What did you wish you remembered during the last hurricane??
There’s always something you forget. What did you wish you had (and didn’t get) before the storms hit last year?
Mine was sheets of plywood! As the 2nd storm approached I was thankful that we’d weathered the first one fine but the surrounding devastation caused by Fay made me a lot less confident as Gonzalo approached from the opposite direction and the integrity of my big glass doors!
I think we can safely say that Bermuda and Bermudians know that storms are inevitable and that we have to be prepared for them. After hurricane devastation we pull together and recover quickly.
We need to stay vigilant for new storms and anticipate requirements ahead of time. Looking back we’ve learnt things by living through a few major hurricane events. Apart from the general moving and securing outside plants and furniture, I now know to either remove the blades from my outdoor fans or the secure them with bungee cords so they can’t turn and spin themselves off!
I’ll be sure to stock up on a healthy supply of paper plates, cups, paper towel and tin foil so that washing up is minimized. And of course Clorox wipes and 409 spray to kill the ants, clean the kitchen and bathroom.
I’m going to test the generator it was on its last legs during Gonzalo and I know that I should also revisit the idea of solar paneling as an alternate energy source…As we go into Hurricane Season here is my list of “Must Haves”
Ice
It’s never cold here when a hurricane or tropical storm hits so ice is always in great demand. Stock up. Save Milk cartons and plastic containers to fill with water and freeze stashed in empty spots in your freezer. These blocks will help you keep things cold in your freezer when the power goes off.
Water
Remember that you will not only want water for drinking but also for hygiene and cooking. We are lucky in Bermuda that we all have a controllable water supply in the form of our water tanks – make things easy in case the power goes out by filling a few buckets, kettles and jugs ahead of the storm. If a more major storm is coming fill your bathtub with water for dishwashing, toilet flushing and bathing.
Drinks
It could be a day or so before you can go out on the road and so ensure that you have all your family’s favourite beverages on hand as well (and an extra supply in case your neighbours come over).
Food
Plan to have dried food and cans in stock. If a hurricane strikes, eat refrigerated items first, followed by freezer items. Fire up the barbecue and invite the neighbors for dinner. It’s a fun way to spend the time when there’s no power for computers and TV and to use the perishable food. Eating your freezer’s contents saves you worrying about how to keep it all cold and expending money on ice.
