A critique of “Preparing for the Worst”

The Island Packet, the leading newspaper serving Hilton Head and Bluffton, South Carolina, issued guidance on October 5, 2016 for those preparing for Hurricane Matthew.  I only came across their guidance 4 days after the hurricane passed by Bluffton.  For the benefit of others, I provide the Island Packet’s advice along with my critique of which items were really important and which were of trivial value. You can call this critique "theory" versus "reality" since my comments reflect what really happens when you only have 2 or 3 days to prepare for a hurricane.

The items in bold are those published on the front page of the Island Packet. The items highlighted in blue font are those that we considered to be the top priorities when "push came to shove" and we needed to evacuate our house in short order. Comments on our critique are most welcome. 

What you need to know

 Put together a hurricane kit in an easy to carry container.

  

       Reality: We never thought of such an idea nor do we think it makes sense if you plan to evacuate.

     Decide where to go in the event of hurricane evacuation and how to get there.   

      

      Reality: This advice makes sense for anyone in coastal South Carolina.  Given the rural nature of the state, the only logical destination is one furthest inland – that being Atlanta or Macon Georgia.

        Assign each family member a task to cut down on chaos.  

      Reality: This advice doesn’t work well when family members are waffling about leaving and don’t take the hurricane seriously.  The best approach is to lead by example.

      

     Make arrangement for pets – American Red Cross Shelters won’t take them.

      Reality:  This was irrelevant to our family since we don’t have pets.

      Catalog your possessions. 

      Reality:  This is a nice idea but an extremely low priority immediately before a hurricane. If you haven’t got such a list, don’t worry about it now when a hurricane is imminent.

      Photograph valuables. Make sure you have enough film or disk space for “Before” and “After” photos. There are several online tools, including smart phones and table apps that can assist you.

      Reality:  While this is a nice idea, this should not be done when a hurricane is imminent and other priorities take higher precedence. If this guidance is of any consequence, it is only with respect to before and after photos of your house, automobile or other major asset.

    

     Have adequate insurance. Read your policy. 

      Reality: This guidance is totally irrelevant before a hurricane. You either have insurance or you do not.  If you think you’re going to get insurance two days before a hurricane you had better call Auntie "M". She will tell you that you’re not in Kansas anymore. This item should be addressed after the hurricane (i.e. the “hard lesson” approach) or when you buy or lease your home (i.e. the “preferred approach”).

     Keep a list of emergency phone numbers nearby.

      

      Reality: This is a good idea but once again this is not what drives personal behavior two days before a hurricane strikes. You either have a Rolodex or cell phone directory with these numbers or you do not.

     

    Keep family records and documents accessible and protected. 

     Reality:  Once again, this is great advice that should be coordinated weeks before a hurricane – not two days beforehand.

        If you have a boat, consider safe anchorage options. 

     Reality: While this is a high priority for those with boats or other recreational items such as surf boards, kayaks, paddle boards, etc.,  it is not appropriate to leave these items in the water. Boats and other vessels should be removed from their docks and tied down on land – wherever possible.

    

       Purchase a cooler that keeps things cold for up to five or six days.  

     Reality: This advice is most pertinent to those who decide to ride out the hurricane. Those who decide to evacuate will have less need for a cooler if they already have a shelter location outside the hurricane’s path.

If a Hurricane Threatens

     Make sure your car is filled with gas.      

      Reality:  This is a top priority and should be done when it is highly probable the hurricane will arrive within less than a week.

        Refill prescription drugs.  

      Reality:  This is also a high priority but this guidance should also address the fact that many people – myself included – forgot to bring my prescription drugs with me when I evacuated. The proper guidance should be “Bring your prescription drugs with you and if you are running low be sure to refill the prescription.”

        Pack irreplaceable items such as photo albums, to take with you. Put an important family documents and records in a waterproof container.   

      Reality:  While this is great advice, such items should be left behind if there is not enough space for family members, pets and hurricane supplies in your car.

Around the House

     Close windows, doors and hurricane shutters. If you do not have hurricane shutters, close and board up all windows and doors with plywood.

      Reality:  This is definitely a high priority activity for those along the eastern coast of the United States. Projectiles can be smashed against windows and result in extensive internal damage to your house.  This activity took me and my son at least 3 or 4 hours of work to complete and it would have taken even longer if I had not found the numbering plan for the plywood covers for our 30 windows and located the special lock nuts that held the plywood in place. From a property protection perspective, this is the number 1 action item to be completed before evacuating or staying put and riding out the storm.

       Put loose outdoor items in storage. 

      Reality:  This is an excellent idea but it can only be implemented to a limited degree depending upon how much junk is hanging around your house and that of your neighbors.

       Turn off propane tank. 

      

     Reality:  We did not do this and I saw no reason to do so since our tank is a buried 250 gallon tank that was not affected by winds or storm surges.

       Unplug small appliances. 

     Reality:  I have always considered this a good idea especially if one these appliances might be accidentally turned on by a blast of wind or water entering the house.

    Turn refrigerator and freezer to the coldest setting. Keep them closed as much as possible so food will last longer if power goes out. 

  

     Reality: While this is a good idea, it wasn’t one of the things we did.  Losing some food is not big deal. Losing one’s life is another story.

     Check for loose gutters and spouts. 

     Reality:  We did not do this since our house is less than 3 years old and the gutters are in fine condition.

        Move valuables to higher levels. 

      Reality:  This advice was not very relevant to our house which was built to meet FEMA flood protection standards.  Nevertheless, it still makes sense to take valuables off ground floor levels.

     Move furniture away from windows and cover with plastic.  

     Reality: This only makes sense if you have not boarded up your home like we did.

     Remove valuables, such as furniture and rugs from floor of house.

  

      Reality:  This makes sense for those who have homes not compliant with FEMA flood proofing standards.  This guidance should also address the need to remove furniture and rugs from outdoor porches where they are in real danger of becoming projectiles and/or could be totally destroyed by surge waters and hurricane winds.

      Secure Windows and Doors from the inside. 

       Reality:  This is definitely a top priority even if you board up your windows and doors.

      Trim dead trees. 

   

       Reality:  If you have the skills to use a chain saw or can hire someone to do such work for you, this is a great preventive measure. We removed a dead tree from our front yard 3 days before the hurricane.

  

      Anchor small sheds.  

      Reality:  While this sounds like a good idea it is not clear how such work would be accomplished if you only have 2 or 3 days to prepare for a hurricane.  Skip this idea and focus on the higher priority action items.

     Put chlorine in the pool; protect filter motor.  

      Reality: While we do not have a pool, this strikes me as a low priority to be dealt with after all other actions that protect life and property are completed.

      Dangerous chemicals, insecticides, herbicides, gasoline should be put in watertight containers and in a high spot.  

       Reality: This is a top priority action item – especially if your home relies on well water.

    Store drinking water in clean bathtubs, jugs and bottles. You should have enough water on hand for seven days.  

      Reality: Whether you evacuate or hunker down this is a top priority. Don’t wait to the last minute to search for water.  It disappears from grocery stores faster than any other food item just prior to a hurricane.

Tips for Your Cellphone

    Program emergency contact numbers.  

     Reality: This is a valuable idea but should not be done at the last minute.

     Designate someone out of the area as a central contact.  

      Reality:  While we did not do this during hurricane Mathew, it has merit – especially when others are concerned about your safety.

    Make certain all family members know whom to contact if they become separated. 

     Reality: This issue did not arise in our evacuation of Bluffton.  Our children, their spouses and our nearest relatives all had cell phones.

        Keep phone batteries charged at all times. 

     Reality:  This never became an issue since our cellphone was kept charged by our automobile charger during our evacuation. It is an issue for those who hunkered down and lost power during the hurricane.  This guidance might be expanded to suggest that cellphone users buy a solar charging device or keep a spare battery for use during power outages.

    Forward your home number to your cellphone number in the event of an evacuation.  

     Reality:  While sounds like a good idea, we never received any calls on our land line that indicated an evacuation was declared. We learned of the evacuation by checking the Internet site for the South Carolina emergency preparedness and by listening to 91.1 FM radio that carried news of the evacuation.

    Often in an emergency, text messages will go through quicker than voice calls. 

     Reality: This turns out to be a valuable tool for staying in touch and minimizing battery life associated with long cellphone calls.

When You Evacuate

Turn off electricity at the main breaker and shut off gas.  

      Reality: We did not do this and saw no reason to do so. Our electric line is underground.  Turning off the power would have turned off the refrigerator and we would have lost all of our food.  I am sure there is case to be made for turning off the power, but the Island Packet’s guidance did not convince me of its merits.

       Towels or rugs should be put around openings to reduce seepage.  

      Reality: While we did that for our house, we don’t think it was critical given that our house meets FEMA standards for elevation of the finished floor above the 100 year flood stage level.

    Lock all doors. 

      Reality: Definitely a good idea. While we certainly did lock all of our doors, it wasn’t because of potential vandalism – wed live on an island shared with my brother in law – we closed them simply to be sure the door didn’t get pushed open by wind or water.

        If there is something that’s really valuable to you, stick it in in the dishwasher and close the door.  

      Reality:  While this is a bizarre piece of advice, it might actually be worthwhile for those who are vulnerable to storm surge and do not meet FEMA flood protection and floor proofing standards.

     Register yourself as “safe” and “well” at www.redcross.org/safeandwell  or by calling 1-866-GET-INFO. Concerned family and friends can search for their loved one’s name, an “as of” date and the messages selected.  

      Reality: This is not something we did nor do I believe anyone will do without an explanation of its value.  Why would friends call Red Cross? This is way off the mark as a motivational tool for those trying to contact friends or family.

Items for Hurricane Kit

     Three to seven day supply of food and water; one gallon of water per person and pet per day; non-perishable packaged or canned food.

a.      Manual can opener and utensil

b.      First aid kit, prescription medication

c.      Special items for infants and the elderly

d.      Toiletries and hygiene items

e.      Extra clothing and shoes

f.       Flashlight and batteries

g.      Battery powered radio

h.      Cash

i.       Tools

j.       Keys

k.      Road maps, including evacuation routes

l.       Baby supplies

m.    Blankets and sleeping bags

n.      Games and books

o.     Plastic trash bags with ties and large zip close plastic bags

p.      Jumper cables

q.      Tire repair kit and pump

r.       If you plan on staying in an emergency shelter, take linens with you

s.      A copy of this newspaper section might also prove to be helpful

All of these items are highly recommended and we concur with the Island Packet’s list of items for your hurricane kit.  Whether hunker down, go to a shelter or visit relatives all of these items are of great value.

Conclusions

In summary, it is up to each of us to customize our own list of priorities based on our unique circumstances. What we will need will depend upon our decision to evacuate to a distant city, seek shelter nearby or hunker down in our home. It will also depend upon how much advanced planning we have done for emergencies and the composition of our family (i.e. whether your family contains elderly members, children, or you are living alone).  If our planning is left to the last minute, our priorities need to focus on the protection of our family and ourselves and then our property.  Prioritizing what is most important needs to be done well in advance of the hurricane’s arrival so that the protection of your life and property are not left to chance.