It’s Sunday night at 10:46pm. Three days from now we are told to expect catastrophic flooding, life threatening winds, and a hurricane that could take everything we own.
It’s kind of making it hard to sleep, and so I write.
This isn’t the first time we’ve been through this. We had Matthew in 2016—just a few trees downed, Irma came through last year with nothing but heavy rain. Both were also expected to be catastrophic and to some, they were, but our area escaped relatively unscathed.
Now here we are, three years and three hurricanes into our time in North Carolina. Again, we’re being told to prepare for the best and hope for the worst. Again, there is no bottled water, no bread to be found on the shelves anywhere in the county. We are in a state of emergency and every update I see sounds more dire. Seriously, check out the local bread aisle below!
Officials say a storm has not approached with such intensity as Hurricane Florence is since Hazel in 1954. Twenty two years ago Hurricane Fran destroyed this area and took many lives and Florence is looking all too similar. We are being told to prepare to evacuate for weeks, to prepare to being without power for a very long time, to prepare for possible life threatening flooding. Prepare, prepare, prepare. But it’s still too soon to say for what, with any certainty, really.
And so we wait.
There’s something so sobering about considering leaving in a few days and knowing we may come back to nothing. It’s worst case scenario, of course, but at this point all we are hearing is to expect the worst. I have a checklist in my head: where to go, what to move on counters, which valuables to take, who to call for insurance questions, but in the back of my head, I know all the preparation to our apartment may not matter. If we experience hurricane rainfall for 3-5 days, our ground level apartment could be underwater. Every year we go through this and the last two it’s all been speculation and then nothing, but what if this time it’s real?
So we continue to wait. And we pray, and we hope, and we prepare.
I, on the other hand, also worry. My husband goes out of town for a friend’s wedding tomorrow and we’re on our own to meet him at the end of the week so it’s a logistical nightmare. We have no idea what nature will decide so we praise God that He is in control.
Yet still, while I wait, I worry.
And the more I worry, the more I realize there’s only so much I can do to prepare. I can’t stop our apartment from flooding. If the hurricane stalls and it dumps on us for five days, we’re doomed. Worrying won’t change anything. Against 150mph wind gusts, I cannot do a single thing. If we lose power, I can’t make it come back on. I can do my best and nature can do it’s worst and God is in control. In the meantime, I can get what I can a few feet off the ground and hope the water levels don’t get too high. Ultimately, stuff is just stuff, we’ll have a great (hopefully not too exciting) story, and it will all pass.
An awesome church friend from Simply Kugi shared this fantastic list that is too good not to pass on, plus I think we could all use a little pre-hurricane humor. Anything to add please share in the comments. Stay safe, my friends! (Edited for clarity)
…Apparently people new to the area (NC Coast) don’t know how to prep for a hurricane. Here’s some of the things I do & have on hand.
1) Fill 1 bathtub with water. When the power goes out, you can use that tub water to fill the toilet tank and then you can still flush. You’re welcome.
2) Buy baby wipes, dry shampoo, 1 jug per sink for teeth brushing…again, once power goes out in 90 degree September with 900% post hurricane humidity…everybody will be funky. Like super funky.
Also, women…stock up on tampons. It might be a week or so before you can get to the store. And hubbys, get condoms…I know y’all get frisky when y’all get bored. Lol. Don’t need no hurricane babies.
3) Charcoal & gas grills are a great way to eat. Given a solid metal pot, you can heat up canned soup or water for noodles. Because those PB&J sandwiches get old quick. French Press for coffee.
4) Put every outdoor thing in the garage or tie it down. I don’t care how heavy that flower pot is…it will fly.
5) Have tarps, duct tape, flash lights, batteries, candles, matches, and a crank emergency radio. A few buckets to catch leaks could come in handy too…use that water for toilet tank!
6) Put all papers you need in a ziplock bag. Also, back up your computer files on an external hard drive, then ziplock that bad boy too. We not only get power outages, we get power surges & lightning strikes. Doesn’t hurt to unplug electronics.
7) If you have pets, be prepared to bring them inside. Pet food, litter boxes, etc. Be sure that your pets are tagged in case they do get out and run away.
8. If you have a senior neighbor…check on them. Help prep their home and be ready to share your home if they are scared and in need.
9. Have a few books, games, cards…you know, those things we used to use before phones and apps. Because books don’t require power.
10) Fill up your vehicle with gas. Once power is out, gas station pump will not work.
11) Have cash. Stores might open post hurricane…but credit card machines usually take longer to work.
12) Cut your sprinklers off. We’ll have plenty of rain.
13) THIS WEEK…eat out of your freezer. Don’t buy any new food for this week, just dig out that 3 yr old bag of fish sticks and serve them bad boys up. We have experienced 9 days without power (Fran) and your generator ain’t got that much gas. Freezers will thaw…might as well eat good this week and clean it out.
14) Write down phone numbers. Your phone dies, but you get to borrow your neighbor’s phone. Guess what, that neighbor will not have your mama’s # saved…and no you don’t know it because we have been spoiled.
15. Learn where emergency shelters are in your area in case your home is too damaged to stay. Most have rules, so be sure you know them upfront.
16. Don’t ever, never ever watch the Weather Channel. Jim will just freak you out. Look up the National Hurricane Center for accurate up to date info.
17. For insurance…go around and take photos of vehicles, appliances, electronics…any big ticket items. Be sure to take photo of item, then the serial #.
Tips from my peeps:
“You can put pictures & important documents in ziplock bags and close them up in your dishwasher, it will seal the water out! You can also put ice in your washing machine and it will keep things colder than your fridge, then when the ice melts you can use the water for your toilet or simply run it on the drain cycle… no clean up! If you have room in your freezer, fill ziplock bags 2/3’s the way full with water and freeze it, it will help keep frozen food cold and as it melts you have drinking water.”
-Gas cans & a chain saw. If a tree falls you’ll need to cut it quick so you can tarp the roof.
-Plastic bottles make great ice packs for coolers. Fill with 2/3 of water & freeze.
-Manual can openers.
-Disposable roasting pans to cook on grill. Won’t need to wash them.
-Bug spray! Those winds & rain will stir up all kinds of critters. And if you start opening windows due to AC, these NC skeeters will eat you alive.
-You can spray paint a few jugs black to warm up outside during the day so your bath isn’t ice cold also.
-Remember that having your prescription medications is essential. I encourage you to call in your refills TODAY. You may need a refill authorization from your doctor, who’s office may close this week. Also, pharmacy may need to order your medication. Please remember that the majority of customers are preparing just like you. Your pharmacy staff is working as fast and hard as they can, please be patient and kind.
This morning’s update looks worse for us than it did last night. They’re telling us to expect to be gone for weeks and to prepare to be slammed by a category 4 storm. We really could lose everything. Or it could be fine; nobody knows.
And now, friends, please go prepare. My mind is moving faster than the hurricane and I can’t get it together to prepare, so I write, but I really do need to go start packing up my apartment to leave.
Remember, your safety is always more important than your stuff. Be wise out there.
Finally, in the wise words of aforementioned friend from Simply Kugi,
Please don’t blow my house down. But if you do let insurance make it rain!
