We are Gonna Get Hit by Dolly?!?!?

Question

I'm really excited good and in bad ways. We havent had rain here in south Texas. I'm from Brownsville and the National Weather Channel says that Dolly is going to become stronger once it hits the Gulf of Mexico waters and turn into a Hurricane. We are right in the middle of the pathway..Do you know if its really gonna hit or can it make a sudden turn?? What important things should I go buy right now or should I even worry?? Help me out please!!! What kind of battery operated radio should I buy and where at??

Answer 1

This goes for everyone.  Every family should have an emergency kit on hand at all times.  Weather, earthquake, flood, industrial accident, terrorist attack, volcano, plane crash etc.  Everyone needs to be able to do two things.  Evacuate quickly on short notice and stay in place for at least three days without power, city water or outside assistance.

For evacuation, you need a get out quick bag.  If you have time to pack by all means do so, but in dire emergencies you need the equivalent to an "abandon ship bag".  This should be a knapsack that contains, prescription medications, cash, insurance policies, ownership papers and deeds, credit cards, ID, rain ponchos, some bottled water and energy snacks.  Once you leave your home in such an emergency it may be weeks before you can return.  

Make sure you have information in there regarding your next of kin, medical issues such as diabetes, drug alergies etc.  

Have a family gathering plan.  If you are at work and your kids are at school, at the movies, or elsewhere and an emergency prevents you from getting home, where will you all meet?  Where should your kids go?  If the cell phone lines are not available they need to know what to do so you can find them.

If your area is uninhabitable, do you have family or friends outside of the area where you can stay?  Make plans with them now.  Public shelters will be overwhelmed quickly so if you have a better alternative that is the place to go.  

Never let your car's gas tank get less than half full.  

For staying in place, you will need to get by at least three days have water, food and a battery operated radio on hand.  The water should be fresh, the food a combination of ready to eat dry foods and canned easy to heat prepared foods.  A first aid kit is important as well as a first aid manual.  The better prepared you are to take care of yourselves the easier you make the job of the first responders who will be quickly overwhelmed.  If you can get by for a few days, either power and water will be restored, or emergency aid should be avaiable.  

Here is an important tip:  Cell phone lines are limited. In a crisis you often cannot get a line at all to even leave a message.   But, text messaging will still work.  When you send a text message it will wait until a line is available and then deliver itself.  Good to know!

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