Anybody learn from or want to change anything from Helene or Milton?

[Lost1wing]

Now, that we're into recovery for the hurricanes, any of you guys help out there? What did you learn about your rigs and set ups?

It is sad to say that the Gladiator just sat while the clean up was being done. If you have a better tool, use it, is my thought. The Duramax and the Roxor were the go to vehicles for this project of cleaning up. It's not that the Gladiator couldn't be used, I just had better options. I still haven't cleaned the Gladiator yet. It looks as if I was wheeling at 119mph in the carport, which would have been a scary ride. When my tree fell, blocking the carport, it probably saved the Gladiator from other storm related damage. The Duramax had the door and hood dented from the same branch that went through the windshield. Not even a scratch on the Crown Victorias or Jettas that are 20+ years old (outside).

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[Alpine Warthog]

It is sad to say that the Gladiator just sat while the clean up was being done. If you have a better tool, use it, is my thought. The Duramax and the Roxor were the go to vehicles for this project of cleaning up. It's not that the Gladiator couldn't be used, I just had better options. I still haven't cleaned the Gladiator yet. It looks as if I was wheeling at 119mph in the carport, which would have been a scary ride.

That makes sense. Right tool for the right job.

 

[Rusty PW]

Keep your friends close. Don't tell the whole neighborhood what you have. Otherwise they will be the first knocking on your door for what you have. And it might not be friendly.

 

[Alpine Warthog]

Keep your friends close. Don't tell the whole neighborhood what you have. Otherwise they will be the first knocking on your door for what you have. And it might not be friendly.

That's the hard part about branching out with prepping type stuff. Theres a bunch of newbies out there who are clueless and loud about it, and the truely knowledgeable ones, are suspicious and keep the knowledge to themselves lol I've just been trying to match my setup to what I saw set up in the nuclear missile launch bunker museums.

 

[DanW]

If people learn anything at all, I hope it's, you cannot count on the government, regardless of party or politics, to be there when you need them with what you need.

People with a Jackery, a solar panel, and two cases of water from Sams Club were infinitely better off than the ones waiting on FEMA.

As for the Gladiator, I keep about 15 gallons of extra gas in gas cans that can be put into the truck and I never let my vehicles tanks get below 1/2. I'd say 90% of the time my JT has a full tank of gas as it sits in the garage. My JL is more often the daily driver.

I have a bug out bag that includes MRE's and other essential stuff.

 

[TheTrailGeek]

I'm in Western NC. We went over right after the storm and for several weekends after to help in the area. It's crazy how fast you learn that what you're lacking in a situation like that. Comms was the most immediate thing. We drove through a big portion of the area with no way to communicate. We were doing wellness checks for families that we knew in other areas that had family in the affected area and couldn't reach them. We'd get to an address and find they were okay, but would have to drive out of the area to communicate back to people in other areas. Starlink was an easy fix for this. Power was next on my list. I've been working on that slowly since then and should have that finished (If Jeep ever returns my rig from the corrosion / paint hell I've been living in ) in short order. Being able to charge chainsaw batteries (fuel was hard to find), keep Starlink powered, etc were all challenges. One of the places we setup to help on our second weekend had no way to communicate and I could only keep the Starlink powered for short periods of time on my small portable "emergency" battery. I've got a small Ecoflow now that will power it for quite sometime, but have a Redarc / lifepo4 / inverter setup I should have finished up soon. Onboard water and organized storage are the next things on my list. Might do a 40% delete for more storage room, some slides (with packout) or drawers in the back. Then medical supplies. I know it's hard to be prepared for anything, but these are the things on my list from Helene. That said, the ATV and SxS were doing a lot of the out and back trips in the area because of their size and abilities.

 

[Alpine Warthog]

Thi

I'm in Western NC. We went over right after the storm and for several weekends after to help in the area. It's crazy how fast you learn that what you're lacking in a situation like that. Comms was the most immediate thing. We drove through a big portion of the area with no way to communicate. We were doing wellness checks for families that we knew in other areas that had family in the affected area and couldn't reach them. We'd get to an address and find they were okay, but would have to drive out of the area to communicate back to people in other areas. Starlink was an easy fix for this. Power was next on my list. I've been working on that slowly since then and should have that finished (If Jeep ever returns my rig from the corrosion / paint hell I've been living in ) in short order. Being able to charge chainsaw batteries (fuel was hard to find), keep Starlink powered, etc were all challenges. One of the places we setup to help on our second weekend had no way to communicate and I could only keep the Starlink powered for short periods of time on my small portable "emergency" battery. I've got a small Ecoflow now that will power it for quite sometime, but have a Redarc / lifepo4 / inverter setup I should have finished up soon. Onboard water and organized storage are the next things on my list. Might do a 40% delete for more storage room, some slides (with packout) or drawers in the back. Then medical supplies. I know it's hard to be prepared for anything, but these are the things on my list from Helene. That said, the ATV and SxS were doing a lot of the out and back trips in the area because of their size and abilities.

This is exactly the li9nd of feedback I was hoping for!

Do you have any radio comms? CB or GMRS? Walkie Talkies? I wonder how widespread the little walkies are these days.

What about local radio stations? Were they knocked out as well, if they were operating, did they provide any useful info?

 

[Free2roam]

I have a setup called goTenna. Uses a cell phone connected to an app that I believe doesn't need Internet to communicate via radio waves. No sure the popularity of it. But it will connect to others close by so communication is not private. But it can also bounce signal off another one close by to extend range.

 

[TheTrailGeek]

Thi

This is exactly the li9nd of feedback I was hoping for!

Do you have any radio comms? CB or GMRS? Walkie Talkies? I wonder how widespread the little walkies are these days.

What about local radio stations? Were they knocked out as well, if they were operating, did they provide any useful info?

I have a GMRS 50w in my Jeep and had one handheld. I have 3 handhelds now and will use the inverter to keep the batteries topped off. There was a lot of chatter on GMRS so lots using it in the area. I'm not sure about radio stations in the area we were in (Black Mountain), but power was out pretty much everywhere so I can't imagine they were online.

 

[TheTrailGeek]

Oh! I added paper maps too for the 3 states my area borders.

 

[Alpine Warthog]

Oh! I added paper maps too for the 3 states my area borders.

Great idea. I used to keep one of those big atlas books but I've been slacking and lost it somewhere. I need to update my map collection

 

[Free2roam]

Great idea. I used to keep one of those big atlas books but I've been slacking and lost it somewhere. I need to update my map collection

I pretty much know the roads in my area as well as trails etc to GTFO if SHTF. Not to worried about that aspect of things. Plus I've got a shit ton of downloaded maps off Gaia to get out whit it gets rough! As well as places to go.

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