re: #324 Dragon_Lady

You know batteries and flashlights would probably be a better bet. Generators need gasoline and I really don’t want to has cans of gasoline sitting around where they could be destroyed by debris. We have enough for at least a week and a Coleman stove with the little tanks of propane gas all tucked away in several large ice chests to keep the food from our fridge cold. also we have three or four pairs of work gloves and extra warm cloths at the base of our bed for those middle of the night jolts. That way we can find them easily in the dark.

Excellent. I worry about the gas too. We have a shed out back to store the gas, of course in their appropriate containers.

Hurricane Wilma was the worst for us. 15 days no electric. A couple days you can get by and it’s almost an adventure. By the end of a week, you’ve had quite enough. If you’ll indulge a story…

There was one gas station that had generators and got up and running in a couple days. The car line was about 1/2 a mile. Every morning it was my job to go get the gas. I had to park a few blocks away and walk in with my containers. About 10 gallons worth. There was no way I was going to get it back to my car, but I decided to worry about that after I got it… find someone to help me, hopefully.

Did I mention, this gas station was in a BAD part of town. There were about 6 cops trying to keep order and it was like tending to kindergarten. People cutting in line. Someone stole someone else’s containers when they turned their backs. I was in line that first day 3 hours waiting for my gas.

There was this guy behind me just screaming at everyone. After about an hour of standing there in the scorching heat, everyone got very cranky. A fellow with a Turban (a relative of the station owner) walked past all of us and started pumping his gas. Mr. Extra Cranky started to scream at him, “Hey Habib!! Get the hell outa here!” I thought, “Holy cow, it’s gonna be WWIII.” The cop finally calmed him down.

I didn’t find anyone to carry my gas for me so I just left what I couldn’t carry and came back for it, hoping it would still be where I left it (it was). I was praying I didn’t get conked on the head going back to the car (I didn’t!).

It was quite the experience.