Irene Is Coming - How To Cope

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Guess what, there's a big hurricane coming! (As if anyone on the east coast hadn't heard.)  We've all been reading tips and words of advice, such as to stock up on water and nonperishable food. However, we were interested in learning more obscure pieces of advice, so we asked our readers to tell us in their own words how to prepare for a hurricane. We got some very good guidance, including this from Juan Alvarez: "Don't wade through flood waters. Manhole covers could be missing; also the water could be full of fecal matter." Another gem was from David Ramsey, who advised: "Turn of your main if you do not have a transfer switch or it might back-feed the transformer into primary voltage and could kill someone! You can pull your meter as well, if you know what you're doing - this is only if you feed your entire house with your generator."John Mullins wisely reminded us, "You have about 50 gallons of fresh, clean water in your hot water heater."

Here are some more words of wisdom from our readers:


DO:

Amy Belson: Batten down the outdoor furniture.  (Close your outdoor umbrellas to keep them from breaking or blowing away.)

Jen Mills: Fill gallon-ziplock-bags with water and put them in the freezer now.  It will create extra ice in your freezer if your power goes out. (It will also give you extra drinking water for you and your pets.)

Sue Solley: Freeze water bottles to keep your fridge or freezer cold in case of a power outage.

Nancy Derby: Make sure you have gas in your cars and also make sure your cell phones are charged.

Trista Rassofsky: Clean up the debris from the yard; toys, lawn furniture, and potted plants. Bring them inside.

Leo Joseph Lynch, Terri Peters: Stock up on propane or charcoal for the grill in case your power goes out.

Jamie Hurman Cougnet: Don't forget the batteries for the kids' toys because they will be cooped up in the house as well!  Also, remember the board games - there's nothing like playing Scrabble or Monopoly by lantern/flashlight!

Ruth Scheeler: Remember to have plenty of pennies and candles - pennies to play poker, and candles to see your cards!

Cindy Falen: Don't forget the cards!

Kirk Moyer: If you have a well, fill your bathtub with water.  If you have a generator, fill all your gas cans.


DON'T:

John Mullins: Do not tie your generator into your house electrical system without shutting off the main breakers. The guy up on the pole working to restore power could get shocked.

Kirk Moyer: Do not use your grill indoors!

Pat Jezierski and Bobbi Nibeck: Don't burn candles for light. Pat adds: Use the flashlight, and no kerosene or citronella lantern fuel.

Ken Craft: Just because the garage or basement may not be finished, they are not places to operate a generator. You have no idea how many people consider basements and garages "not indoors!"

Kelly Hewitt-Hunt recommended this link from Ready.gov about emergency preparedness for hurricanes:http://www.ready.gov/america/beinformed/hurricanes.html.

Brooke Kelly: Stay off the road, and don't be dumb!

From numerous respondents: Don't forget the alcohol!

And our favorite bit of advice from Barbara Hudgens: Take two sleeping pills and wake me on Monday morning!

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