\n As Midwesterners my husband I never really thought about making special
\n preparations for severe and tornado weather season (generally spring and fall.
\n Although tornadoes can form year round whenever warm and cold air collide)
\n beyond the school tornado drills we grew up with and lighting a few candles if
\n the electricity blinked out for an hour or so. We knew as long as we didn\u2019t
\n open the refrigerator or freezer to keep the cold inside while the power was
\n out (the CDC says you have four hours without power before you have to throw
\n out the food) it\u2019s all good.\n<\/p>\n
\n Besides, my husband and I joked, if went went all Doomsday Prepper that stuff
\n would be scattered to the four winds if a tornado hit the house and so why
\n bother?\n<\/p>\n
You can probably guess what happened next.<\/p>\n
\n On a gorgeous summer\u2019s day, the clear blue sky went dark like turning off a
\n light switch. The rain can down fast and furious with 75+ mile an hour winds.
\n The crazy, unexpected, snuck up on everyone including the weather experts,
\n storm was a derecho \u2013 the weather equivalent of smashing a water balloon on a
\n sidewalk as hard as you can.\n<\/p>\n
\n Most of the city didn\u2019t have electricity for a week afterward. We didn\u2019t have \n What my husband and I learned from that experience, was that weather related Please remember to include your pets in your plan!<\/p>\n \n The first part of our emergency prep plan cost nothing at all. It was a simple \n Keeping a weather radio (I have a \n According to the American Red Cross, they do not allow pets into their \n A surprising thing I learned about emergency shelters is that they pretty much \n If you have the time to pack before or after the severe weather hits and you \n The second part of our tornado prepper plan was what we should keep on hand to \n This is the step where Doomsday Prepper culture goes nuts with recommending a \n I want to be prepared enough to stay warm and dry, keep a chunk of whatever \n In fact, all of the \u201cspecial prepper gear\u201d on this list is our regular tent \n In other words, don\u2019t plan to break in my house and steal a house full of \n Storm damage cleanup and repair<\/b><\/span> \n Light<\/b> <\/span>\u2013 I make sure I have \n It was also the motivation to make melting old candle nubs into new candles a \n You can also do this with layering wax melt wax that lost their scent until \n A camping lantern, flashlights, or a headlamp is handy especially if you don\u2019t \n The one thing we did do right was our habit of keeping all of our spare \n Food <\/span>will still be good in a \u00a0<\/p>\n You can \n \u00a0You may also consider firing up an outdoor grill (I like
\n storm damage but we didn\u2019t have a way to cook or keep food from spoiling
\n either. I guess we do <\/b>need a tornado prep plan after all.\n<\/p>\n![\"How](\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEitNOrz6holOt7FCYzuPV4wBQkrO19F0Po-VyTZ17AY3acZPjXJ9XgnV01UntAeXXjeezv--nAx3PgYZOYt_N05Xu10E7P1AYNVyF2HVv_1hgrmMLoQTBYv8c82oSZT89a_cCffQ_xEW1itI3IY0CLSeYiJrq23dgu-Msdg0Err1Z2niCRnuUXOlpJjIQ\/s5616\/How%20to%20Prepare%20for%20Tornado%20Hurricane%20Severe%20Storm%20Preparedness%20Plan%20on%20the%20Cheap.jpg\" "\\"How")
<\/a>\n<\/div>\n
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\n<\/center><\/p>\n
\n emergency plans should be made up of two parts:\n<\/p>\n\n
\n space? Where should you go if you have to leave your home for a designated
\n safe space?\u00a0\n <\/li>\n
\n during the day without utilities and\/or city services. Not to mention, have
\n ideas for something to do while you wait for a return to services. It was a
\n very, very boring wait.\n <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n How to Shelter in Place During a Hurricane, Tornado, or Severe Storm Warning
\n<\/h2>\n
\n dinner conversation to discuss where we\u2019d shelter when the tornado sirens go
\n off. A basement is your safest bet. If you do not have a basement, choose an
\n interior room without windows, a closet, or a bathroom on the lowest level of
\n your home and cover yourself with a mattress or blanket to protect you from
\n flying debris. Do not stay in your home if it is a mobile home, find a
\n designated severe weather shelter.\n<\/p>\n
\n weather radio similar to this one\u00a0<\/b><\/a><\/span>
\n that can be charged by hand if need be) in that area is a good idea \u2013 which I
\n normally use as just a radio. It will allow you to get local weather
\n information without draining your phone battery. Although having a solar cell
\n phone charger to top things off when the power is out (or when camping) is
\n something I will never live without again! You can
\n learn more about the so epic I love it Big Blue Solar Battery Charger
\n here<\/b><\/a><\/span>
\n that is worth every penny and then some. (Disclosure: I am including affiliate links for your convenience.<\/i>)\n<\/p>\n\n What to Take With You to an Emergency Storm, Tornado, or Hurricane Shelter
\n<\/h2>\n
\n shelters, only service dogs. Since that is not an option for us, we made a
\n plan with family and friends (and have a place for them if they need it) and a
\n list of hotels that allow dogs (some hotels may wave their No Pets policy in
\n an emergency but it is best to check to make sure.)\n<\/p>\n
\n only provide a dry space to ride out the storm or aftermath and nothing else.
\n You may not have access to a kitchen to cook meals (that you have to bring,)
\n or a private shower. The Red Cross has information on what you should and
\n should not take with you to their emergency shelters which is good place to
\n start even though other organizations running storm shelters may have
\n different or lack of amenities.\n<\/p>\n
\n need to leave your home:\n<\/p>\n\n
\n etc \u2013 the same type of stuff you\u2019d take with you for an overnight (or
\n longer) trip.\u00a0\n <\/li>\n
\n self inflating air mattress like this one<\/b><\/a><\/span>
\n . Most emergency shelters do not provide cots.\u00a0\n <\/li>\n
\n to drink. A few comfort food snacks might be a nice idea. Most emergency
\n shelter do not provide meals.\n <\/li>\n
\n chargers,) etc. A surge protector power strip is a good idea if you have
\n room for it. Outlets may be a premium and you\u2019ll be a hero if you
\n share!\u00a0\n <\/li>\n
\n telephone numbers if you need to file claims or coordinate services after
\n the storm.\n <\/li>\n<\/ol>\nHow to Prepare for a Blackout without Going Broke<\/h2>\n
\n prep for what happens after<\/b> the storm \u2013 Namely cleaning up storm damage
\n if needed and what to do if your electricity, water, or natural gas service is
\n down while you are home.\n<\/p>\n
\n ton of expensive things and hoards of food for every imaginable scenario (if
\n that\u2019s your thing \u2013 have at.) This is not that kind of plan. I don\u2019t consider
\n myself a prepper and frankly in the two multi day storm related blackouts we
\n had (one in winter and one summer) most of those items weren\u2019t necessary at
\n all.\n<\/p>\n
\n fresh\/frozen food in the house from spoiling, see in the dark, and make coffee
\n \u2013 otherwise it
\n will<\/b> <\/span><\/i>be Doomsday.\n<\/p>\n
\n camping gear. The only key prepping ingredient is to learn from our first
\n storm mistake of not replacing the consumable items (propane, a heat and eat
\n meal or two in the pantry, etc) during the off season. <\/p>\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n
\n preps. The only thing I buy in bulk is dog food. You don\u2019t want to make my
\n dog sad, do you?<\/i>\n<\/p>\nOur Very Basic Extended Blackout and Severe Storm Preparedness Plan<\/h2>\n
\n \u2013 If you already have gardening gloves and tools you\u2019re set for most outside
\n cleanup. A few tarps and bungee cords may be a good idea to have if you need
\n to cover something that is damaged. You can
\n buy waterproof tarps here<\/b>\u00a0
\n <\/a><\/span>and a useful for all occasions
\n bungee cord set here<\/b>\u00a0<\/a><\/span>
\n \u2013 seriously we bungee everything for everything!\n<\/p>\n
\n candles and matches on hand because I had more candle nubs than candles during
\n our blackout. Clearly this was a sign that I need to indulge my candle habit
\n more often!\n<\/p>\n
\n priority (truthfully, it\u2019s more of way to enjoy the scented candles longer,
\n but any port in a storm.) I keep
\n tabbed candle wicks that I buy here<\/b><\/a> <\/span>on hand. I try to do the last burn of a candle when I have time to pour the
\n already melted wax into a new jar and add a wick to make a new candle. (Not
\n only am I a lazy chef but I am also a lazy candle maker.)\u00a0 <\/p>\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n
\n it fills the candle jar. It may not be as pretty, but it works when you need
\n it to!<\/i>\n<\/p>\n
\n want to use an open flame around kids or pets. Last summer I upgraded to
\n this camping lantern that uses replaceable and rechargeable
\n batteries<\/b><\/a> <\/b><\/span>because our old lantern with a built in battery won\u2019t hold a charge anymore
\n (this is typical for rechargeable batteries after ten years or so.) The old
\n lantern works if you plug it in which we still use for other things, just not
\n for blackouts and primitive camping.\n<\/p>\n
\n rechargeable batteries charged. I use
\n this multi size rechargeable battery charger<\/b><\/a><\/span>\u00a0 which is helpful (and cheaper than buying disposables) whether you
\n need them for a remote or a blackout.\n<\/p>\n
\n refrigerator without power for four hours. After that, consider saving what
\n you can in a cooler with ice if available, or outside if it is cold enough
\n during the winter. Whenever I use our cooler I pop one of these
\n freezer and refrigerator thermometers<\/a><\/span> <\/b>into the cooler from the fridge to easily keep an eye on food safety.\n<\/p>\n
\n read my How to Decorate a Cooler with Mod Podge tutorial on my DIY blog
\n Condo Blues here<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n
\n this portable grill<\/b>
\n <\/a><\/span>) and\/or camping stove (we have
\n this kind of camping stove<\/b>
\n <\/a><\/span>) to cook and eat it immediately. If you are a coffee drinker I recommend
\n this Coleman Camping Coffee Maker <\/b><\/b><\/a><\/span>that works on any camping stove just like a counter top coffee
\n maker. It makes a darn fine cup of coffee! The key is to make sure you have
\n fuel on hand which we of course didn\u2019t at the time and was one of the things
\n that immediately sold out at the store.\n<\/p>\n