Come on Irene...

[thebrasilian]

Well we haven't had one of these in the South Carolina for a while. Irene appears to be on her way and should be around here by the weekend.

What are you doing to be prepared?

Me, not much except to make sure that we can defend our property. Live around Columbia so we usually don't get the real bad stuff. But you never know when someone might take advantage of the situation.

 

[Avtomat-Acolyte]

What we'd like to do and what we can afford to do are not interconnected realities.

The most we can muster at the moment is weather the storm with inadequate groceries, prepare to repel all borders and hope that nothing is disrupted for very long.

If the storm looks bad we will get on I-26 and head to the mountains and return when "it's all over."

 

[Dave29461]

P.M. generator, fill tanks and cans, fill jugs and freeze, secure loose outdoor items, send wife to daughter's house or Brother-in-law in Northern Virginia depending on severity, lay supplies, check propane, weapons are always ready.

 

[Landy]

Guess it is a good weekend for the Hurricane Expo then!!
We try and stay ready for these during the season.
Only thing will be to top off the fuel for the generator and make sure the Batteries we use in flashlites and such are enough to get through it. "from the Bunker"

 

[Enjay]

I have a question, if you don't mind my asking.
If a hurricane hits town my husband is required to go to his place of employment and remain in situ until it's over*. The kids and I will probably head to family in VA if necessary.
I've driven there and back numerous times, but never during an emergency situation. Is there a strategy for evacuating so we don't get stranded in traffic during a hurricane? I don't have a lot of experience with hurricanes, although we moved here the night one arrived in august of 04, but when do you know it's time to leave?
Thanks!

*it sounds like they're throwing us to the wolves but his skills are critical and in short supply during an emergency and the facility is not set up to take in people, it's actually a pretty dangerous and uncomfortable place.

 

[thebrasilian]

keep an eye on it and go with your gut. It's better to be safe than sorry stuck in traffic and paying extra for gas...that is if you can get off the highway. The last evac, the highways were parking lots even here in columbia. Made it real difficult to get to work back then.

 

[Dave29461]

Leave early. I know it is a short answer but it is the only answer for quick evacuation.

 

[thebrasilian]

 

[Schultz]

No offense to the low country folks but I'm glad I live in the upstate, Been through to many hurricanes to count.

 

[tigerfan00]

I get put on call at work...so pretty much all I do is make sure my guns etc are locked up in the safe...throw my box of important paper work in the car with me and make sure my roommate knows to grab my dog if something happens and he has to leave the apartment



My parents have a generator and plenty of supplies and live 5 minutes down the street so if no power or roof here i'll head over there

 

[Enjay]

Well, the current plan is to prepare to leave, prepare to stay, and we'll make the decision on Wednesday after work.

 

[thebrasilian]

The new outlook...already...is starting to put it more east.

 

[Landy]

@ Enjay. If this storm was to hit chas. then leave no later than Thursday. Friday will be to late. All roads going out would most likely be a parking lot.
But where you are headed is the path the storm will most likely take. So if possible you want to go away from it. So west would be better, like Atlanta or at least that direction.

 

[Avtomat-Acolyte]

After experiencing Hugo in 1989 (Category 4) and watching the clustermunition that was Katrina via CNN and the Internet...

My family is evacuating if any hurricane predicted to make landfall is a Category 3 or higher. We will "weather" Category 1 and 2 but for 3+ we are gone until it is all over. It's just not worth the risk to my family. If I was a single guy, that'd be different.

We're eyeing this storm closely.

Earlier today it was predicted to make direct landfall on Charleston on Thursday and, at that time, to become a Category 2. I just checked and it will be a Category 2 as of tomorrow evening and will possibly be a Category 3 by the time it hits SC. The path is now predicted to curve North and miss direct contact with Charleston but will likely get the outer edges of it.

Time will tell.

 

[Enjay]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I know that Virginia is still in the path trajectory, but it's where our people are, and they're pretty well fortified.
Earlier this evening I took a 6 gallon water can over to a neighbor and good friends house to loan it to them in case the hurricane hits. I don't have much experience with hurricanes, just Gustav back in '04, but their inexperience and unwillingness to believe just how serious it could get is worrisome.

The irony of my not wanting to avoid heading up the path of the hurricane and expressing concern over my friends lack of preparedness and concern has not escaped me

 

[Hillbluffer]

Well the last time we did and evacuation out of the low country it went well with a 8-10 hour travel time to Columbia from Charleston. However the time before was a gawdawful disaster with travel times in the 15 to 20 hour range. Judge for yourself what you need in your vehicle for that kind of and ordeal. I95 is a major evacuation route for Florida and Georgia so lots of traffic along this. We did a lane reversal on I-26 from Charleston to Columbia so it all one way to Columbia. LOL we did have portal potties alone the route but many won't get off the road to use them. Normally we do an evacuation decision when the hurricane is 36 hours from landfall. That's cutting it a bit close for my own opinion, but it costs a fortune to do this so we wait until we are forced to evacuate.

Good luck to all caught up in this

 

[fordnut]

I will ride it out...I slept thru Hugo, then went 3 weeks without power...Guess I can do it again...

Two things that is very important...We found out with Hugo, but, no one thinks about it...

CASH.....when everyone evacuates, they take all the cash with them...Go out and get cash now. If we are hit, no one takes credit cards or checks....

Gas...fill all your vehicles NOW>>>>> don't wait...DO It NOW>>>>>

People take full tanks of gas when they leave...along with all the cash in town...Fill up now. It will not go to waste...you will always use it later. If the power goes out for very long, there is no electricity for the stations to pump gas...

I will be here. Everything we own is here. I will not go off and leave it. Also, I will be here to try to stop any furthe damage, if possible...

Steve