Hurricane Prep and a Free Checklist

Well, Florence is knocking down the door here in North Carolina and although we’re next door to Charlotte, we are not out of the woods by a long shot.  I’ve spent this week trying to get ready as best as I can.  The tv has barely changed from the Weather Channel and the closer the storm gets the more it stays on that channel.  It’s so weird, we’re kinda used to hurricanes and tropical storms around here, but this one is so different.  It is huge!  There is nowhere to hide from this one and so everyone is prepping.  Even those of us that live inland.  I’m so used to prepping for power outage for ice and snow that I almost didn’t know how to prep for this.  My girls and I just kinda looked at each other and made our best-educated guess as to how to prepare.  But you know what else really sucks?  We are supposed to leave for Holden Beach, NC on Saturday.  That’s right!  We haven’t had a vacation yet!  This storm is seriously messing that up.  But that is not important at the moment.  Prayer for our state and South Carolina and everyone that is in the path of this storm is what is important right now.

Back to getting ready for this storm.  As I look out my window, I can see the first of Florence’s clouds and it’s a beautiful breezy day, but that’s all about to change and I want to be ready.  What do I need to be ready for since I live so far inland?  Power outage, yard cleanup, possible water damage, and no stores open.  We could be without power for several days and I want to be prepared.  Here are some steps that we are doing and hopefully, it will help you too.

• Batteries – We’ve made sure that all of our flashlights have batteries and that flashlights that need charging have been charged.
• Electronics – All charged up, including power banks
• Gas – All vehicles are full or at least half tank and we have gas for the generator
• Generator – if you don’t have one, get one
• Yard – Moved as much as we could that could go airborne in high winds or tornado, and our neighbors have been trimming back branches
• Vehicles – Gassed up and will be parking in our field away from trees in case any fall
• Laundry – All washed, dried and put away so that if we lose power we’ll have clean clothes for several days
• Pets – Prescriptions filled, enough food for a week or two and everyone is in the house.
• Things to do – We have puzzles, board games, adult coloring books, and charged electronics for entertainment in case we lose power.  If we have power then we have movies, game systems, and tv.
• Water/Drinks – I have bought two cases of water and I’m hoping we have enough.  Both tea pitchers are full because we’re Southern and we love our tea
• Food – Sandwich meats, bread, I baked muffins, cereals, milk, a bag of assorted chips, and Oreos (because you have to have Oreos).  I’ve also baked muffins and Becca is making Rice Krispy Treats.
  • In the freezer – Chicken, ground turkey, ground beef, barbeque, shredded chicken
  • Canned – Veggies, beans, Spam, peanut butter, soup, etc.
  • Pasta, rice, couscous, ramen noodles, and instant potatoes
• Grill – Propane and or charcoal

I’m praying that I have everything we need but more importantly, I’m praying that I won’t need it because the storm will weaken.  I have enough food to make different meals out of and since we have a generator we’ll run the kitchen with it so I should be able to cook.  Once the rain is gone, I can use the grill outside if for some reason we don’t have power and can’t use the generator.  I could also fire up the wood stove in the living room and cook on top of it.  I had to do that during the famous ice storm.

Please make sure you are prepared. If you would like more information about what you should do to prepare, please go to NOAA’s Hurricane Preparedness Site and there are tons of tips on Pinterest for Hurricane Preparedness from other bloggers on how to prepare.  I’ll update how it’s going for us as I can during or after the storm.  Please be in prayer for us and everyone in the path of this storm and stay safe everyone!

Here’s a handy little checklist that I made that you can download to help you prepare.  It’s not an exhaustive list, but at least it will get you started in case you have to ride out a storm.