What is in your hurricane evacuation kit?

If you live in hurricane territory and like to be prepared, what do you keep in a little kit for a quick get away?

I have water, peanut butter, dog and cat food (for the pets), one pillow, a blanket, and some hand sanitizer.

Where does a hurricane start forming and then end?

i was wondering, where does a hurricane come from, and then where does it end? also, is there a particular season for hurricanes? im from england and we don’t get hurricanes so i don’t know. thanks to anyone who answers. it would be most appreciated.

Hurricanes Strike Cruise Lines

Summer is the time that most people go on vacation. It is perfect because school is out and you take your vacation time when the weather is at its best. The whole family can go on vacation when it comes to the summer months, and you’ll find tons of options. There are lot of people who will take a cruise. Cruises happen to be the hot spot, because it has entertainment for the whole family and they offer a good time filled with laughter and relaxation. However, there is one problem with cruises and that’s the weather. There are tons of things that nature can bring to you and your cruise, however, hurricane season is most of the summer. The hurricane season begins June 1 and runs through November 30.

You may think that the cruise lines know more about the season then you, however, they do take a lot of chances. You will want to take the following information in consideration when you are booking a cruise in the summer. First, you should believe that the cruise line is not indestructible. People though the Titanic was unsinkable, and look what happened! Just because you want to have a good vacation or time, you have to realize that you may be putting yourself and your family in harms way. The Phantom in 1998 saw what nature can do during storm season. The ship and crew was lost because they ended up sailing directly into a hurricane. Fortunately, the passengers where dropped off on shore; it could have been a lot worse. The famous Carnival Cruise line has a lot of problems with the weather, hurricanes, and other troubles of the water. Although they do give you a lot of entertainment, cruise lines have no idea on how to protect you from the harm of nature.

This is just a few stories, but you can find more online. You will want to take caution when booking a cruise, but it’s not necessarily something extreme. The line does have technology and skills that will help you to enjoy your time and come back safely. You will find that there are lot of cruises that come and go through out the summer and nothing really happens; however, there may be one or two from various lines that may run into a little trouble, but they overcome it. The best part about cruises is that you can get attractive discounts on cruises from August to December. You will find that most of the hurricane season is died and gone, and you’ll also get a cruise line price that fits into the smallest of budgets.

You should just keep in mind the worst that you can expect. There are lot of storms that ships are able to sail through without any issues, but they use forecasts and predictions to allow them to avoid hurricanes. Most ships consider hurricanes a bother, but not a threat. They may make the ship go off course, and they may even cancel a part of the trip or departure of a location.

Therefore, you should no that your reservation is not a promise or something written in stone. You should feel safe that there are no lines or captains that would ever put the crew or passengers in any grave danger. Any real threat will cause a cancellation and they won’t hesitate to do so.

When it comes to the cruises, you will want to do two things to minimize your risks. You first, will want to think about paying a large deposit without being told that you’ll be able to get your complete money back if the cruise doesn’t happen. You also shouldn’t have the weather ruin your vacation. You will always want to have backup plan so that your family isn’t disappointed.

Perfect Conditions Make for Perfect Storms - How Hurricanes Form

ever wondered why hurricanes arrive like clockwork during “hurricane season,” it’s because conditions are just right. With the warm waters of late summer, low pressure systems, and other conditions in place, hurricanes are born.

Hurricanes start out as low pressure weather systems over Africa and emerge as tropical disturbances over the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean during the late summer and early fall. The moisture and warmth energize these low pressure disturbances, creating thunderstorms. Some thunderstorms dissipate and that’s the end of the story. However, many pickup strength and wind speed. When these storm systems continue developing and winds have reached 40 miles per hour, they are then designated as tropical storms and given a name from the National Hurricane Center. Once a storm is named, it isn’t necessary destined to become a full-blown hurricane. In fact, many tropical storms fizzle out. Others intensify, continuing to drawn energy from the warm, moist waters below while venting cooler, dry air out above. Energy and heat is released and strong winds form. Meanwhile the center of the storm heats up due to the release of energy and water vapor, causing an air pressure drop and stronger, more intense winds in the core. This creates a cycle of more heat, continued low pressure, and stronger winds.

Finally, if the winds reach 74 miles per hour, the named tropical storm becomes a Category One hurricane. Hurricanes can vary in strength, moving up and down the Saffir-Simpson scale as they lose or gain intensity. For example, when hurricanes reach land, they quickly weaken because they are no longer fueled by warm waters. However, many move over the land, back to open waters where they quickly regain their lost strength.

Category One hurricanes are the least destructive with winds ranging from 74-95 miles per hour. Downed trees, damaged bushes, and damaged mobile homes are typical victims of Category One hurricanes.

Category Two hurricanes have winds ranging in speed from 96-110 miles per hour and typically bring storm surges of 6-8 feet above normal. Category Three hurricanes feature winds from 111-130 miles per hour and 9-12 foot storm surges. Category Four hurricanes are characterized by wind speeds of 13-155 miles per hour and storm surges of 13-18 feet above normal. Finally, Category Five hurricanes have winds in excess of 156 miles per hour and storm surges above 18 feet.

Obviously, as hurricanes work their way up the scale with stronger winds and larger storm surges, the potential for damage increases dramatically. Only a few category five hurricanes have made landfall in the U.S. However, lower rated hurricanes can wreak havoc when conditions are right. Hurricane Katrina, the most devastating hurricane to hit the United States, made landfall as a Category Three hurricane.

While hurricanes are destructive as far as man and civilization are concerned, they do have beneficial qualities. One, they provide up to a quarter of the annual rainfall in the southern states and may even play a vital role in maintaining the Earth’s heat balance - moving heat from the tropical regions to the poles. Hurricanes have a long term positive effect on marshes and coastal wetlands as well with storm surges adding critical nutrients and sediment to these fragile lands. Under the sea, coral benefits from hurricanes as well. For example, cooler waters move to the surface, counteracting the “bleaching” effect of warm waters. In addition, some species of coral, such as elkhorn coral, break off of reefs and reattach elsewhere, forming a new reef. Though capable of extreme destruction, hurricanes help build up barrier islands which in turn provide the first line of defense against the hurricane’s fury.

Warm ocean waters coupled with tropical disturbances and low pressure systems each summer and fall provide the perfect conditions for a hurricane to form. Whether a tropical depression progresses to a tropical storm or a hurricane depends on the conditions at the time. As summer approaches fall, these conditions are perfect for a storm.

Hurricane Proof Computer

Hurricanes cause billions of dollars in damage each year, including damage to computers. Unfortunately, computers can be much harder to replace if lost than other electronics because of the data contained on their hard drives and time spent tweaking and overclocking them. Being a Katrina evacuee and survivor myself, I know how important a computer can be after a natural disaster. With hurricane season looming in the days ahead, I decided to write a guide to help people protect their computers and data during a natural disaster.

Part I: Backing Up Data And Things to Have

Hurricane season or not, you should always be backing up your data. Whether you plan on riding out the storm (a bad idea) or evacuating to another location, you should have a backup of your computer data either on an external hard drive or optical media such as CD-Rs or a DVD. Be sure to keep your data in a very safe place, such as a water proof safe. Never leave your backup by your computer.

Next, you should have the following things to make life after the storm easier:

Phone numbers for insurance, computer or computer parts companies, and phone numbers for all local ISPs (including dial-up and satellite). Having your insurance phone number and phone numbers for your computer company will help get your computer replaced faster if it is damaged. I can’t stress enough how important it is for you to have phone numbers and even access disks for all of your local ISPs! After Katrina, the Internet was the only way many people could contact the outside world. As fate would have it, my broadband was down for 3 weeks and none of the other broadband ISPs would except new orders due to the storm, leaving me with my old friend Dial Up, whom I thought I had buried 8 years ago. Your best bet is to use a satellite ISP as they have no equipment that can be destroyed by a hurricane and cause an outage.

Back ups of all your file, have all application and game discs, CD keys, drivers, and operating system discs on hand.

Photos of your computer as well as proof of what parts are inside.

In the event your quad SLI rig is destroyed, you don’t want your insurance company to replace it with something of a significantly lesser value, do you? It’s very easy for people to claim “I had this, this, and this and it all cost me $3000 last month.” after their 3 year old Athlon XP rig is destroyed. As a result, your insurance company may be hesitant to replace your expensive computer parts unless you can prove you own them. Also know to what extent your insurance (including flood insurance) will replace damaged property. While some policies will cover the replacement cost of damaged property, some may only cover part of the damage cost. Also know what your deductible is.

Blog or Social Networking Profile

Social networking sites such as myspace were great after Katrina. Friends could find out where other friends had evacuated to simply by reading each others’ myspaces.

Generator and Gas

A generator can power many things, including home computers! Check with your local generator supplier about any local laws about generators, how to safely and properly set one up, and how well they will work with computers. Because generators provide unstable power, a battery backup UPS and a surge protector are a must. Do not count on gas to power your generator being available in the aftermath of the storm. It’s best to have a good supply of gas as well as a few empty gas containers on hand.

Part II: Evacuating with Your PC

Like any family members or pets you may have, your PC isn’t something to leave behind if you can avoid it. While your first priority should be getting out alive, you should consider bringing your PC with you if you can room in your car. You can’t count on your destination to have good computers, high speed Internet, or any entertaining activities for that matter. Being in another place during a hurricane is stressful. Between watching your home town being walloped on CNN and The Weather Channel, the people around you as well as yourself will be tense and worried. Having a nice computer to browse the web with and play Battlefield 2 is a sure entertainer. In fact, the Internet was the only place where I could get information about my very neighborhood after the storm! Local newspaper message boards were packed with evacuees from all over my area and had plenty of information about damage to share.

Even if you can’t bring your PC, at the very least bring your hard drive with you! If your home is looted in the aftermath of the storm, the last thing you want is your personal data in someone else’s hands. Be sure your hard drive is in an anti-static bag to avoid needless damage to it.

If taking a long road trip, you should probably place some sort of padding or foaming (even a blanket will work) around your computer or hard drive to protect it from the vibrations of the car. Don’t bring your monitor unless you have an LCD and there’s room for it.

Part III: Leaving Your PC at Home

If you don’t have room for your PC in your car, don’t plan on staying with it during the storm. There are several safeguards you can take to prevent unnecessary damage to your computer:

Cover any open parts of your computer case (such as fans and vents) with tape. Don’t use duct tape unless you want to risk taking paint off your case or a sticky mess.

Cover your computer with as many trash bags as you need. At least 2 trash bags per computer are recommended.

Consider how high your home is above sea level, the risk of flooding, and other factors. If you know your home could flood, you should put your computer on the second floor. But if you know your roof is weak and could easily blow off, don’t put it on the second floor! Find an enclosed space with no windows (such as a closet) as close to the center of your home as possible. If your computer case has a side window, make sure it’s facing towards the ground or against a wall. If you can, place other objects around your computer to offer it additonal protection from blowing rain and flying debris.

Part IV: When the Worst Happens

In the event your PC becomes damaged during the storm, don’t fret. If the damage is from a fallen tree or a piece of flying debri, there is nothing you can do. If your computer becomes flooded, however, there are steps you can take to recover it. Below is a basic guide on how to recover a flooded computer.

Do not turn on the computer! Make sure it is unplugged! While you may be anxious to see if your computer can run, don’t do it if you know it’s been exposed to water. You’ll just end up causing more damage if you do. Remember to keep your computer unplugged.

Remove components that work. If you can see a water line in your computer, take out all the components above it and put them in a safe place.

Let your computer dry. Let your computer dry for a week or so. One drop of water in a running computer could mean disaster.

Remove the CMOS battery and other parts.

Use a solution of 90% alcohol or more to wash the various components of your computer, including connectors. If necessary, use a paint brush to remove stubbon crud.

Let your computer dry completely.

If the above doesn’t work or you have data you can’t risk losing on your hard drive, consider professional computer recovery. Do not plan on salvaging the power supply, CMOS battery, the hard drive, optical drives, or any fans if they have been flooded. Also remember to take pictures of any damage to your computer before you attempt to fix it for insurance purposes.

Hopefully this guide will help people save their computers from hurricane related damage. A computer is a very useful tool that should be part of any good disaster supply kit. Trust me when I say it’s an important thing to have around. However, remember a computer is only a material possession. Like all material objects, they can be replaced. Human and animal life, however, cannot. Use good judgement when deciding whether or not to take your computer with you and while repairing it if it damaged.

Disclaimer: In no way is the author responsible for any actions you may take to save your computer from a hurricane or fix it after flooding. Any actions you choose regarding hurricanes and computers are taken at your own risk. For the sake of all, please use common sense during any natural disaster.

Hurricane Shutters May Save Your Life

People who live in coastal communities are nearly always slap bang in the direct path of hurricanes. Residents are required to evacuate immediately and seek shelter in higher ground until the storm passes.

When the weatherman reports the direction of the hurricane and it’s heading your way, the only thing any homeowner can do is board up the home. This is usually done using wood but there is a better way now to protect the house.

The best way to protect your home is by using hurricane shutters. These are strong enough to protect the windows and even the doors from gale force winds that could be carrying flying debris.

There are different types of hurricane shutters available in the market. There are the colonial, Bahamas, accordion and roll down versions. These are all made from different types of material such as metal or wood.

The cheapest among all of these is the vinyl version. Available in your local DIY stores, the only drawback with these kinds of shutters is the longevity when compared to other types.

Those who want wood should try Cedar since it has a natural oil that termites and other bugs hate as well as preventing moisture penetration.

Of course, there is always aluminum that is rust resistant. It doesn’t look like much from the outside but this will perform its job when the storm rears its ugly head.

The type of shutter to be chosen will really depend on the severity of previous hurricanes. The person can contact a representative from one of these companies for an ocular inspection and measurements to be made to be able to design the right one for the home.

Contractors will usually charge per foot so you should probably look around and compare the rates before deciding on the one to get.

Hurricane shutters are easy to install. They’re usually screwed onto the top of the wall so the shutter can be pulled down. This is much better than boarding up the home because the people who live there can stay inside when waiting for an order about whether to evacuate or not.

In fact, those who know some basic carpentry skills can save some money by buying the materials and building this at home.

It’s always a good idea to get some friends or some members of the family to help to put the hurricane shutter into position given the weight of this thing once it is fully assembled.

Generally, hurricane shutters are placed outside of the home. Some people have even installed a second one inside that is more decorative adding a slightly bizarre but nevertheless idiosyncratic touch to the home.

When the hurricane has passed, the exterior covering can be removed and stored in the garage. This should be kept in a secure and safe place so it can be brought out again to protect the home against the next one, especially since more than 10 of these darn hurricanes come every year.

Hurricane shutters don’t look that nice from the outside however this should not deter the person from getting one for the home. It may not protect the home entirely when the storm comes but at least this can reduce the cost of repairs as insurance companies are unwilling to cough up!

do you no any good sites that do good live webcam footage of hurricane gustuv?

i have looked all over the net can’t find a good cam. anyone got any good links?

Team Building for Executives: How the Carolina Hurricanes Became Nhl Champions

It’s a question that’s top of mind for most managing executives: “How can I get the most out of my staff?” In the hyper-competitive business environment of today, many businesses are becoming aware that a prerequisite of peak performance is a psychological understanding of actual human motivators.

A basic behavioral understanding shows that frequently, things previously thought of as “intangibles” are often at the forefront of an individual’s motivating factors. These intangibles relate to the innate desire in human beings to be part of something larger; to extend his or her circle of connectedness outward, past the family/friends sphere; and if possible, to instill a good dose of meaning in one’s function at the workplace.

The fact is, as a species the human desire for ‘meaning’ is at an all-time high. People find meaning most often when they feel they are an integral, even powerful part of something larger. (Remember that to ‘empower’ does not necessarily require the bestowal of a higher position or title.)

The recognition of this general concept is likely responsible for the growth of team building programs being implemented in companies of all shapes and sizes. But to get to the point, how can you improve your company’s team building concept or event to achieve highly positive results?

The Proof: 23rd to Champions in One Season

To have a more detailed at what works and why, let’s break down an example. Hockey fans will know that recently the Carolina Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup, the holy grail of the sport. The previous season, 2003-04 (as 2004-05 was nullified because of a lockout), the Hurricanes finished a lowly 23rd in the NHL - 15 points out of the playoffs. How did such a growth in performance happen, and who or what is responsible?

The answer does not lie in the Hurricanes headhunting acumen, as 17 of their 24 players were either returnees from the 2003-04 team, or were unproven greenhorns at the elite level of the NHL. Rather, they developed and integrated a cohesive team concept in a rather interesting way; a way which is relevant to just about any staff manager out there.

To make the Hurricanes successful, Laviolette believed he had to do two things: create an inclusive atmosphere for everyone in the entire organization, and secondly, have every player buy in to his vision. Sometimes the team building included something simple, an impromptu meeting or watching Monday Night Football as a team. But the team admits that they biggest single difference maker came just prior to the start of the season.

It was at an event away from the ‘office’, in fact in the middle of a forest, with players working together on a rope-climbing obstacle course. On the rope course, players were climbing 30 to 40 feet above the ground on the apparatus and were heavily dependent on each other.

“I come from the minor leagues, and in the minor leagues there is a closeness,” Laviolette says. “And I found that there were walls up here that separate players, separate the coaches, separate the management. Those walls are built so high, and I don’t think they have to be here. That’s just my opinion. I think if you can tear down those walls, you can get people to care about each other. Who do you want to fight the hardest for? It’s the people you care about.”

Hurricanes’ defenseman Glen Wesley recalled the team building event’s igniting effect. “It was something that was a lot of fun and there were some great memories from that time of bonding,” Wesley said. “It really just started getting us close as a group right from Day 1 and it continued from there.”

Duplicating a Winning Model

If every participant in your team building event can come away with a sense of achieving something unique as a team, it goes without saying that the meaning and energy within the group dynamic rises dramatically. Remember this: meaning is synonymous with commitment, and commitment plus energy equals revenue. We’ve seen this time and time again, but this concept is still not widely accepted by many executives.

Rising Above Fears

In the above example, the fear of heights was confronted and overcome. If together a team can overcome a situation where fear-based emotions were prominent, a natural sense of bonding occurs. Camaraderie and a powerful sense of ‘team’ are amplified. As far as team building goes, this an area where perhaps the traditional company golf tourney misses out.

Of course, there is a difference between perceived fear and actual danger. The safety of individuals must always be held paramount.

Enlarging the Circle of Trust

An added bonus often presents itself to include customers and associates in team building group events. Further extending and wrapping your feel-good corporate culture around associates in this way can strengthen relationships and increase purchases dramatically. Take advantage of this when available and appropriate.

Hurricane Katrina: Victims Scream for Help!

As the damage, lives, and missing are calculated the rest of the victims of Hurricane Katrina are asking what can they do to help and how can they be helped in their situation of distress. The American Red Cross is helping as much as they can and collecting funds to increase their capability to help the victims.

Federal help has been implemented, as well, to help the victims and their families get back on their feet. FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) is now helping in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and southern Florida. With this extra help many of the needed supplies for the people of the area will be supplied, as well as the needed funds to prepare to rebuild.

Many individuals have rallied as well to help those in need, both with missing people and fixing damages. Searches are being conducted all across Louisiana and Mississippi to find missing people in the rubble and destruction that was left behind Katrina’s path.

Hopefully with all the help that the people of these states are receiving they will quickly be able to get back to their everyday lives. But for now Hurricane Katrina victims still need help in lots of ways and are asking where to go for help and have found a group of local websites such as www.mylouisiana.us and www.mymississippi.us to be of great help to look for information at the state level. At a more local level they have found www.myneworleansla.us and www.myjacksonms.us. These sites provide hope and information for these devastated people. The forums created by the webmasters provide information for the victims in an organized manner. As well as a way to ask questions about what is being done in their local areas in the way of rebuilding and finding lost loved ones. And in a smaller, but still important aspect, giving the victims a place to tell their stories as a way of helping them cope with their losses and move on with their lives.

There are several ways to help including donating to the Red Cross fund at www.redcross.org and also helping more directly by volunteering time to help. Another way to help these people directly if you don’t have a lot of time you can visit the My United States Network sites and give these people hope and information in the forums

After Hurricane Ike hit, is it harder to get an apartment in the eastern Houston area?

We are moving to the Deer Park/Clear Lake area soon and were looking into some apartments. We have heard that many are full from evacuees from the hurricane. Is this true and will it be more difficult to find an apartment in that area? Thanks!

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