Mother In Law MIA

During Frankenstorm (my favorite nickname for Hurricane Sandy) we lost my MIL. We can't find her. She hasn't called, hasn't texted and frankly we're worried. She lives near the Jersey Shore and they were hard hit by this most recent high powered storm. 

We are hoping she's headed to a local shelter with some of her neighbors. We tried reaching some of them but can't get an answer from their homes either.

We tried to get her to evacuate before the storm but she didn't want to leave her home. I understand, she's comfortable there. But since I remember a storm that hit in  '62 or so (when I was a child) and I saw the photos of the devastation then, I'm concerned.

I am hoping she didn't try to get in her car and drive to a shelter. I'm hoping her house wasn't the one I heard the governor talking about that was found floating down Highway 35 (which is a few blocks from her house). I know the statistical probability of that one house being hers is very low, but... still we worry.

This whole situation points up the reason we all need a network of people to contact in case of emergency. A contact manual or even just a cell phone loaded with emergency numbers.

I hope your family survived the storm. Better yet, I hope they didn't live in the areas affected by it. But just in case of a future emergency, consider putting together a manual of info they'd find useful if another Frankenstorm came along.

Hey Mom, phone home!

More Water Where?

With all the emergency preparedness happening I am not sure where there is more water, indoors or out. It seems my house has ended up with six cases of water...per person!

If the storm doesn't float us away drinking all that water will.  I made the mistake of sending someone (who shall be nameless) to the store for me for some bottled water. Fine. But I said get six bottles of water... obviously there was a huge misunderstanding! Six bottles turned into six cases of 32 bottles each per person!

I'm the first to admit I drink a lot of water. But...but... not 198 bottles in a few days! Or even a week.  Or two. Or more. So now I have so much water I could refill the cases at a convenience store! The good news, I have plenty of water. The bad news, my grocery budget got seriously depleted for items I didn't need.

 

Preparing for a storm is serious business. We all should consider having some products ready for a storm each season. Get an extra first aid box (be sure to keep your antibiotic ointment current). Keep some dry soups, jerky, peanut butter or whatever your favorite storm food is on hand. Have a lighter, some candles, flashlights, and all the other things you'll need in case of prolonged bad weather. But don't buy as much water as we did... bad idea. Yes, I'm smiling now, but when he came in the door with it...not so much.

 

 

Fighting Frankenstorm!

As most of you know our area is in the path of Sandy, a tropical storm/hurricane depending on which weather forecast you are listening to. All of us are scrambling around trying to secure items that are outside and get ready for a possible three days of power outages and nasty rain and wind. Here are a few of the things you might want to think about doing (it's never too late to start unless you're at the shore and under mandatory evacuation.

• Matches or something similar to light candles. The last storm (yes, I'll admit to it, we didn't have any matches. Which of course was my fault, I made my husband quit smoking. While in theory it was a great idea, it meant we didn't have matches! Yikes!)
• Batteries for a battery powered radio, clock, or flashlights. (with backups!)
• Food that doesn't need refrigeration. Peanut butter? Beef Jerky? Or something you can keep heated up with Sterno.
• Bottled water.
• A list of emergency phone numbers programmed into your cell phones. Police, ambulance, contractors, tree surgeons, electricians and plumbers, heating contractors and your insurance company. Your phone numbers for family members.
• Rake up leaves that might block sewers once it starts raining. This is critical.
• Have a first aid kit and be ready to use it.
• Have you ice maker keep making ice. Just keep emptying it into zip lock bags. The fuller your freezer the longer your food will last. Have a cooler? Some of those cold blocks you freeze in the summertime? Be sure to have those on hand too.
• Have a basement that floods?(I know mine will if my sump pump isn't working) which happens whenever our electricity goes in the middle of a storm. Either get a pump with a battery back up, or better yet a generator(which will likely cost a fortune.) Also be sure to get a supply of buckets and mops for cleaning up water.
• Bring in or tie down: trash cans, grills, patio furniture or anything else that's loose outside.
• Park your car in your garage or away from large, older homes without a garage park your car as far from trees as possible. This storm may knock down some of the older trees.
• Pack an emergency kit in case of evacuation. All medications, toothbrushes/paste, whatever you think you might need. A first aid kit would be a good idea. Take emergency documents with you. (See www.readypa.org)

This is by no means a comprehensive. Be safe. Be dry.