More Than Bottled Water and Batteries
No, this isn’t one of those “Be-sure-to-stock-up
-on-bottled-water-batteries-and-flashlights” guides that most folks in hurricane country are already all too familiar with. Rather, this is a guide to a few less obvious tips for making post-storm life, well, if not entirely pleasant, at least a little more livable.
First, invest in an attractive set of solar yard lights, something that looks more like a lantern, rather than a lightbulb on a stick. After the hurricane passes and you’re facing days without electricity, set the lights outside during the daytime and bring them inside at night. Scattered on tables, nightstands and counters around the house, they’ll provide another source of illumination besides all those flashlights and camp lanterns. Plus, they won’t eat up precious batteries like conventional backup lighting, and they’re much safer than candles.
Next, stock up on some of those small, vacuum-packed containers of milk. When the power goes, the fridge goes, along with – in a day or two – almost everything in it. I know, all the hurricane guides advise you to keep powdered milk handy, but have you ever enjoyed a nice, lukewarm glass of powdered milk? The vacuum-packed milk actually tastes like milk, and it keeps for months without refrigeration.
Another useful item to keep on hand is a pack or two of disposable moist wipes. Running water is often contaminated after a storm, and some antibacterial wipes will help keep your hands clean. The regular moist wipes are good for a quick full-body wash … and more pleasant than a cold, contaminated shower in the dark.
People aren’t the only things that get dirty in the days after a hurricane; the house quickly started getting nasty too. While there’s not much you can do about the dirty dishes moldering in the dishwasher or the sweat-heavy laundry (no A/C, remember?) that’s piling up in the hamper, a cordless sweeper can prevent your carpeting from being buried under all those bits of grass, twigs, sawdust and other debris you’ll be dragging in.
Finally, all those battery-powered radios are fine before and during the storm; it’s vital to stay tuned in for tornado warnings, flood watches and other weather emergencies. But afterward? No one tells you how gawd-awful boring it is to sit in a hot house, day after day, waiting for local services to come back online, for stores to reopen and for life to get back to normal. And the radio will likely serve up an endless stream of local hurricane talk, which gets depressing fast.
So make sure you have a little battery-powered television set and plenty of batteries for the long, tedious wait for the electricity to return. You won’t have the 150 or more cable or satellite channels you might be used to, but you also won’t be stuck with only Crazy Eights and Scrabble for your evening entertainment. Believe me, after a few post-storm days cooped up with spouse, kids and pets, you’ll need a good, mindless TV break every now and then.
