Hurricane Protocol

The Hurricane Protocol 2013 hurricane guide

Posted by: mikatnight, 08:04 PM GMT on Μάιος 16, 2013

Hey Y'all -

Welcome to the blog! As it were.

Here is the link to the guide:

* HURRICANE PROTOCOL 2013

Here are links to the individual pages within the guide:
(best for phones w/out Evernote app installed)
1. BEFORE, DURING & AFTER
2. WIND
3. WATER
4. WATCHES & WARNINGS
5. WATCH/WARNING CHECKLIST
6. DISASTER KIT
7. HISTORY
8. FACTS & FIGURES

We don't need no stinkin' hurricane guide.
I was born and raised in Palm Beach County. In 1964 I was 6 years old when Hurricane Cleo passed by us. It knocked a big Australian pine tree down across the street, blocking the road for awhile. Naturally, everyone lost power and since we were one of the few people on our street with a gas stove, we invited families to come over and cook their meals. Less than 2 months later, Hurricane Isbell would pay a visit (with a track that would seem eerily familiar 41 years later, when Hurricane Wilma - the last major hurricane to strike the US - would remind east coast Floridians again that eastward moving storms can still pack quite a wallop). At 6 1/2 years old, I thought myself a seasoned hurricane veteran and fully expected a hurricane every year or two from then on. But it would be a long time before this area would again get a serious strike, and even then, we would be very lucky.

Ok, maybe we do need a stinkin' guide.
My wife and I moved to our current location 3 months before Hurricane Frances hit in 2004. In what used to be a cat 1 evac zone (PBC last year changed its evacuation plans), we prudently packed a U-Haul only to see the forecast track shift at the zero hour and move far enough to the north to allay any real concerns of storm surge. So we stayed. Three weeks later we also stayed for Jeanne. And for the same reason. I felt confident enough in the NHC track and the storm's character that we would not be endangering our lives by staying. But we were prepared to leave if need be. Even if we did leave it wouldn't have been far. A couple of miles, 5 max. The closer to home, the better (asap we'd go back to see what's up). Just as long as were out of the swamp zone and in a relatively well built structure. You can't run from the wind.

This guide stinks.
I had already started a hurricane guide for ourselves before the 2nd hurricane hit. After Frances, I realized when you live in an evacuation zone there's a lot of stuff to do and remember! The guides provided by the local tv news were informative but inadequate, so I started grabbing info from them and other sources and by 2005, I was calling it the Hurricane Protocol Hurricane Guide 2005. A few people saw it and wanted copies for themselves. The thing eventually grew to over 40 pages and was becoming a real PITA when finally, in 2011, I got Evernote and the bright idea to put the whole HP guide there and share it with whoever wanted it. This year I made the link public.

That's better.
The nice part about the Evernote app for this I think, is that even if you're in a different area - or you don't particularly like some things, or wish others were added for your own use - it's pretty easy to copy and paste to and from Evernote, and you can simply make your own guide tailored to your location and situation. As it is, the guide is tailored for my location, which is in Palm Beach County, (Lantana) Florida. Downloading the (free) Evernote app is not required to view the HP guide - though it's way easier to navigate on a smartphone if you do. Evernote is available for free and works on all platforms (pc, mac, tablet or smartphone). The paid version (which I don't have) allows for viewing offline, collaboration with others, provides more storage per month (60 Mb/month - free version) and has some other features, but since the links inside the HP guide are probably its most powerful component, I don't see much advantage for now in upgrading for offline viewing, and I've never really had a problem with the amount of storage.

That's smart.
Viewing the guide via smartphone: If you don't have the Evernote app installed on your phone, it's easier to use the individual page links listed above. Also, though phone numbers listed in the guide may not appear as links, when viewed via touchscreen they are clickable and will open the dialer app on your device. Pages update automatically each time they're opened.

That's that.
I'll continue to keep the Hurricane Protocol 2013 hurricane guide updated as best I can. It is after all, in my own best interests. I hope people will find it useful and informative. If just one person is made safer or better off as a result of using this guide I will feel that it has been worth the effort of making it public and putting it online. As always, comments, suggestions & constructive criticism are welcome. Have a great year everyone!

HURRICANE DAMAGE POTENTIAL

These values indicate increases in damage potential ABOVE damage that occurs with a 75 mph hurricane.

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Categories:Hurricane Hurricane Guide Palm Beach County Storm Preparation Florida

Updated: 10:43 PM GMT on Μάιος 22, 2013

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Lifetime local living for the last 9 years across the street from the Intracoastal Waterway in a "Plan B" (Cat. 2) evacuation zone. So I made a guide.

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