In August 2011, the East Coast was hit by and earthquake and then a hurricane was coming. Here’s how we prepared for Hurricane Irene in the DC Metro Area, what we did during the storm, and how one area was affected by the storm. In this ac article, read some money saving tips and a smart way to fill your fridge and freezer when the power may go out. These tips may help you in any area during hurricane season.
We Prepared: The forecasters predicted that areas in and around DC weren’t likely to get hurricane force winds, but they were going to be in a tropical storm warning, and then in the storm for the weekend. In the days before the storm we cleaned up loose objects in the yard bringing smaller items inside and securing larger ones. We also inspected trees for branches that might need to come down prior to the winds and choose safer places to park the cars. A round picnic table that had blown over and rolled away in a previous wind storm was turned over to decrease chances that it would be lifted from the ground by Irene. Even if winds didn’t get over 100 mph, we didn’t want to have to gather our items from the neighbors yard afterwards, or have our house or windows damaged by the items in the yard.
We Bought: a few things in bulk including a case of water and a supply of fresh fruit. These things didn’t have to be refrigerated or frozen. Drinking water is a good thing to have in any disaster. To save money, you can even bottle your own water straight from the tap while the water is still clean and working. There was a variety of fruit to choose from. It didn’t have to be cooked or refrigerated and could be enjoyed as a snack, with a meal, or as a desert.
A full fridge keeps longer than one that’s not full. These two things could help fill the fridge and not go bad even if the power went out. Excess space in the freezer was filled not with perishable food but with a bag of ice and reusable, portable ice packs in addition to sealed, airtight, shelf stable food that could be cooked on the grill including veggie burgers. We wouldn’t loose much if we lost power. Unlike what was being reported in other areas, we didn’t have trouble finding what we wanted to buy before the storm.
The Worst: was expected to come at around midnight to 2 AM. We couldn’t see the storm even if we were awake. Heavy rains and wind gusts could be heard outside. A few small items hit the windows. I didn’t hear thunder or lightening. I hoped no tornados would come.
The alternating news reporters meteorologists had had a long day. They reported on a number of people who were killed by falling trees, while outside and even inside their houses, and one man who suffered a heart attack while boarding windows. Even if it wasn’t directly due to the storm, this, like shoveling snow, served as a reminder of the dangers that come as a result of a coming or passing storm and how caution should be used. Our windows weren’t boarded but the blinds were down. Over and over, the reporters echoed the same thing: not as bad as Isabel. Hurricane Isabel had blown down large trees which we and the neighbors had helped to removed by sharing power tools. We were without power for a week after that storm.
In the morning: surprisingly we still had power. Even though it had flickered throughout the night and many people and stores in our area were without power due to Hurricane Irene, ours was still on. Outside it was calm and the sun was coming out. The yard had the distinct smell of fresh rain and ripped leaves which covered the grass, street, windows, and sides of the house. There were many small fallen branches. None of our trees were down. It was not as bad as Isabel. On the news, we watched to see how flooded New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia were and how the rest of the East Coast were weathering the storm, now downgraded to Tropical Storm Irene.
Source:
Personal experience & local news
Resource:
Tips for preparing for a Hurricane
www.fema.gov
Also read:
What Did the Eastcoast Earthquake Feel like from the DC Metro Area?