Ok - Hurricane irritation from a Floridian

[Coexist]

people - I lived in Ft. Lauderdale during Andrew, St. Thomas during Hugo, and several 'storms that weren't' and some advice.

You don't have to buy bottled water. It actually comes out of the tap. I don't get runs on water - on canned soup, batteries, tarps, stuff like that- stock up on. Another item worth investing in - a portable tv and flashlights that you can crank - instead of needing batteries.

Also, yes, get cash and gas.

But WATER?! That bugs the heck out of me.

You can disinfect your bathtub(s) and fill them with water. This is the water you use to fill up the back of the toilet to flush, or use for cleaning. Standing shower only? Fill buckets, pails, any watertight container, with water and keep them in your shower.

You can fill plastic containers (i.e. tupperware) with water and fill your fridge and freezer with them. Fill up all the spaces, use all your pitchers for this too. Tupperware-type items stack nicely. This water you can use for drinking, brushing your teeth, cooking, etc. Also, having less "space" in your fridge/freezer keeps stuff colder longer.

Save your money for what is actually needed.

Sorry. Rant off.

[fleur-de-lisa]

1. and make sure your cell phone charger is working . . .

just went through Isaac in early September . . . no electricity for a week and my cell phone charger didn't work! Ugghhh!!!

And fill your car with gas NOW . . . if you wait until a day or so before impact, the gas stations may be out or the owners may have closed and left.

[LynneSin]

3. Done and done

My friend and I got those hand crank radios that have a USB port in them

[garthranzz]

6. Metairie had power within 24-48 hours

Those of us in the city had to wait almost a week - or longer than a week - because tree branches were interfering with power lines. Branches that should have been 4 or 5 feet back. City ordinance? Parks? Entergy? Homeowners?

Response and restoration is all about coordination, organization, willpower and manpower. The problems go top-down. The workers do their job.

I pray for mild repercussions and everyone to be safe.

We've been through too many.

[fleur-de-lisa]

8. Not completely true . . .

I know lots of people in eastern Metairie who did not have power for 7 to 10 days. And there were very few trees down. I saw this with my own eyes.

[garthranzz]

96. Yeah, you right.

I was speaking in generalities.

Who Dat!

[longship]

17. Get a car charger for your cell phone!!!

If power is out you can still charge your phone via the car!!!!

[fleur-de-lisa]

20. I have one . . it wasn't working.

As I wrote.

[SaveAmerica]

71. A converter for your car lighter will power up a lot of stuff!

Then you can charge directly from your usual cell phone charger and also make coffee, use a single burner for heating water, soups, etc.

We keep ours in our car for emergencies.

http://www.amazon.com/Blackberry-Emergency-Appliances-Converters-Generator/dp/B004NZI4K6

[SaveAmerica]

72. We have a small travel coffee pot, can heat water for soups/cocoa tea too

[longship]

93. Wonderful idea. I'll be able to plug in my percolator!

I have a propane camp stove for power failures, oil lamps, and boxes of votive candles, which both heat and light.

My well is artesian, so of the pump stops, I can still flush.

I live in MI, but I understand we're not out of the woods on this one.

[Lebam in LA]

22. I have a SOSReady Charger

It is one that you wind up so no electricity needed. Just woman power.

[fleur-de-lisa]

23. Where can you find those?

[Lebam in LA]

24. Their web-site is

http://www.sosready.com. I got mine as a gift.

[fleur-de-lisa]

26. Thanks! - eom

[Lebam in LA]

27. You are very welcome

I have some if the wind up flashlights too. they are great because you never need batteries. Plan on getting more.

[onecent]

36. Went to the website and it says no longer available.

[gkhouston]

66. Try this...

http://www.sosready.com/products/hand-crank-cell-phone-charger-flashlight

[Lebam in LA]

109. Thanks for posting the correct link

[gkhouston]

110. You're welcome. I've bookmarked that site and will probably get one of those before next summer. nt

[Lebam in LA]

116. I have a few flashlights too

I should get a couple more. When LA gets hit by the next earthquake, I am ready and

[LynneSin]

2. You should buy bottled water

Too much rain can cause issues with the local water supply including sewage that might flood in there. Of course you can boil the water first but it takes awhile to cool off.

For me I normally filter my water so I have filled up a few pitchers so I have plenty. But to be safe I did get an extra case of water.

[antigone382]

4. If you fill up containers with tap water before the storm hits you won't have a problem.

People really ought to have several containers of stored water anyway--you wouldn't necessarily want to use water that had been stored a while for drinking, but you can use it for cleaning, etc.

[murray hill farm]

9. Buy a new and large plastic garbage can!

Fill it with water and add 1/5 cup of bleach and the water will be good for weeks. If you don't need it...that is great...and in the end you have extra garbage can for your personal use.

[uppityperson]

68. Some garbage cans have anti-fungals built in them so beware. Check labels

[murray hill farm]

86. Thank you so much...

for adding that information. I was not aware! Yes. Please check on that first.

[uppityperson]

87. I made beer in one once many yrs ago then found out about that

after I drank the beer of course.

[Mojorabbit]

33. true

There are always boil water alerts after a major storm and if you don't have the means to do so it can be a problem. Never hurts to have back up of back up plans.
I always have cases of water for emergency. We also make sure generator and chain saw are working. We had to saw our way to the front door one year when a tree landed on the front of the house and blocked the entrance.

[appleannie1]

5. We have a well. No electric. No water. I do fill both my tubs with water whenever ANY storm is

forecast. But, since our well went bad when they drilled a gas well across the road from us, I buy bottled water for cooking and drinking anyway and with a storm of this size, I buy a lot of it. Sorry. Each situation is different.

[RebelOne]

7. I lived in Miami until 1989 and have been through many hurricanes.

I learned from my mother about filling the tub with water. When I was a kid, I always wondered why she always filled the tub when a hurricane was coming.

[Livluvgrow]

10. Go figure

We lived in Tampabay for the past 13 years and barely saw a twig break as a result of a hurricane. Now we have recently moved to the mountains of WNC and are now facing a possible blizzard with 80+ gusts and over a foot of snow.

[BumRushDaShow]

11. Um - RANT ON: If you live in a dwelling ABOVE about ~40 feet

then the water has to be PUMPED and without electricity you have NO functioning pump and thus NO WATER.

So to hell with all high rise apartment dwellers.

RANT OFF.

[Mariana]

15. You obviously didn't read the whole post.

You can fill containers of all kinds with water from the tap BEFORE the storm, you know, when the power is still on. There's no need to spend a bunch of money to BUY bottles of it at the store when you can "bottle" your own for much less. And yes, even high rise apartment dwellers (like me) can do this.

[NutmegYankee]

25. You also benefit from Halogenation of your water.

The chlorine protects your home bottled water from going bad (contamination). Well water doesn't have this benefit, and if the container isn't sterile, you risk having diarrhea and such. And that along with manual filling of a toilet is about as bad as it gets, so folks choose a safe alternative.

[Aerows]

54. Manual filling of a toilet

IS as bad as it gets. I learned that during Katrina. When the water came back on, I ran around the house flushing the toilets like it was Christmas. We didn't have power, but by God, we could flush finally.

[lynne]

108. It's certainly an easy alternative. As far as safer, not so much -

- We have only been on well water for over 50 years and we lose power 3-4 times a year for several days at a time. I've been drawing water before storms for all those years will no ill effects at all. And that includes my children and grandchildren. If anyone would get ill from contaminated water, it would be an infant.

As far as the toilet, you just flush it using a bucket of water poured into the bowl. The result is the same as flushing with the handle. Waste goes down and you have a small amount of water left in the bottom of the toilet.

[Coexist]

73. thank you!

[BumRushDaShow]

111. I having been using Pur cartridges for years

and keep filled bottles in my fridge at all times, but I won't denigrate others who may choose to buy water. It was a nuisance to get the right adapters to put it on the faucet and I expect that for a short-term situation, it's too much of a hassle for many people (and that may include using the pitcher-type unit).

But my point is that if power goes out and you are not on a well or in a high rise, then the water service (outside of issues of water treatment) is not really impacted. Thus there are extra hassles for those who do have to rely on pumped water.

[Strelnikov_]

12. You also have a 30 gal. emergency supply in the water heater

If you have one, of course.

[Aerows]

13. I'm not an expert, but I went through Katrina

from start to finish.

1. Fill Ziploc bags with tap water ahead of time. You have fresh water, and ice that doesn't melt quickly. It keeps the freezer cold.

2. Fill the bathtub, you will need it to flush toilets if you don't have water for nearly a month like we did. Forget baths. Flushing the toilet becomes a priority.

3. Line a 5 gallon trashcan with a little bit of water, freeze that, too. Stick it in an ice chest. The surface area of large amounts of ice allows it to melt less slowly.

4. Charge everything you have in the event that you lose power. We had no power for about 5 1/2 weeks. You are literally camping out in your own home.

5. Prepare for wildlife to go bananas. Protect your pets, and maintain some type of defense if large wildlife (deer, wild hogs, raccoons, alligators, snakes - we had them all) go crazy in your area. Discourage them by not having garbage that is easily accessible because you don't have garbage pickup. I'd imagine up north you have bear problems.

6. Flashlights are indispensable when preparing for a lack of power. When you need to go somewhere, and suddenly realize you have nothing but the light of the moon to get to your vehicle, or even to walk to a neighbor's house, you will need one, and will need them a lot more often than you might imagine.

7. Canned goods and Parmelat milk. You can survive on Parm milk and canned chili and a tiny gas stove comfortably when you get creative.

8. Ice. Again, Ice. Fill your freezer completely with ziploc bags, large containers, and everything to make it completely full with ice and water. You can drink the water, can use the ice, and you can put it in the fridge for a while, too, to keep things cool in there.

9. Neighbors are your best resource, and you and your neighbors planning together and helping each other out not only helps you, it builds a community that is necessary for cleanup.

10. Board games, a deck of cards, or even dice are a good way to pass the time. You would be surprised how much letting off some stress by playing a board game helps.

[txwhitedove]

14. Agree, that's what we did also. Add a cell phone charger for car or solar, and solar battery charger

[Aerows]

30. I bought a solar charger for the phones.

I haven't needed it yet, but I've tested it, it was cheap, and I am confident that it can do the job if needed. I consider $60 cheap to provide three cell phones with power for several days.

Someone also posted the WaterBOB (Bathtub Oblong Bladder) to keep in the tub to have several gallons of fresh water. I haven't bought one, but I am going to do so for hurricane season. I live on the Coast. It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when. I saw that and *wished* we would have had a few of them.

[txwhitedove]

34. I'm in Houston area now, but was 1-blk from beach in Bay St. Louis for Katrina. The best thing I

did was fill the bathtub with water for flushing & misc., and freeze fresh water in old milk containers. Of course, after Katrina it was practically impossible to get any cell phone service anyway.

[Aerows]

35. I live very close to Bay St. Louis

It was horrible. Waveland got destroyed.

[txwhitedove]

38. The Bay very nearly did too, an unbelievable and unforgettable sight. We were on top of hill

on 2nd Street by the bridge. Watched houses and trees peeled and stripped away for hours before the water came up.
When the bridge went down, we heard it but didn't know what it was - everyone was dead quiet with eyes bugged out. Though I sometimes think what goes around comes around and we should say to the people who said after Katrina, "Well they should not have been living in a hurricane prone area," ...wouldn't wish that experience on anyone.

[Aerows]

42. "They shouldn't be living there"

That sentiment has pissed me off to the extreme for years. I don't ever want to hear another asshole say that.

When the opening of the first Taco Bell in the area is in Gulfport, and everyone treks there nearly in tears because they haven't eaten Tacos in months, you know you are in an area that was hit hard by Katrina.

[nolabear]

105. And Waffle Houses! Those suckers were back like cockroaches!

And people were damned glad they were. LOL!

[Aerows]

107. Hell, even I can eat them covered and smothered

with a patty melt. In fact, I'm fond of them at this point.

[uppityperson]

69. Don't live where there may be water, wind, snow, ice, quakes, fire, landslides, blizzards

heat, cold, flat land, hilly land, mts or any sort of weather because you just shouldn't. Oh, or crowds of rioting people or people at all because they can get sick and pass diseases.

grrrr. People can be thoughtless. Best wishes to you

[Baitball Blogger]

16. Water is important because you can't always count on the storm not damaging

the water purifying process in the city where you live.

[appleannie1]

18. Outdoor solar lights can be brought inside at night to light rooms enough to safely walk around

Then take them back outside to recharge in the morning. They are safer than candles and conserve gas and oil lanterns.

[Indpndnt]

45. Now, there's an excellent idea!

Never would've thought of that one!

[Aerows]

52. I used those during Isaac

when the power went out . Cheap as dirt, and very convenient.

[WinkyDink]

77. Thank you! At least I have a couple of them!

[Coexist]

95. smart!

[Auntie Bush]

102. My solar lights don't work when it's been cloudy or rainy for days.

If fact mine have ceased working already. Many have wells that won't pump without electricity.

[dixiegrrrrl]

113. ohhhh duhhh....never thought of that.

Excellent suggestion.

Hmmm..wonder how improved the technology is about solar lamps for indoor use after they are charged.

[Butterbean]

19. Yep. I lived through Hugo in Charleston.

We had a long time to prepare, and were without power for 3 weeks after. The poster who said to prepare to camp out in your own home is exactly right. That's what you do. I can't stress enough how important it is to get CASH out of the ATMs and to get gas for your cars, generators (if you have them), etc., BEFORE the storm hits. Sterno cans for cooking or little camp stoves are great too. Just stock up for a really really really long primitive camping trip. If you have a propane grill, get your propane tank filled and get a backup. Oh, and get a crap ton of bug spray because omg, the bugs will be horrible after.

[Aerows]

51. OMG the bugs

I forgot about that. It's EXACTLY like camping out, and I forgot about how horrible the bugs were. Mosquitoes the size of birds. I think I was so traumatized by the lack of everything else that I forgot about how terrible the bugs were.

[Butterbean]

59. Yep. All that stagnant water, and why is it that

after a hurricane, it's so damned SUNNY and PRETTY?? Perfect mosquito growing weather. Ugh. The things I remember most (other than the constant hum of generators and chainsaws) were the bugs, and my leg hair growing so long I could practically braid it. Also, living out of a cooler for 3 weeks. Gawd, that sucked.

[Aerows]

61. I guess I try to focus on the good

The best memory I had is one week after Katrina, I rode up into the country with my friend to check on her horses. There was a large pond on her property. I brought shampoo and conditioner, stripped down, and plunged into that deliciously cool lake. It was the first real bath I had taken outside of wiping with baby wipes (a baby wipe bath means you know what it is like to not have water) since the storm. My GOD it felt so good to be clean, cool, and surrounded by something other than bugs and people complaining.

I didn't even gripe when the guys on the tractor came by and hooted, because I just didn't give a shit at that point. They eventually went away, and I emerged from that pond clean, happy, and convinced that we were going to make it through the devastation - and we did.

I can also tell you every flavor of a Menu B box of MRE's, if it makes you feel any better LOL.

[Aerows]

64. And braiding your leg hair?

I'm blond. My hair takes months to grow, and doesn't even grow past a fuzz. I know that is more information than you want to know, but you opened the door.

[Butterbean]

70. I inherited my mother's Cherokee roots (literally...hah), so my hair is coarse and thick.

Which means it grows fast and thick, unfortunately true for my legs as well. Yay. Oh well, there are a lot worse things in life. I can't imagine surviving Katrina, Hugo was awful enough. Huge hugs to you.

[NutmegYankee]

21. A lot of rural homeowners (on wells) drink only bottled water.

The well water up here usually needs some serious filtering, so that water is reserved for washing and bathing. Since an outage of power is likely, and rural roads are subject to blockage from downed trees, most folks want a several day supply of "drinking" water.

[Aerows]

28. Mind you, I am an absolute dairy *fiend*

But Nido instant whole milk tastes pretty good, and Parmalat is also pretty awesome. I always have some one hand. Both are long-life shelf stable.

If I could, I'd get it from the cow or the goat, but not everyone has that option.

[Coexist]

79. yeah, powdered milk or soy/almond milk in aseptic containers

its warm, but it does the job

[FlaGatorJD]

29. I'm with you

Born in Broward. Been through multiple storms.
The level of hysteria now regarding storms is brought to you by Home Depot.

Fill the tub, gas tank, get some batteries, flashlights, candles, beer (if you so choose), have an extra 5-gallon bucket around to flush your toilets, if necessary, hunker down, have some real family time, and play some cards, board games, etc. Perhaps, a lack of electricity for a short period isn't such a bad thing.

While preparation is obviously necessary and wise, freaking out is simply freaking out.

[Aerows]

32. I've lived on the Coast my entire life

and I agreed with you completely. I went out driving in category 1 storms to go to work.

Until Katrina.

I have a completely different outlook now, because the one time that you think it won't be as bad as predicted... it's worse. Andrew was Hell. Katrina was worse.

[Mojorabbit]

104. I agree

I camped in a friends front yard in ocean springs after katrina in a tent. The whole neighborhood's house contents were piled in the streets. Open freezers and fridges with rotting meat along with all that debis in the hundred degree heat piled ten feet high in the road. I have never seen anything like it and I have been thru many hurricanes here in Fl. My parents old place was completely gone. Nothing left at all. I have a huge respect for what can happen and I prepare every year just in case.

[Coexist]

80. I concur.

I know people that have literally thrown away gallons of bottled water, because it actually does go bad

[superpatriotman]

31. Protein bars and candles

and cigarettes to barter with before the zombie apocalypse begins!

[Michigan Alum]

37. Fellow Floridian: Water can get contaminated so I always have 7-10 jugs on hand.

But I wouldn't panic if I didn't have it... Have been through 3 hurricanes and haven't had any major issues yet. Had the power out for 5 days which was a bit of a pain though. When you live in Florida you should have a hurricane kit with flashlights, tuna, peanut butter, manual can opener.

[RebelOne]

40. I have found that those plastic jugs leak after a while.

During the Y2K scare I stored about 6 jugs in my closet and they leaked.

[nadinbrzezinski]

41. Why we use them within three months

[Coexist]

97. peanut butter and crackers!

lived on that

[nadinbrzezinski]

39. <---- emergency worker hat on

Actually, especially in a large city, that s terrible advise

If you live downhill where gravity can get you water, it s somewhat sound. Up into apartments, not just bad advise, but down right lousy. Power goes out, pumps go out of commission.

Also the bottled water is ready to go, once water comes back, expect boil water orders.

[Aerows]

43. You fill it up beforehand

Not afterwards. Mostly because nothing works afterwards. That is what the OP was getting at, and that is sound advice no matter where you live - before it hits, fill everything up you can, stuff the freezer full of Ziploc bags full of water to make large chunks of ice/drinking water when it thaws, and wait it out.

[nadinbrzezinski]

47. Carry on then.

[Mariana]

44. Good grief, please explain why it's "terrible advise".

The poster clearly said to fill up containers of water from the tap BEFORE the storm. What exactly is wrong with storing water from the tap BEFORE the power goes out, as the poster said, rather than spending money to buy bottles of it? The result is exactly the same. Either way, you have clean water on hand afterward.

[nadinbrzezinski]

46. Carry on then.

[Indpndnt]

48. Seriously? Emergency workers were never taught to fill bathtubs with water BEFORE a storm?

We've been doing that in my family for the last 50 years, at least. You fill bathtubs, jugs, pitchers, bowls, other large containers with water before the storm arrives. That way, there is enough to drink and use during the storm and then after when city water purification systems are likely down. How do you think people survived storms before bottled water became so widespread? Fill containers, especially bathtubs, before the storm.

And that's excellent advice.

[nadinbrzezinski]

49. Not for drinking

People are still advised to have a gallon / person/ day.

Sorry.

[Indpndnt]

50. I guess I died multiple times then during many storms and their aftermaths over the last 5 decades.

I wish someone had told me. And my parents. And the rest of my family. And all our friends and neighbors. Who knew we've all been dead for so many years because commercially bottled water wasn't available? We obviously shouldn't have bothered to drink the tap water we had stored right before the storm in pitchers, jugs, bowls, and the bathtubs. We died from the lack of bottled water. Can we get tax refunds?

Water doesn't need to be bottled to be drinking water. Sorry.

[nadinbrzezinski]

53. No, but it need to be clean

This comes from water not stored properly and outbreaks of diarrhea.

I guess this as never ever cross your heart, ever happened in the United States in the five decades you have been around.

It comes down to water handling and safe water standards.

[Indpndnt]

57. Of course, it's clean.

There's no difference between storing it in a clean container you already own and buying a jug of water. It's for a storm and its aftermath. It's not forever. People over the last half century and more have been very capable of storing their own water during storms. Just because big bottlers had not yet figured out how to sell bottled tap water to people who do not need it does not mean we couldn't handle water storage all these years. We used to have periodic flushings of city water systems. These were announced in advance. Everyone knew to store water for at least a day's usage or they'd have brown, filthy water coming out of their pipes. We'd fill containers and, just in case there was a longer down period, a bathtub. This was commonplace. And common sense.

This has nothing to do with improperly stored water or outbreaks of diarrhea. People aren't going to store water in their toilet or used trash cans. They know how to handle and store safe drinking water. People are obviously more capable and intelligent than you believe. If not, we wouldn't be here.

[nadinbrzezinski]

60. Can you guarantee it will remain such?

I can't, and even small contaminants that you cannot see will ruin your day.

Now you coud, as long as you filter it (filtrette filters are perfect) and disinfect with Clorox or pills.

This is why emergency services recommend bottled water, which should remain clean.

Now, use it to flush toilets, by all means, even washing dishes. But drinking, we got the technology to ensure you get clean water. This goes triple for people who are inmuno compromised.

[Indpndnt]

83. What are you talking about? Can you guarantee backwash into bottled water won't contaminate it?

This is ridiculous. Put plastic wrap over the container's opening if it doesn't have a lid and that stresses you out so much. And we weren't talking about immuno-suppressed people. We were talking about general storm preparations that have been tried and true for generations. Just be very glad you weren't going through storms like these decades ago. The lack of bottled water for sale anywhere would've done you in, apparently.

[nadinbrzezinski]

85. Well, having seen what you thought was clean water

make people ER worthy sick.

Why I asked.

Look, do what you wish. I know I have my bottles ready... and cycle them every so often.

But do as you wish.

Have a magnificent day.

[Indpndnt]

88. Tap water from before a storm makes people ER worthy sick?

Okay, whatever. And thanks for giving me 'permission' to do what I've been doing successfully for 50 years. Those with stock in bottled water companies thank you, too. The environment, not so much.

[Coexist]

89. I didn't mean to create a fuss - just help people save some cash

when Hugo came through St. Thomas - we had no water as our cistern became tainted with saltwater. We never purchased a bottle of water and made it through fine. A pitcher of pre-storm tap water is not worse than a bottle of zephyrhills water.

[nadinbrzezinski]

91. Aha, you had a cistern get contaminated with sea water

this is what can happen with a bathtub.

Careful, tricky phrase you just used... CLOSED CONTAINER.

Anyhow, we still recommend people get gallons and have them at home. We also recommend they are cycled. No I am not an investor in Cascadia Water... we especially recommended this with AIDS, diabetes and Cancer patients, aka inmuno compromised. As well, of course as young kids.

Intentions are good, but..

[Coexist]

94. are you serious?

*sorry - meant this reply for another post* my bad

are you familiar with cisterns and how they get contaminated with saltwater? and that bathtubs are located in houses? I'm sorry. i like you but your post makes no sense. I've lived through 2 major hurricanes - no power or running water for weeks. You can fill your pitchers with water. But - whatever. I know you mean well

[nadinbrzezinski]

99. As a heart attack

cisterns are very common in the developing world

And bathtubs can and are contaminated regularly even if INSIDE A HOME, why they are FINE FOR FLUSHING THE TOILET.

Look, do as you wish, but damn it, Emergency workers recommend WATER the way they do for a reason. I will stand (and follow) that recommendation.

It is well meant, but hey, I guess we are all investors in the local water company, by this thinking,

And no, I do not want to go to the ER with a bad case of diarrhea.

Do as you wish by the way. You will be fine.

(OF course in QUAKE country, I would fill my bathtub and NOT TOUCH that water for anything but flushing)

[Coexist]

100. did you read my post?

I said the bathtub water was for flushing the toilet and cleaning?!

[nadinbrzezinski]

101. Yes, but a few folks here are arguing differently

so there.

Look, do as you wish.

And good luck

[nadinbrzezinski]

90. No, tap water from before a storm

that gets contaminated after the storm.

Is that this hard to comprehend? Absolutely

Do as you wish.

[Coexist]

84. lol

[Aerows]

55. Flushing the toilet

is a priority when there is no water, and it's a pain in the ass to have to go bail it from a nearby lake rather than just bail some from the bathtub. You don't use the bathtub for drinking water (unless you have a WaterBOB) - you use it to flush toilets, wash dishes and such.

[nadinbrzezinski]

58. Exactly

Which is the point I made

Get booted water for drinking, this, s perfect for other necessary uses.

[Aerows]

62. And you *MUST* have extra water

Because unless you have lived under conditions without running water, you won't imagine how much you need. When you are under conditions that everyone goes in the morning before doing the necessary manual flush, you just don't understand the privilege we have of running water.

[nadinbrzezinski]

63. Trust me I know

Our kit includes silly shit like hand tools. Just in case we need to go worst case and get a latrine going. (With a Major quake that is possible)

[Aerows]

65. Hand tools are not "silly shit"

by any means! They are called "being prepared"

Oh, and the best toolkit is in the mind. Being able to improvise and having the knowledge necessary.

[nadinbrzezinski]

67. Yup,

I also assume that I am going to be on my own for at least 72 hours.

[lilithsrevenge12]

98. Small containers are for drinking...

big are for bathing. It's a simple concept.

[Coexist]

74. :) Im glad you got my point

[Separation]

56. Please be careful

Since this is happening in the north and in October it could get very cold. I've seen houses go up in flames when a space heater tips over, or dying from carbon monoxide poisoning from a gas grill or gas oven being used for heat.

We went 12 days without power after hurricane Bertha in North Carolina in 96. We thankfully had neighbors who we pooled our resources together. Had BBQ's every night. Our daughter was born two weeks before this storm hit and it was not fun.

[Coexist]

75. After Hugo - we had a cistern and it got contaminated with saltwater

so we had no water for two weeks - we lived just fine on our bathtub water and rainwater we collected in trashcans - mostly for toilet flushing and washing.

I just don't want people to spend needed cash on bottled water when they might need food.

[WinkyDink]

76. Dumb Question Alert: How do you use the water to "flush" a toilet? Into the tank, or into the bowl?

[Coexist]

78. you take the top off the back of the tank

fill the tank with water and flush.

[WinkyDink]

81. Thanks! (I already have two HUGE water jugs filled for that purpose!)

[Coexist]

82. good luck and be safe!

[dixiegrrrrl]

114. or..you can dump water with a bucket into the bowl directly

I never bother with taking the tank lid off, too easy to spill water.
Dumping a couple of gallons of water all at once directly in the bowl works fine.

[Chorophyll]

92. Hey, thanks.

I just filled up a bunch of containers on top of what I already had. I appreciate the advice.

[HooptieWagon]

103. You're wrong.

Some people have well water...electric pump...no electricity, no water. And flooding can disrupt a municipal water system. Contamination from sewage, salt water intrusion, power outages affecting water treatment and pumping facilities, and silt getting into water mains affecting flow.
So, you have the option of boiling water, or of consuming water you have had the foresight to stock in advance. Which is easier?
BTW, water stocked in advance isn't "wasted". Freeze it, and use it to preserve food if power goes out. When it melts, it becomes your emergency supply. It doesn't go bad, you can keep it till next storm. Or you can use it in normal use once emergency is passed.

[lynne]

106. Agree. We "draw water" -

- filling every vessel in the house that will hold it, including the bath tubs and the washing machine. Every pitcher, every large pot is full.
We have tubs outside to catch the rain. Water that we first use to wash people or dishes is then recycled to flush the toilets.

Those who buy water usually haven't been through a situation where you're out of power for any length of time. I've been there plenty.

[politicat]

112. In a small apartment, one may not have containers to fill.

I lived in a tiny flat in a metro area for several years, and got good at not keeping anything extraneous -- I had two water bottles (one clean, one in use), 4 coffee cups, 4 bowls, one mixing bowl, a 2 quart and a 4 quart sauce pan. That, and my cat's litter pan, was the sum total of my containers, so maybe 10 gallons of water storage total (Not including the bathtub). This drove my mother batty, because she couldn't understand why I didn't have a dozen recycled yogurt or butter containers around. (Space, Ma.) My flat was about 250 square feet, which means it was relatively large for NYC standards. I didn't have Tupperware -- that stuff is both expensive and bulky when not in use.

A flat of water (or a costco pack of TP, or a three week supply of canned goods) takes up space. It made sense for me to buy a couple when disaster was pending, but I wouldn't keep them around. In tight spaces, one uses every square inch for day to day living, and doesn't store much.