Preparing for Hurricane Ike!

Preparing for Hurricane Ike!

Living on the Gulf Coast certainly has its challenges -- mosquitoes and fire ants, torrential rains and humidity levels equal to the temperature -- but the most recent and devastating feature has been the landfall of so many hurricanes. We always knew to have a few days of water and food on hand before hurricane season started, to move lawn furniture and potted plants inside as the hurricane approached, and to have battery-powered radios so we’d stay informed even after the power went out. But this year’s experience with hurricane Ike gave us a whole new appreciation for other ways to prepare.

We consciously took action far in advance of the hurricane season with tree maintenance. Last year and this one, two of our mature trees died. We made sure these trees were completely removed from the yard so the limbs didn’t break off and become projectiles in 100+ mph winds. On the dead tree near the house whose limbs were still strong, we didn’t want the entire tree uprooted and crashing into the roof (like my parents’ neighbors experienced, below).

Tree removal crews and roofing personnel are at a premium after a storm – if you can find them. And as we learned from tropical storm Faye, there’s interior damage to walls and floors from rain, the paperwork required to file an insurance claim, the cost of the deductible…and the angst of never receiving what it costs in time, inconvenience, and money to deal with scarce contractors. So even though taking out dead trees cost us more than $2,000 over two years, we decided to make the investment.

An unintentional preparation came from being a foodie family. We’re always transporting ingredients or dishes from one house to another, and so we keep a supply of ice blocks in the freezer. These come in the form of water bottles and screw-top milk bottles almost filled with water (to allow for expansion as the water freezes). While they did take up a lot of space in the freezer, we were grateful nothing spoiled during the four-day period it took to secure ice. The refrigerator became our “cooler” and bottles were moved from the freezer compartment to the refrigerator section as the ice melted. We left the bottles in the refrigerator as long as they were still cool to the touch to make sure we got every possible benefit. The great thing about ice bottles is that the water is contained even when the ice melts. That doesn’t seem like a big deal until you start using bag ice and water is everywhere!

We refreshed our scouting skills by cooking eggs and pancakes in the iron skillet on the charcoal grill. Removing massive amounts of yard debris then became the next priority. Small limbs, twigs and leaves were littered on every square inch of driveway and lawn.

We used our tool BigSlider for gathering up the small stuff since the city wouldn’t pick up anything in lawn bags. BigSlider saved us trips to the curb and helped our backs. Other friends had just moved in to a new house and hadn’t expected to lose one of the large trees in their backyard. They used their BigSlider for tree removal when they couldn’t lift the larger limbs or budge the massive stump.

Thankfully, we had no roof damage or rising water. Our possessions were not looted. Our house was not washed away in the storm surge. Most importantly all our family members and pets are safe and accounted for. Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of 300 people still missing three weeks after Ike. -- Jeri