So You Want to Survive a Hurricane...

So, a butterfly flapped it's wings in the Sahara and now there's a storm brewing in the Atlantic. What do you do now?

Well if you're the local news, you talk about it constantly. And if you're me, you obsess over every major and intermediate advisory. My life becomes a series of events at 5:00, 8:00, 11:00, and 2:00.

Eventually, I put on my clear-thinking cap and review my plan and supplies.

In the event that there is a storm coming to your area, the first thing you think is, "Get out of dodge!" And, if you live in a mobile home, coastal property, flood zone or otherwise low-lying area prone to serious flooding or storm surge, it's probably a good idea.

If your city, county or state orders an evacuation, take it seriously, and don't wait until the last minute.

If none of these are the case for you, then it's purely optional. If you live in a stable structure, with proper storm shutters, you can very well ride out most storms.

I have a set of personal rules that I go by, based on my experience. I live in a single-family home with good shutters out of a flood zone area. So, for the most part, I will stay for a Category 1 or Category 2 storm. If a Category 3 is coming my way, I get a little antsy. If they are predicting a direct hit, I will likely leave for less stormy areas. If, however, a Category 3 storm is predicted to hit a county north or south of me, I will likely stay and expect to get Category 2 winds.

(I assume at this point that it's understood that if a Category 4 or higher is headed my way, I'm getting the crap out of town.)

This obviously changes with every storm, and I will usually go through a series of panicky and irrational decision-making, until my husband reminds me of our practical plan.

Many people these days rely on generators to run some of their main appliances after a storm. Fridge, TV, etc. This can be a life-saving modern convenience for those who need electronic medical devices to live.

That said, it's my opinion that if you don't need to power a machine to sustain your life, you should forgo the generator.

You'll conserve precious fuel needed by hospitals, stores, and other important public buildings, reduce the panic that ensues at the gas stations days before the storm arrives, reduce the irritation your neighbors feel having to listen to the constant rumble of dozens of strategically placed engines, and eliminate your risk of perishing in your sleep from carbon monoxide poisoning.

For more information on back up power options, what they power, how they work, and safety tips, check out this interactive guide.

It's over! Now what?

First thing's first. Put on a good pair of sneakers. You don't know what's out there for you to step on.

Next, let the dog out. Depending on how long the storm lasts, he's gonna need to go.

Walk around carefully and survey any damage. Note any downed powerlines and contact FPL (or your power company). They will know that power is out in your area, but they may not know where dangers are.

Take pictures of any damage for your insurance company.

After that, you might as well start cleaning up debris. You've been cooped up long enough, time to get to work! In all likelihood you won't need to report to your job right away, so take advantage of the free time you have.

Try to give it a day before you start driving around. It might be flooded, there's likely to be trees and powerlines in the road, and nothing's open anyway, where are you going?

I have to give a big kudos to Publix at this point. After the last big storm we had (Wilma), they had their generators running and were open for business that same afternoon. As someone who worked for a company that had absolutely no hurricane plan, I commend Publix for being prepared and ready to serve it's battered customer base. Even if it was just to make a buck.

So if you don't get all the supplies on your list, and the state hasn't been annihilated, chances are, Publix will be there for you.

First of many great solar-powered things that can make your life much better after a storm, the Solio portable hybrid solar-powered thingy charger is awesome.

After a storm, the last thing you want to do is drive around wasting precious gas so you can charge your cell phone. You see, if the power goes, the gas stations go, and if the gas stations are up, sometimes the gas is gone. What are you gonna do?

You get one of these suckers is what you do. It can charge your cell phone, iPod, Blackberry, GPS, PSP and digital camera, all with the power of our beloved sun! Way to go, Solio!

Assuming you survive the storm without any truly disasterous damage, you're going to suffer a lot of inconveniences while your power's out. The worst of which, I think, is the cold showers.

You might get lucky and only be out of power for a couple of days. Since you'll be doing a lot of laborous and sweaty clean-up outside, the cold showers might not be so bad.

But there may be no electricity for a week or more. And within that time you'll probably be called back to work. And a cold shower at 6AM is no picnic. Here's some tricks to help you out.

1. Head to the gym. Shopping centers tend to get power before residential areas, so it's likely that you can get a hot shower at your gym.

2. Remember that propane you got? If you also have one of those turkey fryer set ups, you've got the makings of one very hot bath. Fill up that giant pot with water, heat it up and pour it in the bathtub. Mix it with some cold water from the tap and you're good to go.

3. As a last resort, you can always go the cowboy way and leave the hose sitting out in the sun for a few hours. Obviously you'll need to do this in the afternoon and preferably in a fenced backyard. Your neighbors have been through enough, they don't need to see this.