FRIDAY, AUGUST 16, 2013
I guess I shouldn't complain. June and July were pretty quiet. It is mid August and we are just now getting some activity in the Gulf.
As you keep a close watch on these systems moving into the Gulf, make sure you keep a supply of anything you might need in case a hurricane comes to visit us here in East Texas. There are lists all over that are pretty handy.Those lists are good, but what about the cleanup of limbs and trees downed? I found out after Hurricanes Rita and Ike that my most useful tool was my little Stihl chainsaw. I had so many trees and limbs down, that I wore out 2 chains. I was lucky that I had a couple of extra chains and plenty of bar oil available. Here is a list of items that you may need for cleanup after a hurricane-
Extra chainsaw blades, or sharpening tool.
Bar oil for chainsaw.
Leather work gloves. ( make sure you have several sizes for helpers.)
Eye protection
Extra cans of gasoline ( For generators, chainsaws, ATV's, etc.)
2 cycle oil
Extra heavy extension cords.
Plywood for windows
Extra battery for cordless tools.
Chains or heavy rope for pulling tree limbs.
After a storm, gasoline is a hot commodity for certain. Anyone remember the hours long wait when Walmart opened its gas station after Ike? I now keep a good supply this time of year to run my generator, power tools, etc.
After Rita and Ike, many folks got that venison out of the freezer and used the gas grill while there was no power. Keep an extra propane tank full and ready for this instance.
And get out there and crank that generator to make sure it even works! (Check that oil level first! Most won't crank with low oil levels.)
Hopefully we won't need any of this stuff, and no storms will venture our way this year. If you have some more ideas about post storm cleanup, share them with us here.
Willie Miller
P.S. Now is a good time to get your homeowners policy out and do a reading of it. Some of the wording is confusing, so don't hesitate to call and ask your agent to explain what coverage you have. Better to ask now and make any changes than finding out after a storm that you don't have what you wanted.
Posted 3:31 PM