| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Ninibini |
Posted - Oct 27 2012 : 09:24:24 AM
Okay, so we all know that a nasty superstorm is coming, and many of us have already put some minor emergency plans into action such as having bread, water, rock salt and candles. It’s also probably a little too late to run out to the store to buy some of what we need, as panic has set in many communities and the store shelves are already clearing out. They just said on the news that 50 million could be affected by Frankenstorm Sandy. That, to me, is almost unfathomable. I just want to give you a few ideas to consider that you can still do right now to help make this an easier situation for you and your family.
1) Fill your gas tank. You never know if flooding will create a need for you to leave your home, and if the electricity is out (as is expected in many places), it’s going to be hard to obtain gasoline until it comes back on.
2) Charge your rechargeable electronics, especially your cell phones, your mp3s, your tablets… These may be your only source of connection with the world for a few days. Further, I’m going to be charging our son’s old portable DVD player… If the aftermath lands a little bit longer than expected, we may need the entertainment.
3) Take out your old board games, dice and playing cards. These will be a life saver by candlelight.
4) Move anything on your porch, deck and in your yard that isn’t tied down into the garage, basement or indoors. If the winds are as bad as they are supposed to be, you don’t want anything being jettisoned in through your windows.
5) Take unused blankets and hang them from your curtain rods… This is another precaution to protect your family from flying glass should something come through the window.
6) Have your gas or charcoal grill at the ready in case you need to use it for cooking. Make sure you have enough charcoal, matches and gas in the tank.
7) Remove your stick matches from the cardboard container and put them into a glass jar to keep them dry. Stick the strike side of the box OR a piece of fine sandpaper in along with it to use to light them.
8) Have candles set up in safe, clear areas of every room so you’re not scrambling to find them should the power go out.
9) Make sure you fill your prescriptions TODAY, and make sure you have a minimun of one week‘s worth on hand. You don’t want to be stuck at home without them. Even delivery services may be down for a few days. Also be sure you have aspirin, acetaminophen, and any other medications you may unexpectedly need in your cupboard. A first aid kit is also advisable; if you don't have one, it should be easy enough to assemble one from items you already have in your cupboard. It'd probably be a good idea to make an extra one for your vehicle, too, if you don't already have one.
10) Do all your laundry TODAY while you still can. Same for washing dishes in the dishwasher. Should your water service be temporarily interrupted, you don’t want nasty smells lingering or food hanging around inviting pests to join you while enduring the storm and its aftermath.
11) Have paper plates, paper napkins and plastic utensils on hand. Since these are disposable, you might want to use these instead of your regular dishes if your water service is interrupted.
12) Water - put it in empty bottles, jars, pots, pans… and even in a very clean bathtub. You’ll be surprised just how much water you will need if the water system is polluted during the storm OR if your service is interrupted.
13) Bathroom… Okay, nobody likes to think about this, but you could have problems with your sewage as well as water. Here’s what you need to do: Get some HEAVY DUTY garbage bags, baby diapers and/or kitty litter. In the event you cannot flush your commode, line the empty commode with two garbage bags (one inside the other). Toss in an adequate amount of kitty litter OR an open baby diaper (these will soak up the liquids and help keep the smell down), and once the bag is “full“ (you decide), tie off well and remove to the garbage receptacle. Believe me, you will be very glad you did this. And by golly - be SURE to have enough toilet paper on hand to get you through a few days, and be sure you have enough diapers at the ready for the babies. These are definitely items you do NOT want to run out of!
14) There’s nothing better than soap and water, but if that’s not an option, you’ll be very glad to have hand sanitizer on hand.
15) Make sure you have blankets at the ready. It could get very cold if you don’t have power or a source of heat. You can use them in any room of the house to stay cozy and warm for the duration.
16) Snow prep: As crazy as it seems, we’re supposed to get nasty, heavy, wet snow with this storm. Make sure you have shovels and rock salt (or even table salt) near the door.
17) Make sure you prepare your vehicle in case you have to leave or are suck on the road: Map, water, rock salt, flashlight, shovel, jumper cables, flares, reflective tape (for a sign or your clothing), snack foods, extra changes of clothing and shoes, a roll of toilet paper (even better - stored, like MaryJane recommends, in a plastic CD storage container), and a portable charged radio, pet food, pet leashes, travel kennels, pooper scoopers and bags, etc.
18) Set your freezer and refrigerator to their highest settings and close the door. Should the power go out, do NOT open the doors unless absolutely necessary. This will help keep your food from spoiling from a day or two. REMEMBER: This is a very good time to take advantage of any canned goods you have in your cupboard. Use them before opening the fridge!
19) Have your coolers at the ready with ice as a back up for your fridge.
20) People are buying water… but remember to buy sport drinks like Gatorade and other bottled drinks such as juice, cola and ginger ale. Should someone become ill, flat cola and flat ginger ale will help settle the stomach, and sport drinks help replenish electrolytes.
21) Keep a set of tools nearby, and be sure to keep the rechargeable tools and tools requiring fuel ready. You never know what you’ll need to get out of your front door or driveway once the storm passes. And these will be handy if you need to do any emergency repairs to your home.
22) Make sure your fire extinguisher is full and that you know how to use it. It’s a good idea to have more than one ready.
23) Have a change of clothes for each person, a couple of days of food and toiletries, your extra pairs of glasses and reading glasses, your laptop computer, emergency documents, credit card information, bank information, and any other important documents (I like to have my photos ready - albums, boxes, flash drives… but these are not “must have’s”) ready in a big plastic tub or other container by the door waiting in case your family is evacuated. It’s best to have them in large plastic storage tubs to protect from water, but if you don’t have a tub available, then use whatever you can.
24) If, Heaven forbid, you are evacuated, try to leave someone in the car at all times, and remember to lock the doors. People see this type of situation as an opportunity to pillage. If they see you have a car full of “goodies,” and nobody’s inside, they’ll be more likely to bust in windows. But, whatever you do, for Heaven’s sake - LOCK YOUR DOORS WHEN YOU LEAVE YOUR CAR OR HOME. Don’t make it easy for a potential thief. The noise of breaking glass will surely call attention to any passersby.
25) Also, DO NOT try to drive through a flooded area. Floodwaters run fast and deep and you do not want to be caught inside your vehicle if this happens. A young mother and her two children drowned this way a year or so ago in our area. Find an alternate route. Use your GPS or a map. It would behoove you greatly to use some of those hours by candlelight to map out a few different emergency routes in case roads are flooded, blocked, etc. Just be wise, be careful and stay safe.
26) Remember Grandpa and Grandma and your elderly neighbors. Check on them before the storm, and bring a few necessities to help them get through. OR, even better, bring them home with you, if you have the room And be sure that after the storm you check on them once you’re able to leave your home. They are extremely vulnerable at times like this, and you could really be a godsend. Always remember to LOVE THY NEIGHBOR.
27) Don’t be brave - be wise. If you are warned to evacuate, PLEASE EVACUATE. Just remember hurricane Katrina.
Well, I’m sure that you all can add to this list, for sure, so please do! I’ve actually got to go take care of a few things myself, so I’m going to leave you with these ideas to chew on for now. Please be careful! We really need to keep in mind what Annika said in another post - we can always replace things, but not our lives.
Peace and blessings and safety and health to you and your loved ones!
Hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
|
| 24 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| neeter302 |
Posted - Nov 12 2012 : 6:01:12 PM
FYI Joan is well, was one of the lucky ones but her poor mother is elderly and her neighborhood was completely wiped out, bless her heart. She is staying with Joan's sister. Praying for all those who are displaced. |
| njaw09 |
Posted - Nov 11 2012 : 5:15:37 PM
Staten Island got hit pretty hard...it is depending where she is act. Give them few more days. Some didn't have power for 2 weeks...Part of NJ (near the shore and Brooklyn got hit pretty hard...)
We had blackout for 8 days at nj but we all alright though. I was very very prepare.
The only thing we were missing was the generator. |
| darlenelovesart |
Posted - Nov 11 2012 : 4:29:10 PM
Yes let us know if you alright. Is the power on there yet?
prayers
darlene
I have learned that to have a good friend is the purest of all God's gifts, for it is a love that has no exchange of payment.
by Frances Farmer |
| neeter302 |
Posted - Nov 11 2012 : 1:33:07 PM
Has anyone heard from or know if Joan (SimpleLiving) is ok? She's from Staten Island, the hardest hit, I can't find any recent posts from her, lordy I hope she's alright and just a matter of power outage. Joan we are thinking of you praying for you and hope you're alright. |
| tkap5 |
Posted - Nov 07 2012 : 7:04:49 PM
Nini,
Glad you are doing okay after the storm. That was a great post on emergency preparedness! I'm not on the coast, but being in Nebraska, we do get some good snowstorms. I always have intentions of getting more prepared for storms or some other disaster. The news of how people have suffered after hurricane Sandy have lit a fire for me. I ordered the basic kit from Mary Jane as a start.
There's really no excuse for not being ready when we are told all the time to plan ahead for emergencies!
Thanks for all the information you shared!
|
| darlenelovesart |
Posted - Nov 04 2012 : 12:25:22 PM
I am glad you are doing ok out there after the frankenstorm. I know we should be all be prepared for big emergencies like that no matter where we live...
Thanks again Nini for your list of how to prepare.
Happy Sunday.
love
darlene
I have learned that to have a good friend is the purest of all God's gifts, for it is a love that has no exchange of payment.
by Frances Farmer |
| Penny Wise |
Posted - Nov 04 2012 : 07:34:25 AM
nin i am very impressed with you wonderful post! i can tell that you speak from experience! yours as well as grampa and parents!
we lost our power monday nite and it returned tues about noon but yesterday there were still folks less than 20 miles away with none so this storm really DID hit lots of ppl...my daughter just bought a house and had to pay a tree service to take down a pine in her front yard before it damaged her house or took out power for the whole block- two in the back yard came down on their own- there are ppl close by still with no water and so many of the trees around here that came down were pines-big old pines!
over the years i have gotten away from being as prepared for emeregency as i should be so i am going to work on it this week seriously- i fear that this winter could be very rough here in ohio along lake erie...just a feeling!i'm going to stock away canned goods such as chef boy ar dee in pop top cans as well- can always eat them right out of the can!
Farmgirl # 2139
proud member of the Farmgirls of the Southwest Henhouse
~*~ counting my pennies; my dreams are adding up!~*~ |
| beekeepersgirl |
Posted - Nov 03 2012 : 3:46:11 PM
We finally got our power back this AM here in Eastern PA - lots of downed trees and power lines. We have a generator, so we did fine, but I'm glad to be back in touch with the world!
Luanne
beekeepersgirl #691
Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
|
| Ninibini |
Posted - Nov 01 2012 : 1:48:10 PM
LOL! Ain't it the truth, Jamie?! Ain't it the truth!! BTW - I did receive your wonderful catch-up email... I've just been a little preoccupied with all of this, but will respond very soon, I promise! Hugs to you! :)
Good news! Dad and his wife are okay. They were at a friend's during the storm. My dad needed to be somewhere where he would be able to keep his oxygen tank running, so they went to stay over at his buddy's place because he lives on the hospital grid. Theír house did endure some flooding, but he said it was nothing major. He said what really caused them problems was wind sheer after the storm passed. It actually hit up the street, but it caused damaged to most of the homes in the neighborhood, including theirs. I didn't ask, but I'm figuring the damage was probably the result of debris flying(?). The wind sheer also was apparently the cause of their power outages, etc., as it left trees and power lines down in its wake. They're up and running now, though. Thankfully, my stepsister went over to check on them yesterday morning, and was kind enough to bring them some hot coffee and some supplies. Dad said hot coffee just tasted so good, that you always forget how important the little conveniences like that are until the power goes out. :) He sounds good... happy... I'm just very relieved!
Oh! And although my Mom's power and phone lines were out for a couple of days, she did manage to email me. They're fine and incurred no real damage at all, praise the Lord! Her employer gave them an extra day off due to the storm, too, which made her quite cheerful. She was making a pumpkin pie for my stepdad, so things are all as they should be! ;)
Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers! Please continue praying for all those who are still in the long haul of recovery!
Hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
|
| SunnyJam |
Posted - Oct 30 2012 : 11:10:37 AM
I'm glad you're ok and I hope today's weather isn't as bad as expected, Nini! Praying for your mom and dad and all those still affected by the storms. I'm glad someone was able to have a little fun in the midst of it...boys will be boys I guess. :)
Farmgirl Sister #2504 |
| Ninibini |
Posted - Oct 30 2012 : 03:23:42 AM
Oh, my... It sure doesn't look as though our sisters on the coast had a good time of it. I'm still praying and looking forward to hearing you all check in! I hope all of you are okay!
We only lost phone and online services for a few hours yesterday. Friends in the next town over lost power or a few hours yesterday, too, and her husband saw snow coming down late last night on his way home from work, but we didn't see snow - yet, anyway. That is supposed to possibly be headed our way tomorrow. They just really don't know what to expect becaus this is such a unique combination of weather systems. We did have a lot of debris hitting the house at times last night. At one point it sounded like furniture pummeled against the second story of the back of the house, but my husband ran out and was unable to see anything. Guess all will be revealed in the morning light. The news is reporting that there are power outages in our region, flooding, a mudslide/landslide, and a lot of downed trees and debris on the roads. Thankfully, we're okay and although more inclement weather is expected today, we haven't experienced anything nearly as bad as those in the coastal regions.
I cannot get through to my Dad on the Cape, nor can I reach my Mom in Maryland. I guess we'll just have to wait for the time being. I'm really, really concerned about my Dad because of his proximity to the water. If anyone lives on Cape or off Cape (Cape Cod, that is), I sure would appreciate hearing some news.
My son's friends are all in trouble, God love them, because they made the whole thing up about the schools calling. It's a long story, but I'm happy to report that despite a couple of hours delay this morning, they're all going to be in school and then grounded for the duration for their attempt at deceiving their parents. I guess they were hoping somehow they'd get the week off to play video games. My son is loving it because he thought he'd be the only one having to do school this week... now they will, too! BOYS!!! What on earth were they thinking?! The second parents started calling each other, they were busted! How dumb they must think we are! It's going to be awfully quiet around here for the next week or so! LOL!
Hugs and prayers -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
|
| Bear5 |
Posted - Oct 29 2012 : 09:00:18 AM
Be safe ladies. I am praying for all of you.
Marly
"It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth- and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up- that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had." Elisabeth Kurler-Ross |
| beekeepersgirl |
Posted - Oct 29 2012 : 03:08:49 AM
Thanks for the checklist Nini - when we're facing an emergency we're bound to forget something, so having a list to look at is a major help. Stay safe and check in when you can. We're Northwest of NYC and as prepared as we can be!
Hugs,
Luanne
beekeepersgirl #691
Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
|
| laurentany |
Posted - Oct 28 2012 : 7:12:43 PM
Prayers for your vision and everyone's safety Nini. Excellent tips for sure. Now all we can do is wait and see.....
Stay Safe! Hugs,
~Laurie
"Little Hen House on the Island"
Farmgirl Sister#1403
View my New Blog:
http://simplesuburbanpleasures.blogspot.com
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.. |
| Ninibini |
Posted - Oct 28 2012 : 7:00:58 PM
Thank you so much, Marlee! Big hugs to you! Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
|
| marlee |
Posted - Oct 28 2012 : 6:56:09 PM
Prayers for you Nini, and for your safety of your family.
Hugs Marlee
God is the painter, he paints the picture. And his son builds it, for he is the Master Carpenter!
Silly Boys Trucks Are For Girls |
| Ninibini |
Posted - Oct 28 2012 : 6:47:58 PM
Hi girls!
The parents in our school district received calls today announcing that schools will be closed beginning Tuesday and for the rest of the week. They told parents they just don't know what to expect, that they are anticipating a few days without electricity and in light of the state of emergency, they feel having the kids stay home is the safest decision.
We're hunkered down and ready. My hubby still has to go to work, though, which is making me very uneasy. And I'm supposed to have another round of eye injections on Tuesday, for which I am already a week late due to having the flu last week. I don't mean to whine, truly. I'd rather be safe than sorry. But if you all would please pray for my eyesignt, I'd really appreciate it. My left eye is dimming, sort of like having a shade slowly pull down about 2/3 of the way over a window. I can deal without my vision, though. I just want everyone to be safe.
Hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
|
| darlenelovesart |
Posted - Oct 28 2012 : 1:10:19 PM
Boy Nini
That is some great information for even those like me who live on the other side who do get hard storms, not like that though, and earthquakes. It is better just to be prepared. Thanks so much for all that information I will keep it on hand and and will be praying for you all.
Some of those ideas I never thought about before.
blessings
darlene
I have learned that to have a good friend is the purest of all God's gifts, for it is a love that has no exchange of payment.
by Frances Farmer |
| Bear5 |
Posted - Oct 27 2012 : 7:39:29 PM
My prayers are with all of you. Please, be careful. Be safe. Keep us posted. I know what y'all are going through.
Marly
"It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth- and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up- that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had." Elisabeth Kurler-Ross |
| melody |
Posted - Oct 27 2012 : 7:00:09 PM
Is that what they are calling it "Frankenstorm Sandy?" How appropriate is that!
Geez.....I am just sick with the thought of what is going to transpire. I have heard this will be THE storm of the century.
So glad you have such a good head on your shoulders Nini dear! Sounds like you are all ready.
Just know that I am sending positive thoughts your way and that I am praying for all who are going to be in "Frankenstorm Sandy's" path.
Take care dear friend....
Melody
Farmgirl #525
|
| Ninibini |
Posted - Oct 27 2012 : 4:51:34 PM
Thanks, girls! Your Dad IS pretty darned smart, Annika! That is so true - nobody likes wet wool or soggy socks, and they won't do us a whole lotta good that way, either! Great advice!!
My husband about fell over when we came home from the grocery store with a big jug of kitty litter today! LOL! We just toyed with him a little, telling him we bought a kitten! LOL! You should have seen his face! LOL! I'm so mean! I finally caved and told him what it was really for (prefaced by my son's giggle and comment, "Just wait til you hear THIS one, Dad - it's priceless!"). My husband gave me a blank look as if I am crazy and then just rolled his eyes. He said that we're not going to have any problems like that, and that I worry waaay too much. Well, I'm a New Englander and believe me, I've seen some scarey storms. He experienced a couple when we lived up there, but they were nothing like the super scarey ones we faced when I was a kid. And I remember my grandfather and my aunts telling stories about the infamous hurricane that hit RI in '38(as a matter of fact, I have commemorative books about it that belonged to my grandfather). My grandfather went out to rescue people during and after the storm, and what he saw and what he experienced never left him. He never played around when it came to storms, and neither did my Dad. My aunt tells stories of power outages, no fresh water, food shortages, people dying, homes being sucked away in the floods or torn apart by the wind. No thank you. I'd rather do what I can now instead of suffering later. I called my Dad yesterday because he lives literally one block from the ocean. I wanted to be sure he was ready for whatever comes. He laughed - what a silly question! Have I really been away from home that long?! Despite their health problems, he and my stepmom are absolutely ready. He turned the tables on me instead, lecturing at length about the necessity of stockpiling water, and then went down the list of all the things we should do to prepare. Sure, we're far inland, but we're still supposed to get hit hard by this storm with massive snow, rain and high winds. My upbringing tells me to prepare like they did when we were kids, so let my husband roll his eyes! LOL! Our ongoing joke is that more often than not I've been "r-r-rrrr" (i.e., "right"), and he's been "w-w-wwrrrr"....("wrong"- something he has a tough time admitting! LOL!), so I think I'm just going to do what I grew up doing in times like this, and he can sit back and roll his eyes. I don't care. Better safe than sorry, I say! Worst case scenario, if that stray cat in the neighborhood needs a place to stay, we'll be prepared to "accomodate" him with kitty litter, right? Or, better yet, maybe I'll get my hubby one for Christmas! LOL! Just kidding - I'm terribly allergic...
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
|
| naturemaiden |
Posted - Oct 27 2012 : 11:13:37 AM
great tips Nini
Connie
http://www.naturemaiden.com/ - Soap & Candle
http://modern-day-laura.blogspot.com/ -Filled with everything I love!
http://www.thriftyfarmgirl.com/ -Vintage Sewing Machines, Sewing machine parts and more.
|
| Annika |
Posted - Oct 27 2012 : 10:10:12 AM
My dad just said something that I thought was pretty danged smart,(he IS my dad tho'  ) Take blankets, clean dry clothing etc and double or even triple bag them in large trash bags, make surre that you have wool sweaters, socks and warm parkas as well...nothing like being cold and wet to not only be dangerous but to be wretchedly miserable!
Big hugs!
Annika
Farmgirl & sister #13
http://thegimpyfarmgirl.blogspot.com/
http://pinterest.com/annikaloveshats/
|
| Ninibini |
Posted - Oct 27 2012 : 09:35:47 AM
One other thing - avoid the subways... Forgot about that one.
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
|
|
|
