Re: Irene
gardenchat@hort.net
  • Subject: Re: Irene
  • From: T*@aol.com
  • Date: Thu, 25 Aug 2011 19:47:50 -0400 (EDT)
LOL, don't know about the Tequila, we were far too busy cleaning up and  
emptying buckets, etc. to even think about a drink.  But the Coleman  propane 
stove, or a grill is a definite must!!!!   Especially if you  have all  
electric appliances and no natural gas, etc. Have to  laugh when I hear the 
reports where they say be prepared for electricity outages  for up to a 
week....we had more than 3 weeks of power outtage, others had much  longer!!!   The 
grill w/ charcoal, etc. sure came in handy to  cook.    Thankfully the water 
was on the whole time, and we have  natural gas hot water heater, so we 
were able to take showers, etc.    But one never knows if the water will be 
okay to drink or not, so that's a good  tip also.    
 
We had a tree fall on our roof, so the water just poured in.  Had been  
prepared with a large shop vac just in case it flooded or such.....never got to 
 use it due to no power, so buckets come in handy too, as do mops,  etc.    
They also said that anything in the yard would become a  projectile and 
could fly through the air to damage windows.  It was pretty  much impossible to 
bring everything in, but I did take all hanging orchids,  pots, etc. out of 
the trees, etc. and set them on the ground.  This  seemed to work fine.  We 
did take in furniture and things that might move  around more.   Having 
cell phones charged and insurance paperwork,  numbers, etc. handy helps too.  
The quicker you call, the sooner you will  be on the list.  Try to do 
whatever you can after the hurricane to clean  up, because there will be plenty of 
help, but often at a steep price.   Contractors will be harder to find too, 
and will become more reasonable as time  goes on.  Don't even think about 
relying on FEMA or such, by the time  they get their act together, you have 
taken care of yourself.  Friends,  neighbors and local organizations are 
usually much more help than the  govt.    We found that they learned very little 
from  Katrina, despite the reports that they were much more prepared with 
Ike.   HA!   It took them a week to get trucks from San Antonio to Houston (a  
two-three hour drive max.) and then they sat at Reliant Park for a month 
getting  authorization to distribute.......each day costing tax payers 
countless dollars  to run the refrigerated trucks with the drivers standing by the 
entire  time.  Houston and Galveston never did use them....the water,  ice, 
etc. was dumped eventually.    Hoping they are more  organized this time.
 
Sorry to paint a grim picture, dont' mean to, but being prepared for the  
worst is the best thing, taking care of oneself and one's family,  etc.   
Hurricanes just aren't the same as blizzards or floods,  etc. which do not seem 
to cause as much widespread damage as these  storms do.   Best to prepare 
for the worst, if it doesn't happen,  then you were at least prepared for 
what did.   Better safe than  sorry......
 
Noreen 
 
In a message dated 8/25/2011 3:20:52 PM Central Daylight Time,  
inlandjim1@q.com writes:

My  favorite hurricane disaster items were always [1] water (at least 6
gallon  jugs of the stuff), [2] Coleman propane stove (gotta have coffee
no matter  what), and [3] fifth of tequila because if it gets really bad,
I don't want  to know about it.

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