How to Prepare for a Hurricane

Hurricane season is an annual event here in the United States of America where, according to the Census Bureau, almost 30% of the population is at risk of being directly affected by a storm. Although these storms occur every year around the same time, most people are still overwhelmingly unprepared for the challenges of a major storm making landfall in their area. Growing up in Florida on the Gulf Coast, the basics of emergency preparedness were drilled into my brain frequently, and my family was relatively prepared for these types of events.

However, with the recent destruction brought on by Hurricane Beryl (specifically in the Houston, Texas region), there have been numerous examples of people being unprepared for such a storm once again. In an area where major storms have hit before (Hurricane Harvey, 2017), people are apparently still under the impression that nothing will ever happen to them. The most frustrating aspect of this lack of preparedness is that hurricanes and tropical storms usually arrive on schedule. There is generally plenty of time once a warning is given that a storm is on its way and could affect your local infrastructure or even threaten your survival. So, after analyzing this recent storm and the impact it had on people in the affected region, here are some things to keep in mind when preparing for hurricane season.

Power & Heat

The most common issue to deal with during a major storm is loss of power. And in this recent storm with Hurricane Beryl, it took CenterPoint Energy 12 days to restore power to all its affected customers in the Houston, Texas region. That is a very long time to be without power and, more importantly, air conditioning in an area where the average temperature during that time was 93°F. Not only is that long enough to spoil any refrigerated or frozen food products, but it is also a very long time regarding heat, especially for those more vulnerable to it, like children or the elderly. It’s also long enough to where cell phone batteries are dead, and even a small backup power bank is likely dead. In fact, many Texans were running their vehicles just to recharge their devices, but fuel is also hard to come by after a storm. Even though powering an air conditioner can be difficult and requires a large generator with a lot of fuel, there are some ways to keep your smaller devices up and running while also cooling your living space.

A great way to deal with a power outage while not having to worry about fuel storage, toxic fumes, or noise is by using a solar-capable power bank. For example, the Goal Zero Yeti 700 with Nomad 100 Solar Generator provides you with a decent amount of power while also allowing you to recharge the power bank with the included solar panel. Power banks like this one are an easy way to keep phones, radios, and other electronics up and running in the immediate aftermath of a storm, thanks to the fact that energy is stored in the internal battery. Rather than having to kick on a gas-powered generator that can then provide you with power, these power banks can be fully charged by a wall outlet and then used later without any additional input. Once the battery begins to deplete, you can set it up with the included solar panel to recharge the system.

Not only can these units keep your electronics up and running, but they can also power other small appliances. The heat was a major factor in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, thanks to the lack of air conditioning due to power outages and the ambient temperature. One way to combat this in your home is by using a combination of oscillating fans and wet towels hung up in front of an open window. The wet towel cools the air passing through the fabric while the oscillating fan increases air circulation in the room. It is recommended that a small room be chosen to have a greater effect and limit the power consumption the power bank uses. The Goal Zero Yeti 700 with Nomad 100 Solar Generator has a continuous output of 600 watts and a battery capacity of 677Wh (watt-hours). A standard, 16” Lasko Oscillating Floor Fan uses 72 watts, which means the power bank used for this example could power such a fan for about 9 hours without any additional charge. This could make a big difference for those more susceptible to heat and, with the included solar panel, that time could be extended quite a bit, considering the foldable Nomad 100 solar panel is rated for 100 watts.

Water During a Boil Advisory

Another side effect of Hurricane Beryl was a boil advisory for tap water that was put in place due to possible contamination. Water mains break, flood waters enter well heads, and many other factors can impact the safety of drinking tap water after a storm. Not to mention that the water may not be running at all depending on if the pumps were affected, which is why having bottled water or water stored in containers like the Coleman 5-Gallon Collapsible Water Carrier Polyethylene is a good idea. If the water is running but you do not have power, how can you adhere to a boil advisory? There are a couple of ways to approach this, ensuring you can still safely drink the water from your tap. In my opinion, the easiest way would be to acquire a water filtration device that will remove any environmental threats from the water before drinking. To be as safe as possible, you need to make sure that the water filter itself is rated for removing viruses, as many are not. A good example of this would be the MSR Guardian Gravity Water Purifier as it holds 10L of water in a bladder that you hang up. Then, it uses gravity to push the water through a filter that meets NSF Protocol P248 Military Testing Standards, which means it removes 99.9% of all viruses, bacteria, protozoa, sediment, and microplastics from “worst-case” water conditions. The best part of using this method to treat the water is that it requires no power or fuel source.

Another approach is to boil the water just like the advisory states. But depending on what type of kitchen appliances you use, that could be difficult without power. One way to pull this off would be to use a Jetboil Stash Camping Stove Isobutane-Propane, which can boil water in 2 minutes and 30 seconds. It’s a very efficient stove that is purpose-built to boil water quickly and is designed primarily for backpacking. The downside is that it uses a proprietary fuel blend that is pricey, and you would need to stock up on it beforehand as getting more could prove difficult. You could alleviate this issue with a more traditional camping stove like the Coleman 18 1-Burner Camping Stove Propane. It uses your typical 16-ounce propane cylinders, which are much easier to source and can be used for cooking as well. However, it is much less efficient in boiling water and more time and fuel will be used to accomplish that goal when compared to the Jetboil system.

Emergency Food Supply

You’d be surprised at how many Americans do not have 12 days’ worth of food on hand, especially those with large families. And this was another issue that Hurricane Beryl demonstrated for us with fast food restaurants being swamped by customers with no other food options. With no refrigeration power and inaccessible grocery stores, there is not much time before people panic. Fortunately, there are many emergency food supply options that could help families get through a tough situation. There are a couple of categories here that we’ll focus on regarding emergency food that needs to be cooked and food that does not.

Let’s start with food that does not need to be cooked, as it is the easiest to deal with in an emergency where the power is out, and cooking may not be feasible or easily accomplished. This type of food will take up the most space and have some weight to it, but it is the best way to be ready for any disaster. The most affordable food option in this category is canned food. Stocking up on a couple of weeks of canned goods is relatively easy, even if you’re on a budget. If you think of three meals a day as being 3 cans of food, you can at least have an idea of how many cans per person you would want to have on hand. It’s very unlikely that 3 cans of food would meet the 2000-calorie-per-day requirement, but it will keep food in your belly and make a stressful situation more comfortable. With this basic method, you would need 42 cans of food for a 14-day supply for one person. A mixture of canned soups, pasta, meats, and rice would be a good approach for a balanced diet. At 42 cans per person required for 2 weeks’ worth of food, you can see why many Americans do not have that much food handy.

Another approach you can take for emergency food that does not need to be cooked would be MREs (meals ready to eat). The XMRE 1300XT MRE Pack of 12 is something I try to keep in stock personally thanks to its ease of use, well-balanced nutrition, and 3-year shelf life. It also includes a flameless ration heater that can give you a hot meal without external cooking equipment. Each MRE packs 1300 calories (which can get you by in an emergency), and you get 12 per package. So, you could get a couple of these boxes, and the average person could be well-fed during a 2-week (or 12 days based on Hurricane Beryl) period. These meals are also great for bringing with you if you need to evacuate and are much easier to transport than a large amount of canned goods.

Now let’s talk about emergency food that requires cooking but is still a very good option for emergencies. Rice and beans are a staple in the preparedness community, and for good reason. When stored properly, they can last forever while being calorically dense with good amounts of protein. However, rice and beans require a lot of water and preparation to cook properly which may not be easy to come by after a hurricane. That’s where freeze-dried survival food comes in handy. Companies like Peak Refuel and Mountain House make excellent freeze-dried survival food that lasts 25+ years when stored properly and is packed with nutrients. I stock up on the Peak Refuel Base Camp Bucket Freeze Dried Food 24 Servings, as they store very well, are lightweight, and the food is very good for freeze-dried meals. Mountain House also offers the Mountain House Just in Case 14 Day Emergency Kit Freeze Dried Food, another option where the food is pretty good. These meals still require boiling water to rehydrate the meals, but the amount of water is generally less than what rice and beans require. Rehydrating these meals is much faster than it takes to cook the rice and beans as well. Plus, you benefit from the additional flavor and nutrition since the freeze-drying process does a good job of keeping essential vitamins and minerals in the food.

Emergency Communications

We all know that having an emergency radio or some walkie-talkies on hand is a good idea for preparedness in general. And the same rationale applies to hurricane preparedness. But what about keeping your phone up and running to check in with loved ones about your safety? Or, what about reaching out for emergency aid in case of an accident? Hurricane Beryl created conditions where cellular service was not a guarantee, thanks to a few different factors. First off, if the cell towers themselves do not have power, then the amount of coverage becomes limited. Even if there is overlap in your area where some towers are still operational, they suddenly become congested with incoming and outgoing calls. In these situations, texting is more likely to get through, but what about if you can’t get any service?

One device worth looking into is the Garmin inReach Messenger Satellite Communicator. This relatively affordable and portable device connects to your cell phone, which allows you to send text messages through the Garmin Messenger app using the global Iridium satellite network, so you no longer need to rely on cellular service to send out a message. It also has an SOS function that sends an emergency alert to Garmin Response, a 24/7 staffed emergency response coordination center. It has a ton of other useful features, too, including Tracback Routing, inReach Weather Forecast Service, and more. Now, using this device requires a subscription to access the satellite network, but it can be helpful when out hiking or traveling through areas with bad reception. So, if you can justify the minimum annual plan of $12 a month with an activation fee to reach out when you otherwise could not, this device might be for you.

Conclusion and Basics

You most likely understand the other basics of hurricane preparedness, as they are the same as any other preparedness-related topic. Light sources, extra batteries, first aid supplies, toiletries, medication, fuel, and all the other preparedness necessities. Sandbags are another one we could add specifically to hurricane readiness. That said, Hurricane Beryl, although only a Category 1 storm, showed a few examples of specific areas people tend to overlook, especially in a prolonged power outage event. Hopefully, these suggestions give you some things to consider while preparing for more storms to come. Where I live now has close to a 0% chance of ever being directly impacted by a tropical storm of any kind, but all those years growing up in Florida have left an everlasting impression on me. I sincerely hope that you are properly prepared to deal with the aftermath of a hurricane if you ever find yourself in the direct path.

--Magic Prepper