A few days before the 15 year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina’s landfall, I asked people who lived through Hurricane Katrina to give their best piece of advice to their past self – or others – about how to survive a Major Hurricane.
I think snow is a great time to revisit some of those answers.
You can see the full post here:
And a cllection of the advice is below…
Tips from people who survived Katrina
Jennifer Walton – I learned you can empty your hot water heater for water
Scott Dossett – Have some battery powered fans and, of course, batteries
Patty Sparks Smithmier – Have a generator, battery operated fans, and plenty of battery operated lights.
Donna Dominguez – Store water in buckets and barrels to be used to flush toilets and give to animals. Stock up on canned ready to eat foods and drinks, juice and gallons of water for drinking. Get ice in all of your ice boxes, full to the top. Be sure your vehicles are full of gasoline. Have a radio and plenty of batteries for it AND for your flashlights.
Michael Brewer – My advice is to leave get out of harm’s way 100%
Callie Chuck Lee – Take all of your important papers with you, photos etc and leave early DONT WAIT!
Kelly Davis – Get an power inverter. It kept us with a fan and powered a small tv to help us keep up with the local news. I also had lined the bottom of my deep freezer with bottled water and when the power went out all the perishables went into the freezer (milk, eggs, cheese etc) and we covered it with a blanket and shut the lid.
Mary Cornelison Myers – If it’s coming toward your area, get your valuable papers, etc. and GET OUT!! Don’t stay in the path of the storm.
Kerry Jenese – Batteries and a radio . Instant coffee and water ! I put buckets under the eaves to flush with
Scot Spiers – Keep plenty of propane to cook food on a grill.
Morgan Buchanan – Gas. Ice. Water. Non perishable foods. Batteries. Chain saw. Gas. Water. Generator if possible. Gas. Water. Lol. For real though. Fill tubs with water and get as much bottled water as you can. Make sure all clothes are clean before it hits.
Michael Kebodeaux – Yeah, definitely gas. Also, if possible, leave the area.
Donna Fairley – Make sure you are prepared to go a week or so without electricity. Linemen work hard, but they can only do what is possible in daylight hours working under less than favorable conditions.
Courtney Woodard – Have plenty of gas, plenty of water, canned food,toilet paper, charcoal or firewood and a grill! Gas in all the vehicles, four wheeler etc, batteries, candles, soap and a weather radio!
Dawn Russell – Have access to a chain saw in case you have to cut your way out of your driveway or neighborhood.
Randy Lawson – Have plenty of Gas and cut all the big trees close to your house.
DeAnn Rose – Fill bath tubs with water; freeze water bottles to leave in the freezer to help keep it cool. Ice down soft drinks to keep from opening fridge or freezer often.
Tammie McDonald Hinton – Cash! Go by the bank or ATM before the storm hits. Power out, credit/debit cards won’t work!
KW Greene – Cut down all the vulnerable trees that could fall on your house and get your neighbor to do the same. Nothing like the sound of a tree crashing on the house.
Buffy Fletcher – Take a video of your surroundings in your home outside inside around your neighborhood.
Melissa Farrior Runnels – If you take prescription meds get them filled and pack them if have to leave ! This was a hard lesson learned after Katrina !
David E. Jacks – Get cash and gas up
Tai Soprano – Gather up all important documents such as social security cards, birth certificates, insurance policies on home, vehicles, or rental policies. Place documents in large ziploc bags and pack in a back pack so that it is easily carried and accessible. Also back several changes of clothing and toiletries in said back pack. Keep shoes on or at least near by. Buy non perishable food throughout the year so that the expense doesn’t hit you all at once and if store shelves are scarce afterwards, you’re still good. Fuel up your vehicle and any gas cans. Get charcoal and a small grill ready bc power may be out for a while.
Bethany Sharp – Font forget our furbabies. Fill LG plastic bags with each pets food, favorite toy, rxs, put tags on collars and make sure address is current in case they get lost
Frances Purvis Voss – Make sure you have a generator with plenty of fuel to last at least 2 weeks, batteries for flash lights and radios, store water in clean jugs, have charcoal or propane tanks for cooking outside.
Megan Peacock Walley – Gas.. window unit.. air mattresses… block off one room (( we blocked in living room with big heavy quilts)) …blew up 3/4 air matressss and everyone stayed cool
Pat Coccaro Calabrese – I would have LEFT!!!!
Jimmy Emerson – Best advice I can give is leaving, you can come back and start over if you survive. Houses and structures can be built back
Vicky Chatham – Use your landscape solar lights in the house at night. Get water out of someone’s pool to put in toilet tank to flush it. Cook on gas grill.
Theresa Blackwell – “When you tub doesn’t hold your planned water reservoir; run a bleach cycle in the washing machine; with no clothes, and then start it again, with no clothes and STOP IT; you’ll have clean water for 3 weeks!
Deborah Masters – Cash, batteries as well as cell batteries charged, extra gas, bug spray, water, charcoal, snacks and medications. Be prepared as much as possible.
Kevin Dearmon – Leave!
Sara Watts – Have plastic waterproof storage bins ready to gather photos, important documents, and treasured valuables. Evacuate if possible.
James Debbie Buckhaults – Have a battery operatored radio, something few people have anymore. Have phone numbers for your neighbors.
Austin Smith – It was hot as hell no water no power we all got staff infection it truly sucked had a small gen that we could run a few fans and had to fight for gas that sums it up
Benitez Grip Matlock Crosby – Be patient
Be prepared
The one message that was overwhelming was “be over-prepared” and “evacuate” when looking back through the comments.
Think about that as you prepare for the next Major Hurricane to make landfall.
