It's that time of year once again for all the folks who live in hurricane country!

Review your preps and dust off and tune up your hurricane readiness plans.

I am now in HurCon 5.

This is my Hurricane Checklist tailored for my "reality". Everyone is welcome to copy this to your own file and tailor it to your needs.

HurCon Checklist

Updated 03Aug2011



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 expected within 12 hours or less


HURRICANE SEASON: regular season ¨C 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 ¨C 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.

Charge up all cell Cell Phones, Laptops, Net Books, etc. Minimize usage. Set up a Communications schedule with relatives (if pertinent) and keep electronics secured until needed so as to save battery power.

HurCon 1: Set 12 hours 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.

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Post-Hurricane Checklist

1) Once storm passes:

A) Assume HurCon V.

B) Conduct a damage survey of the property. Contact the insurance company to file a claim if needed.

C) Make basic repairs, as possible, to damaged areas of the property so as to prevent further damage.

2) Store those items not needed and break out those items that are needed:

A) Store cargo net from storage building.

B) Untie those yard items that were secured for windy conditions.

C) If power has been lost:

1) Set up the generator*, at least 20 feet from the house and chain it to something substantial, like a tree.

2) Set up a field kitchen on back patio or porch.

3) Set up a Sanitation Facility (Latrine).

3) Attempt to contact friends and relatives outside the storm affected area and let them know what your situation is. Establish a Daily Communications Schedule so as to conserve cell phone battery power. Remember that if your cell phone voice does not work, your texting capability probably will work.

4) *After setting up the generator and taking care of the above items, contact your immediate neighbors and see what their needs are. (especially elderly neighbors). Set up a daily schedule to share electrical power with each of them to chill down their refrigerators and freezers, recharge their cell phones, recharge any batteries required for life support systems that elderly and/or handicapped neighbors may have.

My thoughts (from a non hurricane impacted state)
- Do a post event review/ after action report
- Bugging out may take a full 24 hours...because everyone else is also bugging out.
- deck screws and batteries are cheap ; move to level 5

My actual experience has been to to make the personal decision to evacuate or not to evacuate early. At least 48 hrs prior to predicted arrival of the storm.

If an official evacuation is called, it is often better to sit tight for 12-24 hrs and allow the herd to pass through and then proceed on what has proven to be virtually empty highways.

Prior Planning Prevents [censored] Poor Performance (6 P's)!

I need to do something about my stored water. I have bottled water dated 2012.

Jeanette Isabelle

Get yourself a good, hard copy map. Mark the official evacuation routes. Try driving them if you can. Try alternate routes. See what is on those routes and what the road is like.

Use the acronym PACE:

Primary: The best plan to accomplish the mission (you have a place to go when you evacuate and a good route to get there).

Alternate: Still trying to accomplish the mission, but with some changes in routes and timing (maybe you have to wait for the traffic to die down or take another route).

Contingency: You may have to accomplish the mission by trying something else (in this case maybe you have to go to another evacuation location because you can't get to your primary).

Emergency: You can't leave and need to plan to hole up in place (this is survival mode and you need to ensure you can accomplish it by have the necessary supplies and equipment, and your location needs to be survivable).

That's some damn good advice. I'll start looking for the evacuation routes now!!

Montanero... I take it from your PACE response you were/are SF?

24 years, with 13 more as a civilian, doing a lot of similar work.

Sir, thank you for your service

Les, am I to assume that you served as well?

yes.. Air Force Security Service (Feb70- Aug73)... SIGINT intercept and reporting... radio traffic analyst.. just one term E-5... Japan, Philippines, Thailand, Okinawa

couple of shooting buddies are retired O-5 SF, still working at MacDill for SOCOM contractors

I'm a retired teacher, and one of my class projects was for an escape evade scenario in Syria (way before Sept 11)and they introduced PACE to me...regards

Thanks to you both! For your service to our country and also for sharing wisdom gained with all of us at ETS.

Jeanette, water does not expire or go bad, so unless it was contaminated in some way or leaking it should be good.

I would recommend to get some sturdy containers and refill and clean on a regular basis. That way you can be more sure of your stocks. Do not use old milk jugs, the residue will contaminate your water if stored for a long period (not sure how long).

Les, you were in a bit before my time, but I was in Okinawa and Japan in early 70s as a dependent. The Tampa Bay area is full of retirees, and a lot of former SF. I know a great many people down there doing what your friends are doing.

Phaedrus, I have learned a great deal from this forum. The people are great, and it is one place in today's society where you can still have a disagreement and remain civil and objective. I hope I make a positive contribution. There is a lot of knowledge, experience and just good sense in this community.

Wildman is doing a very good thing to begin this thread every year. Reviewing your checklists and plans periodically is essential to being prepared. His checklist is also very good and can be used for just about any person in any scenario with adaptations for the individual and their situation. It is a good place to start.

While my location is affected by hurricanes, we are not likely to need to evacuate. My primary plan is to shelter in place, so we stock up. We also shelter friends who may be in a more vulnerable situation. My main activity is to check on others who are less able to take care of themselves to make sure they are stocked up beforehand, and that they are OK after. Kind of a roving prepping consultant for the elderly and disabled. This forum has been a great help in this function.

I like keeping my emergency supplies organized almost to the level of being obsessive compulsive. For that reason I will stay with bottled water.

Jeanette Isabelle

Then I would rotate your stock, use the old and obtain new. You can do it gradually instead of all at one time.

I'm always rotating my stocks.

So do I; some things, like bottled, water rotate slower than others.

Jeanette Isabelle

I used to keep store purchased gallon jugs of water, but I had problems with leakage and fragility. I now do keep cases of bottled water on hand, but rotate them regularly as the kids use up the ones in the refrigerator. Handy tip: mark each water bottle in use with the person's initials or name using a Sharpie. This way you reduce wastage, as nobody wants to drink out of the bottle that nobody knows who it belongs to.

My main store is in 5 to 8 gallon Reliance plastic containers. These are periodically emptied and cleaned, then refilled and stored. They have a variety of styles so you can find one to fit your space. They are durable, some of them very durable (I think they are called Rhino containers).

The reason my stock of bottled water rotates slowly is because I'm constantly refilling the same water bottle and only getting a fresh bottle when the last is misplaced or too old.

Jeanette Isabelle

I put the boat's HurCon checklist to work today for the storm off of the Yucatan Peninsula. We'll possibly set HurCon 4 after lunch today.

ATT, this storm is predicted to provide 60-70mph winds and 7-8" of rain to the NOLA area which is where we are now and will be Thursday when it hits.

It looks my sked crew change may have multiple plot complications....

We're holding at HurCon 5 for at least another day or until predicted landfall is 72 hrs away.

Based on the latest from the National Hurricane Center, we've assumed HurCon 4.

We'll assume HurCon 2 by tomorrow after Lunch.

We are now in HurCon 1 and getting wind speeds up to 35 kts.

The rain bands have already started passing through the NOLA area.

Good luck! I'm sure you've got the hatches battened down already but be safe.

This isn't really much of a storm unless it spawns tornadoes. This is an excellent live fire exercise to train the crew for what will most likely be Hurricane Brett in the next 10 days.

In MN and SD 35 knots is a storm!

We got out of the fleet, built tow, and sailed in stormy weather. An hour later, the clouds started parting, the sun started shining but the wind kept blowing.

We finally got onto the dock and have now set HurCon 5.

The NHC predicts TS Don will come into the Carribean Sea just north of South America in the next couple of days.

it's been super hot down here... Gulf of Mexico pretty warm... not good conditions... rain cell at the range last Wed had at least 50mph gusts, and flag changed directions at least 5 times... must have been on the edge of circulation

Thanks, wildman, for posting this again this year. As a recent Florida transplant, the first thing I did when they started talking about Irma was log into the forums here and look for this thread.

At Hurcon 5, waiting to see if 4 is coming by the end of the week.

All of you in Florida stay safe. Our hopes and best wishes are with you. Stock up, keep your options open, and bug out earlier, rather than later, if that is your choice...

Several articles I have read today highlight the need for everyone to be prepared to take care of themselves. Large organizations have expended many resources on Harvey, and are now trying to prepare for Irma. They may have difficulty dealing with another disaster, and hurricane season is just beginning. All of the common sense preps need to be done at the individual and family/household level. Be ready to sustain yourself for several days at a minimum.

^^^ This ^^^ On the heels of Harvey, the aftermath and recovery from this one sounds like it could be unlike any other storm.

If you're a member of a CERT or similar team in the continental US but outside these disaster areas, I would suggest two things:

Don't self-deploy to those areas.

Be ready to deploy as part of the organized efforts, if you are asked to.