Hurricane Milton due Wednesday

[jiminbartow]

There is another hurricane barreling across the Gulf of Mexico heading for the west coast of Florida. Hurricane Milton is due to make landfall on Wednesday as a cat 4 hurricane on Wednesday. Anyone in its’ path needs to be ready for its’ wrath. If you have a Model T it should be locked in a strong garage. Not an open sided carport with no garage door. Now is the time to prepare as well as you can. If you can get a generator, by all means get one as the power may be off for several weeks. Make sure you get enough gas to run it for that long. Stock up on food and water as well. I have two 5 gallon Igloo water coolers and fill them with tap water. Once it is over, don’t expect any help from the Government. Due to mismanagement, FEMA is out of money, so you will be on your own. Good luck.

[Dan Hatch]

You are right Jim. My daughter and Son in law live in Evans Ga. I took them a generator a day after that last one. What a mess. They were lucky not any real damage. Just no power. It saved their refrigerator and freezer. They had no water for a few days, lucky I took that too.
But the worst was no cash. Get some of that cause with no power, no banks or credit card machines.

[Daisy Mae]

If anyone has any Model A or T's (or any antique) in the path and need safe storage give me a shout, I can probably squeeze two more into the shop, and maybe a couple neighbors garages here in PCB if you're evacuating this direction and can haul it with you.

[Daisy Mae]

Having lived thru Michael, some suggestions:
1) cash is king!!! Always keep a good bankroll in cash. No electricity, no phone/internet svc = a cash or barter society.
2) WATER!!! Never underestimate your water needs. In our case I have bladders that fit in a bathtub you can fill with over 100 gallons. I have 3 tubs, over 300 gal will last weeks.
3) if you can't capture water prior, invest in a good ceramic water filter canister, any water source, even a muddy puddle, becomes viable.
4) stockpile a minimum of 1 to 2 weeks of dry/canned/freeze dried food. It took over 2-4 weeks before stores reopened after Michael, and FEMA took 2+ weeks to bring MRE's...but as we've seen, don't count on that anymore...it is now, as it was then, really on you and your neighbors to climb out of it.
5) cooking sources. Charcoal & Gas grills do double duty...fill those gas tanks and have extras. Camp stoves & fuel. Even the sun works.
6) if you have a generator, be sure to have plenty of gas. Note, all it takes is about 4hrs per day to keep a fridge/freezer cold...just open them sparingly!!!! Invest in a portable ice maker and run it everytime the generator is working. Ice has many uses.
7) medical supplies & prescriptions. Our hospitals were taken out in Michael....be CAREFUL cleaning up...medical issues may be all on you. Can you run a stitch?? We had someone hurt with a chain saw who received care by a neighbor....no doc, no ambulance, no hospital!!!
8) SNAKES!!!!!!!! More snake bites occur in the aftermath of disasters than at any other time!! Be careful when clearing debris, and if bit, see #7!!!!!
9) accessible tools, tape, tarps, etc
10) safeguard all important paperwork...insurance, accounts, birth certificates, medical information etc etc in waterproof snatch & grab.
11) invest in a digital TV antenna. Phones cable & internet were down for weeks/months, but we could keep informed via the antenna. Conversely, keep a good multiband/weather radio and supply of batteries or magneto radio.
12) lighting...nothing worse than the dark at a bad time. Candles, flashlights, waterproof matches.
13) have a prepared plan as to evacuation, meeting points, communication, etc
14) don't forget about your pets needs!
15) BUG SPRAY!!!!

The list goes on, but this is a good top priority list. But goes a long way to ensure your survival in the face of a disaster. It's not just for hurricanes....EVERYONE is at risk of some natural disaster. Some prudent forethought, planning & preparation goes a long way. Ain't nobody saving you...it's on YOU!! Relief could be hours, days, weeks or months!

Obviously some of the above means squat if your home/supplies are taken out, but if everyone was so prepared you and your community fares much better. I know way too many people who believe or expect they will be 'saved', and were wholly lost in the aftermath when no help came.

But the best of human nature comes out in a disaster...but keep a gun for those not on their best behavior...cops are taking care of their homes, not you.

[TXGOAT2]

A bad storm can land you in the equivalent of a shattered 18th century village in a war zone in a matter of hours. NOTHING will work! Hazards and filth will be at every hand, and no quick fixes will be available.

[1925 Touring]

Best of luck from Illinois.
All we have to worry about are tornados and snow.

No matter how far we may "progress" we can't forget that in times like these all the tech in the world wont be worth a darn.

Good luck everyone, may you, your family, and your cars be safe!

[jiminbartow]

Lots of great suggestions here. Luckily, there is nothing here that I have overlooked so, I’m as ready as I can be, but I’m still very worried about the wind we’ll have to endure. I hope I have a home when it has passed.

A generator is a Godsend and can provide many of the needs and comforts that are required during a long hurricane. My generator will run my refrigerator, freezer, microwave, (2) TV’s, several lamps, (2) fans, chargers for a smartphone, I-pad and LED head lamp. In 2004, when 3 hurricanes came across central Florida, the power was off for 3 weeks and during that time, my house was the only house with lights and power in my neighborhood and for miles around.

Many don’t know that constantly running a generator can burn it up. I was advised by a Honda tech that you should shut your generator off every 8 to 12 hours and let it cool down for 30 minutes, then it’s’ good for another 8 to 12 hours. Be sure to set your smartphone alarm for 8 to 12 hours to remind you to give your generator a rest.

[Steve Jelf]

Lots of good advice here. At times like this it's popular in some quarters to blame FEMA for running out of money. All spending bills originate in the House of representatives. It's in the Constitution for all to read. Maybe we need to pay more attention when electing our representatives.

[Art M]

James,
Your information is interesting and helpful for preparation.

What size generator do you have? Can all the appliances be operated at the same time? How much fuel per day is consumed?

Art Mirtes

[DHort]

You want generators, we make tons of them here in WI. Hope they can get enough shipped down to you.

Tired of hearing complaints about FEMA. They are not first responders. They come in later and they only have so many staff, who are all maxed out at this time. They do their best, but it is not like they have a crew of a million just waiting for a disaster to hit. Give them credit for all the great work they do when they are called upon. It is not an easy job and I am sure the pay is not top of scale either.

Thank you to anyone who works in rescue type fields. Thank you.

[TWrenn]

A strong storage space for your T & belongings is one thing..but being on HIGHER GROUND is another! You may have to go well inland to avoid a 10-20 foot storm surge. If you're buying a portable generator I highly advise a dual-fuel hybrid. Get several 20 and/or 30 lb LP tanks plus plenty of gasoline. Getting enough fuel during a long outage can be more of a problem. I have an automatic standby generator on LP, a smaller hybrid mostly for the sump pumps if needed to support the primary gen, and lastly a 1.4 KW solar generator system with 14KW battery storage. Runs 2/3 the house.

As Kurt said...the irony is while there's usually too much water where you DON'T want it..make sure you have enough water where you DO want & need it! A human can only go 3 days without proper hydration before bad things stsrt to happen to the body.

Good luck and prayers to all...again!

[John kuehn]

Well since FEMA was brought up it is turning out they had their priorities in the wrong place and folks didn’t know about it until a few days later. The Constitution tells us where the money comes from. It’s the distribution of it is what has gotten people upset.
The majority of the money went for things not directly related to catastrophic situations and other disaster situations. That was the current folks in the country’s top leadership decisions that caused the lack of funds. And we now know what that is. Just ask the folks that live at the border states and they can tell you.
The wrong decisions of 3-4 years ago in this case caused the uproar from common sense thinking people.

We owe a lot to the first responders that are doing all they can.

We now are hearing that Florida is expecting a Hurricane in a few days and they are preparing for it.

[Dan Hatch]

MREs were mentioned in a previous post in this thread.
We can drop them all over Afghanistan, why not Ga, NC , Fla and other places?

[Norman Kling]

We haven't had any Hurricanes here in southern California but the two things we do have are Brush fires and Earthquakes. The earthquakes are seldom hard enough to cause serious damage especially with our reinforced buildings. The strongest one I can remember was about a 9 on the scale and it was centered about 100 miles from home but it felt as though the floor was moving a foot up ad down. Broke a few small items. It came just before the radio stations came on in the morning and I got the National Anthem on several stations. I thought maybe we had been Nuked! I had a Model A and it was jacked up I had been working on it the day before. The quake caused it to fall off the jack! Good thing I was not under it at the time. A few chimnys were knocked down in our neighborhood.
Later here in Alpine, we had a big fire in 2003 called "Cedar Fire" It started about 60 miles from here when a campfire got away from someone in the mountains. It was quite windy. We went to church that day which was Sunday. We could see smoke in the distance but many miles from here. We had always thought we would evacuate to San Diego if necessary. By the time church was out, the wind had shifted and the fire crossed Interstate 8 between us and San Diego. About 3:00 we were told to evacuate. I had packed my pickup and Dolores' car with important documents and some clothes and water and what we thought we might need and went down into town. We watched the smoke and when we could see flames in the distance we left. Had to go East toward El Centro. We parked by the side of the road and watched the fire come over a mountain which was between our home and were we were parked. The Highway patrol came by and told us we must move on. Anyway, we ended up at a High School in a small rural area about 30 miles from here. There were cots set up in the auditorium, but we couldn't sleep in a place where people were constantly entering and the lights were on, so we slept in the car. It had reclining seats. Three days later we came home and found the house still standing and the garage with 2 Model T's still there! However the electricity was off for the rest of the week and the freezer had thawed and the floor under it was ruined. all the food had spoiled. Our son was able to go to work and we had a land line which still worked even though the power was off. He called every day and brought some fast food for dinner. There was a McDonalds in town which had power and we could get coffee and breakfast there. We still had water so could take a short shower in the afternoon while the water in the pipes was still warm from the day. It was about this time of year and it is still warm during the day, so we didn't need heat.
Norm

[Daisy Mae]

I will be the first to state that FEMA is not, nor should be, in any first responder position. If you believe, or count on them to be, then you're a fool.
But then this begs the question, what is their purpose? Is it generally understood what that is? This becomes a problematic issue when FEMA response is wholly inconsistent one disaster to the next. While it may appear as "bashing", it IS everyone's right to question, especially relative to disparity. It has nothing to do with bashing those who put boots to the ground, it has to do with the politics of mgmt.
Katrina was unprecedented in damage, and was supported by FEMA for years. But other unprecedented historically destructive storms such as Michael and Helena get either no response, or delayed or minimal response due to mismanagement or partisan politics blocking direct funding because "they don't deserve it" as was stated for Michael. Why?
So yes, I have every right to question, bash if you will...the basis for FEMA, especially when it operates completely on a set of universally discriminating and inconsistent processes.

Further, while FEMA is an "Emergency Management" organization, I find it interesting that the Red Cross is typically one of the very first relief orgs on the ground. What then is the comparative function of FEMA, and how is it our US forces are so lacking in comparison?

As to Dan's question about MRE's, FEMA keeps huge stockpiles. FEMA did end up arriving weeks after Michael distributing MRE's, but that lasted all of about two weeks. The VAST majority of organized food distribution was not FEMA....it was the Red Cross and various national nonprofits or local business or church run soup kitchens.

Which, is why I emphatically state, understand the realities, don't expect to be "saved", prepare for the safety of you, your family, your community, and if you are capable donate to the Red Cross and any nonprofit emergency response or soup kitchens like:
Samaritans Purse.
Mercy Chef's
Doctors without Borders
Shelter Box
Operation BBQ Relief
And many more...just research...
So many private response orgs out there doing emergency response that are deserving of your support...someday it may be your hand reaching out to them.

[TWrenn]

MREs were mentioned in a previous post in this thread.
We can drop them all over Afghanistan, why not Ga, NC , Fla and other places?

I actually have a 3 mo. supply of not those gross MRE's but freeze-dried meals "just in case".

Also..Milton is now a CAT 5!! 10-12 foot storm surge expected.

God help all in the way.

[Norman Kling]

When we had our fire the churches and Red Cross were first responders. Fema came a few days later and set up a location in town, but as far as I know did not go into neighborhoods to distribute or help at all. The church also set up a trailer near where the FEMA office was located and as the people were lined up for FEMA we talked to them about the MRI's we had. This was followed by furniture clothing and appliances for people who had lost homes.
Norm

[John Codman]

Lots of good advice here. At times like this it's popular in some quarters to blame FEMA for running out of money. All spending bills originate in the House of representatives. It's in the Constitution for all to read. Maybe we need to pay more attention when electing our representatives.

I was going to write something similar. It might be wise to consider that Ian two years ago cost FEMA billions. Like every other government department, it has a budget.

[jiminbartow]

Art M, I have a Honda EU3000is that I bought in 2004. The spec. Label says:

AC
Voltage: 120V
Frequency: 60Hz
Rated Output: 2.8 kVA
Max Output: 3.0 kVA
Phase: 1
DC
Voltage: 12V
Current: 12A
Fuel: Gasoline

Yes. You can operate all of the appliances I listed at the same time. It is very fuel efficient and very quiet. Best purchase I have ever made.

[RajoRacer]

WTF does a storm have to do with Model T Fords ??????????? Pretty sure this would be an OT even though jiminbartow mentioned Model T in his post - how's about this gets moved to the OT section ??????????

[Oldav8tor]

This is not a time to play politics or parrot the party line. Millions of people, including some of our friends on this forum, are in the path of a deadly storm. In the short term, whatever steps those in the bullseye take to prepare will be pretty much all they have to sustain them. The local, state and Federal governments will do their best, but cannot be counted on to make everything better, at least in the short term.

Those outside of the storm zone should do what they can to support those facing the disaster head on. Safe storage, a spare room, whatever it takes. I live in Michigan, too far away to be of much use to anyone evacuating the storm zone. Nonetheless, my wife and I will find a way to support those providing aid to those affected.

[TXGOAT2]

Generators need care and maintenance. Spiders, dirt daubers, and so forth can cause problems with cooling, and fire ants can cause all sorts of problems. Stale fuel and water in fuel systems can be a problem. Be sure your generator is in good working order with plenty of fresh clean fuel available. Be sure diesel units have clean, dry filters. Generators benefit from being run for an hour or so every six months. More stand by generators get gummed-up from disuse than ever wear out. NEVER connect your household wiring to a generator unless you have a proper interface, or you completely disconnect your house wiring from the grid. Otherwise, you may electrocute a lineman or other person, among other problems you could expect.

[TXGOAT2]

Staying in the path of a hurricane is like trying to punch out a big oak tree.

[babychadwick]

Regarding Generators . . .
I just dealt with Helene and have been helping with the cleanup/repair at a friends house. As it is on an isolated island (only accessible by boat) different problems present themselves. I was just starting the rebuild (piles of debris everywhere) and am now dealing with milton. On the island many homes had standby generators run on propane. The storm tore free the big tanks leaving the generators useless, as it also destroyed the barge dock bringing in more propane to refill the tanks isnt an option. With the power off in an undamaged home mold sets in VERY fast. A generator running will suck much more gas than many believe and while you may keep the fridge cold you could end up with a molded home. The best solution is a 2000 inverter generator. Run the generator all night on a gallon of gas. While it's running recharge a battery, run a portable ice maker and small AC (yes the generator will do that). You can sit back watch TV and sleep in AC all night. In the morning take the ice and put in your yeti type cooler, take the charged battery and hook up the inverter allowing basic electronics phone ect. Next night repeat . . .

Regarding evacuation . . .
Have a destination and know what it will take to get there, depending on time leaving expect to meet bad traffic accidents and no available gas. It may be a far better option to drive at night when the roads are less crowded. Evacuation without a plan is a recipe for disaster.

Current conditions regarding Milton . . .
I am in Sarasota/Bradenton right now and it is clear people are panicking. Many gas stations are out of gas and the roads are clogged. I wonder how sitting in traffic with the AC on effects the range of an EV, or how long the wait is at charging stations . . . We have what should be a stable location (not far from where Jim Cantori is set up) which unfortunately looks about to be an excellent opportunity to go thru the eye. Any questions on what to do or how to cope and ill do my best to answer as I have been dealing with hurricanes for a number of years now.

PS The forecasts on TV are based on the NOAA data, NOAA has their predicted path if you know where to look. Watching their path adjust will give an indication of how the storm is actually tracking sometimes far better than watching the news. The 10 forecasts are here, as you can see there has been very little movement.

[jiminbartow]

Chad. Speaking of EV’s. During hurricane Helene there were over 60 instances of EV cars bursting into flames when the salt water rose high enough to come into contact with the lithium batteries, which are under the floor of the car. Lithium batteries and saltwater do not mix and once the fire starts, it is virtually impossible to extinguish. The only thing you can do is try to push or pull it out of your garage…that is, if you are home and awake when it occurs. Odds are, if this happens, your house will burn down. Without considering the fact they only have a one way range of 200 miles before needing to be recharged for 8 hours (if you can find a charging station), their penchant for bursting into flames upon going through a deep saltwater puddle, is reason enough to steer clear of EV’s.

[John Codman]

Generators need care and maintenance. Spiders, dirt daubers, and so forth can cause problems with cooling, and fire ants can cause all sorts of problems. Stale fuel and water in fuel systems can be a problem. Be sure your generator is in good working order with plenty of fresh clean fuel available. Be sure diesel units have clean, dry filters. Generators benefit from being run for an hour or so every six months. More stand by generators get gummed-up from disuse than ever wear out. NEVER connect your household wiring to a generator unless you have a proper interface, or you completely disconnect your house wiring from the grid. Otherwise, you may electrocute a lineman or other person, among other problems you could expect.

If you can swing it, a whole house generator is the way to go. Here in SW Florida, power outages are frequent - I was on the generator for an hour and a half this morning. Mine uses Propane, so stale gas isn't an issue. The generator starts and runs for 21 minutes every week which pretty much takes care of unwanted critters. Ironically, my plan for today was to change it's oil and filter - I bought Mobil one for it yesterday. I use full synthetic as when it starts it goes immediately to 3,600 RPM, runs for about 15 seconds, then picks up the load. There is an automatic load shedding for my electric stove, dryer, and water heater. When the generator starts these appliances are dropped off the generator, then picked up one by one after about 15 minutes. I really don't need the water heater load shed as I have a hybrid water heater that is set to run in economy mode always. It doesn't use much electricity - it has paid for itself in less then three years. It's raining here today so the oil change will have to wait for a bit. My propane tank is underground, so having Milton blow it away is not an issue.

[jiminbartow]

John. Naples, Florida is right on the west side of south Florida with multiple inlets. Are you far enough inland to avoid the predicted 9’ high storm surge on the coast? Good luck.

[John Codman]

John. Naples, Florida is right on the west side of south Florida with multiple inlets. Are you far enough inland to avoid the predicted 9’ high storm surge on the coast? Good luck.

Thanks for your concern. The short answer is yes. I'm not worried about flooding; my only concern is that I have one apparently healthy pine Tree that is tall enough to reach the house if it fell in just the right direction. Fortunately the house is concrete block, so it would be the roof that would bear any damage.

[TXGOAT2]

A properly sized and installed whole house unit is best by far. I'd stay way from gasoline in favor of propane or diesel. The propane tank should be secured to a heavy concrete slab, not a foam-filled fake one, and connections should be arranged to resist damage by floating or flying debris. Obviously, the generator needs to be secured to a solid foundation as located as high as is practical and as safe from falling trees and flying debris as possible. The exhaust must be protected from blowing rain. Propane does not go stale, and propane tanks will not allow water in even if totally submerged, and propane tanks are immune to condensation. Any generator needs to be protected from hurricane damage to be of any use. It's very easy to get electrocuted when using a portable generator in emergency conditions, and carbon monoxide is another threat that has claimed lives.
A flooded or otherwise damaged home might not be safe with electric power from any source applied to the house wiring. Better to be miserable than to be dead!

[babychadwick]

Sitting here waiting for the storm (Bradenton north of sarasota south of tampa) I anticipate power outage soon. Propane tanks dont get blown away they will float. Naturally a full installed home unit is awesome to have. Of course the cost becomes prohibitive for most, I try to offer a way that someone can have power and comfort for 2 weeks on under 20 gallons of fuel. All of the gas stations are out and were shut down yesterday so for those who cant afford a full home system what I suggested is the best all around setup that can be put together for under $1000. Like a model T, may not be the best car made at the time but bang for buck an absolute winner.

[jiminbartow]

Absolutely, Chad. With the cost of food these days, you can’t afford for it to spoil. One could pay for a portable generator with the cost of the food you save by having a generator to keep your refrigerator and freezer running. Then you have the added bonus of having a microwave with which to cook it, plus being able to keep your TV functional for watching the hurricane updates and having several lamps for light and fans for keeping cool. My disabled 82 year old Father in Law who has had 3 strokes lives next door and I am providing him with power as well. I live in Bartow, between Tampa and Orlando and am looking forward to tomorrow when this thing has passed. Good luck.

[John Codman]

Several Florida counties have ordered mandatory evacuations. I am not affected by one and I wouldn't leave anyway. As I mentioned in an earlier post I have a whole house generator, I also have impact-resistant windows (except one) throughout the house. My roof is relatively new and meets or exceeds the latest and greatest wind-mitigation standards. I have plenty of food for both me and the two big dogs who will try to be in my lap once the storm hits in earnest. I'm going to leave that to head for the parking lot Interstate, and watch the gas gauge drop? There is no gas anywhere near me, and I will be enjoying an afternoon Gin and tonic while those poor bas---ds who thought that living close to the water was a wonderful thing are stuck with little food, unhappy everyone, and no AC to save gas. ya, right. BTW: My daily driver is just short of full, and I even have a couple of gallons for the T, and about 3/4 of a five-gallon can for the garden tractor. The guy across the street is a Mormon, and has a year's worth of food for seven stashed in his garage and two outbuildings. He also (in this instance wisely) has a couple of guns.

[jiminbartow]

I’m getting my news by switching back and forth between The Weather Channel on channel 31 and Fox 13 News on channel 13. You can also watch Fox 13 News on your I-pad if you lose your cable TV signal.

[Dan Haynes]

Chad would have been right in the way of the worst of the hurricane at Bradenton/Sarasota. I'm sure he is preoccupied right now, but if anyone hears from any of our Model T-ers during this time, please post their updates and needs.

[babychadwick]

I opened a thread on off topic. We popped a bottle of champagne in the eye last night. I'll be uploading photos when I have solid internet and can compress them for the forum. Photos are too big to post without modifications. It is a real mess in downtown sarasota but that hasn't stopped me from thriving. Currently we are in AC watching TV (you only live twice) after a nice steak and wine.

As ford or was it Franklin who said "if you fail to plan you plan to fail"

Many are in shelters and stuck on the road from lacking a plan. I lost track of how many hurricanes I've been thru but I have never sacrificed my safety to someone else.

[John Codman]

Well - we made it through Milton just fine. No significant damage and for relevance the T is fine. The generator did it's job for the 18 hours that we were without power. Late yesterday (Thursday) we got telephone, cable TV and internet back. The huge tarp that covers the makeshift shed that contains my gardening tools and a couple of large Christmas decorations blew off but was undamaged; it is mostly back in place, but later today I will have a bit more work to do securing it. Tomorrow or Sunday I will finally get to change the oil in the generator.

[jiminbartow]

Milton came ashore at 8:30 pm on Wednesday, October 9, as a cat 3 and travelled northeast across Florida making a direct hit on Bartow. The leading edge of the eye wall struck Bartow as a Cat 2 storm generating sustained winds of 90mph with gusts up to 100mph for a couple of hours. At about 11:00pm the eye passed over us and it was totally quiet and calm for 2 hours. I took the opportunity to go to sleep during the quiet and slept through the second half which, during that two hours, became a cat 1 with greatly diminished ferocity. I much prefer a direct hit rather than a skirting hit meaning you have to experience the side of the eye wall as it passes rather than the peaceful eye. We made it through fine with no damage to our rental houses and lost no trees. Only a few fallen branches and a lot of moss in the yard which we are cleaning up today. I’m leaving my storm shutters up over the windows to let them dry so they don’t warp. The power is still off but that is no problem with a generator. Hopefully the power will come on soon, but if it doesn’t, we are good. Back in 2004 when hurricanes Charlie, Jeanne and Francis hit Bartow in September during a 4 week period, my generator sustained us for weeks. Bartow is usually pretty good about getting the power back on. They get the businesses power restored first, then work their out to residential users. Thanks for the prayers. Jim Patrick

[jiminbartow]

We lost power on Wednesday, October 9 at 8:30pm during heavy winds from one of the bands, as hurricane Milton was coming ashore at Sarasota. After just 1 3/4 days (45 hours), our power was restored at 5:30pm on Friday, October 11. My son lives in Lakeland and still has no power, so we lent him my generator, gas and extension cords yesterday.

[babychadwick]

Power is on at the office and marina (Sarasota and Bradenton). The marina in Port Charolette is still trying to get operational so we can launch the smaller boat and get out to the house out on the island. Current status is no power since tuesday (mold fears) but the house appeared undamaged (downstairs was destroyed in helene) in a picture someone took from a boat. Currently no utilities and all island owned docks are destroyed along with most all private docks. Transformers supplying power to the island are damaged and will require replacement earliest estimate is weeks. Homes that have standby generators have had their propane fuel tanks ripped out and are unable to be refilled due to destroyed docks if they were put back in place.

[jiminbartow]

Chad. Something is better than nothing. I keep a small bucket of “Damp-Rid” (it comes in several sizes) in my Model T and my 1990 Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo to absorb moisture and prevent mold and mildew. I would suggest you get a big refillable bucket of “Damp Rid” for each room in your damaged house. It will absorb a surprising amount of water ( at least it does in my T and 300ZX) and may prevent mold and mildew growing in your house. Like I said, it is better than nothing and just might work. Good luck. Jim Patrick.

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[babychadwick]

Before Milton Helene took out the AC so I was running 2 portables and 2 dehumidifiers. One portable had a drain and would pull out 10+ gallons a day. Dehumidifiers were draining into the toilets and the other portable had would vaporize and blow out the water. The house was closed up so it was just interior air/humidity. Damprid works great and I use it in some of the smaller spaces except I doubt I would be able to find any for sale.

[jiminbartow]

How about Amazon?