On hurricane 'kits' and evacuation
Posted by
Beachlover on 8/23/2010, 1:06 am
One of the most disconcerting things about living in an almost certain evacuation zone (such as on a barrier island) is that you constantly hear it said everyone should have so many days' worth of food and water, but if you know you can't stay in your home it doesn't make sense to accumulate all that. Other recommended kit items, yes, but large stores of food and water, no. That's because there is only so much bulk you can feasibly lug with you in your vehicle(s) and/or store in a hotel room somewhere, given that you also have to take clothing, important files, and your most precious possessions, not to mention family members (and, for some people, pets).
One might think, OK, but you're going to evacuate to a safe place that hopefully won't be devastated, so you won't have problems getting food and fresh water there. The problem with that -- with evacuating at a substantial distance -- is that it potentially leaves you stranded a long way from your property and unable to readily return to check on/secure your home from further damage and/or vandalism after the storm, especially as there are almost certainly not going to be accommodations available in the storm-ravaged area.
We learned all this from having dealt with Ivan and Dennis, and it has left me saying that if I ever won a lottery, the first thing I would purchase would be a second home to run to somewhere farther inland (but not TOO far) -- a place I could keep stocked with lots of supplies, and where I could maintain a generator system and fuel without fear of its all being swept away in a storm surge.
Yes, we chose to live here (naive as we were), so it's our problem. All I'm saying is that things are not always as straightforward as they might seem for coastal dwellers. It's pretty scary, but we just do the best we can with planning and preparations. Weathergirl and others know whereof I speak. |
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On hurricane 'kits' and evacuation - Beachlover, 8/23/2010, 1:06 am Post A Reply
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