East Coasters Are You Prepping for the Hurricane?

[Simba's Mom]

A couple other small things that I am thinking about it:

make sure all your clothes are washed for 3 reasons: 1) no one wants funky clothes left in the washer when the power goes off, 2) it always "feels" better to have clean clothes available and 3) you can use that washer to fill with water just in case water services are down and you will need water to even flush toilets.

Same thing goes for dishes,except you can't leave water in there

I know it sounds kooky, but a couple days after not being able to bathe, shower;eww to feel "fresh" use baby wipes and actually there are portable showers in camping sections of stores-never used them after the first run in i am pondering. you put water in them, put it out in the sun to get warm and take a nice luke warm shower.

2 words: manual can opener. simple things that can make the, hurricane experience a little more tolerable

everyone stay safe

No those aren't small things-they're important! The worst part of the 4 days of H*** we endured after Hurricane Dolly were the smells. And I wanted to take a shower so badly!
And someone mentioned charging your cell phones. I learned another thing the hard way-have a car charger for your cell phone. Depending on how many days you're without power afterwards, your cell phone might die, like mine did. And for me, at least, I held it together until then-when I realized that I was totally cut off from the rest of the world that's when I lost it.

 

[Pooh67_68]

I am in PA up near Pocono Raceway, not really worried.

 

[Shutterbug]

Watching the 5pm news right now, and the Gov. is reporting that our state is ready for Irene, projected forecast as of right now are that Irene will make a direct hit to the outer banks, and they have evacuation plans in place. The National Guard is on stand by at this moment to move in if needed.

So we will see.

I hope OBX doesnt take a main hit, I saw the results first hand of what Isabelle did to Hatteras island as a Cat 2

 

[Tybug]

This morning it looked like she was headed right for Wilmington but tonight looks a little more East. Come over to Raleigh, we will keep you safe...WAIT we said that during Fran and we were hit just as bad as the coast....Head onto to Va.

I hope you get to go, even if it's NOT Disney.

Oh I remember Fran and another one (can't remember which one), everyone left here and headed your way and ya'll ended up with all the damage! They started with Jacksonville then moved to Wilmington, now us. Hopefully she'll just keep turning east!

We were in Disney last week. BG isn't the same but I love the park and it feels like home. We're AP holders and haven't made it there this year so we're really looking forward to being there.

 

[figmentswife]

Oh I remember Fran and another one (can't remember which one), everyone left here and headed your way and ya'll ended up with all the damage! They started with Jacksonville then moved to Wilmington, now us. Hopefully she'll just keep turning east!

We were in Disney last week. BG isn't the same but I love the park and it feels like home. We're AP holders and haven't made it there this year so we're really looking forward to being there.

I am going to tell Mickey you are CHEATING on him.

 

[minkydog]

We are leaving for the outer banks 2am Saturday so keeping a close eye on it. So hoping it goes out to sea.

Good luck. My brother lives in Kill Devil Hill (OBX) and they're preparing. They haven't had a strong hurricane in several years. They have a big tall generator in the side yard--it's about 5 feet off the ground. Bro is pretty savvy about storms. If the hurricane passes to the east of land, they won't get a lot of rain, just high seas. If the hurricane goes further inland or up the Albemarle Sound, they'll get a lot of rain and flooding. Bro probably won't evacuate,unless they make it mandatory(he doesn't live on the beach). But he's not gonna be stupid either.

 

[ShesAPirate]

Another NJ Diser here! I had no idea this hurricane was coming our way. We'll be stocking up on all of the storm essentials -- you know, wine, chocolate, brie, champagne, etc.

Seriously, though, my boyfriend is very well stocked with batteries and flashlights, candles, tuna and other canned foods, baby wipes, and tons of other stuff (he's a dedicated Costco shopper). I'm sure we'll get some water and some other food before Sunday.

 

[ShannyMcB]

We are in RI and not doing too much beyond getting extra batteries and water.

If it does hit us, and will hopefully be a cat 1 or lower, I will probably be somewhere crying because vacation will be all but ruined.

 

[mikehn]

It is headed straight for the chesapeake bay and Im taking Friday off to go pull the boat out of the water.

 

[ShuisFan584]

Another NJ member here. So I haven't really done anything to prepare.

But DH is supposed to go on a bachelor party camping trip near DC this weekend...so who knows what's gonna happen with that!

 

[figmentswife]

We are leaving for the outer banks 2am Saturday so keeping a close eye on it. So hoping it goes out to sea.

Our Gov. spoke this evening and said for vacationers to head on over. So come on down, the power companies are on stand by already, and FEMA will be here in the morning (what they said on the news). The coast will get power back WAY before I do in central NC.

 

[josh29]

Here on the Jersey Shore (please don't mention the horrid MTV show), we've done some stocking up on supplies - batteries, water, full gas tanks, food that doesn't require much cooking, propane tanks, etc. We'll be taking down the umbrellas and deck furniture and 'battening down the hatches'. We're mostly safe from flooding as we're not on the back bays, but the wind and rain'll be fun!

And it looks like there's a chance it may even make landfall here!

 

[golfgal]

So, how far inland do you have to "prepare" for hurricanes? How do you know if you got far enough "inland" for hotels, etc.

 

[Hillbeans]

Here on the Jersey Shore (please don't mention the horrid MTV show), we've done some stocking up on supplies - batteries, water, full gas tanks, food that doesn't require much cooking, propane tanks, etc. We'll be taking down the umbrellas and deck furniture and 'battening down the hatches'. We're mostly safe from flooding as we're not on the back bays, but the wind and rain'll be fun!

And it looks like there's a chance it may even make landfall here!

Last Labor Day weekend, we were at a vacation house in Ocean City, NJ and there was a hurricane predicted. I am not kidding that we got rain for 15 minutes and that was it....and everyone was in a panic for days leading up to it. I know it's good to be prepared, and move in your outdoor furniture, but hopefully it'll just be nothing.

In 2003 we were in OCNJ and that storm did a little more damage but mostly beach erosion and road flooding.

 

[figmentswife]

So, how far inland do you have to "prepare" for hurricanes? How do you know if you got far enough "inland" for hotels, etc.

Our biggest issue ends up being power outages and down trees and some flooding (anywhere near water - lakes) So coming inland is not a bad idea, but I am telling you - power comes back MUCH faster that the coast.

If it were me - Category 3 or less - I would hang at the beach - Category 4 or higher I am running for the hills.

This morning, it again looks as though she is turning more east again so maybe just a little rain.

 

[marie1203]

We live less than 2 miles from the coast so we decided we are taking a trip to the smokeys for the weekend with all our fur babies. We just can not wait for last minute if they declare mandatory evacuation with so many fur babies it will be very hard for us to pack everyone very fast and leaving our pets behind is not a choice for us. We filled our tanks of gas and will be leaving very early Friday and coming back Monday afternoon. We went over to our boat and got all the sails in and everything ready yesterday afternoon. Everything is basically done for us.

 

[ziggystardust]

i bought a new flashlight yest and some bottled water. Will fill up my gas tank today and have been charging cell phones to full power.

I'm somewhere in the middle here, I know that most of these hurricane threats up here are nothing more than a passing storm, but I also know that that won't be the case forever. My sister (who lives a few blocks away) is planning on evacuating friday night, my boyfriend basically plans on going down with the ship. My town is on a barrier island and we're advised to evacuate with any hurricane, even a cat1. I've never lived here during a hurricane, but we were flooded 2 weeks ago with a rain storm which left 2 of the 3 ways in/out of the town closed b/c of the flooding.

what to do, what to do...

 

[golfgal]

I would say that prepping for a hurricane is basically the same as us putting a winter survival kit in the car in the winter (although the hurricane prep is more involved). You prep just in case, not because you are "scared". I have a clothes basket with a survival kit, jumper cables, some extra mittens, blankets, etc. that I put in the back of each car in the winter--usually when we get our first snow fall. I keep boots and a small shovel in there too. I have "needed" it once, ever and that was when I slid off the road during a storm, slightly, but enough that my front wheels were stuck. I used the boots and the shovel, dug my way out, went on my way .

In the summer I put flashlights, our battery operated radio, extra shoes and a power cord for my computer in our "tornado room". Never needed them but they are there just in case.

 

[figmentswife]

So Gov. Purdue is back on this morning. I CAN"T watch (her mouth drives me crazy - imagine watching the Joker from Batman) but I am listening.
They are evacuating Ocracoke Island residents tomorrow.....Eastern NC is being warned about the rain and wind and she is asking that we get ready. Prepare for the worst even though the storm track looks better for us.
Fri night at the earliest, Sat into Sun....we will open for business again Sunday afternoon....YES - she really did just say that.

go to www.readync.org to see a list of what they say you need to make a "kit".

I kinda want to go the beach now....Irene is low enough that I think it would be cool to be there.

 

[golfgal]

So Gov. Purdue is back on this morning. I CAN"T watch (her mouth drives me crazy - imagine watching the Joker from Batman) but I am listening.
They are evacuating Ocracoke Island residents tomorrow.....Eastern NC is being warned about the rain and wind and she is asking that we get ready. Prepare for the worst even though the storm track looks better for us.
Fri night at the earliest, Sat into Sun....we will open for business again Sunday afternoon....YES - she really did just say that.

go to www.readync.org to see a list of what they say you need to make a "kit".

I kinda want to go the beach now....Irene is low enough that I think it would be cool to be there.

I looked her up to see what she looked like--I see what you mean