i know not a big deal 1st named storm bunch of rain etc......

Yeah... but did you see the news? Local news reported that Lowes (IIRC) has moved over 25,000 generators, I think (I think, only heard half of it) and that was during the tax free hurricane prep holiday. There's been a run on flashlights, etc. sort of like before a hurricane.

I would expect after the season we had last year, people will take this year a little more seriously. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

"...the tax free hurricane prep holiday."

This has got to be one of the most useful things I have ever heard of a government doing. Forgive my ignorance (I don't live in hurricane country), but is this a fairly recent program? Whoever thought it up should get a medal.

Regards, VInce

The hurricane sales tax holiday is new for this year. I have not heard whether or not it will be returning next year. The state of Florida has had a back to school sales tax holiday for a few years and it is very popular.

Doing anything different for this year?

I bought the generator last year, so this year I'm buying 2-3 more gas cans. Won't fill 'em until there's actually a threat, but I never thought they'd be impossible to find when I needed 'em.

Will pack a more complete bag for bug out purposes. Probably won't drive north, but I would like to be as comfortable as I can if I have to go to a shelter.

Already stocking up on a couple of weeks of non-perishables (hey, this is a big deal... I eat out a lot. :-) ).

Bought 6 of these (Reliance Aquatainer 7 gallon plastic containers) last year for water storage. Will clean and refill for this year.

I need to find some sort of area light. Flashlights are great until you just want to sit and read or eat or listen to the radio or... Recommendations?

I've hired a lawn guy to come cut the remaining brush / trees back and away from the house. Had new fencing installed to replace the easily blown over rotted out stuff that still managed to survive from last year.

Bought several tarps to use for emergency hole repair.

Bought a battery operated FM radio.

Will buy a small inverter to run various things off car battery. Also need to get a car adapter for my cell phone.

Looking for a camp stove to cook / reheat with. Also, some small metal cookware.

Mostly, I'm just trying to get ready before there's even a watch issued. Last year, I didn't prepare until it was too late, then couldn't catch a break between hurricanes to catch up. Among other things, a power outtage is boring. No internet, no TV. I'd read all the stuff I had, so mostly I just listened to the car radio. I think I'm going to buy some books and such and put 'em away until either the next black out or this fall, whichever comes first. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I guess that's mostly it. If I don't get a direct strike, it's just a question of staying in the house (with or without power) for a week or more.

Hi Groo - area lights have been a very interesting item to me since the Blackout of '03 (sounds more dramatic when you call it the Blackout of Ought-Three <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />).

Here's a thread from candlepowerforums that has some suggestions:
CPF disaster light suggestions

My shorter, quicker answers on this:
--In fluorescent lanterns, the only one I've had is the GE Steelbeam. Apparently, GE has run through several versions of this light - slight changes to the body is the only thing I've see change. Blue, red and now green bodies available at Costco for $15 each. Sturdy, acceptable performance, you'll be able to read around a table with one of these. It's just on and off, though, no adjusting light output.
--Check your local Big Lots. I have a buddy in Tampa who found two Energizer lanterns being sold on final clearance there in the past week. First is the Energizer 2-LED folding lantern. These HAD been available at Office Depot stores, usually behind the counter, next to the batteries. However, the light was discontinued a while back, and on CPF some said that they would no longer be for sale at retailers. I don't know if it's true across the board, but they're no longer available at my local Office Depot.
These lanterns run on 4AA batteries, claim 200 hours on low, 100 hours on high. Not much difference in output between low and high. They fold so you can angle the light in a variety of ways, and have a hook and a hole in the tail you could thread paracord or similar cord through, to hang or suspend them in a variety of ways. These are a HUGE deal at $2.99 each. A stack of them, and you could light the bathroom, etc., just enough to get around, or use several in one room to boost the light level.
2-LED folding lantern
--Also at Big Lots, the Energizer Accent Lantern. These are sold in a pack of three, and were meant to be yard/walkway lights, but they're very small 1-LED lanterns that run on a single D-cell battery for something like 100 hours. Again, not lots of output, but long life and more than adequate for nightlight, enough to read by if held close, and the 3-pack is $8.88. (scroll down a bit to see photos of the light)
Accent lantern
--Innovage 12-LED lantern. These also run on 4 D-cells, like the Steelbeams. Roughly the same size, they are fully adjustable on output. At highest output, they're in the ballpark of the Steelbeam, and they claim 40 hours of battery life at full output. Available at boscovs.com online for $10.99 each, and sometimes in stores at Rite-Aid for special or seasonal sales.
Innovage
--The Nuwai (or sometimes you'll find it under other brands) 12-LED lantern. Also 4 D-cells, adjustable like the Innovage version. I think the build quality is a better on these Nuwai lanterns than on the Innovage, but prices on this lantern tend to be in the $35-$55 range. For that reason, I think the Innovage is a much better deal, and well worth it for the price of $10.99.
EMS version of lantern

Good luck with your preparations.
Dave

Outside of the Bug out Bag, I like to lay in a supply of extra stuff at the beginning of the storm season:

1. Toilet paper
2. Candles
3. Rotate out meds, bottled water and canned food. ( and pet food!)
4. Update tools -- gloves, pry bar, tarps, blankets, etc.
5. Add suggerstions from ideas read here.

Hey Groo,

Check out Coleman's dualfuel lanterns and two burner stoves, I've got one of each that have a permanent place in my BOB gear, though they're occasionally used camping/boating/whenever. They both saw service last year on loan to my folks (tornado in Utica). I usually stick to Coleman fuel (it burns a bit cleaner) but it's comforting to know that a fill-up is only as far away as the closest gas-tank. In my experience, they're dependable and fairly low maintainance, which in my books is a plus. As far as the light from the lantern goes, when Mom & Dad's entire neighborhood was blacked out, the people next door came over to find out why my folks had power...the lantern lit the kitchen up that well... let's see a battery powered lamp do that! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Troy

Be carefull when using Coleman lanterns inside, the gas ones emit CO and CO2 in quantity. Have plenty of ventilation.

The only thing i have been thinking of getting for this season is a bigger generator. What i have will run the fridge, freezer, and well pump. But something that will run all of the above and a couple of window shakers at night would be nice. I can work all day in the heat but i sleep better when i am not sweating.

Groo,
The car size inverters work well, it easily kept my laptop and power tool batteries charged. Wasn't able to spend as much time online as i would have liked but was still able to get my ETS fix. Also have the 12 volt charger mounted in the truck for streamlight stingers so i was able to keep the flashlights charged.

OK, so a bit of an update. I just got ahold of some of the Energizer "Accent" lanterns last night.

Doing the "standing in the bathroom with the door closed and light off" test, these don't put out tons of light. I think they'd be best used as a nightlight/find your way around the dark room light. You could read with them, basically sitting at the edge of your book, but it's a ghostly/diffused light.

A couple intersting things about these lanterns - they fit snugly into a stake that's about 8 inches long, so they can be sunk in a yard (they were designed as outdoor yard lights).
Also, they have two half-circle rings on top that you could use to hang them off a suspended string or hook/nail in a wall.

They're designed to run on a single D cell, but with sizer/adapters for batteries, you could use any smaller battery to run them (for a shorter runtime)
battery adapters
Also, folks on CPF have talked about creating their own adapters out of pipe from a home supply store. I plan to store these with a single lithium AA battery in them, so they can store ready to use, and I can replace them with D batteries at leisure/when necessary.

Dave

Thanks for the recommendation. I will definitely look at the stoves, since I'd like something to cook on if I have zero power (generator or otherwise).

What's the advantage of a coleman stove over, say, a minature propane grill? Portability? Multifuel?

Cool. That's pretty much all I'd use mine for. Just quick stuff that's not worth turning on the generator for (since I'll probably bring it inside (turned off!) for the night).

Fluoresecent is ok, light wise. What's the battery life like?

I agree, the Innovage looks like a much better deal. For $10, it's worth a try.

Interesting CPF thread. Lots of good suggestions there, too.

Thanks!

I never tested the runtime on the Steelbeam lantern - ended up giving it to a family member. On a quick Web search, I'm seeing quotes of 16 hours of battery life for this one.

And here's another lantern that seems to be pretty popular on CPF (I haven't tried one):
Energizer 4D Folding Lantern
It's fluorescent, and supposed to get 40 hours of battery life if you turn on one fluorescent tube, 20 hours if you use both.

Hey! I saw that in the CPF thread you posted. I'm going to get one and find out. The CPF post was very positive about it. I like the variable brightness too (one or two tubes).

BatteryStation has lithium D cells. Cool. Wouldn't be my first choice for long term use (cost), but a set of those would be great to put in the lantern for storage.

having spent some time with the power off, I'll tell you what I find is generally the BEST way to deal with the lack of light at night (NOT evening)

GO TO SLEEP

Make like Ben Franklin - Early to bed, early to rise. Particularly in the summer (Hurricane season) - Wake up with the dawn (say 5:00am), work your butt off all day, by 8:30pm or so - you'll be happy to hit the rack and SLEEP

Heheheheheh. Ok, granted, that's good advice. But it's totally not for me. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I get up around 10:00 or so, make it to work by noonish and work late into the night. I'm not what you'd call a morning person. So just about the time I get warmed up, the sun's going down. Inconvenient, really.

What we need is a binary star system... big primary for a well defined day, and then a very small / distant secondary for late dusk level illumination at night. This whole "day / night" thing isn't optimal.

Trust me - turn off your power for a couple of weeks, and give you no options - you'll become a day person

Heck - I bet I could turn you into one in, say, 4 days

I'll take you outside in a tent, I'll wake you up, say 7:00am the first day, and I'll make you do physical work till your ready to drop at dinner time - say, 6:30pm - you eat, clean up, and are so tired you fall asleep. Wake up naturally the next day, and have so much work to do, that you can't hang around - run yourself ragged again - till your ready to drop right after dinner - the next day, we'll wake you up, but take it slightly easier - so that your mearly tired at 6:30 - By the 4-5th day, you'll be glad to sack out at 7:00pm, and if your not exhausted, 10-12 hrs later, you'll wake up - and then start working

The trick? NO CLOCKS/WATCHES, no TV, no books, no "time" cues except daylight

Won't take. Here's why.

Me being a night person starts with the fact that it's easier for me to stay up late working on a problem than to get up earlier and work on a problem. I think if I were retired, and had no one to answer to, I'd chase myself around the clock over a period of six months or so. Staying up later each night, and getting up later the following day. That, and I usually need to be awake for a while before I feel creative enough to bother sitting at the keyboard.

Your original point still holds, though. When the only light is natural light, adjust your schedule accordingly. Though I suspect this is easier done in the northern hemisphere during the summer. A power failure in the winter, especially at northern latitudes, would mean getting a LOT of sleep. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Fortunately, this is not currently a choice I have to make. Generator + inverter + tv + dvd player == Happy Groo. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

there might be other options... as many american people have found, according to the great number of births which happened 9 months after some big power outages... ....

<img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

The Coleman DualFuel (well, really, all their stoves) is larger and heavier, which would be a disadvantage if you were going to hand carry it any great distance, but for use in an emergency, or use ten feet outside your s*** & git cart, it's a definite ADVantage, as it's sturdy, stable, and built tough as a tank. For durability and dependability, they can't be beat.
Of course, for the ten-mile-a-day walk-out, I've got a Primus that fits in a BDU cargo pocket, and the trusty Coleman would be cached for later pick-up.

Troy

P.S. Yes, ten miles a day... unless some body/thing is chasing me, I'm not planning on getting tired, and my over-night camp's gonna be comfortable.

I can understand wanting to secure your power source for the night, but save your back, buy a length of log chain and lock it down, that seems to work on construction sites where anything that's not locked down, walks off.

Why would anybody WANT to work that hard???

I can relate, and it seems like the older I get, the worse IT gets. Retirement (if it ever gets here) should be interesting <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Troy

Kind of gives new meaning to the term "be creative" doesn't it??? How's going Frenchy, Ya bin out in the field with yer Hennessy Lately?

Troy

Not yet...
Weather was not fine, but it's changing....
But now, I have to work on most week-ends too, so no outing planned....

Sounds frightfully dull. But it beats being mistaken for a looter and/or heat stroke all hollow.

Remember - in a survival situation - DULL is GOOD - dull means that nothing BAD is happening, and you can work to improve your situation the next time your awake