Lessons Learned from Ida?

[CountryGent]

I'd normally be following such a disaster in great detail, but life situations have prevented that. (Long story, not particularly germane to the topic.)

Anywho, for those that are, any lessons learned from the destruction in the south? Any change to preps you've made?

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[Xaevian]

Pack a towel.

 

[Ghoul]

Don't set up shop below sea level.

 

[No_Regerts]

We thought Sharknado was absurd, but Ida was basically Alligator-nado. All sorts of vicious creatures got transported to places they shouldn't be.

 

[titsonritz]

Nothing that shouldn't have been learned from Mitch, Katrina, Galveston (x2) and multiple others.

 

[Stomper]

"Ida" know….. that's all I got.

 

[Dungannon]

1. Don't live in a swamp at sea level.
2. Don't keep rebuilding the same way in a spot that is subject to floods and hurricanes.

I spent seven months in Pass Christian, Mississippi rebuilding homes damaged by Katrina. The town had been hit hard by Camille in 1969. None of their preparations made any difference for the homes underwater. Those on slightly higher ground [e.g. 25-30' above sea level] had wind and fallen tree damage, and so their preps did make a big difference. But all the families I helped ran out of fuel to power their generators before power was restored. And, as I mentioned in another thread awhile back, Home Depot and Walmart had a more timely and useful response than the government.

 

[TTSX]

That people won't prep and take responsibility until 5 minutes before the winds make landfall?

 

[Member 52301]

I do not have the LINK in my favorites now but I was listening to a news/talk radio station out of NOLA before, during and after IDA hit. Several stations but one specific one whose name escapes me now.

I listened to it OFF of my computer as I do many national and international RADIO and tv stations.

The radio hosts set it up that they could RUN the station ON SITE or off site (?) and the hosts stayed put with food, water, coffee, etc.

I would rather ESCAPE or LIVE through a hurricane (Been there - done that as a USN - Nam era bride AND as a kid/young adult growing up.) than deal with these freaking FIRES, SMOKE pollution and FIRE RELATED CRAPOLA.

That goes with all of my life living through blizzards, ice storms, no power for a couple of weeks, hurricanes, some high winds, etc. back east too.

Lessons? MOVE OUT OF THE WAY or stay put with a PLAN IN PLACE.

Generator? Fine and dandy but in some emergencies - IT will not help you BELOW SEA LEVEL - living in a bowl or with rising tides. Etc.!

I would NOT LIVE BELOW SEA LEVEL.

I have lived close to sea level and/or 33 feet (?) above it in my life. I don't have the stats on one specific part of one city/county now in MD. Seaport area.

CRS now for NY as a baby (I moved to MD when I was 1 year old.) or all of the SEA levels in different parts of NY state with late relatives/friends.

I lived across from the ocean in VA in a tiny beach cottage. I crossed the street and went over some sand dunes to swim several times a day plus to walk my dog. Nam era - young bride. I did not live there long since my late husband was hardly ever stateside! I moved back to MD and my Mom was dying of cancer at the time too.

I will not retype all of the things on various LISTS and safeguarding some things INSIDE and OUTSIDE of your home too.

My thoughts which will NOT agree with some people here and on MANY other forums:

Do NOT have TONS OF 'GOODS', all kinds of STUFF, good or bad stuff, cheap or expensive STUFF filling your home from your basement to your roof, TONS and tons of HEAVY ammunition no matter HOW you pack it - store it and TONS of guns to MOVE unless you have a VERY GOOD PLAN IN PLACE.

I have read and known (Other old forums and in REAL LIFE off of the net.) where people lost a LOT or ALL of their stuff, HOME and/or business due to high winds (Year round!) and some tornadoes too. Plus all of the other man made or natural - weather related YEAR ROUND disasters.

You can INSURE STUFF, of course, but even with HIGHER COVERAGE and up to date plans... plan on getting screwed one way or the other.

Do YOU or your loved ones at ANY AGE with or without being in GOOD HEALTH really want to move super heavy TONS OF STUFF including STACKS of ammunition and reloading stock?

NOT me - no thank you!

DO you honestly think that all of these 'relatives' and/or friends will be ABLE TO DO THIS FOR YOU if they LIVE CLOSE to you or NOT for the REST OF YOUR LIFE? Rest of life meaning in FIRE or HURRICANE or whatever type of country - terrain.

IF you choose to do this and live that way with all of your stuff - more power to you.

Free will and choices made in life.

Moving companies - well - look it all up when it comes to what they will NOT load and/or move AND would you really WANT THEM to SEE ALL OF YOUR 'STUFF' IN SOME ITEMS?!

MOVE AWAY from the disaster IF you have time and enough warning. Stay in place and SHELTER as best as you can when it comes to water, ICE, SNOW - BLIZZARD, ETC. TYPES OF STORMS if you can't MOVE AWAY FAST ENOUGH or EVEN get home from work MILES away from your home. Been there - done that in a very famous blizzard - one of many but this one was super famous in the late 70's if my memory is correct which I think that it is now.

Some fires can spread and MOVE SO FAST even GRASS fires (NOT only forest fires.) in some parts of the country and with hardly or ZERO WARNING.

So the fires in any situation can come upon you like stink on dung just like some type of a tornado can SWOOP DOWN with barely any sirens or weather alerts AHEAD of time.

Water or flash flooding and storm surges... that STUFF did not just HIT NOLA - it went up and down the Eastern Seaboard. NOLA WEATHER news said that they clocked IDA and it was very close to the other hurricane (Katrina?) shy of only a couple of MPH winds.

Don't BUILD in a BOWL and if you live in a valley - check it all out. Higher ground is best. When I was a kid in MD - the house that I grew up in until a certain age when we moved due to my Mom's declining health was way UP on several hills - higher elevation. Plus the land was on different elevations meaning the terrain. Three for sure just on my parent's land.

The PUBLIC SEWER SYSTEM, PRIVATE SEPTIC TANKS, PRIVATE WATER WELLS, COUNTY/CITY WATER SYSTEMS that were NO longer potable or even working would really be a MESS.

FLOODING THE STREETS - raw sewage and downed lines and floating debris. OMG!

NO electricity or even running on some generators did NOT help tons of people... UGH.

Yes, I know that you can store POTABLE water and set up - rig up sanitation potties or take a tinkle/dump in plastic garbage bags if need be. IF you dump pool water or bath water in a TOILET TO FLUSH but your sewer or septic tank is FLOODED or not working... what a MESS!

So much to say - no time now.

Cate

Typos!

 

[Member 52301]

I'd normally be following such a disaster in great detail, but life situations have prevented that. (Long story, not particularly germane to the topic.)

Anywho, for those that are, any lessons learned from the destruction in the south? Any change to preps you've made?

NO change but I am NOT a prepper as some of you call yourselves and live.

I am not knocking your choices - live and let live. My advice may work for some people in their senior years or NOT. LOL

I am a prepared person. That is what I call myself.

I grew up that way and I am the same now when it comes to being prepared at 71 years old.

And if anything, I am downsizing some more, I already have in the past as a former widow and, AGAIN now, and my husband is too.

USE IT or lose it is my motto!

KEEP some extra things on hand self defense wise but keep a BALANCE in all of your items when it comes to being prepared.

Plus I am not planning on WW3 as some of you are.

And if the POOP IS THAT BAD worldwide or on the national level - do I really want to live the rest of my senior years like some people want to do? NO - no, thank you!

I would rather DIE in my home in peace with a LOVED ONE if possible or in some beautiful place in peace than live like God knows what!

I no longer have any dog/dogs in my life. NOT for many years.

I have no children. So MY thinking and lifestyle as a former widow and/or married lady is NOT the same as many people on this forum.

I am ready to meet my Maker now or whenever that time comes in my life too.

Your mileage may vary - NO problem.

Old Lady Cate - A prepared lady but not a prepper as some of you are.

 

[Member 52301]

1. Don't live in a swamp at sea level.
2. Don't keep rebuilding the same way in a spot that is subject to floods and hurricanes.

I spent seven months in Pass Christian, Mississippi rebuilding homes damaged by Katrina. The town had been hit hard by Camille in 1969. None of their preparations made any difference for the homes underwater. Those on slightly higher ground [e.g. 25-30' above sea level] had wind and fallen tree damage, and so their preps did make a big difference. But all the families I helped ran out of fuel to power their generators before power was restored. And, as I mentioned in another thread awhile back, Home Depot and Walmart had a more timely and useful response than the government.

This and tons more!

I have seen tons of snow finally lifted/packed and MOVED in trucks and dumped in a harbor too. That does and can happen in many states.

January 1996 - I had to leave my GL home due to a emergency MEDICAL trip with that BIG blizzard that hit the Great Lakes region and IT FOLLOWED ME (LOL) to Baltimore, MD. OMG!

I was planning on another travel date but the TRIP was moved up and I had to travel to meet some plane in another part of my former state just to head FLY EAST. My poor late husband was driving me and talking to himself a LOT! LOL

Cate

 

[3MTA3]

From a preparedness forum with several members in the affected areas. It breaks down to the following:

1. Location - if destruction happens repeatedly there live someplace else. Perhaps nearby, but not where you expect to have to be underwater
2. Water - have enough stored to get over the immediate need, and have a plan in place for medium to long term water treatment
3. Food - obvious
4. Power - have a BU generator and fuel for the critical things like refrigeration and freezer
5. Comms - easier to check on people when the roads are impassible
6. Patience - big events take a while to recover

Not so much need for self defense reported, but a lot of these guys already live a lifestyle where a disruption of normal utilities isn't a big deal. You have to read between the lines a bit because they are typically much better prepared than most people.

Gulf Monkies - Ida Impact? How are you faring?

Hoping all of you that were in Ida's path are safe and sound. Just checking to see how you who still have power and comms are holding up.

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