Hurricane Prep in The Villages
 

As this is my first summer as a resident here in The Villages, I was wondering what (if anything) people do to prepare for hurricane season here in The Villages. I know we are usually out of harm’s way, but Ian was initially forecasted to track right over The Villages last year, before deviating south. Most people I ask, sorta laugh it off, and don’t really do anything to prepare. I keep canned goods and water on hand as a contingency measure, having lived through the Loma Prieta earthquake of San Francisco in 1989, and the Waldo Canyon fire of Colorado Springs of 2012. I’m thinking I should buy a battery operated radio. Would keeping some empty sandbags or inflatable water barrier protection be prudent? Interested on what some of the “old-timers” who have lived here for years do. Thanks!

Should be an interesting thread.

You will hear..........yes, no, maybe.
Also, we have incurred "a direct hit" a few years ago........not much damage.

Probably wise to do the "supplies side" of the preparation.
Food, water, batteries, gas, medications, etc.

Few Villagers have generations.............not sure if they have used them.
(I have one, but I brought it down from the North)

:popcorn::popcorn::popcorn:

Food, water and meds are pretty much all we have.

A gas (CNG) stove , candles, and be glad you don’t live on the South end!

Fill your bathtub up with water. It's main use would be to flush the toilet, in the event something happens to the water supply.

It wont be wasted; you can always take a bath when its over. Or use it to water your landscape.

Keep an eye out for a Hurricane Expo. They usually have them at the rec centers. Lots of good information.

There are several web sites for storm prep. Most will sell or recommend an emergency bag. Or you can see what is in the bag and custom make your own. I have a emergency kit and I breakit out beginning of the season make sure everything is working and charged.
Best advice is if you think one is coming your way "Get out of dodge". Go visit a friend, mini vacation and try to leave before a warning to leave is issued. Roads get super packed.

I lived on the coast of Florida for 23 years. If you have a direct hit, there is no amount of planning that will help. Pack your small prized possessions, mementos, and important papers and get the hell out! Do not stay if you are under mandatory evacuation. It is a fool's game! You can not compete with Mother Nature.

The absolute WORST thing that happens if you are not directly hit is your electricity may be out for days and even weeks. Your house is hot as hell, you have no way to keep food, you can't do laundry, keeping a charge on your phone is a chore...etc etc.

I have learned to keep small battery or solar operated lanterns which can also charge your phone. And to make certain my gas tank in vehicle is full. There have been times we needed to sit in it just to get some A/C. When purchasing a vehicle, I buy one that I can easily pack items valuable to me. I have never gone to a shelter. Always drove inland to friends /family home. Make sure you have an evacuation plan! We had a routine set. Take perishible food with you and plan on eating that keeping it on ice for as long as you can. We fill the washer with ice. It was something we learned while watching hurricane prep. And, fill your bathtub with water so you can flush the toilet. No bathtub? Fill large buckets or containers. Also, fill containers that you can use for drinking or cooking.

Many will say we are out of harm"s way here in the Villages. To tell you the truth, it was a primary reason I chose this location. Tired of packing and taking care of the home every hurricane season.
But, NEVER feel 100% safe! Stay off the streets and hunker down during the hurricane! People have died from falling trees, debris, and just the inability to see clearly through the heavy rains.

Once everything has settled, if you live within 100 miles of a city that was destroyed by a hurricane, you will find your grocery stores short on supplies. This is when you will be glad you have an extra supply in your home. The shortage can last for months! Just adjust and buy what is available. Do not be THAT PERSON who hogs the supplies. Then everything must be placed on a limit purchase of one. Annoying for everyone!

I can not completely describe the absolute discomfort of "when the storm had passed.'. PLEASE! Keep supplies in your home for this reason. You will be glad you did!

Have any houses in the villages ever put up sandbags to prepare for a hurricane?

If so, where you get the bags and the sand!

And did it work?

To me, the most frightening part of a hurricane is all the hype before it actually gets to it's destination. Days of weather people telling you where it is going and when, unfortunately it never seems to end up where they say it will. If it goes over TV it really does sound like a freight train.

Yes, get in bread, stuff like peanut butter that does not need cooking or heating, any of the usual every day foods which you would not cook.

If you lose power try to keep the refrigerator and freezer closed to help hold in the cold. Only once in 18 yrs did we lose power for more than a few hours.

When I was living on the coast, sand was made available for free in pick up locations. The information was given on every newscast. We were advised that only homeowners who lived near waters that may rise ( usually rivers where I lived) should take these bags. They keep the water, or at least some of it, from entering your home.

Is there a reason to have sand bags in the Villages? Not sure! I do not live close enough to water to know. I believe at one time some homes in Spanish Springs got flooded. But, again not sure!

There a lot of houses close to retention ponds. I know the villages is “designed” to flood the golf courses. But will the design work if we get hit with a major hurricane? Or will the retention ponds flood the houses?

A few months ago Fort Lauderdale was flooded by a storm - not even a hurricane and on today’s news it looks like West Point was badly flooded!!

potentially having a hurricane come anywhere near TV, grocery stores become a mob fest.

Worst part is every TV channel will only have hurricane coverage. So one needs a dvd and some movies to pass the time.

The drainage system in TV is excellent and carries much of the torrential rains away. Also, on my road our driveways are sloped towards the road to take water to the drains. My home is on a golf course and we have a long retention type drain behind all our homes. I have watched it fill almost to the top and it has never yet flooded out. However, the ground water in my back yard will take days to dry out.

Completely agree with most of this post but bread gets moldy. Especially, in a hot home that has no electricity for days or weeks. You have to purchase non-perishable goods. Learned this the hard way! Never made that mistake again!

I lived and still do in the South end and was here during Irma when there was flooding in the northern villages but no problems down here. TV did a great job designing the retention ponds allowing water to go from one to the other and then to the golf courses. We got a lot of rain from Irma and the retention pond we live on was no where near the top and if it ever get's that high it will go over the end where no one lives and then down the road to the golf courses. No worries down here. On the other hand they were pumping water out of the northern sections for weeks, even some of the golf car tunnels were flooded. Also, you don't need to buy a radio if you have a car. Just gas, food, water and meds. A small generator wouldn't hurt, we have one but have never used it, never lost power down here for more than 30 minutes over the last 6 years however there have been long outages in some of the northern villages.

Play lots of golf before a hurricane hits because the courses might be under water for several days post storm.

Please understand this. It is not a North or South end thing. I have been through dozens of hurricanes. Sometimes, only one part of a neighborhood gets damage, some lose electricity, some do not. Sometimes the damage is throughout. Sometimes it is only one or two houses. With Mother Nature, it is never ALL or Nothing! Plan ahead that you may be one of the unfortunate. You will be glad you did! If you are lucky, you will have kind neighbors who have no damage and are willing to share. Another reason to have extra supplies. To help those in need!

Everybody take a deep breath.

By the time a hurricane reaches us, here in the middle of the state, it has lost power and is more like a bad thunderstorm.

I have lived in The Villages for 12 years. The worst storm was Irma, which passed nearly overhead. Lots of branches down in the roads. (Quickly cleaned up). Lots of water directed towards the golf courses. Could not play golf for a week or more. (Egad!) No houses were affected by water, except only in the historic section.

Power flickered a few times. Did not go out for long. SECO is very good about preparing for storms. Can't speak about the other power companies.

If your life depends on oxygen or refrigerated meds, perhaps you want a generator. Otherwise, I would not spend the money.

Our houses are stronger and more comfortable than any shelter. Stay in your home.

Good idea to keep food and water on hand. A full gas tank may be helpful. And if you have a power bank for your cell phone, be sure it is fully charged. Haven't needed it yet, but ???

I have heard about filling the bath tub with water for flushing the toilet, and we have done that. Never needed it. All the pipes are underground, but perhaps the pumping stations could suffer a power outage? Hasn't happened yet.

The Hurricane Expo was May 6 at the Savanna Center.

Full tank of fuel in car, full propane container for gas grill,, 2 cases of water, fill tub with water, prior to hurricane I freeze several gallon freezer bags bags to ice in event of possible power loss to protect food (haven’t lost power in 12 years). Protect personal documents in water tight bag. Bug out suitcase with meds. Cash money, batteries, candles, flashlight, portable power bank for phone.
Most gas stations and grocery stores have generators.
Obviously you’ll have a lot of wind and water with hurricanes but also the possibility of tornados within the storm. If your in direct path of the storm you will encounter the eye which is calm , then you’ll encounter the back side of the storm.

Good advice to remain calm. Every city has emergency preparations and will be out to help as soon as they can. But, there are times when they can not reach you for quite some time because trees and debris are blocking the streets or another area is in more need. Also, it does not matter if your utilities are underground. The electrical grid can go haywire and the sewage can be blocked up. I have lived through this. There is a saying about those who ignore the simple act of planning and preparing, they are always the ones who suffer the most. Do not panic! Be prepared! Again, I can not fully describe the absolute discomfort of "after the storm.". It is not location that has saved the Villages with prior hurricanes, it is pure luck! Mother Nature is not selective!

There will be A LOT of coverage on the MSM. We're from the midwest where tornados happen---they can here too. When Irma hit, it did go almost overhead (unexpected, I think). We stayed put. We did clear out the master closet floor and put our sofa-bed mattress in there. Wouldn't have to and saved a night of very uncomfortable "sleeping". We did invest in an inflatable mattress after that's never been out of the box. It "might" come in handy one day---if not someone else will benefit from it, maybe. As another OP mentioned that living here, hurricanes effects are more like a serious thunderstorm. The "historical" side did flood and were without electricity for sometime. BUT their infa-structure is above ground and I think since it was developed our "powers that be" have taken excellent steps for safety etc. IF you listen to the weather "news" non-stop then it will fuel fear. Having simple safety steps in place is good as a "just in case" but don't compare to the coasts what happens!!

As an aside....a lot of the "weather tends to go around us here. Marion Cnty to the north seems to get hit quite a bit.

Keep plenty of gas, propane, water, beer, and roofing patch material on hand and things will be fine.

Looks like there was one on May 5th at the Savanna Center. Not sure if there will be others.

I lived through an emergency where there was no power for ten days in a 75 mile radius. Here is my take:

If you are reasonably comfortable you'll do fine. Comfort includes fan or AC, fridge, internet and television.

I did it during the emergency with a generator. I observed my neighbors who quickly found that gasoline or propane is used by large generators quickly and fuel is hard to obtain. No rational person thinks the propane company is promptly coming by to fill your underground tank before it's empty during an emergency.

The whole home generators powered by buried PROPANE tanks will be empty within four days. Every gas can within a hundred miles will be gone as well as extension cords. Water, in the meantime will always be available.

So what to do? Buy a small efficient inverter generator less than 2500 watts. Two five gallon gas cans and a full golf cart will provide 7 1/2 days of power (1000 watt Genset) 24/7 or 15 days at 12 hours a day. 1000 watts powers your fridge, internet, TV, some lights and fans. Yes, that's right all of that with a thousand watts, I know as I've done it.

A 2500 watt Genset will power all that and a small window AC unit. Yes, you'll have extension cords everywhere but so what. You'll be comfortable at less than $1,000

Any specific questions? I'll be happy to elaborate.

From past hurricanes in TV I noticed that services like groceries, flooded out roads etc may cause a problem up to a week after the big event has passed. So I have a mobile generator and fill up two 5L tanks with gasoline. Get gas in advance as it is harder to get the closer the hurricane. Generator tent to keep it dry and hurricane lamp if generator needs to be set up in the dark in hurricane winds.The bigger the generator the louder it is you and neighbors can’t sleep through it - so get the least powerful one but one strong enough for what you absolutely need. Long proper outdoor extension cord with multiple outlets, cost over $100 to bring power to the house. Incase more gasoline is needed, the car tank and cart tank can subsidize - have a pump to suck out the gas. Then drinking water for a week for 2 people. Paper supplies. Dry goods, eg carton milk which does not need refrigeration etc. Canned tuna or meat. I have an emergency alert radio with batteries. Flashlight with lots of batteries. Camp fire lighter. My husband did a dry run to see what was needed. I eat the canned food once a year and replace with new. I like the idea of filling bath tub to flush if needed but I use mine every day. Think of hand wipes, plates, cups as if you were going camping where there is no water. Have at least $400 cash, ATMs may not work.

We have NEVER needed any of this stuff. But it’s like property insurance - peace of mind. Then there is a bit of extra preparation needed for a tornado. But you didn’t ask about that.

Definitely prepare, we do. Water, canned goods, everything that they recommend. You never know what’s going to happen. I’d get a battery operated radio. No need for sand bags. The Villages has a good design to let the golf courses flood first.

Every June I start adding to my “Hurricane Prep Food / Water” supply. Slowly but surely, a little bit very time I go to the grocery store. Don’t wait until a few days before to stock up, the shelves will be empty. We use the HVAC closet in the garage as a place to stockpile this stuff. It keeps things cool and out of the way.

Come November when the hurricane season is over, we just use up what we stockpiled. No big deal. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Don’t rely solely on the govt to help you out in a disaster, they will have their hands full with those who did not prepare. Dont stress out, just plan ahead.

And why should one be glad they don’t live on the south end?!?!

We attended one in May at Savannah Center. It was very informative.

Why leave? You’re just contributing to the packed roads when you’re perfectly safe staying home here in TV. Many coastal residents evacuate to central FL.

If not mentioned above cash in small bills.
Keep gas in your car as it may not be available for a day or two.
Your big risk is a tree falls on the power lines to your home and it takes several days to repair.
The risk of problems are minimal but I have been without electricity for 5 or 6 days in the past. If you need electricity then think about a generator.

yes please all y'all run out today and empty walmart and publix of every bottle of water ever possible please please please.

So Hurricane Hugo landed in Myrtle Beach, SC …..ventured inland 170 miles and hit Charlotte,NC with 100 MPH winds.

Don’t think being inland will save you

The same thing happened here in Florida. A hurricane ripped through Tampa Bay but there was more extensive damage in Orlando. Unfortunately, many people evacuated from Tampa to Orlando only to find themselves in a worse spot.
Never feel 100% safe. Mother Nature is not predictable.

I am from California also and my number one recommendation is by a back pack water filter will prevent you from scrambling for drinking water. They can produce 200 gallons of clean drinking water from a dirty source say a pond. If you don’t like filtered pond water fill your bath tub but we are basically drinking filtered pond water now with the ground acting as the filter as it makes its way to the aquifer.

Just curious about the south end comment?

Hurricane prep
 

A few years ago, I attended a 4th of July bbq at a friends house. A hurricane was coming toward Florida. It was my first hurricane prep. I was storing food and water. I asked if others were preparing? They looked at me and said “ what hurricane?” We get wind and rain in the villages and trees lose limbs. Some lived here several years and said they never lost power. The people from the coast come here when hurricanes come. The Wildwood community Center is a hurricane evacuation facility.

I would get basic supplies- I still have water from that last prep.

I saw pictures from a previous storm that torn off roofs in the villages. Who can say - do what makes you feel safe and comfortable.

Find out hoe high your house is above see level. No need to sandbag if you are over 35 - 40 ft ASL or you are very close to a body of water I.e, lake, pond, creek, river. Do have you emergency kit readily available. If you have pets, find out we’re is the nearest shelter that accepts pets and under what condition ( county registration, vaccination, amount of food, water, cage etc.)