09/12/2018
HURRICANE FLORENCE IS ON THE WAY. ALLEY WANTS TO KNOW IF YOU'RE READY!
By: Jay Blevins
I was minding my own business about to leave for the day, and my cheerful and dedicated co-worker, knowing about SEPS, LLC and what we do, said, "So I'm waiting for your post on getting ready for the hurricane."
So Alley, this is for you, and a lot of other folks in the path of another major Hurricane (Florence this time) wondering the same thing...DO I REALLY NEED TO DO ANYTHING????
I'm sure thousands of Americans living in Texas, Puerto Rico, and Florida asked themselves the same questions in 2017, before major near record hurricanes and flooding hit our nation then. But at least we had time to prepare then. And you still do now.
I hope and pray you read this article and don't get more than heavy rain, a little wind, and maybe an unscheduled day off work.
But let's look at some stats from last year first shall we: According to WIKI, about 100 people died in Hurricane Harvey, and 60% were from heavy winds, flooding, and initial dangers. That means 40%, or almost half died afterwards, as a result of injuries or hardships encountered after the storm. The most recent numbers on Puerto Rico are much more grim. According to a recent NPR report, as many as 5,000 people died as a result of the storm and the year long interruption in basic services.
I'm not sure about you, but if a major storm, which Florence is as I type this (Cat 4), there are many things you can do to keep yourself, your family, your pets, and your co-workers safe.
First and foremost, if an evacuation is called for, GET OUT. Like the old horror movies where the stupid teens go into the haunted house and hear the warning GET OUT! and do nothing. Of course their folly usually leads to their untimely demise. Don't let the same happen to you. If the local authorities are telling you to leave, GET OUT! On the way out, pay attention to the latest reports. Don't get caught out in the open or in traffic. Don't try to cross flooded roads. Keep your wits about you, and make sure you tap into that mental will to survive and be willing to do what you have to in order to do so. You can replace any belongings. YOU cannot be replaced!!!
IF you feel it's safe to hunker down and shelter in place, make sure you're safe to do so.
Regardless of whether you have to evacuate or shelter in place, you must always have the basics for survival: FOOD, WATER, SHELTER, PROTECTION. A few images have been attached to this post for your information.
Water. Usually the cheapest of supplies to have on hand, it usually is the hardest to come by in many emergencies because of contamination or interruption in delivery. The best thing to remember with water is that you need to have a supply, and either a way to re-supply or purify. So you're on well water but what if the power goes out? So you're on city water...again, if the power goes out then the authorities can't purify it on their end. So you better have a HUGE supply (one gallon per adult per day) or have a way to purify it by boiling it or by using a filter like LIFESTRAW.
Food. I was invited once by Paramount Pictures to run a panel discussion on survival for the DC premiere of WORLD WAR Z. A sweet elderly woman asked me how much food she should have on hand. I turned the tide on her and asked how long she wanted to live. Not to be snarky, but if you want to live one day, have a one day supply. If you want to live longer, you have to have enough on hand until you can get more. I live in the DC metro area, and if services or the supply chain are interrupted very long, there will be about 8 million hungry people. Florence has already caused the evacuation of 1.5 million. That's more mouths to feed in the aftermath of the actual storm. You do the math. How long do you want to survive? So just have a little extra on hand. I have about 6 months worth of food in my house, but do what your comfortable with and what your resources allow. In addition to the normal canned and dry goods, have some long term storage foods like MRES or THRIVE freeze dried foods on hand.
Shelter. You can only go about 3 weeks without food. You can only go about 3 days without water. You can only go about 3 minutes without oxygen. But sometimes you can die just as quickly from exposure to the elements. So make sure you are in, or have access to a structure that's going to keep you safe from the strong winds and devastation a hurricane can bring. If you aren't sure, then get out and find a place where you can go! If you're sheltering in place, make sure you have the right supplies on hand to stay warm/cool if the power goes out for an extended period. Your car might become your shelter, so make sure you have plenty of fuel!
Protection. In EVERY major event there are a few guarantees. I can guarantee that if the authorities call for an evacuation there WILL be looting. If there is an interruption in the supply chain, there WILL be unrest and crime. And the authorities WILL NOT likely be able to get to you as they are stretched thin from the emergency. So my recommendation is that you have options to protect yourself. Know your local laws and arm yourself with SOMETHING, be it your dog, a bat, a taser, pepper spray, edged tools, other impact weapons, or fi****ms. I WILL NOT allow myself of my family to become victimized because of my lack of preparation in this area. Unfortunately we live in a world where evil exists, which is why we need a military, law enforcement, and other authorities. In a natural disaster, those authorities may be busy, so what will you do to defend yourself or your loved ones? I can't answer that question for you, but as for me and my house, it's all of the above when it comes to protection.
Of course there are many other considerations when it comes to disaster preparedness. Medication, first aid, communication, planning, etc. Check out some reliable resources like ready.gov, practicalpreppers.com, advancedsurvivaltraining.com, and other resources like your local authorities in order to make sure you have your bases covered and that you and your family are prepared for Florence. You won't regret it, and you'll make ALLEY proud ;-)
