I really hope it ends up swinging into the Atlantic and we bought everything we did for no reason because I have honestly never had to deal with a hurricane -- Last time a hurricane actually really hit Long Island was Gloria in 1985 and I was only six months old. So the idea of Irene heading up towards us and having to deal with power outages and such is not my idea of a fun weekend. Wasn't the earthquake enough? Why must we get an earthquake and a hurricane in the span of a week. I'll keep you up-to-date on everything.
No Later Than When A Watch Is Issued:
- Fill vehicles with gas.
- Get extra cash.
- Fill prescriptions.
- For mobile homes, secure tie-downs and prepare to evacuate when ordered.
- Bring in loose objects from outside.
- Prepare to secure all windows with shutters or plywood.
- Secure all windows with shutters or plywood.
- Place valuables and important papers in a waterproof container and store on highest floor of home.
- Follow all instructions from local officials, and leave immediately when told to do so.
- Bring emergency supplies listed above.
- Bring copies of important papers such as insurance policies and list and photos of your home’s contents.
- Bring blankets, sleeping bags, books, and games.
- Unplug appliances, turn off electricity and main water valve.
- Lock windows and doors of your home.
- Go!
- Stay at home! Leave the roads available for those who must evacuate.
- Clean bathtub with bleach, fill with water for washing and flushing (Not drinking).
- Set fridge to maximum cold and keep closed.
- Turn off utilities if told to do so by local officials
- Go to an interior room on the lowest level of the structure in which you’re taking shelter.
- Stay away from windows and doors, even though they’re covered with shutters or plywood.
- During extremely strong winds, lie under something sturdy such as a stairwell or large piece of furniture.
- Do not go outside, not even during passage of the eye. If the eye passes directly over you, the winds could become very weak, but only for a very short period. It will not be long before hurricane-force wind resume, blowing from the opposite direction as before the eye arrived.
- Help might not come for up to a few days, and power could be out for days or even weeks.
- Avoid driving on roads covered by water and/or debris. It is often difficult to determine the depth of water covering a road. Turn around, don’t drown.
- Avoid downed power lines. Stay away from objects that are touching a downed power line, such as a fence or tree.
- Do not touch anything electrical if you are wet. Stay out of water that could be touching anything electrical, such as in a basement with electrical appliances, or in flooded areas outside where there could be downed power lines.
- Only use a generator in an outdoor, well-ventilated area, and closely follow manufacturer’s instructions. Many people have died in the aftermath of a hurricane from inhalation of poorly ventilated carbon monoxide from a generator.
- Use flashlights instead of candles for light. Candles pose a serious fire hazard.