7 Pre-Hurricane Life Hacks
When the forecast calls for heavy rain and wind, there are some simple things you can do before the wild weather arrives to get through it with less stress. Denis Phillips, Chief Meteorologist from ABC Action News here in Tampa, posted these tips a few years ago. A few are simple logical suggestions. A few are brilliant little pre-hurricane life hacks that can make your life a lot less miserable if the power goes out.
So far this hurricane season, we’ve been lucky in Florida. But with some wild weather in the forecast tomorrow, there are some things you might want to consider doing tonight should Tropical Storm (or maybe even Hurricane) Debby pay us a visit.
#1: Get the laundry done tonight!
Denis points out that without air conditioning, anything dirty will start to stink your place up. And when the AC goes out, you’ll want clean sheets because you’ll be sweating… a lot.
#2: Dig that old cell phone out.
Charge up old phones, not just the one you use now. Old phones can still call 911. Or they can keep you entertained so you don’t drain the battery on the phone you do need. Also charge up those portable chargers you bought for traveling.
#3: Cook meat and perishable foods.
No brainer right? Especially those expensive cuts of meat… they should be your dinner tonight. Freeze cooked food too. Denis says he loves a hardboiled egg as a shack on that first day without power.
#4: Dig out the backpacks.
Be ready to evacuate by having a few bags already packed in case things get wild.
#5: Hit the ATM.
During a prolonged power outage, cash can become king. Credit card machines might be down. And chances are you don’t carry a lot of cash on a daily basis. None of us do.
#6: Turn the AC down.
This is certainly one I wouldn’t have thought of doing… but it makes sense. Higher temps in the room will lower the temp in your fridge to preserve those foods longer.
#7: Why is there a quarter in my freezer?
What a brilliant idea. Freeze a cup of water and put a coin on top. If the coin stayed on top after the power went out, your food stayed frozen!
Have any pre-hurricane life hacks to share? Leave them on my Facebook and I’ll add them.
5 Things You Should Have Before Hurricane Season Starts
Empty Sand Bags
Remember when everyone was scrambling all over Pinellas and Hillsborough counties looking for sand bags? Most pick-up locations were only allowing people to pick up 2-3 bags per person, which is probably not enough to surround your house/belongings.
BBGI
If you order these empty sandbags on Amazon now, you should have them by next week. It will make your life a lot easier to just drive to your nearest beach or causeway and fill the bags up that way.
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Battery Powered Fan
We all know how crappy it is to lose power in the middle of a hurricane. In some cases, you may not know when it will be restored. Amazon has this really cool battery powered camping lantern with a fan for only $20. Reviews say that 1 set of D batteries lasted them over 10 hours.
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Footwear
If you live in Florida and don’t have a decent pair of rain boots, now is your time to get a pair. If the thought of gross storm water touching your skin freaks you out, you should grab a pair of these knee high waterproof boots.
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Honorary Mention: Board Games/Deck of Cards/Coloring Books
This one may seem obvious, which is why we made it an honorary mention in case it does slip your mind. Remember how bored you were when you lost power from Ian? Some board games, deck of cards, or coloring books should help you pass the time, without killing your phone battery.
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