Tampa: Board up the house?

[Scott_inVA]

As others note, Say NO to Tape.

If windows aren't boarded up correctly the boards can and DO *MORE* damage than doing nothing. Boards nailed in will fly off (as in sheet missiles) with sustained winds of just 70MPH. Boards improperly screwed in can blow off in 95MPH winds.

DANGER: improperly secured plywood can blow off and UP...damaging eves or roof lines making total roof failure more likely.

Bottom line: putting unmeasured non-secure boards up the day of a hurricane is NOT REPEAT NOT a wise investment of time or money (assuming you can find boards). May is when that must be bought measured and prepared.

If you stay, caulk and fill the bathtub w/water. Prepare a "safe room" with mattresses, flashlights, can goods, NOAA radio, AM/FM radio and any needed meds. As a last resort, if you have a garage and things get bad you can lie face down on the vehicle floors under mattresses inside the vehicle (bring supplies)...if the garage door can be lashed down, do so. Shut off gas and when things get bad turn off your electricity before an outage! As DT notes...have $$$$$ in case of total outages.

If you have kids or special needs and are in a mandatory evac area, leave immediately with $$$, full gas tank and your supply bag.

DO NOT EVAC IF YOU ARE NOT INSTRUCTED TO DO SO!!!!! Floyd's traffic jams were caused by panicked people at the last minute who needlessly fled.

HIH

Scott

[Anonymous]

Ya'll should be getting lots of plywood in the A.M.
saw on T.V. tonight that Home Depot has 100 trucks full of plywood going your way should be there in the morning. I am sure they are gonna unload and get the heck out of there.

[Greg]

As I had mentioned already, I moved here 4 months ago, so hurricane preparation has not been a priority. Besides, I had the understanding that a hurricane has never hit Tampa before. There was the "no name storm" in 93, and thats about it.

The person from Bermuda makes a good point. How come my house didn't have this kind of protection when I purchased it?

BTW, the evacuation calls for getting out of the evacuation zone only. "Don't think in hundreds of miles, think in tens of miles". So the people in the "red" zone are only supposed to get out of the "red" zone. So are these people supposed to get to a house, hotel, motel, etc. in the suburbs with boarded windows?

[Anonymous]

Ten Miles in a hurricane of this size doesn't make much difference with wind. Yes with boarded windows!

[nccoastalgirl]

You have gotten some good advice from previous posts. If you have not already boarded up your windows, it is probably too late to worry about it this time. And tape is indeed worthless, unfortunately. Preparing a safe room with things you'll need is a good plan of action. I have been through many hurricanes in NC. There is never a clear-cut right or wrong decision about staying, evacuating, where to go, etc. I've know people to evacuate, and then not be able to get back to their home for weeks. Others have gone inland to face worse weather than we ended up having on the coast. Use your common sense and try to stay calm. When you get up in the morning, turn your frig and freezer all the way up to their highest settings to get the food as cold as possible. Turn your AC down to get your home cooler so it'll last a few hours longer. Stay tuned to your local news. Basically be prepared to live without power for several days. If the power goes out, unplug your computer (including the phone or cable line) and other valuable electronics. But no one should ever stay in the direct path of a Category 4 or 5 hurricane, in my opinion. Get up early and find out what is happening with this storm. You'll still be able to leave at 5:00 a.m. if needed. Head East if you do decide to leave. And when this is all over, get some hurricane shutters. They are worth the extra peace of mind and the extra safety. Everyone who lives on the coast should have them. Take care, and stay safe. NO DRIVING THRU WATER! My parents live in Venice, FL, so I am worried about this hurricane too! My fingers are crossed for you all that it's a Cat. 3 or lower at landfall.

[Rainband]

You have gotten some good advice from previous posts. If you have not already boarded up your windows, it is probably too late to worry about it this time. And tape is indeed worthless, unfortunately. Preparing a safe room with things you'll need is a good plan of action. I have been through many hurricanes in NC. There is never a clear-cut right or wrong decision about staying, evacuating, where to go, etc. I've know people to evacuate, and then not be able to get back to their home for weeks. Others have gone inland to face worse weather than we ended up having on the coast. Use your common sense and try to stay calm. When you get up in the morning, turn your frig and freezer all the way up to their highest settings to get the food as cold as possible. Turn your AC down to get your home cooler so it'll last a few hours longer. Stay tuned to your local news. Basically be prepared to live without power for several days. If the power goes out, unplug your computer (including the phone or cable line) and other valuable electronics. But no one should ever stay in the direct path of a Category 4 or 5 hurricane, in my opinion. Get up early and find out what is happening with this storm. You'll still be able to leave at 5:00 a.m. if needed. Head East if you do decide to leave. And when this is all over, get some hurricane shutters. They are worth the extra peace of mind and the extra safety. Everyone who lives on the coast should have them. Take care, and stay safe. NO DRIVING THRU WATER! My parents live in Venice, FL, so I am worried about this hurricane too! My fingers are crossed for you all that it's a Cat. 3 or lower at landfall.

God Bless, your parents are in my prayers Thank You

[Scott_inVA]

Ya'll should be getting lots of plywood in the A.M.
saw on T.V. tonight that Home Depot has 100 trucks full of plywood going your way should be there in the morning. I am sure they are gonna unload and get the heck out of there.

Maybe you're joking, I am not.

The morning of a a landfall if one simply slaps whatever thickness plywood they can buy onto the side of their house...they are wasting precious time. Ever see a 6x8' sheet of plywood fly? I have. It that his you, they'll never find the top half. Shutters/hurricane boards take time and experience to do right. Panic stricken people with 16 penny nails waste time and sometimes get killed.

This is the same thinking that gets people in trouble with TORs; they run around opening windows and have lost time to take cover and actually do something that can save their life.

Surf any state EM site...think you'll find anyone who knows better telling you on the day of a hurricane to drive into traffic, stand in line, drive home and nail/screw plywood into a building? didn't think so.

Anyone sufficiently errant to not plan and prepare must spend the final pre-landfall hours planning to protect lives...at this point the stuff in your house ain't worth squat. Your life and the lives of your family are.

Scott

[Scott_inVA]

As I had mentioned already, I moved here 4 months ago, so hurricane preparation has not been a priority. Besides, I had the understanding that a hurricane has never hit Tampa before. There was the "no name storm" in 93, and thats about it.

The person from Bermuda makes a good point. How come my house didn't have this kind of protection when I purchased it?

BTW, the evacuation calls for getting out of the evacuation zone only. "Don't think in hundreds of miles, think in tens of miles". So the people in the "red" zone are only supposed to get out of the "red" zone. So are these people supposed to get to a house, hotel, motel, etc. in the suburbs with boarded windows?

Greg, you moved there in April and hurricane prep wasn't a priority???
Emergency preparedness at this time is about saving and protecting lives.

People in *mandatory* evac zones should leave to seek shelter in a safer building. If there's no safe hotel or family member one can go, there are numerous mass-shelters to take refuge.

Don't mean to be harsh...butshort-fuse weather requires immediate action.
Scott

[Anonymous]

Well Scott I 100% agree with you!
But that is what was on San Antonio news tonight!
But actually who knows how old the clip was!Personally I have hurricane shutters so don't have to worry about it, but you know as well as I do that there will be the few as you said that will put up skimpy plywood trying to protect the home when they should be making efforts to sustain life!
Also agree that preparations should have already been made long before hand!!

[Greg]

Gee, I hope I never in my lifetime see a "6x8" sheet of plywood fly. I think I'll stick to the usual 4x8 sheets, and cut it down to the size of the window, inset with 2x2 framing and concrete screws into the stucco, as many plans for this type of shutter depict.

I think I will create a safe room where one room is boarded up and leave the rest to nature. In Illinois, at least we could go to the basement for shelter. One boarded up room will at least provide a safer place to be.

[nccoastalgirl]

From my experience here in NC, most people don't view putting up plywood or hurricane shutters as simply a way to protect their property. I think most people do it to protect their lives as they are riding out a landfalling hurricane. At least this is true for people who don't live on the beach. At any rate, the practicality of life is that most people just procrastinate on storm preparedness for a lot of different reasons. Give the guy a little bit of a break here. Let's just give him some good advice on what to do NOW in the situation he is in NOW. At least he came on this board to ask for advice. So, basically, we're all in agreement that he shouldn't worry about tape or plywood at this point in time. Do we have any other suggestions?

[nccoastalgirl]

Gee, I hope I never in my lifetime see a "6x8" sheet of plywood fly. I think I'll stick to the usual 4x8 sheets, and cut it down to the size of the window, inset with 2x2 framing and concrete screws into the stucco, as many plans for this type of shutter depict.

I think I will create a safe room where one room is boarded up and leave the rest to nature. In Illinois, at least we could go to the basement for shelter. One boarded up room will at least provide a safer place to be.

That's what I've done thru all my hurricanes, Greg. A good safe room is as good a place as any to be, as long as you're off the beach and out of the flood plain. Best wishes!

[Guest]

You have a possible CAT 3 hurricane coming down -- and YOU are suppose to be a Man and you did NOTHING to prepare b/c you Neighbors think it might look funny...

what are your sense of values... how come you are not protectiong your family?

I guess I already know it's too late to board up. I wanted to get a feeling about the safety of staying in a house that is not boarded up. All my neighbors are not boarded up and I feel like I would look stupid.

I already know about the tape joke. Perhaps if you duct tape the entire window...

[Greg]

Thank you nccoastalgirl. I appreciate the positive posts, and I'm sorry if i am getting a little cranky, but I see evacuation as pretty much a non-alternative for many reasons. At this point I am truly looking for ways to reinforce my home. Reguardless if I leave or stay, I don't want my house to be busted up. If Home Depot has materials for me to use, why not take advantage of it, as long as I don't use the slipshod construction techniques I am being warned of.

[Lindaloo]

At the beginning of hurricane season I start my preparations. I have one closet stocked full of canned goods, toilet paper, batteries, my radio, water, first aid kit, emergency cash. I call my veterinarians office and make reservations for my big dogs in case of a threat. My horses are transported to higher ground, boarded and tagged for identification at their vets home. We go through the horse drill once a month.

I have one extended van that is kept full of gas all the time. I had hurricane shutters installed two years ago, so no more boards for me. So basically, all I have to do is grab my safe box with all my personal info, insurance papers and videotape, etc. turn off the natural gas and central/heat. Put my cats in their travel carrier and put my fish in their transport tanks with their battery operated air pumps, rabbit in his travel cage, bird in her travel cage, gather up the kids, two inside dogs and husband put them all in the van and take off to my Aunt's hotel in LaGrange GA.

Forgot to mention the animals food. I have 2 gallon containers with attached lid for each of their food. Dog food in one, bird seed in one, rabbit food in one, cat food in one and fish food in one.

The house is insured, the cars are insured and if it is God's will to take them out, so be it. I will not put my family nor my animals lives in danger.

And if we manage to make it through the season with no canes then I will still be prepared for the next season. Because when you live on the coasts, it is not a question of if but when.

[Mello1]

God bless you Greg. I leave the weather discussion to the buffs, but with respect to life and limb, you have to do what is best for you; don't worry about what your neighbors are/aren't doing. I know that if I were down there right now (in Chicago), I would be thinking of jetting. Even with all of the models and radars and such, it's hard to know exactly where Charlie's eye will hit land. Since it's clear that you have run out of time on prepping your house, then you need a 72 survival kit: water, non-perishable foods, batteries for radio, flashlights, first aid kit, etc. ~~ enough for your entire family. Gas that car up and get some cash. Also, and I hate to say this, but you may want to keep your piece handy in the event that Tampa takes a direct hit and does some real damage. Stay safe whatever you do. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Okay I think that is enough. Come on folks name calling is not the thing to be doing here!!!!!!!!!!!!
Making someone feel worse in a stressful situation and name calling is not the answer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is suppose to be a nice board!!! So much for that idea tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[nccoastalgirl]

Thank you nccoastalgirl. I appreciate the positive posts, and I'm sorry if i am getting a little cranky, but I see evacuation as pretty much a non-alternative for many reasons. At this point I am truly looking for ways to reinforce my home. Reguardless if I leave or stay, I don't want my house to be busted up. If Home Depot has materials for me to use, why not take advantage of it, as long as I don't use the slipshod construction techniques I am being warned of.

From my experience, your weather will deteriorate rapidly tomorrow morning. You most likely won't have time to do much more than board up the windows in your safe room. My safe room has gotten us thru many hurricanes, including Fran. And, now everyone can yell at me when I tell you that I STILL do not have a complete set of hurricane shutters for my house. Life and budgets suck sometimes. But, it really is the best solution to have the shutters and put them up well in advance. Better safe than sorry is really the best attitude when it comes to hurricanes. Let us know if you have any other questions. Stay safe!

[Mello1]

Thank you nccoastalgirl. I appreciate the positive posts, and I'm sorry if i am getting a little cranky, but I see evacuation as pretty much a non-alternative for many reasons. At this point I am truly looking for ways to reinforce my home. Reguardless if I leave or stay, I don't want my house to be busted up. If Home Depot has materials for me to use, why not take advantage of it, as long as I don't use the slipshod construction techniques I am being warned of.

Perhaps you would not think that way if you had to ride out one of those things. Just keep your options open. The house can be replaced; you and your family cannot. If they tell you to get out, then git.

[Lindaloo]

Thank you nccoastalgirl. I appreciate the positive posts, and I'm sorry if i am getting a little cranky, but I see evacuation as pretty much a non-alternative for many reasons. At this point I am truly looking for ways to reinforce my home. Reguardless if I leave or stay, I don't want my house to be busted up. If Home Depot has materials for me to use, why not take advantage of it, as long as I don't use the slipshod construction techniques I am being warned of.

Your home can be replaced. Hopefully you have homeowners insurance to cover your losses or better yet a nice life insurance policy.

Let's say you went and boarded up. Your neighbors don't and they lose their homes. Who will look like the fool then? Greg, this is not good thinking on your part!