Those of us in possible Frances path...what are you doing to get ready??

[Disney845]

Tell us where you are, and what you are doing??

We live in Indian River County, just north of Vero Beach, less than 2 miles inland of the Indian River.

On Monday we stocked up on water, canned goods, sterno stoves, and batteries to beat the mad rush. Last night we spent 20 min in a walmart gas station line (and many gas station in the area were out of gas). Walmart was barren of water and many other supply items. Home Depot and Lowes in the area are mad houses. Yesterday SO was off of work so he put up our hurricane shutters. When he gets home today we are heading to Lowes (god help us) for a garage door reinforcing kit, or some lumber to do it ourselves. Last night SO and I trimmed some trees and other stuff in our backyard. Thankfully today was lawn-trash pickup day, so we got rid of some possible damaging debris. We bought a fire safe at Walmart. We are gathering all important insurance, car, house documents. Yesterday SO refilled his prescriptions at Publix so he has a full supply. We bought extra cat food and have Sable's cat carrier ready to go if need be. Tonight we are cleaning out the cars, in case we need to pack them to evacuate. I am currently doing all of the laundry.

We are torn on the taking the vehicle issue. SO and I have 3 cars. One is definitely staying (2 people can't drive 3 cars at once) of the 2 that might go, both are little 2 door sports cars. While taking both would allow us to bring more, I am also scared of the possibility of getting separated, and having even one extra car on the rd is even more congestion for all of the evacuees. SO says we have walkie talkies (cell lines can be unpredictable during storms, plus you should stay off the lines allowing emergency personnel to use them) but I am still concerned as they are 2 miles radius ones, and if we get separated by more than that. Plus I am concerned about driving in such gridlock. I tend to find myself very uncomfortable and tense driving in traffic or construction type areas.

Another issue is where to evacuate to. South? The storm might turn south and then we are stuck. West? the storm is big enough to cross the state and I have heard there are no rooms to be had. North? We could possibly get stuck in traffic or the storm could follow us north.

 

[eeyore65]

We are in Boca and we are staying. I also don't know where I would evacuate to. We are putting up our hurricane shutters now. I have food and water. (we have a gas line underground in to the house so I'm hoping we can cook) I'm really worried about being without power forever - but there is no hope of a generator now. Our cars are full of gas and we are moving everything outside to the inside - somewhere....

good luck and stay safe!

 

[tnkrbell]

Hey we are in Western palm beach county, We are putting up the shutters as I type (ok so hubby is!!)
Also I got water canned food ect.. earlier this week. Today I got 4 flashlights and some first aide type stuff. Also doing the laundry now.
I got gas yesterday and Im so glad because all the gas stations in this area are out of gas!!!!!!!! ALREADY!! That floored me!!
Well stay safe you guys!!!!! {{hugs}}

 

[dizny4us]

hello,
Another south Floridian here...we have our water, batteries, flashlights, etc. We have our shutters ready to go and will prob put those up tonight or tomorrow. We cant really go further south and west just puts us where Hurricane Charley was so I'm sure we won't find anyplace to stay. The middle school down the street from us is a shelter if we cant stay at our house but I also dont have any where for our dogs and cats to go. The water district drained the lake behind our house about a foot to prepare for the rain. The stores were VERY busy here too. Traffic everywhere! The water shelves were basically empty at the grocery store as were the juice boxes and such. Thanks for reminding me about the gas! I'll have to stop after I pick DS up from school.

 

[JimB.]

North Florida here......................

Already have plywood. It's all over the front yard and I am scratching my head trying to figure out what the heck the labels I painted on them 5 years ago actually MEAN!!!

Just where the heck on my house IS "Corner 1, 2b, upper"???

It musta made sense then, but not now................

Fuel for lanterns & camp stoves. Batteries, food. $$$$.

That's about it. Prayers for a HARD right turn.


STILL hoping for the best !!!!!!!!

 

[sap1227]

I am in Northwest Orange County. We have our batteries, candles, water, can opener, ice and gas.

My DH is a firefighter, so he can not leave, but my mom is really thinking we should leave. I guess if we go, we will just go north and watch where the storm is going????????

I am very nervous this time. We were without power for 5 days from Charley and this looks like it will be much worse.

Good luck to everyone!

 

[aimee11621]

South Miami here......

Getting ready going to seven eleven next door to my job they have a big order of water so I will get lots of water (both my parents and my house).

Hubby is a HOME DEPOT buying plywood and says he could only get a hold of 6 pieces .

Will put up they plywood tonight or tomorrow.
Got lots of canned stuff but still need to get a big bag of dog food.

Will be stopping at the drug store for two boxes of baby wipes.
(use your imagination on the baby wipes).

Ice I will get tomorrow from the seven eleven. Eventhough its a bit more money to get its worth not going into the supermarket. The crowds just get me more anxious.

Need to get batteries for the radio and of course canned evaporated milk for my kids.

If the storm comes we will feast on whatever is in the fridge and then (i hope and pray ) the red cross usually kicks in.

VERY IMPORTANT BUG SPRAY!!!

 

[Buzzlvr31]

I live in Delray Beach, and on Monday stocked up on bottled water and dry food in case the power gose out (which is becoming more and more likely considering her latest projected path) .

I already have a good supply of batteries, and flashlights, so that isn't an issue here. I'm deciding so stay put since I don't live in a mandatory evacuation zone.

Hopefully, it wn't hit, but it seems more and more likely that it will, and now they're projecting landfall at Vero Beach on Early Saturday morning!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAArgh!!!!!

One hurricane was enough for me to go through, now another?!? YEESH!!! I'm feeling snakebit!!!!!

Wish me luck!!! If you don't hear from me by Sunday, you'll know it's because I lost power!!!!

 

[2bemarried]

Just dropped in to say that we're all thinking about you and hoping that Frances loses her power. Hurricanes that start with F have a nasty way of turning our way so we know what you're going through...Good luck and tons of PD too!

 

[dcg0317]

I want you all to know my prays and PD are with you all. Having gone through Charlie and now Franics knocking on your door, I do feel for all you folks, please take care and safe.

 

[legs22]

I just got back from Home Depot hell
You had to ask someone if you could have their cart then wait until they paid and follow them in the parking lot while they loaded it in their truck or car and then take their empty cart. Then wait in a long line to get the wood. Buy the time I made it up there they only had 3/8 inch and they don't recommend less than 5/8, but I took it anyway. Then I had to find the right screws and the right length. That aisle was a mad house. (They were sold out of the recommended hurricane ones.) Then I had to buy a drill. And surprise.....they had D batteries, so I bought some of those. Then the Home Depot guys tied 6 sheets of plywood to the top of my car. The guys who worked at Home Depot and the guys who didn't were all so nice and helpful to a single female I know I must have looked overwhelmed.

I feel so much better that I got window coverings now!!!

But I just read that if your garge door fails, your roof will go.
And I have an older door with small windows at the top.

Oh, and I was so lucky to see a psycho ex-bf at Home Depot too.

 

[PoohnPglet]

I am in Orlando (Winter Park area). I have food, water, batteries and candles, so I am good there.

I just do not know if I should stay or if I should go. I just moved here from Colorado so I am not real familiar with hurricanes except Charley. I keep hearing this will be much worse.

The apartment building I live in did not get any real damage from Charley ( a few screens and roof tiles) so is this an indicator that my building holds up well?

Is it okay to say that I am a little bit scared right now?

 

[poohandwendy]

but I am still concerned as they are 2 miles radius ones, and if we get separated by more than that. Plus I am concerned about driving in such gridlock. I tend to find myself very uncomfortable and tense driving in traffic or construction type areas.

I would suggest coming up with a game plan on where you will head for and specific meeting places along the way. The transportation board has a thread with links to a very detailed list of exits on I-95 (including gas stations, restaurants, etc). I also would definitely make up 2 different evacuation plans, one heading north and one south. You can make the decision which way to head when it becomes more apparent where this hurricane will generally land.

Good luck to you all, we will all be praying for you!

 

[marlasmom]

I bought more batteries, more heavy duty flashlights (btw they had lots of batteries and very big flashlights at HD (with the huge batteries included) for $5.00 each. I got a propane lamp at Walmart - during Charley I could not read when I couldn't sleep at night.

My daughter is a nurse in Osceola and she just called (for the third time) to urge us to leave and take her son with us. She said people are taking patients out of the hospital. Now I am getting scared. This is a new house (3 years old) and we did not have any damage from Charley other than a bowed fence and water pouring in through the air conditioning duct.

I wish I knew what to do - where to go. My daughter has 2 dogs which she said she would put in Furry Friends. What if that gets hit?

I don't want to leave my daughter and because she is a nurse she has to stay.

 

[debster812]

PoohandWendy has some GREAT advice.

2 evac routes is a good idea and a couple of meeting places in each direction is really good. That way if you get separated, and cannot contact each other either via cell or radio, you can wait and meet up.

 

[moinab]

We are east of Jax, just 4 blocks from the ocean. We're planning on evacuating tomorrow. We're ok on supplies. Not sure where we are going to go. We are just planning on driving toward Macon/Atlanta. Not sure if we'll be able to get a room anywhere, so we'll probably just be staying in the car and going as far NW as possible. Good luck, everyone! Stay safe!

 

[got2lovedisney]

Miami chiming in...went to Wal-Mart during lunch and didn't see a single battery!! No lanterns either. They do have candles (got some citronella ones in the gardening dept for $3.94). Also got some bug spray and a small gas grill. We had bought water and beer yesterday at BJ's. Also...saw batteries at Walgreens although I don't need them having "found" some at work. Shutters/wood are NOT up yet...we'll see what tomorrow brings I guess. I'll probably do the laundry tonight and try to straighten up the house in case we need to move stuff inside. (My BF has some deluded idea that he's going to bring the 2 motorcycles in the house...yeah right! NOT!)

 

[phamton]

School was just cancelled for Orange County (Orlando) schools for Friday in anticipation of Hurricane Frances.

 

[poohandwendy]

Here is the link to I-95 exits in Florida, hopefully it can help those of you who need to find meeting places for loved ones, if you get separated:

http://www.wdwinfo.com/Transportation/G-I95.htm

And this link is for I-95 exits in Georgia:

http://www.wdwinfo.com/Transportation/G-I95.htm

Of course, I-95 may not be the best route to take, but I don't know of any other links for alternate routes (exits). Hope this is useful to someone.

 

[Poohbear123]

I think I might need some more water, I got 3 gallons so far...hopefully my Store will not close untill late tomorrow. My Friend in Daytona Beach is leaving tomorrow evening for parts unknown, she is in an evacuation zone being 2 blocks from the beach.