To-do list to prepare for hurricane season

Hurricane season in Jamaica is June to November each year, and below is the list of things I do to prepare:

TO BUY  -  IN PREPARATION FOR HURRICANE SEASON

MEDICATION (make sure there is ample supply)

BATTERIES

MATCHES

CANNED FOOD  -  CORNED BEEF, MACKEREL, ETC.

CRACKERS

RICE

PASTA

BREAD

FLOUR

BOTTLED WATER

SODAS

LONG LIFE MILK

DISPOSABLE PLATES

DISPOSABLE CUPS

DISPOSABLE FORKS & SPOONS

PHONE CARDS

BATTERY LAMPS

CHECK IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH GAS IN THE CYLINDER FOR COOKING

IF YOU HAVE AN ELECTRIC STOVE, BUY A SMALL TABLE TOP GAS STOVE, ALONG WITH A SMALL GAS CYLINDER

CAR - MAKE SURE YOUR GAS TANK IS ALWAYS MORE THAN HALF FULL

IF YOU WAIT UNTIL THERE IS A HURRICANE WATCH OR WARNING TO BUY THESE THINGS, YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF IN LONG LINES, AND PERHAPS EVEN FINDING EMPTY SHELVES IN THE SUPERMARKET.

TO DO WHEN A HURRICANE WATCH/WARNING IS ANNOUNCED

DO NOT BUY MEAT OR ANYTHING THAT NEEDS REFRIGERATION

CHARGE LAP TOP AND TABLETS

CHARGE CELL PHONES

WASH BOTTLES, BUCKETS, WASHPANS

WASH IGLOOS

FILL BOTTLES, BUCKETS, ETC.

WASH BOTTLES & FILL WITH WATER FOR DRINKING

FILL PLASTIC BAGS WITH WATER, PUT IN FREEZER. THESE WILL HELP TO KEEP THINGS COLD AFTER THE ELECTRICITY GOES

FILL WASHING MACHINE

IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE BATHROOM, FILL A BATH TUB

BRING CAR INTO CARPORT

PULL UP CANVAS AWNINGS
DROP DOWN METAL AWNINGS

GATHER PILES OF NEWSPAPERS.  THESE WILL HELP TO SOAK UP WATER

PUT AWAY ANYTHING IN THE YARD THAT MIGHT BLOW AWAY

LOCK UP WINDOWS OF STORE ROOM

PUT OUT GARBAGE (I HAVE A COVERED METAL CONTAINER THAT IS SET IN CONCRETE) 

AFTER ELECTRICITY GOES, TRANSFER MEDICATION FROM FRIDGE TO FREEZER

Give me a hurricane any time

I had been watching reports of the massive earthquake that hit Japan on March 11, 2011, and it was really scary to watch.  Here in Jamaica, we had an earthquake in 1993 that measured 5.3 and that was frightful, so I can only imagine what an earthquake of 9.0 magnitude would be like.  When the earthquake hit us, I was at work and my sons were at school.  They were only 5 years old at the time, and they said that the teacher ran out of the classroom and left the children.  I could only hope that if we got another big earthquake, it would happen at night when everyone would be home.

With a hurricane, there is advance warning of several days.  We can track the hurricane on the internet or on TV, see every wobble and turn, and prepare.  We had hurricane Gilbert in September 1988.  That was a massive hurricane, which hit us on a Monday.  On the day before (Sunday), I watched the path on the weather channel on satellite TV, but on local media there was not much information.

I drove to the gas station and filled up my tank.  At home I filled up every possible container I could find with water, including the bath and washing machine.  I had just had a case of disposable diapers delivered for my babies the day before, so I was okay there.

The walls of my house are made of concrete blocks and steel, the roof is made of concrete slab and steel, and the windows are baked enamel.  A hurricane-proof house.  The only thing I had to do was pull down the canvas awnings so they would not get destroyed by the wind.  I lost several trees, including mango, otaheiti apple and banana.  I lost my three mango trees (julie, bombay, and east indian).  I subsequently bought three mango plants to replace them from a plant store that shall remain nameless, only to find a few years later that I was sold three plants for hairy mango.

I know that a hurricane can be devastating for people whose houses are not hurricane-proof, or people who are homeless, although they can go to the shelters that are provided.  Jamaica is now more prepared for hurricanes than they were for hurricane Gilbert.  We now get up-to-the-minute information on approaching hurricanes, and the radio stations give 24 hr. coverage.

                                    My fir tree broke and fell on the lawn during Hurricane Sandy, October 24, 2012

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