FredT
Guest
A few years ago I was asked by some friends who had not seen a 'cane "up close and personal" what I'd learned from seeing the eye wall of 5 of them over a 35 year period. I wrote this in response. Some information came from those who rode out Camille and survived.
Be aware that although my house is only 2 blocks from the beach, it has a 10' elevation advantage over all the area "evacuation centers." Camille hit it dead on in '69 with 250 MPH winds, +22' storm surge(that was where the tide gauge washed away), with 20' seas on top of that, and it's still there. That was one of the major reasons I bought it. I'll ride out anything up to a class 3. If it's a class 4 or 5 storm my brother in Oklahoma will develop a sick dog I'll have to go help nurse back to health for a month or so. I've been "privileged" to see the eye wall of 2 'canes in S Florida, one in Houston, and 2 on the Mississippi Gulf coast. Georges parked within 4 miles of my house for about 14 hours. We saw the eye wall of that storm several times as it wobbled about. May I never be so "privileged" again!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A tip for those in hurricane country: NEVER throw away a 5-gallon bucket, or it's lid!
For those who have never been through one of these things or others in hurricane or winter storm areas here are a few things we've learned from hard experience after seeing the eye wall of 5 hurricanes, above and beyond what the media will tell you.
Things to add to your emergency supplies:
1. Hurricane lamp WICKS!
2. Citronella oil for the hurricane lamps. Mosquitoes thrive after a cane!
3. Lots of extra Coleman lantern mantles and the adapter to run them off the large 20-lb. bottles if they're the propane type. Spare generators for liquid fueled ones and globes .
4. A spare chain saw bar, at least two spare chains, a backup pull rope assembly, and a spare carb/air cleaner assembly. Electric chain saws are pretty much worthless in an emergency situation!
5. Gloves. Heavy leather ones that fit. The canvas ones won't last long.
6. Steel-toed boots with puncture liners in the soles. Vietnam era jungle boots with punji and mine protection is about the best. A good quality work boot runs a close second. There will be wood with protruding nails _everywhere_ hidden in the debris.
7. Visqueen or other heavy plastic sheeting in roll form.
8. Machete and ax, SHARP!
Steps to do up front:
Several months ahead of storm season.
1. Get pressure treated plywood cut to cover all windows and all but one door (your heaviest). Rig an internal brace to hold that one door shut even if the frame splits.
2. Put hanger bolts in to mount all of these and do a test fit by putting them all up.
3. Paint all these with a good primer and topcoat, and mark each one clearly as to where it goes, and which side is out and up. This marking should be large enough and of sufficient contrast to be legible by moonlight or a single candle.
4. Remember the goal is to be able to completely board up the house in LESS THAN AN HOUR! It takes 5/8" plywood or thicker to stop a 2x4 thrown by 150 MPH winds. If handling equipment is needed to help lift the boards into place mount the pulley hangers NOW! A battery operated drill works great for installing the board fasteners, but keep a couple of spare batteries charged for taking them off later when you're whupped, there is no power, and you have to get the boards off to get light and ventilation in the house after the storm. There are going to be a LOT of things to do in the last 6-12 hours before the storm hits. If it takes more than an hour to board up these other important things will not get done because you'll flat run out of time.
5. Collect 5 to 7 gallon buckets with lids. 10 is a minimum for two people but 20-30 is even better. Clean and nest them, and then store them in a plastic bag. You're not going to have time to be both washing and filling buckets later.
1-3 days before the storm:
1. WASH CLOTHES! You won't be doing any laundry for a while after the storm hits, and a clean change of clothes will do wonders for your morale after working the clean up for a day or so.
2. Dead branches, weak trees, and other garden debris etc should be removed now and burned. Ashes won't hurt you later.
3. Any other prep work you can do now will save you that much more time for the important stuff later.
4. Start packaging dried foods and ammunition in waterproof and impact resistant containers. Pick containers that nest well and can also be used to shore up the weakest wall of your interior shelter. Surplus military ammunition cans work well. I have several 10 gallon open head steel drums that make a very strong crush resistant package, and can be stacked and lashed to form a penetration barrier.
Just before it hits:
1. Bag some clean clothes and bed linen in several layers of plastic bags, as well as about half your towel stock. That way even if you loose a part of your roof you'll have a dry place to sleep and dry clothes to wear later.
2. Fill everything you can with potable water. If you have nothing else wash the tub, dry it, and then tape the drain shut with a good grade of duct tape (drain valves leak and this is the water that may keep you alive) before filling it. Distribute the water you cant get into your interior shelter about the place so a single tree through the wall wont destroy the entire amount.
3. Bring weapons, some ammunition, as much food and water as you can, and bedding into your interior shelter. Do NOT bring fuel or batteries other than what is needed for minimal light into this area. The risk of damaging other vital supplies is too great to put that stuff inside your strong room with you. What's in here may be all you have to survive with for a week or more. Do NOT forget the weapons! Wildlife is forced out of the lower-lying areas by the water. Wildlife and abandoned pets start to think of people as food after eating bodies for a while. Dog packs are particularly nasty. Defensive weaponry is necessary both for these things and the 2-legged snakes that seem to appear to "share the wealth". Police protection is non-existent right after the storm. Plan on at least 2 weeks of no effective police protection, and 3 weeks of no potable water or power. If the storm is a class 4 or 5 triple that estimate.
4. PRAY!!!!
--------------------
FT
Be aware that although my house is only 2 blocks from the beach, it has a 10' elevation advantage over all the area "evacuation centers." Camille hit it dead on in '69 with 250 MPH winds, +22' storm surge(that was where the tide gauge washed away), with 20' seas on top of that, and it's still there. That was one of the major reasons I bought it. I'll ride out anything up to a class 3. If it's a class 4 or 5 storm my brother in Oklahoma will develop a sick dog I'll have to go help nurse back to health for a month or so. I've been "privileged" to see the eye wall of 2 'canes in S Florida, one in Houston, and 2 on the Mississippi Gulf coast. Georges parked within 4 miles of my house for about 14 hours. We saw the eye wall of that storm several times as it wobbled about. May I never be so "privileged" again!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A tip for those in hurricane country: NEVER throw away a 5-gallon bucket, or it's lid!
For those who have never been through one of these things or others in hurricane or winter storm areas here are a few things we've learned from hard experience after seeing the eye wall of 5 hurricanes, above and beyond what the media will tell you.
Things to add to your emergency supplies:
1. Hurricane lamp WICKS!
2. Citronella oil for the hurricane lamps. Mosquitoes thrive after a cane!
3. Lots of extra Coleman lantern mantles and the adapter to run them off the large 20-lb. bottles if they're the propane type. Spare generators for liquid fueled ones and globes .
4. A spare chain saw bar, at least two spare chains, a backup pull rope assembly, and a spare carb/air cleaner assembly. Electric chain saws are pretty much worthless in an emergency situation!
5. Gloves. Heavy leather ones that fit. The canvas ones won't last long.
6. Steel-toed boots with puncture liners in the soles. Vietnam era jungle boots with punji and mine protection is about the best. A good quality work boot runs a close second. There will be wood with protruding nails _everywhere_ hidden in the debris.
7. Visqueen or other heavy plastic sheeting in roll form.
8. Machete and ax, SHARP!
Steps to do up front:
Several months ahead of storm season.
1. Get pressure treated plywood cut to cover all windows and all but one door (your heaviest). Rig an internal brace to hold that one door shut even if the frame splits.
2. Put hanger bolts in to mount all of these and do a test fit by putting them all up.
3. Paint all these with a good primer and topcoat, and mark each one clearly as to where it goes, and which side is out and up. This marking should be large enough and of sufficient contrast to be legible by moonlight or a single candle.
4. Remember the goal is to be able to completely board up the house in LESS THAN AN HOUR! It takes 5/8" plywood or thicker to stop a 2x4 thrown by 150 MPH winds. If handling equipment is needed to help lift the boards into place mount the pulley hangers NOW! A battery operated drill works great for installing the board fasteners, but keep a couple of spare batteries charged for taking them off later when you're whupped, there is no power, and you have to get the boards off to get light and ventilation in the house after the storm. There are going to be a LOT of things to do in the last 6-12 hours before the storm hits. If it takes more than an hour to board up these other important things will not get done because you'll flat run out of time.
5. Collect 5 to 7 gallon buckets with lids. 10 is a minimum for two people but 20-30 is even better. Clean and nest them, and then store them in a plastic bag. You're not going to have time to be both washing and filling buckets later.
1-3 days before the storm:
1. WASH CLOTHES! You won't be doing any laundry for a while after the storm hits, and a clean change of clothes will do wonders for your morale after working the clean up for a day or so.
2. Dead branches, weak trees, and other garden debris etc should be removed now and burned. Ashes won't hurt you later.
3. Any other prep work you can do now will save you that much more time for the important stuff later.
4. Start packaging dried foods and ammunition in waterproof and impact resistant containers. Pick containers that nest well and can also be used to shore up the weakest wall of your interior shelter. Surplus military ammunition cans work well. I have several 10 gallon open head steel drums that make a very strong crush resistant package, and can be stacked and lashed to form a penetration barrier.
Just before it hits:
1. Bag some clean clothes and bed linen in several layers of plastic bags, as well as about half your towel stock. That way even if you loose a part of your roof you'll have a dry place to sleep and dry clothes to wear later.
2. Fill everything you can with potable water. If you have nothing else wash the tub, dry it, and then tape the drain shut with a good grade of duct tape (drain valves leak and this is the water that may keep you alive) before filling it. Distribute the water you cant get into your interior shelter about the place so a single tree through the wall wont destroy the entire amount.
3. Bring weapons, some ammunition, as much food and water as you can, and bedding into your interior shelter. Do NOT bring fuel or batteries other than what is needed for minimal light into this area. The risk of damaging other vital supplies is too great to put that stuff inside your strong room with you. What's in here may be all you have to survive with for a week or more. Do NOT forget the weapons! Wildlife is forced out of the lower-lying areas by the water. Wildlife and abandoned pets start to think of people as food after eating bodies for a while. Dog packs are particularly nasty. Defensive weaponry is necessary both for these things and the 2-legged snakes that seem to appear to "share the wealth". Police protection is non-existent right after the storm. Plan on at least 2 weeks of no effective police protection, and 3 weeks of no potable water or power. If the storm is a class 4 or 5 triple that estimate.
4. PRAY!!!!
--------------------
FT
