August 08, 2008
That is the way the major of New Orleans referred to hurricane Gustav. I hope all of your friends and family have evacuated and are safely on their way to stay with loved ones or in a shelter or hotel safely away from the worst of the storm. Now it is time for those preparing to care for evacuees to get serious about their preparations. You may think this is an easy task but it isn’t. The power may be out even a hundred miles from the storm. Water supplies may be contaminated miles from the storm. Stores will quickly be emptied of food and water and your normal weekly shopping trip may be met with empty shelves. Even if you are not planning to host anyone at your home, your town may be severely impacted. Get ready. Again if you don’t need this information now save it for a time when you may. Take the time to email a link to this post to friends and family who may need this now!
Consider a few ways your home might be affected in a disaster. There are things you can do to provide a safe haven for your friends and family
Electrical outages occur far from the initial disaster site. After Katrina evacuees thought they would be safe 50 miles away; the power went out there too.
Think water. We have a well but if the power is out there is no way to access the water. (See the Totally Ready article: Water Storage — What if the Tap Goes Dry?) Today you should pull out all your picnic drink coolers, pitcher and large pots and fill them with water. If you are on a well, how will you supply water for clean-up and essential laundry? Wet wipes, hand sanitizers, and extra water storage in barrels would be one approach.
After a hurricane, tropical storm or flood, the mosquitoes seem to multiply at ten times the usual rate. If your power is out and it is summer, you will not want to sleep with the windows closed. Be prepared with good screens for all windows and doors or with mosquito netting or other loose weave fabric that can be taped or stapled around windows and doorways.
Invest in a generator. They can come in handy during power outages and brownouts throughout the year.
If your power is out ATM machines and credit cards will be of no use. If evacuees arrive without cash you may need to provide some for emergency supplies. Trade the cash for a check!
Invest in glow sticks. After a power outage a few weeks ago, I decided we needed glow sticks in every room in the house. I was well prepared with candles and flashlights, but none of them were in my office where I was working at the time the lights went out. White glow sticks are the best and provide light bright enough to cook or walk around without the danger of tripping in the dark. Also, you won’t want your guests to be running down your flashlight batteries (which are much more expensive to replace than glow sticks).
Outdoor solar lighting can be brought indoors to help during an outage. When the lights went out here, we went out to the yard and brought in the solar lights from the garden. In the morning you can take them outside and recharge them for the next night. They work great and are safe around children and pets. Solar LED lights are also great to create paths from your yard to the house after dark when people are sleeping in the backyard.
Store foods you like to eat that are easy to prepare. Foods that can be prepared without a lot of work are worth their weight in gold when you are trying to feed a crowd. Emotions might be running high, and no one will want to be grinding wheat or letting beans soak and then cooking them for hours. When friends and family evacuate to your home, you will be responsible to feed them. I read several accounts of families who volunteered their home to friends as an evacuation site, and when they arrived they had other families with them
If you live within 100 miles of a disaster area, begin preparing as soon as warnings are issued. Fill your gas tank and buy any last-minute items like milk, bread and eggs. Once friends and relatives arrive for refuge, gas stations will run out and local supplies may be gone, and you will be in a position to offer help. Remember your generator? How much gas do you have for it? The time to store fuel is ahead of disasters — now.
What will disappear first at the grocery store? Milk, bread, water, ice, fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh meats, hygiene items such as soap and toothpaste, feminine hygiene products, toilet paper, diapers, baby formula, headache and muscle ache medications, anti-diarrhea medications, and batteries. Don’t forget the insect repellent (see above). Wouldn’t it be better to have your own inventory of things that store well?
If a power outage affects your area, you may also have to wait in long lines to get into a store as employees take you through the store with flashlights to guide the way. As supplies are diverted to disaster areas, deliveries to your local stores may be delayed or non-existent for several days or weeks.
Think prescriptions. As people come to your hometown, they will be in need of prescription medications. If you are down to the last few days and an evacuation is ordered nearby, renew your prescription immediately.
Be prepared to entertain: As conditions improve around you, children and adults alike will become impatient with the disaster routine. Almost certainly, you will be without electricity for a few days to a few weeks. Be prepared with some good age-appropriate books, travel editions of favorite games, coloring books and crayons for the kids, and balls and other toys for outdoor use. If you are the designated evacuation site for family and friends, you will need to have these items on hand. Evacuees will not have room to bring these non-essential items. Everyone should have small games and other small items in every 72-hour kit.
Sanitation can be a huge problem. One of the comments I read over and over was about the awful way people smelled. Although those coming to your home should bring soap and toothpaste in their 72-hour kits, be sure to have some extras on hand. Also consider purchasing a port-a-potty (bucket-type), especially if you are dependent on a well for water.
Garbage will become a concern. Have plenty of large plastic trash bags or biohazard bags on hand. Because no one will have the energy or desire to clean up after meals, I also suggest you stock a supply of paper plates, cups, bowls and plastic utensils — but if you do, have a strategy for managing the waste they create.
Today consider how you will meet these needs and make a plan. If need be, make a shopping list and purchase the items you still need. Good luck!
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Great post with excellent info!
Have lived in FL with hurricanes a long time and have just found your website – great information and has prompted me to start my longer term preparedness. Thanks!
I suppose it would be a good idea to recheck with the family for which you are providing refuge about the needs of any pets they might be bringing or if they may have acquired a pet since asking you to be their contact person. Supplies of pet food may also become depleted in your area–just like other supplies. Maybe your own pet food and supplies need replenishing before the storm arrives.
Great point. Not only will food and water be a concern but also where to house them, especially if you have pets of your own who will not appreciate sharing their space. I read an account from a man who provided refuge during Katrina and their family members arrived with two other families, completely unannounced. I guess patience also needs to be in great supply.