Ten Hurricane Michael Survival Tips Every Floridian Needs To Know!

4.  Plan what to do if you lose power.

 

When the winds have knocked over poles all over town, it may not be like it is when a transformer goes out.  The best thing is to have a generator gassed up and on hand to keep your refrigerator running and some lights on – maybe even the A/C (it’s surprising how hot and humid it can get after lots of rain), but if you are going to do that you need to also have extra gas available. It may take days for power to return depending on how close you are to priority locations and how far out in the country you live. A generator and gas will get you through a lot of the following problems, but it is an expensive proposition.

This generator is highly rated and extremely effective. Remember the last hurricane, where every single store was sold out? Don’t be stuck in that position. Buy a generator now. You will NOT be disappointed!

If you don’t have the budget for this sort of raw power, you can always settle on this old trusty work horse, the highly rated Champion generator.

 

If you’re on a tight budget and just need something to power up your cell phone and a few simple lights, this energy efficient solar generator can bring you what you’re looking for. Although the gas may be in short supply, after a hurricane, the sun will light things up for you.

Caveat:

If you don’t have a generator be prepared for some hot days and dark nights. Remember there won’t be any television or light to read. After the battery runs down you won’t have your cell phone to entertain yourself on the Internet or the ability to call someone unless you can get to someplace with electricity. There are cell phone power banks you can purchase for charging cell phones. It may be good to invest in one.

 

 

5.  Plan what to do about light.

 

Candles are better than nothing, but they burn awfully fast, don’t throw a lot of light, and are a fire hazard. It’s best to make sure you have some sort of lanterns – preferably the fireless kind so you don’t have to worry about flames and fumes. There are some nice ones on the market that throw a bright light – it’s good to get some of those, but do it beforehand, don’t wait until everyone is looking for them and they are all gone. Don’t forget that they take batteries and don’t try to get those in emergency conditions either!

 

This set of two emergency lights are extremely inexpensive and will be worth their weight in gold during a hurricane.

Don’t forget the AA batteries!

A more “green” alternative is the solar powered lamp. This doesn’t need batteries, and in a prolonged disaster situation, this lamp will save you green on batteries as well. The battery powered lamp is highly recommended, as it produces more lumens (a measurement on light ‘power’).

 

6.  Plan what to do about food and water.

 

You may not be able to just run out to a restaurant. It may not be financially feasible. The restaurants may be out as well and those that are open may run out of food because everyone is there. So, stock up beforehand – way beforehand – not when the weatherman is telling you the storm is two days away. That is when well-stocked stores become a wasteland of empty shelves with only food that doesn’t look good to anyone left on them. (If you wait that long, buy that food – in a few days it will look good!)

 

Also, unless you just want to eat hobo style you’ll need to have some way to heat up food. Buy some resource like Sterno or make sure you have charcoal briquettes and a grill or gas for your gas grill, but remember again, it may be days before power is restored.

They may be great for parties outside, but sterno cans will be a godsend during a hurricane. 
 

The same advice goes for water as that of food except you don’t need to grill it. You might need to heat it though for some Ramen style noodle. Get it while the demand is low and store it. Your water may not stop and if it doesn’t – that’s a blessing, but there is no guarantee. If you have well water, no electricity = no water.

 

The ultimate solution? MRE’s. They’re more than just for members of the military. There’s a reason those “doomsday preppers” choose this brand, they last a while and can make a great meal with something as little as a bit of water. The following are the most trusted and reliable MRE’s you can get. And hey, when everyone is closed, these lasagna meals will taste pretty darn good.

 

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