Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Listen to me on CNN Radio This Friday at 3:00 PM!
You're favorite (I hope!) Hurricane Preparedness dude will be featured on CNN Radio (Houston, AM 650) this Friday, October 9th at 3:00 PM CDT. You can listen on the Web at: http://player.play.it/player/player.html?v=4.7.124b&id=414&onestat=kikk-am
Sunday, August 9, 2009
The 2009 Season - Off to a late start, but not a record yet!
With Tropical Disturbance #32 showing signs of intensification, we could have tropical storm Ana within 24 hours. However, this late start to the season is by no means a record. According to the National Hurricane Center, records dating back to 1851 show the latest start with a tropical storm was September 15th back in 1914. The latest in the season for the first hurricane was October 8th, 1905.
However, since there were no satellites back in those days, it's entirely possible that there were storms that occurred without being observed. Since 1966, when reliable observation via satellite began, the latest tropical storm was August 30, 1967 and the latest hurricane was Gustav on September 11th, 2002.
However, since there were no satellites back in those days, it's entirely possible that there were storms that occurred without being observed. Since 1966, when reliable observation via satellite began, the latest tropical storm was August 30, 1967 and the latest hurricane was Gustav on September 11th, 2002.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
2009 Hurricane Season Update
Well, the 2009 hurricane season is off to one of the slowest starts on record. We've yet to have our first named storm in the Atlantic (though Tropical Depression 29 has a slight potential for mischief in the next few days). As a matter of fact, you have to go back to 1992 to find a season that matches the level of inactivity we've seen so far. However, here's an important fact you need to keep in mind: The first storm in 1992 didn't arrive until August 16th, but it was a Category 5 storm named Andrew that slammed into south Florida with 165 MPH winds, then veered into Louisiana. Andrew left 65 people dead and was responsible for $38 billion (in 2006 dollars) in damages. So we're fortunate that a combination of factors has led to a quieter than normal season, but it's still important that we don't become complacent. Remember, it only takes one good storm to make it a bad hurricane season for you!
And speaking of planning, I've noticed that there are several good sales under way at local retailers. I've seen bottled water on sale for under four bucks a case. Remember that a case of 24 one-liter bottles is approximately three gallons, and you need at least one gallon of water per person per day for drinking and food preparation. Also, I've seen "AA" batteries on sale at Radio Shack for just over $10 a pack of 40, which is roughly 50% off. For those who wish to take the plunge and purchase a generator, Mayberry's (http://www.mayberrys.com/indexnew.htm) has the EU2000i on sale for $899 and the EU3000i is on sale for $1,899 (that's about $100 off for each). Shipping is free and there is no tax for Texas residents. If the slow season continues, you should be able to buy weather radios, flashlights and other hurricane preparedness supplies at a discount throughout the summer. Now would be a great time to get prepared for the rest of the year, and for whatever nature has in store for us in 2010. Remember that you can access a wealth of information, as well as download a very comprehensive checklist at http://www.hidefromthewind.com/.
As always, my advice stays the same: Hope for the best, but plan for the worst!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Is a pre-packaged hurricane survival kit right for you?
I recently did a search on eBay and the Internet for hurricane survival kits. My intention was to see if there was anything out there that could help folks prepare for a hurricane in an easier, faster and more economical manner. To put it mildly, I was appalled at what I found!
Almost every kit I looked at was made up of sub-standard products and were totally lacking the items necessary to survive during and after a hurricane. As a matter of fact, most of them were re-purposed cold weather survival kits. Take it from me folks, you don’t need a wool blanket and chemically-activated hand warmers in Houston during the summer. And after three days of drinking canned water and eating the power bars, you’ll probably wish you’d died in the storm!
In my opinion, most of these kits are just a lazy man’s way of getting around what he should be doing himself: putting together his own emergency supplies. After all, no one who assembles these kits will have any idea of what your specific needs are and what to include for your unique situation.
Instead of blowing a big wad of money on one of these survival kits, I recommend that you download my spreadsheet of hurricane supplies—which can be found on the home page of my Hide From The Wind web site—and build your own. By taking this course of action, you can purchase quality products at a reasonable price that may actually save your life in an emergency!
Almost every kit I looked at was made up of sub-standard products and were totally lacking the items necessary to survive during and after a hurricane. As a matter of fact, most of them were re-purposed cold weather survival kits. Take it from me folks, you don’t need a wool blanket and chemically-activated hand warmers in Houston during the summer. And after three days of drinking canned water and eating the power bars, you’ll probably wish you’d died in the storm!
In my opinion, most of these kits are just a lazy man’s way of getting around what he should be doing himself: putting together his own emergency supplies. After all, no one who assembles these kits will have any idea of what your specific needs are and what to include for your unique situation.
Instead of blowing a big wad of money on one of these survival kits, I recommend that you download my spreadsheet of hurricane supplies—which can be found on the home page of my Hide From The Wind web site—and build your own. By taking this course of action, you can purchase quality products at a reasonable price that may actually save your life in an emergency!
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Can we let our guard down after Hurricane Ike?
Some of the folks I’ve spoken in Houston regarding their 2009 hurricane preparedness have told me they think it’s safe to let their guard down this year. Most of the predictions are coming in at either an average or below-average hurricane season. And given that we just had our “big one” in the form of Hurricane Ike, many people believe this is the season where we can relax—that it would be a long shot to get another big storm this year. Well, for those who think that because it’s a statistical long shot they have nothing to worry about, I would remind them that the winner of this year’s Kentucky derby was a 50-to-1 long shot!
The forecasters are predicting that we may see two major hurricanes this year somewhere in the United States. Whether or not one ends up coming to your region is impossible to say at this point. But if it does, the consequences of getting caught unprepared are the same whether it’s a busy hurricane season or a light one. As the folks in the weather business often say, “it only takes one storm to make it a bad hurricane year for you!”
This time last year, none of us knew 2008 would be the year when Hurricane Ike would wreak havoc on the Houston-Galveston vicinity. And just like last year, we have no way of knowing what the months ahead hold in store. So I would strongly advise folks against getting complacent this year. Which means that my advice for this year is the same as in years past: Hope for the best, but plan for the worst!
Here’s hoping it’s a nice, quiet season in the Gulf of Mexico and along the US coasts!
The forecasters are predicting that we may see two major hurricanes this year somewhere in the United States. Whether or not one ends up coming to your region is impossible to say at this point. But if it does, the consequences of getting caught unprepared are the same whether it’s a busy hurricane season or a light one. As the folks in the weather business often say, “it only takes one storm to make it a bad hurricane year for you!”
This time last year, none of us knew 2008 would be the year when Hurricane Ike would wreak havoc on the Houston-Galveston vicinity. And just like last year, we have no way of knowing what the months ahead hold in store. So I would strongly advise folks against getting complacent this year. Which means that my advice for this year is the same as in years past: Hope for the best, but plan for the worst!
Here’s hoping it’s a nice, quiet season in the Gulf of Mexico and along the US coasts!
Monday, September 3, 2007
Emergency Power Generators
Almost invariably, after I complete one of my hurricane preparedness sessions someone will approach me and ask if they should buy a generator for their home. My answer is always the same: Generators are like puppies; they can bring a lot of satisfaction but the require a considerable amount of care and feeding.
To successful implement a generator as an emergency power solution requires a lot of thought and planning. The first consideration is how much power is required from the generator, which is dictated by the anticipated load. Consumer-grade generators range from 600 to 15,000 watts. Installation can be nothing more than an extension cord, or require connection to your home's existing electrical system. Two excellent sources for helping with these decisions are available on the Honda website (see links at bottom of this blog).
Another major consideration is whether or not you need just 120 volts, or if you will need a 120/240 volt generator. Large-load devices, such as whole-house air conditions, well pumps, and electric dryers, usually require 240 volts. But with careful planning and usage, most homes can get buy with as little as a 2000 watt generator.
I spent several months trying researching a solution for my home. In the end, I settled on two Honda EU2000is generators. Let me go into the reasons why I think this was the best solution for me, and may be a great solution for many homeowners.
One of the main things I teach in my hurricane preparedness presentations is the need for redundancy. I try to eliminate critical "single points of failure" on all of my emergency preparedness solutions. And by having two generators, I have a backup if one should fail.
There were many reason I chose the Honda EU2000is generators, but one of the most important was the ability to connect two of them together to get a total of 4,000 watts output. Only generators specifically designed for this type of operation can be connected. Trying to do so with two conventional generators can results in serious fireworks, electrocution and possibly death! But with a special cable available from Honda, the built-in microprocessor in one generator will control both of them and synch up the phases. So with 4,000 watts available, I can run a small air conditioner in my bedroom, as well as a TV, lamp, and several other small devices.
The other major advantage of the EU2000is generators is a feature called the Eco-Throttle. This allows the generators to speed up or slow down as the power load increases and decreases. Conventional generators have to run at a full 3,600 RPM continuously to provide power (and usually 1,800 RPM for diesels). The Eco-Throttle serves to not only reduce noise, but significantly reduce gas consumption.
Reduced gas consumption is probably a lot more important than most realize. Remember, during a power outage--especially an extensive one that usually follows a hurricane--gas stations for many miles around may be unable to pump gas for several days. This means that to be fully prepared for the storm, you have to store the gas for your generator around your home or in your garage. If you are running a generator that consumes a gallon of gas per hour, that works out to 72 gallons over a three-day period! However, I recently had a friend use an EU2000is to power two refrigerators in his home during an extended power outage. He reported that the generators loafed along at near idle most of time, and he was able to power the refrigerators for ten hours a day on only one gallon of gasoline!
Another important feature of the EU series of generators is how quietly they run. Even at full power, you can easily converse while standing right next to the generator. For anyone whose had to spend a night in a house without power, you know that the lack of background fans and other distractions can cause the whole neighborhood to be deathly quiet. And if you're the only one running a loud generator, you're probably going to get a lot of flack from the neighbors. After all, you're able to sit in your house with fans, maybe an air conditioner, lights, and a working refrigerator while they try to survive the sweltering misery. Generator envy can attract a lot of unwelcome attention! So having a generator that barely whispers is much more desirable than one which announces its presence for several blocks.
A final word of warning: All gas combustion engines produce carbon-monoxide. This is a colorless, odorless gas that can incapacitate and kill very quickly. After Hurricane Rita, several persons, including a family of four, were killed from running a generator in a confined space where they breathed the fumes. Always run generators outdoors and away from open windows or doors where the fumes could get drawn into an occupied area.
To read more of my emergency preparedness writings, visit my website at:
http://www.HideFromTheWind.com
Honda's web site, Choosing The Best Generator For The Job:
http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/gencho.asp
Honda's web site, Generator Wattage Calculator:
http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/genwat.asp
To successful implement a generator as an emergency power solution requires a lot of thought and planning. The first consideration is how much power is required from the generator, which is dictated by the anticipated load. Consumer-grade generators range from 600 to 15,000 watts. Installation can be nothing more than an extension cord, or require connection to your home's existing electrical system. Two excellent sources for helping with these decisions are available on the Honda website (see links at bottom of this blog).
Another major consideration is whether or not you need just 120 volts, or if you will need a 120/240 volt generator. Large-load devices, such as whole-house air conditions, well pumps, and electric dryers, usually require 240 volts. But with careful planning and usage, most homes can get buy with as little as a 2000 watt generator.
I spent several months trying researching a solution for my home. In the end, I settled on two Honda EU2000is generators. Let me go into the reasons why I think this was the best solution for me, and may be a great solution for many homeowners.
One of the main things I teach in my hurricane preparedness presentations is the need for redundancy. I try to eliminate critical "single points of failure" on all of my emergency preparedness solutions. And by having two generators, I have a backup if one should fail.
There were many reason I chose the Honda EU2000is generators, but one of the most important was the ability to connect two of them together to get a total of 4,000 watts output. Only generators specifically designed for this type of operation can be connected. Trying to do so with two conventional generators can results in serious fireworks, electrocution and possibly death! But with a special cable available from Honda, the built-in microprocessor in one generator will control both of them and synch up the phases. So with 4,000 watts available, I can run a small air conditioner in my bedroom, as well as a TV, lamp, and several other small devices.
The other major advantage of the EU2000is generators is a feature called the Eco-Throttle. This allows the generators to speed up or slow down as the power load increases and decreases. Conventional generators have to run at a full 3,600 RPM continuously to provide power (and usually 1,800 RPM for diesels). The Eco-Throttle serves to not only reduce noise, but significantly reduce gas consumption.
Reduced gas consumption is probably a lot more important than most realize. Remember, during a power outage--especially an extensive one that usually follows a hurricane--gas stations for many miles around may be unable to pump gas for several days. This means that to be fully prepared for the storm, you have to store the gas for your generator around your home or in your garage. If you are running a generator that consumes a gallon of gas per hour, that works out to 72 gallons over a three-day period! However, I recently had a friend use an EU2000is to power two refrigerators in his home during an extended power outage. He reported that the generators loafed along at near idle most of time, and he was able to power the refrigerators for ten hours a day on only one gallon of gasoline!
Another important feature of the EU series of generators is how quietly they run. Even at full power, you can easily converse while standing right next to the generator. For anyone whose had to spend a night in a house without power, you know that the lack of background fans and other distractions can cause the whole neighborhood to be deathly quiet. And if you're the only one running a loud generator, you're probably going to get a lot of flack from the neighbors. After all, you're able to sit in your house with fans, maybe an air conditioner, lights, and a working refrigerator while they try to survive the sweltering misery. Generator envy can attract a lot of unwelcome attention! So having a generator that barely whispers is much more desirable than one which announces its presence for several blocks.
A final word of warning: All gas combustion engines produce carbon-monoxide. This is a colorless, odorless gas that can incapacitate and kill very quickly. After Hurricane Rita, several persons, including a family of four, were killed from running a generator in a confined space where they breathed the fumes. Always run generators outdoors and away from open windows or doors where the fumes could get drawn into an occupied area.
To read more of my emergency preparedness writings, visit my website at:
http://www.HideFromTheWind.com
Honda's web site, Choosing The Best Generator For The Job:
http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/gencho.asp
Honda's web site, Generator Wattage Calculator:
http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/genwat.asp
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