What lessons are we learning from these two massive events?

I am having more questions than "lessons learned" so far.

Like:

Why would people rush out to stand in lines to buy all this bottled water? Don't they have tap water that they could fill their own containers?

Hurricanes don't appear out of nowhere, unannounced. Why the last minute runs to fill your car tank with gas? Why no storage of extra gasoline at home as a routine matter?

Why the runs on plywood? I would think you'd want that stuff all cut and ready to go well in advance. I can't imagine older people (like me!) running out there to handle and cut large heavy sheets of plywood at the last minute, giving you no breaks to rest yourself.

Why not buy your generator in the off season at regular price to avoid the availability and price gouging issues that inevitably result when a hurricane is immediately incoming?

Why wait until the last minute to evacuate and then get stuck in massive traffic, passing by gas stations with mile long lines (if they even have any gas to sell at all)?

Don't they make decorative storm shutters that you could have on your house year round, and then just close and secure them at hurricane time?

Do they make in-home fold up scaffolding so that you could raise your expensive home items higher up inside your house to get above the flood water level? (wouldn't work with something like a 15 foot storm surge, but would be better than nothing for smaller surges)

Does property on higher ground cost prohibitively more than property on lower ground? If you want beach front property, why not build your house on stilts? Is this prohibitively expensive?

Are those houses that can float up (on pontoons attached to ground piers with chains/cables) and then settle back down onto their original piers science fiction only, or are they available now?

Do they make houses out of concrete/cinder block so they can sustain the winds better than wood construction?

Did you really "think through" your home purchase if it's below sea level, supposedly "protected" behind a levee? Why would anyone build, or willingly buy, a house in such an area?

Those air boats that they use in swamps look awesome for too-late evacuations and rescue. I would want one of those in my garage. Does Home Depot carry them?

Assess your environment and develop a disaster profile that fits your circumstances. Plan in advance for mitigating those disasters/unfortunate events. Gather needed supplies/training/capabilities etc. in advance.

Pay attention to the news and weather reports. In the case of foreseeable disasters like hurricanes, follow Wildman 800's example and define actions to take as the event looms larger.

Get ahead of the crowd. If evacuation is desirable, leave early, with enough stuff. Do not be part of the herd searching for bottled water at the last minute. Fill your containers with good old tap water - it is very often the exact same thing.

Take good care of your dwelling and be sure it is up to code or better and reasonably built to withstand relevant hazards.

Don't live in Texas (but I knew that already). update: Don't live in the big cities in east Texas. West Texas is OK

Interesting list of questions!

I don't live in a place that permits the storage of gasoline. I'd imagine many renters and condo owners are in a similar situation.

Watching the Florida evacuation does make me wonder what I'll do for gas if I find myself running away from a hurricane. Traffic is going to slow down to a crawl, and your car will idle a lot, eating up gas without getting you nearer to the destination. An 8-hour drive might turn into a 16-hour drive, with no way of getting gas. Let's assume that I can find all the gas I want near home. Carrying 10-15 gallons of gas in the trunk seems like a bad idea. What would you do?

The air boat doesn't look too hard to build yourself. In fact, if you google a bit, there are some DIY air boats, but I don't know how practical they'd be. The parts do look like they come from the Home Depot.

I have seen them but it's rare.


A lot but not all houses near the ocean are on stilts.


Yes. I live in a cinderblock house.


I have not seen them in stores.

Jeanette Isabelle

Another question I didn't think about having been more focused on the southern USA currently in the middle of a disaster...

Who would have ever thought that pushing garbage out to sea so that eventually it built up over the water line,and then BUILDING on top of it would be a good idea? (Manhattan, New York)

Good for you!

And I'm glad to see that you're still able to post here during the hurricane. Hang in there. Be safe.

They do exist and are in use in the Netherlands:
http://www.urbangreenbluegrids.com/projects/amphibious-homes-maasbommel-the-netherlands/

It happens on the left coast as well - remember the Marina district (San Francisco) during the 1989 Loma Prieta quake? It is a wonderful(i.e. profitable) idea if you are the developer.....

Some lessons I noticed ...

* Evacuate Early. If you are at home and you're still listening to the Governor's Final Warning on TV ... you should have left days ago.

* Don't drive into deep water. Many cars & vans have all-electric features ... windows .. door locks. When these are disabled by deep water, the vehicle becomes a death trap.

* If you know a disaster is approaching - a few days ahead - keep your gas tank full.

* Keep some empty Coke bottles (large plastic) in the garage or closet. In an emergency, fill them with tap water. Why buy at the supermarket??

* If you wait to evacuate until you are DEAD SURE there is trouble, you could surely be dead. There will always be major uncertainty before every big emergency.

* Have some pre-cut plywood for your windows. Doors too, if necessary.

* If flooding is a risk, keep some sheets of plywood in your garage and some cinderblocks (cement). Pile the blocks on top of each other and build some makeshift shelves above floor level. Place all personal stuff there (that won't go in your car).