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Old 02-21-2010, 03:16 AM   #1
Ozz
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Be prepared!

I don't think I have posted this here, if so chalk it up to my old age...
Be prepared
The Boy Scouts have made this their motto for good reason. With most things in life, being prepared makes it much more of a pleasant journey. Air in the spare tire, a full gas tank, fresh windshield wipers, these are some of things we should be keeping up with. I would make a wager with most folks about the air in the spare tire, yours is probably half of what it should be.

This Winter will surely bring on an Ice Storm, we could get one at any time

*Know what it means when the National Weather Service issues storm warnings and watches. A winter storm watch indicates heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain are possible within the next 36-48 hours. The weather forecast should be monitored.

A winter storm or ice storm warning indicates a significant winter event is occurring or will occur within the next 24 hours. This combination of snow, sleet, freezing rain and moderate winds will impact travel and outdoor activities. If the warning is for an ice storm, it will be issued when mostly freezing rain is expected with ice accumulations of one-quarter inch or more within a 12-hour period.

* I took the above from a newspaper article.

An ice storm can impact your home and safety for days, even weeks. In 2007 the Springfield area had ice accumulations up to two and a half inches, over 200,000 residents were without power for up to three weeks. That is a long time to be in the cold, and without the conveniences we are all used to.

Get a survival kit! One for the car, and one for the home.

In the car, have a flashlight, extra fresh batteries, a sleeping bag, or a heavy blanket, ice scraper, a bag of ice melt, first aid kit, a small tarp, high energy non-perishable food, hat, gloves, good booster cables, don’t waste your money on cheap ones.

I saw a set of slip-on cleats for your shoes at Lowe’s, I have a pair and have used them.

Comfort, and survival at home requires more preparation, did you know that your gas supply to your furnace is almost never shut down?

When the power goes off, you can’t use that furnace, even though you have gas because of electrical supply interruption. With a simple switch and proper plug, all you would have to do is start a small generator and plug in. Your furnace motor pulls very little amperage. Get large candles, plenty of ice melt, first aid kit, a selection of fire extinguishers, electrical fire, solid fuel fire, and so on; This is another topic we should be aware of..

Get a good CO detector, carbon monoxide kills many during power outages, alternate heat and power can cause the deadly gas to infiltrate the home.

Life is just better with hot food, a camping stove, or other means of cooking will come in handy.

Oh, the weather radio you program to the counties around you, doubles as a terrorist and chemical spill warning system.

Don’t be one of those people looking out of a dark house at the sleet and ice on the power lines, wishing they would have prepared. It’s too late then..

Jim
 
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Old 02-21-2010, 03:33 AM   #2
ARJ
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Well Ozz, it looks like we both have crappy weather or else we wouldn't be sitting here typing stuff.

BTW, I think the Boy Scouts stole that motto from the Johnston (Johnstone) clan in Scotland. "Never unprepared" Of course I have two grandsons who are Eagle scouts so I guess I will have to forgive them.
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Old 02-21-2010, 03:52 AM   #3
Ozz
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Arj, great trivia. Hey, if it's good, it's up for repeating. Yes, I am looking out the front window at the snow falling, we had big flakes, now heavy smaller flakes. I threw a big cup of Chicken scratch feed out on the front sidewalk, Woodpeckers, Blue Jays, Doves, they are all happy campers now. Later on this early evening my different groups of Deer will be coming by.
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Old 02-21-2010, 06:29 AM   #4
swanny
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Great info OZZ. I can add one more thing. This happened to us in Fla. There were warnings for specific areas (Counties). We hear the warnings on our VHF radio, we looked at one another and said, What county are we in right now? It pays to pay attention as to were you are.
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Old 02-21-2010, 08:23 AM   #5
JimF
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Ozz, we lived in North Dakota for several years, there a survival kit is required in your car and home, well, not required but necessary if you want to live. In the vehicle we carry sleeping bags (-40 rated) sterno (6 cans), coffee can, toliet paper, something to read, candels, survival snacks. The coffee can is to put the toilet paper in, pour in the squeezed sterno and you have a 6 hour clean heater. Real handy if it below zero and your stranded. Stay with the vehicle, do not try to walk out, you will loose at -35.
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Old 02-21-2010, 08:45 AM   #6
Ozz
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Jim, it's interesting to hear of extreme and different climates we all live in, and how the seasons are. You knew the importance of being ready for a possible break-down. Many years ago, I set up a large back-pack for Sue's car. Occasionally we update the more perishables in it. I like the Sterno idea.
Many people don't even have a jack, or inflated spare tire. I put in an air conditioner for a young couple, he had a 25' travel trailer, used. I checked the tires, they were all almost rotten, they took week-end short trips as a family. I told him to try and get new tires, and pretend he had a flat, Jack? inflated spare, and so on, see if he had all the items to get the tire changed. I told him he didn't want to find he couldn't change the tire along the roadside with him family in the truck.
I bought two new tires for my Super-Duty, the NTB guys couldn't get the tires off, they had to beat them off with a sledge hammer, the wheels were galled to the hubs. I had them loosen and lube all 4 wheels. There is no way I could have got a wheel off myself.
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Old 02-21-2010, 09:00 AM   #7
ARJ
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Don't forget a fire extinguisher and water. A little air compressor and an inverter make it nice as well as boots and a shipping blanket to lay on if necessary!

Now to get a moving van to haul all the stuff.

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