East Coast on Alert: Preparing for Hurricane Irene

If you follow me on Facebook, you know that last night I was lamenting about our spoiled vacation plans for next week.

We were due to arrive in the Outer Banks tomorrow afternoon for a very long anticipated vacation with family.  And in case you have been living under a rock lately, the Outer Banks are in the crosshairs of a major hurricane, making landfall tonight into tomorrow.

We spent the entire week hoping for the best – praying that the storm decided to take a more easterly course.  It ain’t happenin’.

And guess what?

Turns out that big ‘ol Irene is now plowing through the Outer Banks and right into our neck of the woods.

Our week just gets better and better, no?

So, here’s where my packing for OBX came to a grinding halt back on Tues/Weds.

Best cast scenario is that Irene take it easy on the east coast and we all have minimal damage.  Perhaps if OBX opens up by the beginning of next week we can even eek out a portion of our vacation.

But first things first… 

It’s been awhile since I have had to prepare for a hurricane – and to be honest, I was in college.   In 1999 Hurricane Floyd slammed into our area and for me it was more of a “YAY-SCHOOL-IS-CLOSED-LET’S-GO-DO-SOMETHING-REALLY-DUMB-LIKE-SWIM-IN-TOXIC-FLOOD-WATER-IN-THE-PARKING-LOT!!”

Sadly, that’s a true story.  I have proof:

Now things are a little different:  I have a house, a family and no longer have bangs.  No, that last part had no relevance, just felt like including it.

So, vacation is not the priority now – safety is.

How do you Prepare for a Hurricane?

There are many things that you can do NOW to prepare yourself.  Here are some things that we have already done and need to do before tomorrow:

Have water and non-perishable food on hand: Finally!  Vindication for couponers everywhere!  Embrace those stockpiles now like never before.  :)  Now is a good time to check your fridge and pantry – make sure you have food that you will be able to prepare without cooking in the event that you lose electricity.  Bread, peanut butter, jelly, tuna – those are all great choices.  Have lots of bottled water on hand and I know some people even recommend filling up your bathtub with water before the storm hits – you can use the water for toilet flushing.

Walk your property and secure ANYTHING that is not nailed down:  pool toys, lawn and patio furniture, planters and trash cans often take flight in hurricanes thanks to the extreme wind.  Clear your yard now of any possible projectiles.

Have cash on hand: In the event that credit card machines are down (which will happen with loss of electricity) have cash on hand just in case.

Gather flashlights, batteries, candles, matches and… Twitter?  Okay, so that last one might be optional – hopefully the flashlight and candle supplies are obvious necessities.  But if you have a cell phone that is capable of running Twitter, take a few minutes and follow various Twitter accounts for local government and weather agencies near you.  In the event of real power loss, chances are decent that your cell phone will still work.  Twitter is a great way to learn about breaking news these days – no electricity required assuming your phone is charged.

Don’t forget your pets!  Bring all pets inside and make sure that you have several days worth of food and supplies for them on hand before the storm strikes.

Gas up the cars: Gas might be in short supply after the hurricane passes if shipping schedules are delayed or disrupted.  Fill them up now.

Charge those electronics: Charge laptops, cell phones, iPods, etc now in case you lose electricity during the storm.

If you need help designing evacuation procedures for your family and more, check out these Hurricane Preparedness Tips.

Please – to everyone out there in the path of this storm – be safe!

What are you doing to prepare for Hurricane Irene?