Motes Orchids: HURRICANE ORCHID PREP
PLEASE get yourself, your family and your animals to a sturdy shelter substantially higher in elevation than the expected storm surge. Unless your house was built to withstand Category 4 winds, do not stay there. Your house is likely to blow apart. You will not be able to walk against flowing water in those kinds of winds. Find your elevation here:
Surging Seas: Risk Zone Map
In a Category 4, almost all roofs will be blown off houses within 75-100 miles OR MORE of the coast. Windows will blow into the houses. Flying glass can severely injure people and animals inside.
Houses not specifically built to withstand Category 4 winds are likely to be blown completely away, along with the people and animals sheltering inside. Trees are likely to come down and crash through roofs and walls. Category 4 winds can pick up and throw objects as heavy as boats and cars into buildings. A hole in a roof will create a weak spot, and almost immediately lead to the roof being torn away. A broken window will lead to the house being demolished.
Objects hurl through the air at high speed. People and animals can be injured or killed by flying objects. You can find photos on the Internet of cows post hurricane with 2 x 4s sticking out on both sides of the cow. If you cannot avoid being in the winds, wear a full-head helmet, with face shield or goggles, and heavy gloves. If you have motorcycle leathers, wear them during the storm.
Have a radio and extra batteries with you. The best would be a hand-cranked one, but those are probably no longer available.
There will likely not be electricity for days to weeks. There may not be water for days to weeks. If you can buy household bleach, and store it in a safe place, buy several gallons NOW. A tablespoon of bleach in a gallon of clear water will purify it, if left to sit for an hour or so. Rain that catches above ground level will be OK to drink after being purified with bleach. Do your best not to drink water standing on the ground, even if purified.
All the trees and shrubs left standing will be defoliated. There will be no shade after the storm.
If the eye passes over you, there will be a period of complete calm. But the storm will resume, so don't get caught out.
As soon as the storm passes, get back to your house. There will likely be thieves and looters.
But the most important thing is NOT to shelter in your house unless it was specifically built to withstand such winds.
Please let us know how you are when you can make contact again.
Hurricane Irma
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