Hurricane Season runs from June 1st through to December 1st of each year.

A rough Hurricane Season has been forecasted and one has already hit Guatemala.

I have now assumed Hurricane Condition Five (HurCon V).

What do you do for each Hurricane Condition?

HurCon Checklist
Updated 01Jun08



5= Set during Hurricane Season (01Jun-01Dec)
4=Hurricane Force winds are expected within 72 hours
3= Hurricane Force winds are expected within 48 hours
2= Hurricane Force winds are expected within 24 hours
1= Hurricane Force winds are imminent or are being experienced


HURRICANE SEASON: regular season – 01June through 01December

HurCon 5: Automatically set at the beginning of Hurricane Season (01Jun) and is automatically secured at the end of the Hurricane Season (01Dec). Upon setting HurCon 5:
Update emergency supply inventory
Top off all 5gal gas cans (stabilized)
Swap out all stored water
Update the Hurricane Contingency Plans
Review the plans with Household members.
Test run the generator for 30 mins.

HurCon 4: Set when expected landfall is within 72 hours and within range to affect the family. Upon setting HurCon 4:
Go to Home Depot and pick up a sufficient quantity of 2" deck screws (if in short supply), 1"x4" and 1"x12" pine boards to install shutters over the windows and doors (1"x4") that have them and to board up over the few windows that don't have shutters (1”x12”).
Keep the vehicle gas tanks above 1/2 tank levels.
Go to the grocery store and top off the pantry with normal foodstuffs.
Insure that all propane bottles are topped off.
Insure that battery supplies are sufficient.
Insure that flashlights and lanterns are working.
Check oil and run generator for 30 minutes to insure proper operation.
Get all the money we can get from the ATM 24 - 48 hours of a probable impact on our coast. (once the hurricane hits and leaves, everything is cash only, no money - no nothing for days)
Review Bug Out options based on storm strength, predicted landfall, host locations available, likely storm path after landfall.

HurCon 3: Set when expected landfall is 48 hours away and is close enough to affect the family. Upon setting HurCon 3:
Review checklists for any missing items or chores that remain to be done.
Top off all vehicle fuel tanks.
Decide on whether to Bug Out or to shelter in place; if Bugging Out - this is the time to leave. If Bugging Out – execute Nuclear War Survival Skills; Chapter 4/Evacuation.

HurCon 2: Set when expected landfall is 24 hours away and is close enough to affect the family location. Upon setting HurCon 2:
Prepare our Hurricane Shelter area within the house (the main hall next to the bathroom).
Secure all missile hazards in the yard. Tie down everything that needs tying down.
Install shutters or board up all windows and doors, except for 1 front door and 1 back door.
Top off all BOB's.
Gather all important documents, BOB, and firearms (the ones I plan to carry) and put it by the bed.
Set up a communications watch. Use 2 programs to monitor storm (Radio and T.V.) and then switch to wind up solar radio once power is lost.
Use cargo net to secure backyard storage building.

HurCon 1: Set just prior to expected landfall.
Set up in the Hurricane Shelter (inside of my home) and start dealing cards.
Visually monitor what the storm is doing to the neighborhood (from the safety of the house), for the duration of the storm.
Be prepared to grab BOB's and run to higher ground, if worse case scenario were to develop.
Keep BoB’s and important documents with each person until the storm has cleared the area.
Maintain the communications watch. Use 2 programs to monitor storm (Radio and T.V.) and then switch to wind up solar radio once power is lost.



Post-Hurricane Checklist
1) Once storm passes then either store the stuff until next hurricane, or fire up the generator (Outside) and wait days for power or grab BOB and head for car or and head out on foot.

I'm planning on examining my stocks of food, water, batteries, propane, tarps, etcetera. This weekend I'll fire up my generator and top up my gasoline supply. Old gas goes into the truck and I refill my containers.

I've got most of the gear I need and most it doesn't go bad with time so it is mostly just a mater of checking to make sure everything is sharp and in good condition, and making sure I know where everything is so I'm not hunting for it when time comes.

Thank heaven earthquake season is nearly over.....

I've moved pretty far inland since last hurricane season, so I'm not going to prepare as I did in the past. However, we're setting up a few things so that if any friends or family have to leave the coast they have a place to go.

Stay safe everybody!

A couple of more details for HurCon5:

Top off or replace cooking fuel as appropriate.

Update maps and planned evacuation routes to account for any major road construction or significant changes in traffic patterns.

Update the elevation measurements of the shelter if you're in a low area and the elevation isn't recent. Subsidence due to groundwater pumping etc can make a big difference in a few years if you start at only 15'.

I'm enjoying no hurricane preps this year after 6 years... but being in the UK and already displaced by the ash cloud once i'm thinking of having an Ash Surivial Kit (ASK) with me when I travel ;-)

That sounds like a good idea since the second volcano, next door is expected to blow soon.

This sounds like an interesting event to prepare for. It appears to me to have many things in common with a CBR Warfare contamination problem. Your version of Civil Defense might be the best place to get checklist suggestions for dealing with this Ash Cloud Problem. I would think that a 1-2 month supply would be advisable. I have NO EXPERIENCE on this particular subject:

Let's see:

SUPPLIES:

Shelter: Multiple N95 masks, Multiple bandannas (large), Visqueen to seal off window and door drafts, sufficient duct tape to hold visqueen,

Water: Fresh water stores at home, container to carry water during workday,

Food: 1-2 months of canned food (or food in dustproof packaging?/MINIMUM),

Heat/Cooling: Ability to heat the home in winter or cool it in summer?, Heat to prepare food and purify water,

Miscellaneous: Brooms, ladder (to sweep roofs daily), First Aid Kit, Multiple spare air filters for heating/cooling systems and machinery on hand, Flashlights, battery operated or crank radio receiver, spare batteries in required sizes/voltages, An air pump to supply filtered air into a home and the required piping to remove CO2 from the home,

MAINTENANCE:
Sweep roof daily during periods of ash fall.
Sweep ash from automobiles and other equipment.

QUESTIONS:
Does ash cause problems with power transmission lines?
Will ash cause problems with civic water processing and delivery?

That's my 2 cents worth, off the top of my head.

Just don't let my wife see that post Wildman!

She was relieved when we moved here to elimate the hurricane preps, kits, setting up evac flights, planning the aftermath, etc from every day lives.

Now, its looking like we have to prep for the same stuff - its just different diaster/event.

Give me a few days and i'm sure i'll have a list of toys... er, items; and some protocals to follow in case of the ash/volcano effect.