Today is the 1st day of the 2008 Hurricane Season.
Like the USCG, today I have set HurCon V.

My Hurricane Checklist:

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:
1. Update emergency supply inventory
2. Top off all 5gal gas cans (stabilized)
3. Swap out all stored water
4. Update the Hurricane Contingency Plans
5. Review the plans with Household members.
6. 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:
1. 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”).
2. Keep the vehicle gas tanks above 1/2 tank levels.
3. Go to the grocery store and top off the pantry with normal foodstuffs.
4. Insure that all propane bottles are topped off.
5. Insure that battery supplies are sufficient.
6. Insure that flashlights and lanterns are working.
7. Check oil and run generator for 30 minutes to insure proper operation.
8. 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)
9. 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:
1. Review checklists for any missing items or chores that remain to be done.
2. Top off all vehicle fuel tanks.
3. 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:
1. Prepare our Hurricane Shelter area within the house (the main hall next to the bathroom).
2. Secure all missile hazards in the yard. Tie down everything that needs tying down.
3. Install shutters or board up all windows and doors, except for 1 front door and 1 back door.
4. Top off all BOB's.
5. Gather all important documents, BOB, and firearms (the ones I plan to carry) and put it by the bed.
6. 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.
7. Use cargo net to secure backyard storage building.

HurCon 1: Set just prior to expected landfall.
1. Set up in the Hurricane Shelter (inside of my home) and start dealing cards.
2. Visually monitor what the storm is doing to the neighborhood (from the safety of the house), for the duration of the storm.
3. Be prepared to grab BOB's and run to higher ground, if worse case scenario were to develop.
4. Keep BoB’s and important documents with each person until the storm has cleared the area.
5. 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.
6.

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 and/or head out on foot.
2) Resume HurCon V.

Items that need to be procured:
1) Solar-powered charger for cell phones and notebook computers. (which has a Harbor Freight 1.5 watt solar cell that trickle charges the battery the whole season)
2) Cargo net to secure backyard storage building.

Good list.

Personally, since this is the first day of Hurricane season, my hurricane shutters get closed now. Usually when the notice happens (48 hours or less before hurricane will hit) you have a very short period of time to all the other necessary things done without worrying about the house.

My supplies are stocked except for 30+ days of food and a generator. Made a deal with the wife that when a hurricane hits (she's now on the evac flight by herself - i'm staying behind, can't evac pets) she'll come back with a generator.

I'm more prepared this year then in the preious years, but have to source more food. Will be doing that within the next 3 weeks.

This year will be interesting, and hope it will be uneventful.

Kris

At what point do you turn the tow boat around and head for home waters??

Two things:

More detail on water. I grew up on the coast and as I recall my dad stored a couple of gallons of water per person per day for three weeks, and just filling and storing all of those 5-gallon bottles was a chore. Also, at some point all of those bottles had to be cleaned and disinfected for drinking water - time consuming. We also stored some water for toilet flushing.

Chainsaws need oil and extra chain purchased, as well as maintenance etc.

PS. And if a neighbor owns a bulldozer be sure to remind him that you've been buddies forever...

We don't.

If we are within the projected landfall area, the office will order us to a protected area to hide & wait the storm out.

After the storm has passed, we sit tight until the channels have been surveyed & deemed navigable.

We are gonna be cruisin' from Aruba/Curacao area to Miami early in Oct this year. Since that is still in hurricane season, it might prove interesting to this land lubber...

Hope you have a good cruise. If anything gets to hairy and your docking in Cayman, just give me a shout.

"...docking in Cayman, just give me a shout..."

Thanks. We hope so too, been paying for the thing for about 14 months! Maybe they will let me drive the boat for a while, and I can make an unscheduled stop...

i was down in Savannah Ga this spring.on the freeway from
Macon i noticed gates and lane change crossovers.it took
awhile before it hit me that i was on a hurricane escape
route..thats a very nice part of the country but after
reading about what it takes to live with those kind of storms
i'll stick with Minneapolis and the cold for now.all i have to do
to get ready for winter is cover the canoes and put the lawn
chairs away,thats a very short checklist---

i'm orignally from the East Coast of Canada, so I understand your point. But after living in the carib for a while, i'll give up the winter and less disasters (major snow storms, ice storms, flooding in areas in the spring, etc) to constent heat and more danger (hurricanes, etc). Worst case, I can live in a tent all year round here - even a hammock with a net over it at the worst. Can't do that back home without some major consessions!

Its a trade off, one that i'm willing to take. Besides, my wife is on the evac flight with my company (first time in a couple years i'm not on it). So there is no doubt she will be ok and thats my main concern.

Besides, i'm a big believer of renting on this island. Actually right now its cheaper to rent then own (first time in years that could ever be said about this island).

Kris