We are in central Houston and will stay unless it looks like a cat 5. If that is the case I think we'll get the heck out of dodge. We're fairly well prepared with water and food and cooking fuel. I don't relish the idea of being several days to a week with out a/c, and flooding does worry me. During TS Allison my immediate area did not flood too bad, though if it looks like it might I have plans to move my car to the parking garage near me.
I'm going to the grocery store today for my regular shopping and plan to pick up a few supplies. More batteries and some disposable roasting pans (to use as litter boxes should we need to evac with cats)
Keep your gas tanks full! don't wait until the last minute to fill up. During hurricane season I try not to let it get below half a tank. I'd also suggest stocking up on water if you haven't already. If the storm does look like it's coming this way and you are planning to stay, don't forget to wash and fill your bath tub with water. It can be used to flush the toilet! You can add 1/8 tsp of chlorine bleach to one gallon of water (let stand at least 30 minutes) to make it drinkable if you can't boil it. Oh, and don't forget to start freezing ice if it looks like the storm is going to hit. Big blocks of ice come in handy. Take a clean milk jug/water jug and fill it with wter and freeze it. Big ice blocks melt more slowly than chunk ice.
Angela, Alicia was scary. I was a baby when it hit, but my DH was 10. His family stayed at their home in Baytown, which was near the water. All of the houses west of theirs are GONE now (see for yourself
here.)They turned the area into a nature preserve. I am hoping we do not have a repeat of Alicia - we are long over due for it though, so I am preparing for the worst.
I will pack some bags and get things prepared in case we do need to evacuate we can do it quickly. I plan on drugging my cats if we have a long car trip. If you have pets, be sure to ask your vet about sedating them if you think they will need it.
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