09/07/2017
With everyone saying "stay safe" I thought I'd add just a few pointers to all as Irma bears down on S FL.
First and foremost PLEASE: no Coleman lanterns or stoves inside your house. The off gassing from those can and will kill, and I have no interest in any of my friends winning any Darwin Awards this weekend.
Second putting things right next to your house in a Cat IV does not mean your are protecting those things. It means you are creating missiles for Irma to take and throw at your neighbors' houses. As well as yours ('cane winds are circular remember). So pull everything inside, because those neighbors are the ones you'll be relying upon for help once the storm has passed, and your lawn chain in their living room simply won't inspire.
Finally take very special care to choose when you leave. If you have a strong house, stay if you think it's best. But don't freak out at the last minute and decide to hit the road. A sketchy house situation beats riding out a Cat IV in your car parked on 95 every time (see Darwin Awards above), and pretty much every Florida blacktop pointed north is a parking lot right now.
Oh and don't forget to add the following to everyone else's hurricane prep lists: tequila. Sour mix (no - you do not use margarita mix. Ask any bartender. If that bartender says it's good find a better bartender). Cointreau (triple sec is so 1991). Board games (best played with alternate, silly, non-Milton Bradley authorized rules). And most importantly: friends. Because if it's just family, well, um....let's just not add to the casualties list eh?
With tongue firmly planted in cheek,
David
