Stay Safe this Tornado Season

[Brittany]

I know several states are being hit with severe thunderstorms and tornadoes this week. Just a friendly reminder to stay safe, and re-visit your emergency evacuation supplies.

I just had to evacuate my 3rd story apartment due to a tornado. Luckily I had my carriers ready to go, however I discovered my evacuation location doesn't have AC. It was over 80 degrees and we were there for about 45 minutes. I kept the chins cool with chillers and bags of frozen vegetables wrapped in fleece. Now that I'm back in my apartment all the chillers are in the freezer, and I'm freezing all of my spare water bottles so they're ready to go if we have to leave again.

Do you have an emergency evacuation kit ready to go?
Is your evacuation location cold enough for your chins?
Do you have supplies ready to keep them cool until you can get them to AC?

BIG THANK YOU to Stacey, Sandi, and Laurie for the advice and checking on us via texts during the situation! The girls and I <3 you all! :hug2:

 

[Stackie]

I am just glad you guys are safe! My chins and I were in my bath tub when the same storm that hit you was over us! 3 tornadoes within a 30 mile radius..yeesh.

Stay safe everyone! My biggest tip is keep everything close by. All my carriers are under my cages with liners and ready to go. I have a bag of extra pellets, hay, water bottles, and purified water in bottles ready to go. Never hurts to be extra prepared.

 

[Sandi]

Yes, me too, I'm glad it all worked out and that all of you are ok, Brittany. I can't imagine how stressful that was for you.

 

[3CsMommy]

In case anyone hadn't got one set up yet, here's a list of my Evac Kit supplies. I have 3 chins, but for one, you could probably get away with smaller amounts.

Purified water (drinking), 1 gallon
Spare water bottle, 12 oz glass
Pound of pellets (keep fresh)
Safe food dish, 4 oz size
Sm. Bag of hay (keep fresh), 15 oz size
Chinchiller(s)
Frozen bottles of water (cooling for the chins, drinking for the humans once thawed)
Fleece covers for frozen bottles
1 Qt Baggie of twigs/chews (calms their nerves)
Baggie of Critical Care and Syringe
List of basic chin care instructions (in case I'm injured or have to leave temporarily)

All the unfrozen stuff lives in a paper box w/ a lid in the closet by the cage with the carrier. (I have a note "Get frozen bottles Stupid!" in the box lid.) Make sure to rotate fresh pellets/hay into the Evac Kit every 3 months or so. Water will go off over time, and pellets and hay go stale/mold.

 

[muzzyj]

(I have a note "Get frozen bottles Stupid!" in the box lid.)

LOOOOVE this :tease:

 

[Stackie]

Here we go with round two in IN/MI/IL/OH =/ Tornado sirens have been sounding off an on for an hour now here in Indy. Stay safe everyone.

 

[Brittany]

Keep us posted, that means I have another hour or two until it hit here. We're under warning until 9pm :-/

 

[Sandi]

We haven't had a tornado warning around where I live yet :crossfingers: but we have had a heck of a fireworks show thanks to the massive thunderstorm this morning.

 

[Stackie]

The last storm just produced some hail, I think it stormed again while I was at the gym but I'm not sure! Now the storms are scattered all around us but nothing actually hitting us yet.

 

[Stackie]

Well we've been under a tornado warning 7 times now...we got a break between storms and now a big one is headed this way again. I also have hail damage to my car.

Hoping to get some sleep tonight..I work at 6 a.m.. The poor chins have been whisked in and out of their carriers several times today when I thought it was getting pretty bad...going to try to stay up until all these storms are gone so I can decide whether to stick em back in their carriers or not. *sigh*

Pretty sure I'm getting gray hairs. Who wants to move somewhere without tornadoes with me?

 

[dayofhope]

I'd be glad to move somewhere without tornadoes. Lol. Do you have a weather radio? They're really helpful.

 

[Mandy]

Ick..hope you and your chinnies stay safe Stackie.
We haven't gotten anything up here in NKY/southern cinci..but it's on it's way. Might see something by what looks to be 2am? They keep pushing the time like yesterday- but nothing happened. Lets hope for a repeat!

 

[3CsMommy]

Looks like we're heading to Washington State:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/05/01/weekinreview/01safe.html

I think U-Haul rents climate-controlled trucks we could convoy all the midwest Chinnies in.