A Mississippi Mom Gives Advice on How to Make the Hurricane Season More Bearable

The 2007 hurricane season is beginning, and for some of us, the 2005 season is still fresh in our minds. Although I do not live on the coast of Mississippi or in New Orleans, I was close enough to Katrina's path to be without lights and water for 13 days after she came through. Having gone through this ordeal, I would like to pass along some words of wisdom of how to be prepared for a potentially extended power outage.

The Big Items
I don't know how I would have made it without my generator. It was literally a life saver. We had a gasoline powered generator which was probably not the best option, however. Gasoline was a precious commodity during that time with long lines and dollar limits on gas in containers. The best (but more expensive option) is a propane powered generator. Another luxury, if you will, is to have your home wired so that you can plug your generator directly into your circuit box rather than running extension cords http://www.green-trust.org/generator/genny_install.htm. Wire it so that you can run a microwave, plug-in burner or electric skillet, refrigerator and freezer, and a window air conditioning unit and lights in at least one room. In our case we chose to run the electricity in our bedroom since it is smaller and easier to cool. It also has a television in it so that was a plus. If you are on well water with an electric pump, purchase a generator large enough to power this, too.

Stock Up
Water is an obvious staple, but there are many other items that you need to have on hand to make things a little more bearable. Make sure all prescriptions are filled and make sure you have basic over the counter medicines on hand such as Tylenol, Imodium, Benadryl, a decongestant and first aid supplies. Also, have plenty of baby wipes on hand, whether you have children or not. They are great for freshening up and cleaning messes around the house. While I try to be as environmentally conscience as possible, desperate times call for desperate measures. Since I did not have water during my Katrina outage, fresh water was a precious commodity. If you find yourself in this situation, then disposable is best. Be sure you have an ample supply of plates, cups, forks, spoons, and napkins. And don't forget, while using disposable items saves on the amount of dishes you have to wash, your garbage service will also be limited so be prepared to store your trash.

When stocking up on food items, be sure you have plenty of ready to eat, individually sealed items such as Pop Tarts, pudding, breakfast bars, tuna fish, bread, etc. Don't forget the little ones - stock up on formula and nursery water, baby food, shelf stable milk, juice boxes, crackers, etc. While cooking can be done, this is not the time for gourmet meals. Even with the generator things were on the minimal to primitive side. Remember, a normal size generator will operate several vital appliances, but it will not run everything. The best cooking device is an outdoor grill. If you have a grill, be sure you have an ample amount of propane or charcoal. Grilling is a wonderful way to cook when the power is out. On the plus side, many people ate well during this time as they were grilling meat from the freezers that were thawing out.

Clean Up & Charge Up
Thanks to advance weather forecasting, most areas have warning that a storm is in the works. Prior to Katrina I went on a house cleaning and laundry spree. I was certain we were going to be without power for a while, so I made sure all the clothes were washed and ironed and floors vacuumed, dishes washed, etc. Granted I knew Southern Living was not coming over for a photo shoot, but it helped to have things clean. It was nearly a week before anyone in our family had water, so having the laundry done came in handy. Also, make sure all cell phones, portable DVD players, laptops, iPods, etc. are charged and have plenty of batteries on hand for radios and battery operated lamps and flashlights.

The Fun Stuff
While living without water and electricity for two weeks and driving four hours round trip for gasoline was not my idea of fun, there were some comical moments. Be prepared for boredom, however by having card games, board games, books, movies, puzzles and such on hand. While not the most ideal situation, it does lend itself to some valuable family time.

Be Patient
Harder than any physical discomfort we experienced were the mental trials and exhaustion you will experience during an extended outage. Try your best to be kind and grateful. Thank your utility linemen who are working day and night to restore your power. Remember, they have family, too. Living without modern conveniences will definitely make you grateful for what you do have. My Katrina experience was a much needed reality check that will stay with me for a long time.