HURRICANE IRENE HAS LANDED ON THE EAST COAST !!!
Besides what you have already done, must do:
– Secure and lock all outside doors and windows.
– Fill bathtub. Water will be used for washing and flushing if needed
– 5-gallon pail with lid (for toilet if needed – if power failure stops city
water pumps and eventually sewer backs up)
– 2-gallon pail. Used to move water from tub to toilet bowl as long
as sewer works.
– Small battery powered radio for news after storm.
– Paper plates and plastic utensils and cups
– Garbage bags
– Put your tool box at the basement door
– Pile all the towels available near basement door
– Bring all toys and easily movable objects inside
– Put toys, books and distractions for the kids near or in the basement
– Fill cars with gas
– Forget any party on Saturday – stay home !
Good to do, but not critical:
– One real flashlight (bulb or LED, 2D or 3C battery size) for you to do surveillance
Other contingent issues:
– Do not sleep or stay on the second floor during the storm.
Stay on 1st floor as long as possible, go to basement with tools and towels only if things get real hairy or a window breaks.
– Know where the main electric panel is: if power goes out for more than 1 hour: turn off main breaker, then turn off all others. When power comes back, turn main on first, then the others at 10 second intervals.
– Know where the main gas shut-off is: probably in the closet with the electric panel, it may look like this: 
Or this: 
If so, this is the open position, and you will need a wrench to grasp the protruding stem for leverage to close it. Put the wrench there now. If it has a round or lever handle, no problem.
– DO NOT TURN THE GAS OFF UNLESS:
a] you smell gas inside, or
b] your house structure is physically damaged, or
c] you smell gas outside the house after the storm passes
– The front is the only side open to flying debris that can break windows.
Get a heavy blanket and nail it to the wood molding over the front windows and 12 inches down the sides, no further. If debris breaks the window, the glass will fall to the floor and not into the house. If the front windows break, open the kitchen window only if the rain permits to relive wind pressure inside.
– If window breaks and rain comes in, dry area thoroughly down to the wood with towels and hairdryer as soon as possible. Pull up and discard rugs if necessary.
– If there is any damage at all, call your homeowners insurance and ask them how to proceed. Even if no obvious damage, call and tell them you think you lost roof shingles and want a roofer to inspect (you can’t get up on roof yourself), and how to proceed with that. You will probably lose a
few shingles, and must repair that before winter to prevent leaks and mold problems in attic. Tell them if you losse a window and get a lot of water in the house, and how to proceed with that.
STAY SAFE EVERYONE !!!!!!!
