Storm season is here

[Arklatex]

We just had our first big storm of the year. Thunder, lightning and now under tornado watch. We lost power at the factory today, talk about SHTF! Lotta work to get it running again.

I have already PMed my equipment for the season. Chainsaw and other equipment are ready to work in case a tree goes down.

Power outage kit is always ready. If you don't have one, make it now. Bare minimum you need flashlights and lanterns with good batteries. And a good radio capable of receiving weather band. Coolers easily accessible to help save some of your food. Generator is highly recommended, especially if your on well water. An off grid means of cooking like a grill or camp stove should be ready with spare fuel. Plastic sheeting or tarps in case you lose a window (if you don't have shutters) or a tree comes through the roof. Lots more but those are basics.

Make sure your daily driver is ready too. Fresh wiper blades. Maybe some new headlight bulbs and a good cleaning of the lenses and windshield and windows. You want max visibility. A good set of tires and check your spare. Recovery gear is highly recommended.

Add your suggestions if you have any and be safe.

[Inor]

Plenty of ice and plenty of charcoal. We usually have at least 40 pounds of ice in our freezer downstairs. That and a couple coolers will keep frozen things frozen for a few days at least.

Edit: Great thread by the way!

[Coppertop]

The generator is ready to go for the fridge and freezer. Flashlights are charged and ready but we also have a couple of "old style" oil lamps for light. Propane bottles filled for the BBQ. We have a nice gas stove in the house and even though the igniters don't work we have lighters. Water is sent from a cistern on the hill above town so we have a water supply there but it's shared with everyone in town.
All in all - Cold showers and no TV, things wouldn't be much different for a power outage here. We went through an 8 day period two summers ago where a forest fire took out the power. Sure found out what worked and what didn't.

Lots of lumber and supplies if something natural breaches the walls. Or lots of lead to put in the air if it's not so nature in design.

Self sustainable water supply is probably my biggest concern if something does happen around here. I have a large tank I need to get set and plumbed in from the gutter system but haven't done it yet. It will be a dual purpose system with garden water as primary usage and water collection/storage as a secondary.

Thanks

[Coppertop]

With some help from the GF and the kids, I got my tank set and plumbed in this weekend. Sure makes me feel better to have it in. Now if Mother nature cooperates for the next couple of weeks- maybe it will get filled up!!!

Thanks

[OSFG]

You know...my reaction...if I lived in Pompeii would be to move...same as if I lived in an earth quake prone area.... Now there are things like flood plains were people continue to live and build new houses...and of course Tornado alley where people build and move to....so If I had property on a tsunami prone beach...would you buy it? Sometimes folks just gotta get called on stupidity.

[OSFG]

Kind of like swimming with sharks...they bite randomly...but if you live in shark infested waters....its just a matter of time...and chance.

[Sparkyprep]

You know...my reaction...if I lived in Pompeii would be to move...same as if I lived in an earth quake prone area.... Now there are things like flood plains were people continue to live and build new houses...and of course Tornado alley where people build and move to....so If I had property on a tsunami prone beach...would you buy it? Sometimes folks just gotta get called on stupidity.

I have heard this opinion applied to Florida, with our hurricanes. The simple truth is that it doesn't really matter where you live, there is always something. Show me a place an Earth where you are safe from Mother Nature. The key is knowing what you are most at risk for, and being properly prepared for those risks.

[Arklatex]

You know...my reaction...if I lived in Pompeii would be to move...same as if I lived in an earth quake prone area.... Now there are things like flood plains were people continue to live and build new houses...and of course Tornado alley where people build and move to....so If I had property on a tsunami prone beach...would you buy it? Sometimes folks just gotta get called on stupidity.
No such place in America I know of. If there is please let us know.

East Texas gets a few twisters every year but that's about the worst we deal with. No winter storms, quakes, floods, etc. It's paradise as far as I'm concerned.

[Montana Rancher]

No such place in America I know of. If there is please let us know.

East Texas gets a few twisters every year but that's about the worst we deal with. No winter storms, quakes, floods, etc. It's paradise as far as I'm concerned.

I agree, stay in Texas!

No better place to be, IMO don't even consider Montana! We Suck and the weather averages about 52 degrees with a population density of about 7 people per square mile.

Texas 103 people per square mile and 62 degrees average temp.

Why not stay there and prosper?

[Arklatex]

I agree, stay in Texas!

No better place to be, IMO don't even consider Montana! We Suck and the weather averages about 52 degrees with a population density of about 7 people per square mile.

Texas 103 people per square mile and 62 degrees average temp.

Why not stay there and prosper?
Exactly. Montana really sucks. Glad you could agree that the lone star state is by far the best place to live.

[James m]

Its only a matter of time till Montana goes the way Colorado did.

[James m]

Broke back mountain over in Montana? I'm just messing around. Jeez I apologize. One of my favorite relatives lives in Montana.

[hawgrider]

Ah ha! Give a guy enough rope and......

:dumbass:

[Arklatex]

Not a problem

I work a lot with people in denial.

You think a 100 people in 1 square mile is a lot better than living with 7 people, more power to you.

My point was "Montana Sucks"

Don't come here, we are just fine, we export more energy, and grain than any other state (err maybe except North Dakota)

Don't even start with me on coal Reserves (tied up by the govenment)

But above all that, TX is great anchor.
Ok back on topic. The point of this thread is to give your advice on how to be prepared for big storms. Not where the best place to live is. What can you tell newbies to do to get ready for a power outage possibly lasting over a week? What do you do when tornado warnings are issued? Things like that.

[Montana Rancher]

Ok sorry for the dis on Texas I spent a week there one day.

IMO my biggest priority is keeping my freezers and refrigerator working. It bites to lose 500 lbs of meat and pizza's and cheese due to a power outage that last a week.

So IMO get a decent generator of at least 5 KW and then backstock a LOT of premium gas backed up with stabilizer which helps it last 2-3 years. I am currently using my 2013 gas in my ATV and it works fine, and I've just recently used up my 2012 gas with no side affects. It only takes a bit of planning and you can have 50 gallons of gas put back and that will run a generator for a couple days.

Plus you have the ability of running it 2-3 hours and off for 6 hours and making that last for a month.

Once you get to that point, we are talking SHTF and any amount wont matter much.

Besides a decent solar array, (say 2000 watts plus) the realistic approach is a 4-5k generator and a decent stock of gas. If you are really anal get a propane generator and a bunch of 100lb tanks, the advantage is the propane never expires.

[Montana Rancher]

Oh and BTW Montana does suck,

A lot people come here for the summer and then buy a house, and then they say you suck and leave in the winter. Its a nice view until nature tries to kill you.

The other advantage is that most Montana's own guns, in fact we are the highest percentage in the lower 48 states with gun ownership and we often times beat Alaska where owning a gun is necessary.

My point being that often civil unrest comes with storms (or government trials) and the lack of local law enforcement to react. Where here we just take care of the problem ourselves and that means we don't' shoot people in the streets, it just means the criminals don't test us.

[Arklatex]

Ok sorry for the dis on Texas I spent a week there one day.

IMO my biggest priority is keeping my freezers and refrigerator working. It bites to lose 500 lbs of meat and pizza's and cheese due to a power outage that last a week.

So IMO get a decent generator of at least 5 KW and then backstock a LOT of premium gas backed up with stabilizer which helps it last 2-3 years. I am currently using my 2013 gas in my ATV and it works fine, and I've just recently used up my 2012 gas with no side affects. It only takes a bit of planning and you can have 50 gallons of gas put back and that will run a generator for a couple days.

Plus you have the ability of running it 2-3 hours and off for 6 hours and making that last for a month.

Once you get to that point, we are talking SHTF and any amount wont matter much.

Besides a decent solar array, (say 2000 watts plus) the realistic approach is a 4-5k generator and a decent stock of gas. If you are really anal get a propane generator and a bunch of 100lb tanks, the advantage is the propane never expires.
That's exactly the kind of info this thread needed.