Hurricane bug-out/in lessons

[SeriousStudent]

Re: Trauma kits.

I just heard on a podcast that these may be eligible for purchase with HSA (health savings account) money. I hadn't really thought about it before but it does make sense.

It worked for me. About a month ago, I bought a bunch of stuff from Rescue Essentials to restock a pair of kits.

[ragnar_d]

Ragnar, that's a great list. Some random thoughts...

All 6 of us had our iPads, and they were life/sanity savers. Even though the place we bugged outnto had 5 Tvs, everyone being able to sit where they want and watch what they want was critical.

I've got a little freebie android tablet that is good for playing around with but I'm looking to get an iPad (I've already assimilated into the Borg, might as well go all the way). Wife had an old iPad mini that was really handy for a lot of things until the toddler decide to try her hand at high velocity drop testing (Note to self: whatever is two levels above a otterbox/Lifeproof, get that case for the wee one). Probably look at getting a couple because I really like my tablet and the little one is getting old enough where we can start loading shows and edu-tainment games on there for here. Add on that the wife's entertainment tastes diverge from mine, it would help a lot with keeping everyone occupied.

Our Yeti soft cooler did better than either of the two large hard side box store brands. I'm not saying it needs to be a boutique cooler, but I'm thinking that having at least one of the rotomolded larger coolers would be a good idea if we need to stay somewhere without power.

I've got a couple Coleman coolers and they worked, but marginally. A big precooled RTIC would probably have done even better . . . and it would be great for the annual race pilgrimage.

I used to have a bin that had all. Y emergency supplies. Since moving onto this house two years ago I still haven't built it back up, and with more people involved now it needs to be different anyway. It would be nice to be able to just grab up that box if we leave.

I'm looking at doing similar. Right now, it's just an excel sheet full of checklists. Ultimate goal is to just have everything except cooler stuff already in the totes and ready to GTFO.

The hitch platform thing is a great idea. Reminds me I need to get a hitch installed on our "mini van".

It's one of the reasons it took me so long to track down an Explorer (which was probably not the best choice in hindsight, but it kept the wife happy . . .). I wanted the factory tow package and they were had to come by in Alabama at the time. All the aftermarket ones looked like crap. As for the hitch platform, this is the one I'm looking at:
ROLA 59502 2" Steel Cargo Carrier - 2 Piece
Pretty decent reviews and the platform is big enough to haul what I want to haul in it. Thinking about it more, while a trailer would be nice it would be a hindrance in two ways:

1. We'd end up packing too much crap
2. I take a 10-11mpg penalty towing a trailer with the Exploder. That cuts the range a good bit. Upside would be being able to carry extra fuel if we had to do a loooonnnnnnnng haul.
3. It was a big enough pain moving in traffic and gas stations, a trailer would only make it worse.

[Hambo]

Trauma kits are cool, but being up to date on tetanus vaccine would be a better idea when doing cleanup. If I lived where it floods, I'd add some other vaccines.

[jwperry]

Anybody ever used something like this for a multi-day outage:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Power-Invert...72.m2749.l2649

I don't remember who mentioned it, but the soft-sided Ozark Trail Wal Mart cooler I bought right before the storm kept ice longer than my 2 Coleman coolers that I've been toting around for years. They're about to be replaced. We never lost water, but I used my waterBOB. I see they're $100+ on ebay right now and out of stock everywhere. I'll buy more than 1 when they come back in stock..

We've already started to replenish the things we consumed and fill the holes that we found: more battery powered fans, more batteries, Thermacell Lantern(s), larger tarps, sterno stove and we're looking into getting a propane grill. Getting charcoal going at 0500 to boil water for the french press coffee maker was for the birds. I also need to find a bribe/treat for the kids that the first ingredient isn't "sugar". If I could have put them on little hamster wheels to drive the fans in the house I think my week would have been 50% better.

[rob_s]

Anybody ever used something like this for a multi-day outage:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Power-Invert...72.m2749.l2649

I have an inverter in the cab from the factory, but once I have a bed cover I intend to add a "real" inverter to the bed.

We've already started to replenish the things we consumed and fill the holes that we found: more battery powered fans, more batteries, Thermacell Lantern(s), larger tarps, sterno stove and we're looking into getting a propane grill. Getting charcoal going at 0500 to boil water for the french press coffee maker was for the birds. I also need to find a bribe/treat for the kids that the first ingredient isn't "sugar". If I could have put them on little hamster wheels to drive the fans in the house I think my week would have been 50% better.

With Maria somewhat threatening lots of people are scrambling again to re-stock.

[Grey]

Really good insight here, we don't get as severe weather up here but I have a change of heart about the storm drain entrance in my yard after seeing all the flooding.

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[David S.]

Anybody ever used something like this for a multi-day outage:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Power-Invert...72.m2749.l2649

If you're looking to power your appliances, take a look at the Whistler. It's rated to take a surge for 10 seconds.

Also, for outdoor cooking, I've been happy with the Camp Chef Denali. I think I bought mine at Costco last year.

[jwperry]

If you're looking to power your appliances, take a look at the Whistler. It's rated to take a surge for 10 seconds.

Also, for outdoor cooking, I've been happy with the Camp Chef Denali. I think I bought mine at Costco last year.

That inverter looks nicer than the one I was looking at. Time to decide what all we want to power. Previous target was the fridge, tv and a few fans.

The price of that camp stove, I can get a nice propane grill. Looks nice and compact for camping though.

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[jwperry]

I have an inverter in the cab from the factory, but once I have a bed cover I intend to add a "real" inverter to the bed.

Are you looking at a COTS solution for the bed mounted inverter or engineering something?

My wife is already starting to panic about another storm. The current weather map of the Atlantic looks a lot like it did back in '04.

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[ranger]

Several people mentioned tablets for entertainment. I bought an Amazon Fire at Black Friday or such extremely cheap. It works well and is significantly cheaper than an iPad. Only issue so far is that it does not work on the Delta in flight entertainment app GOGO.