Community Chat

[Still Raining]

My electric lines are not reliable and I am on a well.  Best thing I ever did was to buy a large, propane generator.  Once you get over the cost.....

[SilleeMee]

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@Still Raining wrote:

My electric lines are not reliable and I am on a well.  Best thing I ever did was to buy a large, propane generator.  Once you get over the cost.....

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My generator runs on gasoline only. I wanted it that way b/c more than once I tried to buy propane for my grill and no one had it within miles from where I live. Gas stations are everywhere so that's why I bought a gasoline generator.

[Still Raining]

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@SilleeMee wrote:

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@Still Raining wrote:

My electric lines are not reliable and I am on a well.  Best thing I ever did was to buy a large, propane generator.  Once you get over the cost.....

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My generator runs on gasoline only. I wanted it that way b/c more than once I tried to buy propane for my grill and no one had it within miles from where I live. Gas stations are everywhere so that's why I bought a gasoline generator.

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I got a 500 gal above ground tank.  I just have to call about twice a year and a big truck comes.  I am so far out that we are last in line for restoration of service.  Finally decided to just go big.

[Snowpuppy]

Keep in mind if power goes out your gas station may not be pumping gas, either.  Whether getting gas for a portable generator or bugging out and filling your gas tank.

Have some cash on hand. There were times the closest gas stations to me lost satellite connections and accepted cash only. No plastic.

[haddon9]

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@On It wrote:

With the increasing threat of severe weather and the onset of fire season, I encourage everyone to have a plan of action to seek safety. Prepare a "go bag" even for sheltering in your own home. Talk to family about your plan and let them know where you will be taking shelter or evacuating.

Above all, practice just like the fire drills when you were in school. The brain does not function efficiently when panic sets in. You may have everything ready, but fail to implement the plan

My parents built a home with a tornado proof basement. The contractor said you could drop a locomotive on that basement, and it would only drive it further into the ground. One afternoon a tornado was warned to be headed straight for that house. My mother stood in the main living area clutching her purse. It was a large room with vaulted ceilings. Not a place anyone should be during a tornado. She froze. The tornado was dropping above her home, but touched down a mile away destroying barns and outbuildings. She said she did not think about going to the basement.

Plan and then practice whether it is severe weather or a wildfire.

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@On It Oh my gosh why didn't your mother go to the basement?!!  Even after adding the special tornado proof features?  Than goodness everything turned out okay!

I guess we often think silly things or freeze.  As a matter of fact, I have been sick in bed with a bad cold the last couple of days.  Well last night I got a sudden emergency alarm on my phone telling me that there was a tornado warning & watch in my area. 

This is extremely rare in the Philly, NJ area!  I went down to the basement with only my phone (DH was already down there) thinking if something awful should happen to the house and everything were gone (like those poor people in the Mid-West & South) I would look like such a mess!  I had not taken a shower, was wearing old PJs and would probably stink if I didn't get a chance to clean up properly.  Of course this is only a silly thought but true...only the reality would be so much worse!

I think an organized go bag is an excellent idea to have on hand!

[Desert Lily]

When I was first married and lived in the upper midwest, we had a tornado warning. We lived in a new house on an acre lot. I could hear a train engine sound & ran to the basement. My husband stayed upstairs opening windows, thinking that would save the house.

I yelled at him to come to the basement, but he said he wanted to see it. The tornado touch started damaging near the back end of our lot at an angle. He watched the back fence get pulled up. The tornado was moving away from our direction, took the roof off the garage of a house behind us, and then went on to wreck a house further down the road. More damage was done further away.

I was upset with my husband for staying upstairs. His answer was, "If we were in the basement and the tornado hit our house, how would we get out of the basement with the house caved in on it?"

I didn't know how to answer him.

[Kalli]

Ever since I was young, I've always been afraid of tornadoes.  We live in PA.  Due to the rolling hills, it's not a likely occurance although we have had severe downdrafts in our area a few times.  

After all the news segments this week about tornadoes, I had a nightmare last night about a string of tornadoes destroying our house.  Ugh.  I'm in my 60s now so it's weird that this continues to be a recurring fear of mine.

[On It]

@haddon9 She froze because she did not have going to the basement in her long term memory. She had not practiced or even placed essential supplies down there. It was a beautiful room with a couch, chairs, and a TV. She could easily have gone down there just to relax and train herself to go there.

Short term memory and decision making do not serve us well when in panic mode.

[Pezzie]

@On It   Words to live by!  Timely reminder for all.

[haddon9]

@On It Oh boy...I am sorry to hear that.  It does sound like a nice basement. 

We just have a regular basement which is finished.  I do like the idea of having supplies in the basement and a go bag ready to bring for emergencies.

I was not exactly ready last night with the tornado watch when I dragged myself & phone downstairs.  I should have a go bag.

Ten years ago the house across the street from us burned down.  It took what seemed like minutes! 

It happened around 10pm and the couple who were in their early 60s got out in time.  She had been getting ready for bed but was able to grab a pair of jeans, her handbag with keys, wallet & phone.  With the house in flames they thought it was prudent to move the cars out of the driveway so they wouldn't explode.

The house and everything in it was gone which is another example of having a plan or go bag.