2 according to last nights estimates!

Next time, regardless of what zone I'm in, leaving the state is a definite option. I got to see what a hurricane does from a safe distance, and it was definitely sobering.

Hurricane supplies are also important, regardless. Certainly, it's possible to go and get vaious things once the first warning signs appear. However, there are so many things to get and take care of that there's no way to find enough time for it. So here's a partial list of stuff that anyone living in Florida needs to have. Not need to get, but needs to have in a closet, because by the time the need is apparent it may be too late.

Plastic sheeting, preferrably 4 mil or better
Duct Tape. Just with plastic sheeting, consider the maximum you think you'd need, then double it.
Water-proof containers for valuables and important papers
Batteries for anything that uses them
Plenty of drinking water, or plenty of empty jugs to fill
Radio
Flash lights
Food that can be prepared without power and water, or eaten raw to last for days
Any necessary drugs
A well-stocked first aid kit. The aspirin and band-aids are a joke; during a hurricane and for a good while afterwards there will be no ambulance or paramedic response. Even severe wounds and lacerations need to be cleaned and dressed in the field. First aid manual if necessary. Consider a Red Cross first aid class.
Trash bags
Spare tire for the car
Contact information for friends, family and emergency organizations
A packed suitcase with blankets, air matress or equivalent. Essentially everything you need to be comfortable if you need to evacuate on short notice into an empty shelter.
Pictures or video of your vehicles, domicile and belongings, for insurance purposes
If applicaple, screws, wood etc. for emergency repairs
Money or traveleres cheques. ATMs may not work, or may be blown to smithereens.

Once the warning is issued or the threat appears real, do the following:

Use a spare shover curtain or plastic sheeting to line a bath tub and fill it with water. Even if the hurricane doesn't destroy the water supply, water may be turned off as a precautionary measure. That's what Hillsborough did with Charley. This can then be used for all manner of non-potable uses, or for drinking water in a pinch, sterilized by boiling or bleach.
Fill the tank of your vehicle. For Charley, all stations in North Tampa ran out of all grades of gasoline.
Do all your preparations as soon as possible. You'll go repeatedly through a lot of hassle, but that one time it's needed, you may not have the time.
Find a place to stay. Talk to friends/family/coworkers to make sure they will take you and that they're not bailing out of town themselves.

Other afterthoughts. I watched mostly ABC Action News 5, but also channel 8 and Fox 13. All of them did an amazingly good job covering the hurricane. Most suspended all ads and concentrated on giving radar data, EOC briefings and other relevant things. Considering the bad rap local US stations have, all of the local ones really were on the ball and were invaluable in keeping people appraised of what's happening, what it looks like, and where the storm is going.

Hurricane Log

Friday, 13th, 20:50

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