<p>We should probably start a thread with things to bring to school, especially those for weather events.</p>
<p>Great idea, RobD, for the weather radio. Would love to hear what brand you go. We live in Hurricane country, and we don’t have one, although we’d love to get one. Would love to hear a suggestion.</p>
<p>Son had a flashlight, as we are hurricane ready, and some kids on the floor did not have a flashlight. Make sure to add that to the list. </p>
<p>One thing son did not have, and we’re sure to remind him of, as we always have this on hand for hurricanes, was a bottle of water. We usually, at the start of hurricane season, get a couple of gallon jugs and leave them untouched in the pantry or laundry room. You don’t even have to buy one, just fill an empty milk or soda bottle with tap water.</p>
<p>When there was the rumor of the water being contaminated in the dorm, son had soft drinks and juice to drink, but no water. Luckily, he had Purell, for sanitary purposes, but he would have liked to have water to brush his teeth or wash his face. </p>
<p>So, adding to the list, jug of water and flashlight and batteries and weather radio!</p>
<p>Midland weather radio = about $35
flashlight - preferably a headlamp one
full tank of gas
emergency cash!!!
printed list of phone numbers, room #s etc., in case no power = no computer, dead cell phone.</p>
<p>I’d add a battery-operated radio - not an IPod etc, a radio that gets radio stations. Here in Decatur we lost power for several days and out of all the radios we have, not one was operable on batteries alone. No TV, no internet…if we hadn’t had the newspaper arriving every morning (yes, we still subscribe) I’d have had no news. I could go out to the car and listen to the radio, but part of my time was spent tending the 2-year-old grandson.</p>
<p>Yes (raising hand), I’m the one who thought, “I have my laptop, no problem!” and then realized the router is electric.</p>
<p>Yes, until we got to T-town (which had power back within 24 hours!!!..at least at son’s apt), we had to either listen to news on the car radio or use our cell phones (powered by the car).</p>
<p>We went thru all of our radios, and not one ran on batteries!</p>
<p>Seriously, I don’t know how I could have made it without power for days on end. The first night, I opened a bottle of wine, had a glass, and since I’m such a lightweight drinker, I fell asleep! After that, we headed to Ttown. </p>
<p>I’m glad that we have two US maker cars that powers cell phones even while not on…our Japanese cars don’t. </p>
<p>We are now shopping for a good generator…after thowing out 2 fridge/freezers worth of food, I’m annoyed! All those great individually wrapped flash-frozen beneless chicken and fish pieces from Costco and Sams Club in the trash. :(</p>
<p>also getting a battery-operated radio.</p>
<p>*flashlight - preferably a headlamp one
full tank of gas
emergency cash!!!
*</p>
<p>Very true…none of our cars had full tanks. The one we took to Ttown had just over half a tank…we weren’t sure how we’d fill up once we got there (thankfully Northport had power/gas). </p>
<p>And, H and I only had $27 cash between us. Again, luckily Northport ATMs were working.</p>
<p>Just saw this on James Spann’s blog & I figured I’d share:</p>
<p>Free WeatherRadio App!!!</p>
<p>Great news the makers of the iMap WeatherRadio iPhone app have decided to make it free for one day, Thursday, May 19. The app is normally $9.99 and ABC 33/40 is a partner. Here is their news release this evening </p>
<p>The tragic events caused by tornadoes this month in Alabama and the South have shown again the need for enhanced and additional approaches to nationwide alerting of tornado and severe weather outbreaks.</p>
<p>With advanced warnings on smartphones using Location-Based Services, people that are in harms way can be alerted even if they are not sitting in front of a television or in a location where they can hear sirens. This may allow those affected to react in time to avoid loss of life and property.</p>
<p>iMapWeather Radio Free for a Day!</p>
<ul>
<li><p>What is Weather Radio Day? WDT is offering the iMapWeather Radio iPhone application free to up to 100,000 people for one day only the equivalent of a $1M contribution to weather safety nationwide (iTunes download is normally $9.99).</p></li>
<li><p>Find out how you can help by offering and promoting Weather Radio Day and this free application all day on May 19th, either with or without your brand associated.</p></li>
<li><p>With iMapWeather Radio, your viewers receive potentially life-saving, precise weather alerts on their smartphone, free for a lifetime. This free offer is not a lite version and there are no gimmicks involved. We are truly trying to help save lives.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Found the box for our weather radio, this is our 2nd (and best) one, runs AC with battery backup, has SAME.
Midland WR-100. I like the volume and alert options since we have alot of alarms here.</p>
<p>Since our adventures with 3 hurricanes in 6 weeks, we’ve been careful to have a hand-cranked/solar radio (even with no sun it takes very little cranking to run), a couple of flats of water bottles, and some pop top food (soup and pasta, mostly) on hand. I’m assuming DS could just shove this stuff in the closet of those spacious Super Suites and be ready.</p>
<p>Let me add that to my ever expanding list. Did someone say we have only 94 days left to get all this together…</p>
<p>I agree ldinct. We all need to remember to get the app. Also to have in emergency is a hand crank cell phone charger. I know some kids who could not call home until they found a friend whose phone was not dead.</p>
<p>Some people had trouble with calls or texts even though their phones were fully charged. I’m sure it was because some of the cell towers were damaged and the circuits were overloaded.</p>
<p>another thing to add is some “safe candles”. I know that the kids aren’t supposed to have candles in the dorms, but they are needed in such emergencies. Some types are safer than others, so have a few of those.</p>
<p>My younger son’s dorm didn’t have power for a few days so he had to shower by candlelight…which I’m sure others did as well.</p>
<p>If someone can recommend a type that would be especially safe, that would be good. the only ones I can think of are the ones that don’t have totally exposed flames…like the Yankee Candle glass type.</p>
<p>I know that there are some “flameless” types that run on batteries, so those would be fine, too. </p>
<p>Heck, even a string of Christmas lights that run on batteries (I have some in a wreath) would help light a path in a dark hallway necessary.</p>
<p>Oh…and books of matches…when I arrived in Ttown the day after The Tornadoes, I brought tons of books of matches and candles. While some kids had candles, they didn’t have matches to light them.</p>
<p>We’ve also found it helpful to put a small first aid kit, flashlight, and a reasonable amount of cash in each of our cars in both change and bills for any type of emergency…just enough to put in a reasonable amount of gas and pay for food for a couple of meals in case of any type of emergency. We included a list of important phone numbers since those things often escape us in times of emotional upset. We picked up a rechargeable lantern that runs for many hours when the power is out or will run on batteries just to keep in her dorm. Costco or Sams usually has them for around $20.</p>
<p>After Allison and Ike, we now have waterproof plastic bin with Batteries for weather radio, an emergency cell phone charger, flashlights, etc. also bottles of propane for camp stove. chemical handwarmers (gets cold in Houston occaisionally). Bus the best items are the led flashlights that are mounted on headbands so that your hands are free and the reading glasses with an led light on each temple so you can read in the dark. </p>
<p>i also keep hand wipes, TP, a tool kit, scissors, a can of tire puncture fix (debris on road) and a sewing kit in the car.</p>