I'll keep it blunt: Your living situation is most likely not structurally equipped to handle hurricane force winds and rainfall. To be fair, no state outside of Florida has commonly strict building codes/measures to account for hurricanes since it's exceedingly rare everywhere else. When it does happen though (see Hurricanes Katrina/Sandy), damage could be catastrophic. This thread is to accumulate means/ideas to brave through a possible category 4 hurricane.
Good ideas:
-Invest in metal shutters. It goes up on the windows and protects your glass windows from moving debris in high-velocity winds. If you feel inclined to invest in accordion shutters for your living space after this hurricane, you will have a better chance than most of your neighbors in the future against hurricanes.
-Don't go for wood shutters. Wood shutters are cheaper, but it is not completely secure; wood shutters can absorb water which can allow wood to sag and become more brittle in the center, making it easier to break with less resistance. Wet wood also invites termites and other tree based animals to hunker down under, adding towards deterioration.
-Any common outside item should be brought inside immediately. Anything not directly held down into the ground should be immediately be considered as a projectile to your house or your neighbors. Relative to this topic: if you have a grounded pool, cover it with its tarp to avoid flung wildlife finding refuge in there.
-PROTECT YOUR BREAKER BOX. Most living spaces probably only have a very thin, metal door separating the elements from your source of electricity. In the event that water starts permeating your house, wiring directly connected towards your breakers can start corroding and rusting from water, weakening a wired connection and accelerating a possible short-out. It might benefit you more to manually turn off your power before expected landfall to proactively prevent electrical damages.
-Stock up on supplies. It's critical that you have a seeming excess of these materials listed in priority:
What to expect:
-Depending on the scale, your house may not have self-sufficient power for several hours, days, weeks, months, or possibly years. Figure out how to get to common, essential places (markets/EMS/evacuation centers) from walking/biking distance. More likely than not, the closest high school towards you is a designated evacuation center.
-Common Motor Vehicles will likely receive damages or be in critical shape from debris or high velocity winds. Roads may be unusable in their state afterwards and means of travel must be done through alternative means. If you are a motorcycle user, you will have the most efficient mobility than most of your neighbors if it's stored in secure fashion.
-Electrical crews from all around the country and beyond are probably mobilizing from their place of origin to assist you in having your power restored right now. It's one of the cooler things about being live witness a hurricane, is to see people come together and help their fellow neighbor. This doesn't mean that electricity will be immediately restored, but it does mean people really are hard at work to provide you with the proper means to live.
-If you are not directly in the hurricanes direct travel path, you will probably be affected still in someway. Hurricanes when they dissipate expand outwards in all directions. You might not experience full strength of hurricane force rain and winds, but you will receive some "outer bands" (as we call it) and damages on a smaller, but still powerful scale.
-The weather will be eerily perfect for a day or two post-hurricane. Because humid & dry air helps fuel the hurricane motion, it's usurped; traveling alongside it. High-velocity winds also allow clouds to be warped and aid in its motion, doing the same thing. This is one of those things that is hard to describe, but you'll feel it after it happens and it can be absolutely surreal the first time.
-Gas is expensive as is right now; it'll probably be double that price after a hurricane for some while. People will be lined up greedy to take as much gas as they feel they need; and gas stations will absolutely warp the price upward to make sure they thrive in business. An alternate truth to that is that there won't be as much gas to sufficiently supply everyone with what they need, given possible damages to roads and the absolute greed of some people. You're already going to be in a financial pinch after a hurricane from various damages, don't bog yourself down by immediately spending seven dollars for a gallon of gas damn near.
These are probably the most important things that come to my mind as a Floridian that's been here and done that. The aim of this thread is to assist my west coast friends for expectations and preparations for Hurricane Hilary; before, during, and after. Use this thread to provide feedback and help your fellow man, and/or give updates on your guys situations.
Stay safe my friends.
Good ideas:
-Invest in metal shutters. It goes up on the windows and protects your glass windows from moving debris in high-velocity winds. If you feel inclined to invest in accordion shutters for your living space after this hurricane, you will have a better chance than most of your neighbors in the future against hurricanes.
-Don't go for wood shutters. Wood shutters are cheaper, but it is not completely secure; wood shutters can absorb water which can allow wood to sag and become more brittle in the center, making it easier to break with less resistance. Wet wood also invites termites and other tree based animals to hunker down under, adding towards deterioration.
-Any common outside item should be brought inside immediately. Anything not directly held down into the ground should be immediately be considered as a projectile to your house or your neighbors. Relative to this topic: if you have a grounded pool, cover it with its tarp to avoid flung wildlife finding refuge in there.
-PROTECT YOUR BREAKER BOX. Most living spaces probably only have a very thin, metal door separating the elements from your source of electricity. In the event that water starts permeating your house, wiring directly connected towards your breakers can start corroding and rusting from water, weakening a wired connection and accelerating a possible short-out. It might benefit you more to manually turn off your power before expected landfall to proactively prevent electrical damages.
-Stock up on supplies. It's critical that you have a seeming excess of these materials listed in priority:
- Water (for literally everything in main essential functions; cooking, bathing, hydration, containment)
- Canned food (Vegetable and Soup preferential, can openers equally as important)
- Assorted batteries (for flashlights and radios)
- First Aid (prescribed medicine especially for those with chronic/severe conditions, but basic sanitation items in sanitizer, baby wipes are important)
- Matches (to start fires in order to cook; or for candles to provide luminosity)
What to expect:
-Depending on the scale, your house may not have self-sufficient power for several hours, days, weeks, months, or possibly years. Figure out how to get to common, essential places (markets/EMS/evacuation centers) from walking/biking distance. More likely than not, the closest high school towards you is a designated evacuation center.
-Common Motor Vehicles will likely receive damages or be in critical shape from debris or high velocity winds. Roads may be unusable in their state afterwards and means of travel must be done through alternative means. If you are a motorcycle user, you will have the most efficient mobility than most of your neighbors if it's stored in secure fashion.
-Electrical crews from all around the country and beyond are probably mobilizing from their place of origin to assist you in having your power restored right now. It's one of the cooler things about being live witness a hurricane, is to see people come together and help their fellow neighbor. This doesn't mean that electricity will be immediately restored, but it does mean people really are hard at work to provide you with the proper means to live.
-If you are not directly in the hurricanes direct travel path, you will probably be affected still in someway. Hurricanes when they dissipate expand outwards in all directions. You might not experience full strength of hurricane force rain and winds, but you will receive some "outer bands" (as we call it) and damages on a smaller, but still powerful scale.
-The weather will be eerily perfect for a day or two post-hurricane. Because humid & dry air helps fuel the hurricane motion, it's usurped; traveling alongside it. High-velocity winds also allow clouds to be warped and aid in its motion, doing the same thing. This is one of those things that is hard to describe, but you'll feel it after it happens and it can be absolutely surreal the first time.
-Gas is expensive as is right now; it'll probably be double that price after a hurricane for some while. People will be lined up greedy to take as much gas as they feel they need; and gas stations will absolutely warp the price upward to make sure they thrive in business. An alternate truth to that is that there won't be as much gas to sufficiently supply everyone with what they need, given possible damages to roads and the absolute greed of some people. You're already going to be in a financial pinch after a hurricane from various damages, don't bog yourself down by immediately spending seven dollars for a gallon of gas damn near.
These are probably the most important things that come to my mind as a Floridian that's been here and done that. The aim of this thread is to assist my west coast friends for expectations and preparations for Hurricane Hilary; before, during, and after. Use this thread to provide feedback and help your fellow man, and/or give updates on your guys situations.
Stay safe my friends.
