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My .02

Being prepared is a way of life. I started preaching to the family & friends for Y2K back in 1999. That was when we got serious about it.

Well nothing bad happened then and not much since.
My parents have evacuated from the coast twice. "And WE aren't doing it again! It's too much trouble.....bla,bla,bla"

Brotherinlaw weathered the storm at home without incident last year while all us "FOOLS" evacuated.

Our "friends" all say "Oh if it gets bad we'll come to your house, you have everything".

We are prepared. But I forgot to put a note in everybody's Christmas card.
Note! Everyone is welcome as long as YOU BRING enough food & water for yourselves and pets. Anybody showing up without food & water will be considered to be a LOOTER! And delt with accordingly.

Interesting note; Last year 5 gal plastic gas cans at Wal-Mart were $4.88.
This year they are $9.89. Yesterday I went in Tractor Supply and they were asking $17.xx for the same cans.

Don't wait around, do it now!! Regards, OE

OverEasy wrote:
Interesting note; Last year 5 gal plastic gas cans at Wal-Mart were $4.88.
This year they are $9.89. Yesterday I went in Tractor Supply and they were asking $17.xx for the same cans.

Don't wait around, do it now!! Regards, OE

Correct!!! I paid like $15.99 Each for mine yesterday, but you can order them on the internet for under 10 bucks +shipping costs. The lady at the auto parts store said they will not be able to keep then on shelf after this week.

John wrote:

OverEasy wrote:
Interesting note; Last year 5 gal plastic gas cans at Wal-Mart were $4.88.
This year they are $9.89. Yesterday I went in Tractor Supply and they were asking $17.xx for the same cans.

Don't wait around, do it now!! Regards, OE

Correct!!! I paid like $15.99 Each for mine yesterday, but you can order them on the internet for under 10 bucks +shipping costs. The lady at the auto parts store said they will not be able to keep then on shelf after this week.

I picked up one last weekend at Home Depot not sure the price, I knew I needed it reguardless. I may get another one thisweek, I'll check price

KBCraig wrote: Everyone needs one of these:

http://www.delorme.com/atlasgaz/

And it's a good idea to have them for neighboring states, to which you might need to evactuate.

Kevin

Thanks for the link! I've been thinking about getting something like that. So it has GPS coordinates on the maps? That would be a major plus for me.

Paladin wrote:

KBCraig wrote: Everyone needs one of these:

http://www.delorme.com/atlasgaz/

And it's a good idea to have them for neighboring states, to which you might need to evactuate.

Kevin

Thanks for the link! I've been thinking about getting something like that. So it has GPS coordinates on the maps? That would be a major plus for me.

Yes, the map borders show the GSP coordinates, with grid lines on the maps.

You can get these at Wal Mart for about $20 for the Texas version. Smaller states are cheaper.

Kevin

Yep, when Rita came through we decided to stay, but had to help the Boss' Dad hunker down and board up the windows on Lake Conroe.

As we were driving up the day before the storm, my boss reluctantly asked me "You Packin'?. My response - "Of Course". Didn't have a CHL, but given the situation....
Luckily, we didn't have any trouble.

As for here at home. We had canned food, freezer full of meat w/generator, 100gals of drinking water, several bottles of gas for the grill, 40gals fuel, etc...and a lot of family (with own supplies).

Didn't have much Ammo though. Something I haven't read much about in this post yet. We now have a Looter Response Plan, and the means to carry it out.

Still need to re-stock a few supplies, but soon enough....

Hoss

Heard of a guy trying to get from Houston to San Antonio last year during the evacuation. Finding the main roads, choked off, he exited at the first opportunity, used his cell phone to call a friend with a map, who guided him along back roads, FMs amd CRs. Guy said he made it to San Antonio in like 6 hours, far quicker than those stuck on the highway.

I'd suggest investing in a GPS unit as well as maps. I got a Garmin Quest with color screen for $299.00. Its a really nice unit. Its since been discontinued, but I'm sure that there are comparable units out there.

Interesting the Hurricane Survival Checklist doesn't mention guns/ammos

http://www.click2weather.com/hurricanes ... etail.html

I live off of FM529, which runs due west from Beltway 8 and 290 in Houston, and goes all the way out to Waller. It made for an alternate off of the 290 "parade route" heading northwest. In this case, he who hesitated was NOT lost. In trying to concoct an escape, the more I watched, the more I didn't like. I decided to stay. It was the best decision I've ever made. My future plan will not involve leaving, no matter what. Run from the water, hide from the wind, right? I did my duty, and drove around looking for those in need of water. This is a two-lane rural road that was backed up as far as the eye could see. I do need to stock up on some items, to make sure the pantry is as stocked as the gun safe. That was an experience, both first-person and watching TV, that gave me a real insight to what chaos and anarchy could look like. Not a pretty thought, to say the least!

one more handy item that helped make the evacuation entertaining last year was a portable CB radio. Mine has a built in weather radio too. My son really got a kick out of listening to the truckers on highway (although at 12 years of age, he did learn a few new words).

Unfortunately, mine (which is at least 10 years old) got crushed recently under the seat of my explorer. Any one have any suggestions for a new one priced around 50 or 60 bucks? Needs to have a weather radio and be battery operated. Wouldn't mind having AM radio on it too.

Our preparation even this far North has included all the foods, fuel, gun safe stock, etc. The one thing we have done since then is install a filtering system for our household water. We have an "empty jug stash" It is easy noy to fill them ourselves & since we used to by drinking water, the thing will pay itself out in 15 months.

Stupid, thanks for the link on hurricane preparedness.
A friend and I are compiling a list off everything we need to either weather a storm (we can handle a cat 1 or 2 quite easily where we live) or to evacuate.
Last year, a church in Livingston opened its doors as a shelter to just our church, and if they do that again, I may go. She said there were things she wished she would have brought, so we're getting our list together.
(Then again, I may go to my sister's in DFW.)

John wrote:one more handy item that helped make the evacuation entertaining last year was a portable CB radio. Mine has a built in weather radio too. My son really got a kick out of listening to the truckers on highway (although at 12 years of age, he did learn a few new words).

I remember during the CB craze during the '70s, cursing was a big no-no, and there were some really creative ways to say something, without actually saying it.

These days, you'll hear more foul language on Channel 19 than in a comedy club.

Unfortunately, mine (which is at least 10 years old) got crushed recently under the seat of my explorer. Any one have any suggestions for a new one priced around 50 or 60 bucks? Needs to have a weather radio and be battery operated. Wouldn't mind having AM radio on it too.

I keep a handheld Cobra in our van. It comes in handy when there's a traffic foul-up... more than once I've listened in, and found a bypass around a trouble spot.

I think this is the model I have, but I didn't pay anywhere near $110 for it. I think it was about $40 on clearance from Wal Mart.

Range is extremely limited inside the vehicle without an external antenna. I need to get a magnetic external unit.

Kevin

KBCraig wrote:I keep a handheld Cobra in our van. It comes in handy when there's a traffic foul-up... more than once I've listened in, and found a bypass around a trouble spot.

I think this is the model I have, but I didn't pay anywhere near $110 for it. I think it was about $40 on clearance from Wal Mart.

Range is extremely limited inside the vehicle without an external antenna. I need to get a magnetic external unit.

Kevin

That's mostly what i use mine for. I did find that unit on a couple of other web sites for around $77-$79. I may have to make a trip to Wal Mart

John wrote:

KBCraig wrote:I keep a handheld Cobra in our van. It comes in handy when there's a traffic foul-up... more than once I've listened in, and found a bypass around a trouble spot.

I think this is the model I have, but I didn't pay anywhere near $110 for it. I think it was about $40 on clearance from Wal Mart.

Range is extremely limited inside the vehicle without an external antenna. I need to get a magnetic external unit.

Kevin

That's mostly what i use mine for. I did find that unit on a couple of other web sites for around $77-$79. I may have to make a trip to Wal Mart

you might wish to incude a VHF/UHF programmable scanner as well to listen to the local ARES/RACES nets. These provide much more upto date real time information than any other source. (ARES = Amateur Radio Emergency Services http://www.arrl.org/pio/emergen1.html ; RACES= Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422 ... 97.407.pdf)

ARES is open to any amateur radio station and is used in much less formal situations. Most storm spotters work under a ARES net until the storm is immiment then they switch over to RACES mode. RACES is under Federal Rules and administered by Local authorties that answer to the municipal judge of the local area. You must be 'certified' by local Emergency Management Officials to be able to communicate in RACES. By Federal law only RACES stations may communicate with other RACES stations.

These nets are among the 'first responders' to an area and will communicate the information back to; say: the National Weather Services via amateur radio. For instance: in 2000 I was right under the tornado as it developed in Tarrant County just west of Ft. Worth. I was calling in reports of what I was seeing to the NWS. Other staions were doing the same, this is one reason that the NWS is able to offer such detailed reports to the public. Local radio and television stations also have RACES members, either on staff or as volunteers, that monitor and therefore they are able to offer detailed information as quick as they do.

The frequencies vary from county to county and by city/town by city/town. You would need to verify what frequencies would be available in your area... in Texas see this web page: http://www.k5kj.net/skywarn.htm


In the worst cases ham radio will operate when all other communciations venues have failed because of damage to transmision towers and lines. Most stations have their own power supplies (generators) and are totally indedepdant of "twisted pair" cables. When cell phones go out and the trunked systems go out for the fire/police they call on hams to provide communications for ambulance, fire and police personell.

Yes, I am proud to be a valuable member of this aspect of our society as well as a CHL.

Russ