Hurricane Herp Preparation

I was just curious as to what others are doing in preparation for Hurricane Irene's approach, specifically in regards to prolonged power outages and its affect on caring for their animals. Hurricane Isabel knocked out power for a week and while this one doesn't look nearly as bad, I always try to plan for worst case.

For a short term outage (1-2 days), I think the outside temperature will be pleasant enough for the animals to be comfortable. Ice and shipping heat packs to regulate the temperature in the incubator. Dry Ice for the freezer if you have frozen mice/rats (or just regular food like us). I plan on heavily feeding all the animals before the possible landfall so they can eat and digest before any power outages.

We do have a portable generator for long term but it is not fun to haul out and set up so I consider that worst case.

I suppose this is pretty brief and basic stuff so does anyone else have any additional tips or plans? :?:

I picked up a fairly cheap battery back-up for my incubator/racks. I've been planning to buy a generator but I think it'll end up being one of those things I don't try to get until I need one, unfortunately.

I have water bottled up that I save specifically for the snakes.

Batteries and flashlights to check on the snakes in the dark.

Not really hurricane specific, but I have travel totes for each snake that include lids, petri dishes, bag and heating pad. The heating pad is a three-way model so it has some control over heat vs. lugging around several rheostats or messing around with thermostats. You can also vary the temp by how much you place under the tub.

great info and question... that would have been my question after i get over the earthquake shock.. im feeling rather dizzy and nauseated so haven't gone into snake saving mode... I am worried though. We lose power often and have a generator... but still I get worried....

Battery Back up nick??? Imma have to get me one.. lol

Yep, google APC battery back up. It kicks on when the power kicks off.

Well hopefully my work loses power and we will be closed on Monday Maybe I will steal the battery back up from here...

Hope my fish will be ok in my tank in my office....

Interesting, I'll have to look into getting one or more. It would be perfect for the incubator.

Good luck with your fish

In all honesty I never even really thought of situations like that nor planned for em ...

I've got a portable generator that will run several appliances, racks, incubator, etc. After Isabel, I decided I was not ever going to be without power again.

Well this may just be me but if they are guessing that this will be around a cat 3 at most but more then likely a cat 2 which would be around 65MPH winds and rain. If the cities of Norfolk, VB, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Richmond etc... can be knocked out by 65MPH winds and rain then i want to know what the heck my tax money is going too....They should not be going down due to that. I know that is not really on topic but it's just me.....and being as all i keep are venomous as long as nothing shakes the house so bad that my cages fall i'm all good .....if they do then looking around in the dark for these guys is going to be ....well....interesting

Hope everyone takes good care of themselves and stays safe

LOL @ James... i could ONLY imagine...

My motto is I'd rather be safe than sorry... his motto is "its not going to hit and everyone is overreacting" so when he is at home with no power or food and I am at my parents, we will see who has the last laugh...

Everyone PLEASE be safe and keep an eye on all of your critters!! and let's all hope that there isn't too much devistation..

If we lost power a week with Isabel, I can only imagine what could happen with this storm...

Isabel... Irene... those "I" named storms must love us.

well your right now doubt about it....but with me being all the way over on the far side of Chesapeake if i see you driving by well then you will see me following you .

James, I could be mistaken but I'm fairly certain a Cat 2 is 110mph winds not 65mph with Cat 3 starting at 111mph. Haha, I always wonder where my tax money is going?!!! Best of luck with the hots, I would imagine non-coastal areas should be fine. I second you smb!

If anyone still needs basic emergency equipment (batteries, gas, water, etc), I suggest going now. It's starting to get nasty at some of the stores and gas stations...

According to NOAA it's between 83 and 110. Which i would agree is 1 quite a range and 2 it's not that great but i don't think it's going to be nearly as bad as the news is making it out. We hear this every year and this is just the start of the season. I'm not saying not to be prepared or ready for whatever comes but i don't see VA getting tagged that hard. Most VA homes are brick not stucco like on the west coast and texas and even at 83MPH that should not do much to a brick home or a 4 foot diameter oak tree. The Governor in NC that told the tourist to evacuate stated that she believed they would be back ope and ready from them over the weekend and with NC slated to be hit harder then VA.... Now if this thing was really going to knock out power and do much more damage that would seem like a pretty well....dumb remark to make....soo who knows...

Again just my 2 cents and of course i am wrong all the time just ask my wife and she will give you dates, times and anymore data you need to show that i am not that smart

don't get me wrong it's still a hurricane not a tropical storm so its scary i just think we may be over estimating this one and we have a lot to go.......bummer.....

take care all, i really am hoping for the best.

My house is stucco!!! Lol

I went to 7 different stores and all are sold out of generators. I'm at northern tool now waiting in a mile long line waiting for them to unload the truck. It's gonna run me $800 if I'm lucky ha.

**** Nick, good luck... which Northern are you at? I think they just opened one not too logn ago in Janaf and then there is the one on Independence... The generator for his pressure washing thing is actually my dads come to find out so I am sure my dad will be requesting it back... I guess I will be the mature prepared one and I will go to the store when I get off and see what I MIGHT be able to scrounge up... Spaghetti-Os and water of course...

and my dad has an Ice Machine at his office so we might have to go there and stock up on ice too...

smb2585 wrote:

**** Nick, good luck... which Northern are you at? I think they just opened one not too logn ago in Janaf and then there is the one on Independence... The generator for his pressure washing thing is actually my dads come to find out so I am sure my dad will be requesting it back... I guess I will be the mature prepared one and I will go to the store when I get off and see what I MIGHT be able to scrounge up... Spaghetti-Os and water of course...

and my dad has an Ice Machine at his office so we might have to go there and stock up on ice too...

I was at janaf... FOR 2.5 HOURS!!! I was one of the few people to get one.

well sadly i dont have the money for a generator but i do have travel tubs finally set up and ready to go just incase i decide to leave the ocean front

I truly do hope it does not come to that

me either but my girlfriend is alittle worried, we may head out west to lake gaston to spend the weekend with some friends just to be on the safe side

not a bad idea either way. Let me know if you need help with anything.

take care buddy...

thanks man but im pretty sure im good, renters insurance is up to date hope you weather the storm well too

that makes two of us my friend

I hope everyone's safe and no one get's hit too hard...

amen to that brother

Focal X wrote:

smb2585 wrote:

**** Nick, good luck... which Northern are you at? I think they just opened one not too logn ago in Janaf and then there is the one on Independence... The generator for his pressure washing thing is actually my dads come to find out so I am sure my dad will be requesting it back... I guess I will be the mature prepared one and I will go to the store when I get off and see what I MIGHT be able to scrounge up... Spaghetti-Os and water of course...

and my dad has an Ice Machine at his office so we might have to go there and stock up on ice too...

I was at janaf... FOR 2.5 HOURS!!! I was one of the few people to get one.

2.5 hrs SMFH.... Thats almost as long as the wait at DMV

Wow, 2.5 hours is quite a wait but at least you got one. Hopefully you won't need to use it. Unfortunately, the latest maps show Irene has shifted west so it looks like it will directly hit Hampton Roads.

Dry ice can be hard to find so I just want to throw out that Kroger has plenty of dry ice for just $1/pound although its getting hard to find regular ice. I guess most people don't realize they can use dry ice to keep their fridge and freezers cold during power outages. Just DON'T put it in a working fridge/freezer!

Hopefully this won't cause much damage and everyone's prep equipment will go unused. Good luck everyone!

One more thing i did want to say is that pending on how bad we get hit if you live in some of the out lying places and on farms and such please keep an eye out for canebrake rattlers, copperheads and cottonmouths as the weather and water will push them out of their burrows and they will not be in the best of moods just like us. especially if you have kids.

take care...

Land & Coates (I think) on the corner of great neck and vb blvd had a sign outfront that they have generators if anyone needs one... we are going to use my dads generator that is strapped to one of the flatbed trailers... we have strapped down our belongings in the back and moving the motorcycle to the storage unit... im parking my car under the big old crappy tree in my backyard the only thing we are now worried about is the snakes & cats... but hopefully we are ok..

Hope everyone is prepared and safe.. my mom said the grocery stores are picked over. I topped off my gas at wawa on the blvd and the line was freaking INSANE.. the parking lot was a mad house... but i got lunch while i was there so i made out well in the end...

and reminder to people, dont forget that dollar tree has alot of stuff.. candles, lighters, food, etc... well some have food.. the one off military hwy near college park does... but still...

and dont forget to check on elderly/sick neighbors in the event that you lose power..

if you have allergies and stuff make sure you are stocked up on allergy meds... and all prescriptions that are needed..

well i weatherd the storm just fine, i hope the rest of you did as well.

We made it fine. Power flicked a few times. Neighbors across the street lost power. We had a few branches come down and a tree is leaning but landlord came by and gunna get us a new shed and maybe cut the tree down. Hope everyone is ok

I'm glad to hear you guys did okay. We lost power as soon as it began and just got it back this morning so I finally got to put the generator to good to use. No real damage to the property but a lot of trees were ripped out on our street. Hope everyone else is fine too.

Bump for Sandy!

Thread necro bump for Matthew! I hope you guys on the coast stay safe.