gulfcoast john
New member
A few things we’ve learned about storm/disaster preparation:
We’ve been through 14 named hurricanes in the last 40 years together, the worst being #13 (Hurricane Katrina, which made landfall with a 34 foot vertical storm surge about 30 miles west of our home in Ocean Springs, MS with a 19 foot vertical surge against our cement slab at 21 feet). We hope to share a few observations that we hope might guide you in making the best, or at least good, decisions for you and yours for disasters of all flavors.
Our hearts and prayers go out for the residents of Ft Myers Beach, where we have wintered over on our trailer boat at the Pink Shell Marina 5 star resort for the past three years at the fantastic rate of $31/night including power, waste pump outs, 3 heated pools (including one adults only), gym, sauna, 8 miles of walking beach at all tides, free margaritas and cheese/fruit trays 2-3 PM T and Th, etc etc.
The highest priority is clean drinking water. You might live a week without food, but not without water. We’ve tried 5 gallon water containers with added bleach, but they’re clumsy to handle, so we switched to distilled or spring water 1 gallon jugs ($0.86 each at your market). Rain or pool water can be used for showering (with a big plastic sprinkler container and a helper) and for toilet flushing (remove the tank top to add flush water). Never waste sterile drinking water on bathing or flushing. Total loss of water pressure in hurricanes and other natural disasters is uncommon (not counting ‘boil water’ notices due to lower than ideal pressure) but occurred in both Katrina (2005) and Sally (2021) in our neck of the woods.
Stockpile enough food and water for 7-10 full days. Mom knew that peanut butter and jelly sandwiches required no refrigeration and were pretty good after working hard at clearing debris (which is 90% of post storm activity).
Generators are a difficult subject. In many past storms, more folks have died of Carbon Monoxide poisoning from improper and stupid use of generators and gas ovens than from the storm itself.
On the other hand, at least 241 folks in south Texas froze to death in 2021 simply because the commercial power grid went out for a week. If the utility power disappears for a week in bad weather, would you also die? Our answer is ‘no way.’ Your Answer may differ.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/14/us/t ... deaths.htm
C-Brats generally recognize and respect all the safety rules regarding properly operating a generator. New models are required by law to include automatic high-CO shutdown circuits. However, if the owner is drunk or stoned and splashes gas all over the electrical connections and hot muffler while refueling a running machine, unfortunate results can occur despite the governments’ best intentions. I expect a regulation on this as well (perhaps a breathalyzer on the starting recoil rope)?. But I digress.
A ‘portable’ generator capable of powering an average fridge and a few fans (2500 running watts) costs $250 to $500, which is less than the average value of the steaks and seafood we routinely have in the fridge. They would all spoil after three days with no power.
A quiet ‘inverter’ generator costs more, but it seems to us well worth it as we have lived next door to hammering generators LOUDLY all night long for weeks on end after storms. They become unbelievably annoying very quickly.
We have a 15-20 year old Honda EU2000 that starts and runs reliably (just drain the carb at the end of season). I generally trust the engineers at Consumer Reports, even though they give rave reviews to the Harbor Freight Chinese Predator. Somehow I doubt that you will be handing it down in working order to your grandchildren. Bob Austin is also on record in commenting that you are WAY more likely to hand down a Honda generator to your grandchildren than a Chinese knockoff. I think his criticism is very fair on this point. From a strictly financial analysis, the cheapo Predator with a Harbor Freight return warranty for something you hope to never need or use may well make sense for you and yours. And having one is DEFINITELY better than having no options at all (except dying) for power when the grid goes down. As always, YMMV.
This cheapest solution to powering the most critical home circuits is that you have extension cords from a ‘portable’ generator snaking all over your home.
The next most elegant solution to home power during utility outages is the one we chose… a ‘home generator transfer switch’ installed by a professional electrician to connect or disconnect our 120v panel from the utility grid, and instead power it from our choice of home generator power.
We have an ancient Honda 2000ui and a 2021 Westinghouse 8500w to choose from, depending on day or night needs. We have a $220 LG window AC unit in the bedroom to keep that area cool as needed.
It’s critically important to know how much power each of your appliances on each or your circuits draws (just like on our boat, with only 30 amps to play with). A Kill o Watt or equivalent meter is critical in estimating your Watts Needed. We label every appliance with its wattage draw so we know exactly how much power it draws. That might be overkill. (Credit to Dr Bob, who has been an advocate for many years).
https://www.amazon.com/P3-P4400-Electri ... 77274&th=1
The absolutely most elegant solution to home power is the one Dr Bob chose when he built his home…an automatic Generac (or other) LPG powered whole house generator. These may have the output to power your HVAC and your dryer, which you might not need under these conditions. In the worst conditions (vision Ft Myers today or a cyber attack on US utilities), the LPG lines might be offline or compromised, which is something you should think about. In my view, the weakness of some of these designs is that they start up in the midst of the worst of a storm, with water and debris whipping around, rather then you manually start up after the worst is over. We had one of our Honda 2000ui sets outside, totally covered by a contractor trash bag, but still rain penetrated it enough to prevent it from starting the day Sally was leaving us.
So, clean drinking water, food and power are the top three priorities.
Katrina in 2005 was a large-scale disaster and a learning opportunity in how fast the thin ‘veneer of civilization’ can wear off. Despite six feet of razor wire along the inland four blocks of waterfront mansions, looters pilfered everything from heirloom silverware to activated EPRIBS and confronted homeowners with knives and guns.
Within ten days, abandoned dogs formed into roving packs and attacked people at random. Eileen (a surgical Wound RN) was recruited as a Red Cross volunteer on the spot when one poor guy was in the ER with over 200 separate dog bites (I worked in the UC/ER). That day the police began shooting dog packs with rifles and that problem was resolved within a few weeks. Yes, I know you can’t find an hotel on your evacuation route that will take Fido.
For two weeks in our area after Katrina, there was no power, no phone and no cell service. There was no 911 to call. If you need the police, they don’t know it. Thieves were stealing generators and gas from the owners at gunpoint and knifepoint. 20 years ago we bought a $199 pump-action shotgun for self protection because the shop owner proclaimed, ‘once the bad guy hears this thing chamber a round, they leave immediately.’ I’ve heard that many times. We’ve never needed it or chambered a round yet. But I think it’s a nice thing to have available, just in case. Just consider it and get training if you do. YMMV.
Hope this helps you and yours in your planning for the next disaster or grid disruption.
John
We’ve been through 14 named hurricanes in the last 40 years together, the worst being #13 (Hurricane Katrina, which made landfall with a 34 foot vertical storm surge about 30 miles west of our home in Ocean Springs, MS with a 19 foot vertical surge against our cement slab at 21 feet). We hope to share a few observations that we hope might guide you in making the best, or at least good, decisions for you and yours for disasters of all flavors.
Our hearts and prayers go out for the residents of Ft Myers Beach, where we have wintered over on our trailer boat at the Pink Shell Marina 5 star resort for the past three years at the fantastic rate of $31/night including power, waste pump outs, 3 heated pools (including one adults only), gym, sauna, 8 miles of walking beach at all tides, free margaritas and cheese/fruit trays 2-3 PM T and Th, etc etc.
The highest priority is clean drinking water. You might live a week without food, but not without water. We’ve tried 5 gallon water containers with added bleach, but they’re clumsy to handle, so we switched to distilled or spring water 1 gallon jugs ($0.86 each at your market). Rain or pool water can be used for showering (with a big plastic sprinkler container and a helper) and for toilet flushing (remove the tank top to add flush water). Never waste sterile drinking water on bathing or flushing. Total loss of water pressure in hurricanes and other natural disasters is uncommon (not counting ‘boil water’ notices due to lower than ideal pressure) but occurred in both Katrina (2005) and Sally (2021) in our neck of the woods.
Stockpile enough food and water for 7-10 full days. Mom knew that peanut butter and jelly sandwiches required no refrigeration and were pretty good after working hard at clearing debris (which is 90% of post storm activity).
Generators are a difficult subject. In many past storms, more folks have died of Carbon Monoxide poisoning from improper and stupid use of generators and gas ovens than from the storm itself.
On the other hand, at least 241 folks in south Texas froze to death in 2021 simply because the commercial power grid went out for a week. If the utility power disappears for a week in bad weather, would you also die? Our answer is ‘no way.’ Your Answer may differ.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/14/us/t ... deaths.htm
C-Brats generally recognize and respect all the safety rules regarding properly operating a generator. New models are required by law to include automatic high-CO shutdown circuits. However, if the owner is drunk or stoned and splashes gas all over the electrical connections and hot muffler while refueling a running machine, unfortunate results can occur despite the governments’ best intentions. I expect a regulation on this as well (perhaps a breathalyzer on the starting recoil rope)?. But I digress.
A ‘portable’ generator capable of powering an average fridge and a few fans (2500 running watts) costs $250 to $500, which is less than the average value of the steaks and seafood we routinely have in the fridge. They would all spoil after three days with no power.
A quiet ‘inverter’ generator costs more, but it seems to us well worth it as we have lived next door to hammering generators LOUDLY all night long for weeks on end after storms. They become unbelievably annoying very quickly.
We have a 15-20 year old Honda EU2000 that starts and runs reliably (just drain the carb at the end of season). I generally trust the engineers at Consumer Reports, even though they give rave reviews to the Harbor Freight Chinese Predator. Somehow I doubt that you will be handing it down in working order to your grandchildren. Bob Austin is also on record in commenting that you are WAY more likely to hand down a Honda generator to your grandchildren than a Chinese knockoff. I think his criticism is very fair on this point. From a strictly financial analysis, the cheapo Predator with a Harbor Freight return warranty for something you hope to never need or use may well make sense for you and yours. And having one is DEFINITELY better than having no options at all (except dying) for power when the grid goes down. As always, YMMV.
This cheapest solution to powering the most critical home circuits is that you have extension cords from a ‘portable’ generator snaking all over your home.
The next most elegant solution to home power during utility outages is the one we chose… a ‘home generator transfer switch’ installed by a professional electrician to connect or disconnect our 120v panel from the utility grid, and instead power it from our choice of home generator power.
We have an ancient Honda 2000ui and a 2021 Westinghouse 8500w to choose from, depending on day or night needs. We have a $220 LG window AC unit in the bedroom to keep that area cool as needed.
It’s critically important to know how much power each of your appliances on each or your circuits draws (just like on our boat, with only 30 amps to play with). A Kill o Watt or equivalent meter is critical in estimating your Watts Needed. We label every appliance with its wattage draw so we know exactly how much power it draws. That might be overkill. (Credit to Dr Bob, who has been an advocate for many years).
https://www.amazon.com/P3-P4400-Electri ... 77274&th=1
The absolutely most elegant solution to home power is the one Dr Bob chose when he built his home…an automatic Generac (or other) LPG powered whole house generator. These may have the output to power your HVAC and your dryer, which you might not need under these conditions. In the worst conditions (vision Ft Myers today or a cyber attack on US utilities), the LPG lines might be offline or compromised, which is something you should think about. In my view, the weakness of some of these designs is that they start up in the midst of the worst of a storm, with water and debris whipping around, rather then you manually start up after the worst is over. We had one of our Honda 2000ui sets outside, totally covered by a contractor trash bag, but still rain penetrated it enough to prevent it from starting the day Sally was leaving us.
So, clean drinking water, food and power are the top three priorities.
Katrina in 2005 was a large-scale disaster and a learning opportunity in how fast the thin ‘veneer of civilization’ can wear off. Despite six feet of razor wire along the inland four blocks of waterfront mansions, looters pilfered everything from heirloom silverware to activated EPRIBS and confronted homeowners with knives and guns.
Within ten days, abandoned dogs formed into roving packs and attacked people at random. Eileen (a surgical Wound RN) was recruited as a Red Cross volunteer on the spot when one poor guy was in the ER with over 200 separate dog bites (I worked in the UC/ER). That day the police began shooting dog packs with rifles and that problem was resolved within a few weeks. Yes, I know you can’t find an hotel on your evacuation route that will take Fido.
For two weeks in our area after Katrina, there was no power, no phone and no cell service. There was no 911 to call. If you need the police, they don’t know it. Thieves were stealing generators and gas from the owners at gunpoint and knifepoint. 20 years ago we bought a $199 pump-action shotgun for self protection because the shop owner proclaimed, ‘once the bad guy hears this thing chamber a round, they leave immediately.’ I’ve heard that many times. We’ve never needed it or chambered a round yet. But I think it’s a nice thing to have available, just in case. Just consider it and get training if you do. YMMV.
Hope this helps you and yours in your planning for the next disaster or grid disruption.
John
