Hurricane Advice
 

I have a brother living in southern New Brunswick; directly in the path of hurricane Bill. Atlantic Canadians are adept at dealing with blizzards, rabid bears, socialist governments and other apparent freaks of nature. However, they have limited experience with hurricanes. When Juan hit Nova Scotia a few years back, folks were woefully unprepared and it was a disaster. Juan was only a category 1. Bill is expected to be a 2.:yikes:

Anyway, what would people suggest are the most important things to do in the wake of an impending hurricane? What should one have on hand? Come on Floridians :Clever:, those Canuck Maritimers really need the benefit of your experience.

By the way, does anyone else think that Bill is a wimpy name for a storm? Seriously, Bill sounds like someone you’d invite over for a brew, not someone who would destroy your house. If they want folks unacquainted with the destructive potential of hurricanes to pay attention, they should have tough names like Bruno, Rocko or Hilary. Bill? You expect a bunch of Canadians to be afraid of something called Bill? These are people who consider being hit with sticks and 100 mph frozen rubber a pastime.
:Crazy 2:

I don't have any advice I'm afraid as I live in an area that never sees storms of this magnitude.

I did however want to tell you that I hope your brother stays safe, and that all lives and property will be spared. :smileypray:

I can answer this one as I am a Disaster Specialist in "real life" job. The 3 best places for ACCURATE, realistic information are:
www.redcross.org
www.Ready.gov
www.fema.gov

The Weather Channel also has good info (of which majority is copied, by agreement, from above 3 partners. The essential info is get a disaster supply kit (since you are in that area I would shoot for 7 day supply for each pet and person in your home), prepare home and property (bring everything inside - gas grills, lawn furniture, plants, garbage pails, etc), move car to higher ground if near shore/low land, get CASH (ATMs will not operate without electricity and resupply routes), get stocked on no-cook foods (Dinty Moore, tune, water, etc) and fill ice chests and freezer with baggies of ice (hints- when it melts you can drink or cook with it).

Around here (near NC Outer Banks and Va Beach) I find this also helps:
refill Rx medicines, buy dog food/cat litter etc for animals, fill up spare LP tank for my gas grill (I must have my coffee and a hot meal each day) but put it in garage and *use it outdoors*, fill up each car (gas pumps are out of order for days!) and buy lots of paper goods (plates, cups, napkins and bath tissue) as these are always needed and won't go bad if you have no damage.

Buy lots of batteries, get a good radio and make it a sort of capm out indoors if you have kids (this makes it "fun" instead of scary). Treat it a bit like a major blizzard and you will be ok. Good luck and God bless! Hope soe of this helps.

Irony is Bill & Hilary are vacationing on Bermuda (or maybe that should read were vacationing?) as Hurricane Bill barrels toward that speck in the Atlantic

sad to say I am hurricane experienced from living here in Florida

I freak when they get close:eek: especially after my area got hit by 3 in a row in 2004

apart from getting outa town if a biggie is headed your way....they need to be sure to have lots of bottled water, batteries and flashlights, canned & snack food that doesnt need to be cooked, in case of power loss (which I imagine they already stock for blizzards?) Dont forget dry petfood and a manual can opener! A BBQ grill is great as one can boil water on it as well as cook!

boarding up windows in areas expecting impact is a good idea. If not possible then duct tape over inside of windows to prevent the glass from shattering inward can help. Here people make a + then an x over it from edge to edge and corner to corner. Also be sure to have a full tank of gas in the car in case pumps are out after the storm. Fill bathtubs with water too in case it is needed to flush toilets and to wash in in case the water supply becomes cut off or contaminated.

be sure to trim back dead or overhanging branches off trees too and move anything that can become a missile in those winds indoors(including garden furniture, potted plants etc )

designate a safe room in the house, preferably a central downstairs room with no windows

pray pray and pray more that it misses you!!

I am sure there is stuff I have forgotten but those are the essentials I recall

Thanks
 

Thanks so much for all the great advice. I have already forwarded it to big brother and family.

Experts say that with global warming, Eastern Canadians may have to get used to hurricanes. My brother says it's Mother Nature's way of spanking us for not keeping our room clean. I'm glad he's keeping his sense of humour, but I'm hoping it turns out to be just a little tap on the bum.

Most of the forecasters now have Bill tracking further south. It is more likely to brush Nova Scotia before slamming into Newfoundland. Unfortunately, Bill won't have to make landfall in Nova Scotia to do considerable damage because, as it happens, that province will have its highest tides of the year this weekend.

I have no idea how you Floridians handle the stress of one storm after the other every hurricane season.:Bow: