Having worked in Emergency Communications during disasters I would like to offer a few suggestions for Planning for a Disaster and possible evacuation. While it is geared toward Hurricanes, it can apply to most any Disaster situation. Whether you evacuate or ride it out...assume you are going camping for a week and will have no access to electric or water. I have 2 colman lanterns that use propane bottles as the base and a propane 2 burner stove. I have a bottle on them and 2 spares for each. Thus you merely unscrew one bottle and screw on the other and you are set to go. Take food that is non perishable. Take things like can stew, chicken & dumplings, or other meal type stuff that you can heat over the camp stove, as well as other can food. Don't forget to take a pan to heat it in and especially a NON ELECTRIC CAN OPENER. For coffee slurpers take a coffee pot that can perk on the stove, electric percolaters are useless with no electricity. If you go where there will be electric, such as a motel, I'd take one of those electric ice chests and put stuff like sandwich meat, bread, snacks etc. You can plug them in the auto cigarette lighter. Then be sure to get the converter so you can plug it in to the electric at the motel. Thus you don't have to hope you can find ice. Take as much water as space allows. I have a 10 gallon Igloo with a spigot, much easier than messing with 10 one gallon jugs. Two igloos is better if more than 2 people. Use the water sparingly. When I was without water for a month I alone used approx 5 gallons in a day by flushing the toilet (half a bucket full dumped into the toilet 3 or 4 times a day), a quick spit bath at the sink and 2 pots of coffee. To help conserve water have a porta potty. Also comes in handy if traveling and in bumper to bumper traffic and can't get to a rest room. Toiletries, take them with you especially soap, toothbrush and toothpaste. Might also need a comb or brush. Take cots, sleeping bags or air mattresses as there may be no beds for you. Floors in a shelter can get pretty hard after awhile. If staying with a relative or friend they may not have extra beds so you can use the above on the floor. If on medications, take a weeks supply with you. There may not be a way to get them if you are isolated or in a shelter. Take a couple of changes of clothing. You may not be able to bathe but at least have some clean clothes to wear, especially is you get wet or drenched. For children, extra clothes, toys and books to keep them occupied. A weeks supply of diapers for the tiny ones. Pets...most shelters will not allow them so make arrangements for them. Most pounds or similar service will take them in. If you take them with you be sure your destination will allow them. Some motels will, some won't. Smokers, don't forget the extra cigs. We don't want you having withdrawal pains and acting weird. (smile) Toilet Paper. You know you're going to need it. One trick is to take the roll, lay it on its side, and press it flat(er). Then, you should be able to slide it into a quart-sized Zip-lock bag. AND, if you have the time and want to get fancy, reach in to the cardboard roll, and fold it over, in a rolling motion, and pull the cardboard out (carefully). Be sure to bring out the end of the toilet paper where it’s attached to the cardboard. That way, when you need to use the TP, you can unzip the Zip-lock, and uncoil the TP from the middle of the roll, and never have to take the roll out of the bag - keeping it safe, dry, and clean. This is a great camping & travel-to-the-wilds trick. Have a portable radio or a weather radio that works on batteries. This can help keep you informed of storm information. Don't forget extra batteries. STAY OFF CELLPHONES. All towers and circuits get jammed up to where even Emergency Agencies can't use them to do their job. Have one family member outside your area to call and let them know you are safe...then let THEM call everyone else for you. Thus you make only 1 call instead of dozens and tie up the lines. If you have an old CB radio you haven't used in years, get it out, set it up and test it. It could be the only communication you have after the storm. If all else fails you can hook 2 wires to your car battery and use a magnet mount antenna and communicate. If you install it in your car it can provide information. Most on the highways use channel 19. In spite of what they say about language or truckers, I have avoided many a jam up by listening and finding alternate routes even when I'm just taking regular trips. I have heard truckers talking about going a different way so I followed them, not the crowd, and got around road blockages due to wrecks, backups, etc. Some other tips. Gather up all valuable papers, birth certificates, wills, mortgage papers especially any document to prove where you lived. Many areas will not allow you back in post hurricane unless you can prove your address. Gather any other precious items such as photo albums or other paper items that can be ruined by water. Put the above in Plastic Bags and tie them securly to protect them from water. A couple of more things. If you are given a Mandatory Evacuation notice...then get the heck out. If you are stubborn and stay, know that the Authorities will NOT come rescue you after the storm hits. You are on your own! There is no reason for them to die for your stubborness. An extra tip for those who take computers with you. If you are on a National ISP. If you know where you are going, not a shelter but a relative, friends or motel, find out the area code then call now and see what Access numbers are available in that area code. If you can get access then you can get online on a local call. Oh and don't forget to take a phone cord to go from the puter or modem to the phone jack. For those inland, get a map and extend those projected arc lines that the weather service gives out. The storm can give you winds, tons of rain with flooding and possible tornadoes all the way through various states. Remember the worst side of the storm is usually the North East side. Thus many of the South eastern states will be affected. Doesn't matter where you live, Disaster can happen. Earthquakes, mudslides, floods, Tornadoes, Fires, Hurricanes, or some train could flip over, or some explosion in town and people might have only minutes to evacuate. Regardless, everyone should have their Emergency Kit ready at all times. Know what you need to take and have it handy to pack in an instant. How many times have we seen people on TV crying and saying they only had 5 or 10 minutes notice and lost everything including documents, pictures and valuables. They failed to plan. If you are debating evacuation because the forecasts seem to have lower wind speeds....don't decide to stay yet. They've been know to get near land, stall, build, then hit with fury. However, if you are in a flood zone, then git! For those who are thinking of buying a generator and never had one. First decide what you are going to plug into it. Refrig/Freezer, Freezer, is all I'd suggest for big items. Look at the Labels on them, see what their Amps and Wattage are. A small generator won't carry them so you would need a larger one. I had a 650 watt generator and it would only keep the freezer at refrig temp. A 3000 to 4000 should be sufficient. Do NOT connect it to your house wiring unless you know what you are doing or get an electrician to do it. If it backs into the power lines you could be in deep trouble with the power company. Storm Surge: The storm surge is a rapid rise in the sea level beyond what would occur normally with the predicted tides. It is a phenomenon that results from wind driven waves from the storm that raises the sea as the storm approaches the coast. Where the storm tides are directed toward the coast the seas are highest. In the case of hurricanes along the northern Gulf coast, this occurs to the right of the axis of the storm where the winds are onshore and the wind driven seas are inhibited from withdrawing southward by the winds themselves. The main surge can occur very rapidly, sometimes in a matter of minutes. Depending upon the direction of the winds and the configuration of the coast relative to the storm, the surge can either precede or follow the passage of the storm center. Some notable storm surges have occurred while the affected coastal area was in the eye of the storm with the winds nearly calm. NOAA uses a very effective computer model (called SPLASH) that predicts the maximum surge height for each individual storm and the absolute highest surge that can be expected to occur along any predetermined portion of the coast. These predictions are routinely incorporated into the public advisories issued by the NWS and which for Isidore can be found below. Post Hurricane. Do NOT go back home until the Authorities say it is safe to do so. Some people get adament or frustrated about it. But remember there are lines down, some still live, water or gas lines can be broken, Trees and other debris scattered across roads and so on. When it is safe they will let you back in. Be sure to have proof of your residence or they may not let you in. Here is the address for the National Hurricane Prediction Center. National Prediction Center This is by no means complete but will get you started, maybe trigger something you didn't think of. Add your own necessities as needed.