Who else is getting ready for superstorm sandy!

[ludi]

B.t.w, the hospital was actually evacuated last year during the Irene storm... Was a huge embarrassment for them since the water never reached them and they wasted a huge amount of $$$ on the whole process of moving the patients.

As compared to the other huge embarrassment, where the worst-case scenario comes true and people were left in harm's way because of inadequate pre-preapration? Like, say, Orleans and Katrina?

[steelcity_ballin]

Pittsburgh here: We don't even care. The bathtub will be flooded (10th street bypass closed) but otherwise everyone will drive 35 and so far we haven't seen anything beyond some rain.

[just brew it!]

There's nothing wrong or alarmist with having 3-5 days of food on hand anyway (don't most people do this regularly?) and 3-5 days rations of water and some batteries. I'd just keep a grill with a couple of propane tanks or lots of charcoal handy for cooking in the event of an outage--grill up the stuff in the fridge/freezer first then start in on pantry goods.

Yeah, there's enough food in the house that nobody will starve; we also have a camp stove, grill & charcoal, and multiple propane burners. Water is another matter; I don't typically keep extra fresh water on hand, but there's probably enough home brewed beer to last several weeks (would have to drink it warm though, unless the disaster strikes in wintertime)!

[paulWTAMU]

I have 2 7 gallon water containers I can fill if i need to that I keep. They're a godsend for camping.

[ludi]

Water is another matter; I don't typically keep extra fresh water on hand, but there's probably enough home brewed beer to last several weeks (would have to drink it warm though, unless the disaster strikes in wintertime)!

Hey, can't argue with human history's oldest method for preserving a supply of liquid. Also makes for excellent payroll if you need to hire neighbors for the cleanup effort

[just brew it!]

I have 2 7 gallon water containers I can fill if i need to that I keep. They're a godsend for camping.

Oh yeah, no shortage of containers here. With a little advance warning I could easily have around 50 gallons of water stored. The brewing hobby means there are lots of large pots and food grade buckets (and a 5 gallon soda keg or two) that could be filled in a pinch...

[paulWTAMU]

where do you buy 5 gallon buckets of soda?! That sounds like useful info for me to have anyway.

[superjawes]

where do you buy 5 gallon buckets of soda?! That sounds like useful info for me to have anyway.

If it's a keg, try a liquor store that will sell kegs of soda. Really. I had to get a keg of root beer for an event a couple years back and they got me a full size one within a couple days.

[just brew it!]

where do you buy 5 gallon buckets of soda?! That sounds like useful info for me to have anyway.

Buckets won't work, you'll lose the carbonation!

5 gallon steel kegs were formerly used in the beverage industry to distribute soda to restaurants, but not so much any more. When the beverage industry started phasing them out all those old kegs got dumped onto the secondhand market. Homebrewers have re-purposed them for storing and serving beer since 5 gallons is a much more manageable batch size than a commercial beer keg, and they are also much easier to clean and maintain without special equipment.

You could make your own soda and put it in 5 gallon kegs... a lot of homebrewers do that for the non-beer-drinkers in their family.

If it's a keg, try a liquor store that will sell kegs of soda. Really. I had to get a keg of root beer for an event a couple years back and they got me a full size one within a couple days.

Yeah, I suppose you may also be able to buy soda in quarter-barrels (7.75 gallons). But AFAIK the old 5 gallon soda kegs have become pretty rare outside of the homebrew and brewpub scene (some brewpubs will let you bring in a 5 gallon soda keg and fill it for you).

[druidcent]

Stocking up on the sunscreen and t-shirts...

Sorry.. I had to rub it in a little since I pay so fricking much for the Sunshine tax out here in CA...

Seriously, stay safe and be aware (whether you are evac'ing or not)

[Forge]

True, but being prepared for the unseen (within reason) is certainly ok. I'd rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.

That is what shotguns are for. I am in no way concerned.

[PenGun]

True, but being prepared for the unseen (within reason) is certainly ok. I'd rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.

That is what shotguns are for. I am in no way concerned.

You get out there and shoot that storm. Yeah ... that will work.

[DarkUltra]

Shooting will only make it stronger, Mr. President!

[Aranarth]

There's nothing wrong or alarmist with having 3-5 days of food on hand anyway (don't most people do this regularly?) and 3-5 days rations of water and some batteries. I'd just keep a grill with a couple of propane tanks or lots of charcoal handy for cooking in the event of an outage--grill up the stuff in the fridge/freezer first then start in on pantry goods.

Yeah, there's enough food in the house that nobody will starve; we also have a camp stove, grill & charcoal, and multiple propane burners. Water is another matter; I don't typically keep extra fresh water on hand, but there's probably enough home brewed beer to last several weeks (would have to drink it warm though, unless the disaster strikes in wintertime)!

JBI that is just HILARIOUS! )

btw get a shotgun... You know the neighbors will be calling if they know you have beer, real beer, and not cat piss.

[Krogoth]

True, but being prepared for the unseen (within reason) is certainly ok. I'd rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.

That is what shotguns are for. I am in no way concerned.

You get out there and shoot that storm. Yeah ... that will work.

>implying that looting and other petty crime doesn't occur during disasters and other major service outages

[just brew it!]

I can actually see the very edge of the storm system from the western 'burbs of Chicago. Craziness!

[vargis14]

Still have power and bored to death:)
to kill some time i am training my 2 danes to kill cats with joker makeup on:)

Also its kinda weird, maybe its the full moon plus the storm but my male dane is trying to mount my female dane for a day and a half now. Yes she is fixed but must be giving of some scent. Very strange anyways.

[Darkmage]

I don't have much time for an update. I confess I haven't read anything above. But a quick update from the DC area.

We're getting wet. It has been raining all day. Most businesses and the fed gov't are closed. Wind is picking up and we expect to lose trees any minute now. Power has been flickering, but it has been mostly okay. Will update later.

[JohnC]

Still power here, so is internets. Gotta admit, though, the amount of water on the street in front of the house is kinda unpleasant, considering it is being produced by the waves which are getting pretty high Still, though, the house is completely dry. And if the water continues to rise - I have to evacuate all the electronics from first floor (luckily we have no basement) to higher grounds.

to kill some time i am training my 2 danes to kill cats with joker makeup on:)

You're such a mean, heartless person! They're just cats!

[mattshwink]

Weather Channel reporting Con Ed has started shutting off power in lower manhattan. Surge continuing at high tide, looks like 1 foot plus to go (so could go to 13 feet of surge at battery park).

No serious problems here in VA yet. Our power flickered twice around 6PM, but not since. DC wasn't bad today at all. Didn't see any flooding or power outages. But that was at 4PM EDT. I'll be back downtown in the morning, will see what the night brought.

[Captain Ned]

Despite the Weather Channel maps, minimal wind and no rain yet in NW VT,

[just brew it!]

Our corporate mothership is in PA, pretty close to the projected storm track. Apparently they are shutting down tomorrow with only a skeleton crew remaining on site. The facility I work at in IL is reasonably self-contained, but we do rely on corporate for internal e-mail and a few intranet apps. Hopefully their power stays on in PA!

(Funny how the Internet has made it seem completely normal to send a file to your co-worker across the hall by e-mailing it halfway across the country and back...)

[cheesyking]

there's probably enough home brewed beer to last several weeks (would have to drink it warm though

but that's how it's supposed to be drunk

[JustAnEngineer]

The folks in the northeast appear to be getting drenched. I was a small child when Hurricane Agnes struck southeastern PA. We had a flooded basement and my birthday toys were submerged. Nearly a decade later, you could still see the stains on the second floors of some buildings where the spilled oil had floated on the Schuylkill river flood.

[Savyg]

Is it a bad time for a water cooled Sandy Bridge joke?

(Note: I am not actually the one that made this pun, I'm just repeating it. )

[just brew it!]

there's probably enough home brewed beer to last several weeks (would have to drink it warm though

but that's how it's supposed to be drunk

There's a pretty big gap between "warm" and "ice cold". IMO most beer falls into the gap -- it should be consumed cool (not warm *or* ice cold). Some of the really heavy/strong styles are fine at room temp, but I still prefer them at least lightly chilled.

[lonleyppl]

It's been pretty tame where I am. 30 miles west has gotten some snow, but we've only gotten a bit of rain here.

[JohnC]

No electricity here (using my phone), lots of flooding... Still at home, watching neighbor's car drifting in currents in front of our house Gotta admit I did not expect the storm surge would be THAT strong.

[anotherengineer]

I'm getting ready for winter, the snow is falling.

[JohnC]

Tap water is still present, but now has the color of the water flowing outside the house Good thing the water levels seem to be decreasing very slightly - I can open the side door on first floor without flooding the corridor