Hurricanes and Preparedness

So, I know this was not a "real" hurricane.

Tropical Storm Edouard came on land about 30 miles west of us. It was predicted to be worse than it was, but still wasn't expected to be too bad. We weathered the storm at home. Couple of thoughts about this experience, though:

1. Our neighbors made sure that we were all ready for what could have happened. They gave us advice on how to store water and make sure we had enough to drink and eat for the days ahead. There is always a potential for the power to go out, so we made plans to be without water. It's good to know that people care about each other and are there to help.
2. We have been preparing (as a family) for a few months. Every time we went to the store we picked up some items that we could use in case of a hurricane. We have 60 gallons of water in our garage. We have a 72 hour kit ready to go. We still need to get our documents, pictures, etc. together. But we are fully prepared for a "shelter in place" storm. In contrast to that are the procrastinators. The bread shelves were empty, as were the shelves for bottled water. It was a little strange to see store shelves completely empty. It also made me grateful for the preparations we had made - we weren't scrambling. And imagine if the water had gone out and we weren't able to get any drinking water...
3. The City has an emergency plan, in coordination with the County, State, and Federal governments. It is a cool thing to see first hand the machine kick into gear. This is being considered a good dry run (although it was a wet day). There is an unspeakable peace of mind that comes from being in a community that has planned how to respond in an emergency.

Of course, I am a part of the emergency response team. I am not sure what particular skills I bring to the table, but I am ready and willing to participate in any and every way possible. It's good to be surrounded by professionals who know what and how to do in the case of a real crisis.

Hurricanes and other natural disasters are not the only things that we need to be concerned about here in Mont Belvieu. We are located near many chemical plants, refineries, and gas and oil storage facilities that may pose a threat. As we consider all the ways that accidents can (and have) happened, it is good to be prepared. Good preparation makes the difference between a crisis and an inconvenience.