Hurricane preparedness includes the gas tank

Avoid hurricane gas panic!

There are three things that everyone who has to live through a pending hurricane knows will occur when it comes to a hurricane and they are:

§ Severe winds,

§ Deluge of rain and

§ Long lines at the gas station

Lines can crawl ever so slowly for several blocks long when a hurricane is pending. The closer the hurricane is to shore the longer the lines. Many customers will spend hours lined up to get gas when they could be on the road getting as far away as possible from a hurricane storm or doing some other kind of hurricane preparation at home or at their business.

With gas prices going sky high and there is no threat to a hurricane, you can be pretty sure that the price of gasoline will go up even more when a hurricane is approaching. Supply, demand and fear govern much of the factors that determine the price of a gallon of gas especially when facing a hurricane.

If a hurricane has caused disaster damage from moderate to severe the price of gasoline will spike even more in such situations and the lines will grow much longer as recovery days lengthen. Even for those who do not live in the path of a hurricane will have an increase at the pumps.

Should a hurricane be suggested as a possibility the following suggestions should be followed as part of your emergency preparedness plans. Here are some emergency preparedness tips to help deal with the issues of fuel supply:

1. Fill up early all your cars, trucks, vans and RVs as soon as possible when learning of a possible hurricane. This will ensure less wait at the gas station and possible none at all if you fill up early enough. Generally people in line will run their air conditioning and the idling will burn up some of the gasoline that is already in the tank costing the customer even more money.

2. Don’t wait to fill up. If you postpone buying you gasoline to see if the hurricane is predicted to come your way then you will face a very long line. When it is apparent that the hurricane is headed your way even a Category 1 the lines will be significantly longer and customer tempers shorter.

3. Fill up as much as possible. Even with the high prices of fuel, it is wise to fill up all vehicles in case there is need for evacuation. If you plan to ride out the storm and have a gasoline generator, the additional car is a safe and large supply resource for storing gasoline to use in your generator should electricity be out for a period of time.

4. Buy extra supply of gasoline for each vehicle. Have at least 1-2 extra 5-gallon transportation and storage approved gasoline containers for each vehicle. DO NOT use any type of container that is not specifically approved for fuel storage. Never use gas containers that are damaged, rusted or that do not have all parts included. These parts include the hose, tight sealing cap and small vent cap. If these items are not available then don’t use it. It is way to hazardous to transport fuel in non-secured and appropriate storage containers. If you have a question, ask your local gas station owner, auto supply store manager or police or fire officer. All will be well informed as to how appropriate your container is.

5. Buy as good a grade fuel container as you can obtain. The thicker the plastic and better constructed components the easier and safer it will be to handle it. With the price of gasoline you don’t want to spill even a single drop and see it on the ground wasted and not available to keep you moving out of harm’s way!

6. Keep gas tanks and containers away from home. Gasoline is a very toxic fume generating substance. If at all possible keep all fuel containers including your gasoline containers in an independent outdoor shed for best and safest storage. If that is not a possibility for you then keep it as far from the entrance to your home as possible. A gas can near a door is very dangerous especially if you need to get out of your home by that door in an emergency! If you have to store your gasoline in your garage then keep it as close as possible to the garage door as possible.

7. Clearly identify type of fuel in the container. Make sure you mark the container clearly that it is gasoline. Even though it is brightly colored (most likely red or green or blue) you need to be sure that you are using the right kind of fuel for the car, generator etc. By marking it as gasoline, diesel or kerosene you will have no doubt as to what type of fuel it is.

8. Keep fuel away form children. Fuel is a very dangerous product. It can cause fatal poisoning if consumed and is a fire accelerate. You don’t need an additional emergency of a child or pet sick or dead from drinking the fuel.

9. Gasoline and other fuels don’t mix with electricity! When filling up your fuel containers, make sure the container is on the ground. It is vital that the containers be well grounded to avoid static electrify. I realize that it is heavy to lift a full fuel container but the effort is well worth it. A vehicle fire is not something you need to deal with when facing down a hurricane. Never fill a gas container fro the bed of a pick-up truck. It could be much more costly than the few added seconds to pump it while on the ground and lifting it up! Stay safe!

10. Transport gasoline and other fuels safely. That means that you secure the containers so they do not slide around in the trunk of the car or back of the pick-up truck while transporting. Never keep the fuel containers in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. If you are short on space get r id of something and make room for the fuel container away form people and pets. A passenger vehicle compartment fire is one of the deadliest types of vehicle fires.

11. Keep fuel and generators out of the home! Both generators and the fuel they use can cause toxic fumes that are poisonous. These fumes can result in death with little warning. Be sure that the area that you are using your generator in is well ventilated. NEVER use a generator indoors or in an enclosed area like a patio or deck.

12. Keep gas containers away form ignition sources. These ignition sources can include cigarettes, pipes and electrical equipment.

13. Smoking is a No-No! Do not smoke when handling any type of fuel product. Gasoline a other fuel products are highly flammable.

Think seriously about keeping this fuel disaster preparedness information with your emergency preparedness check list. Extra fuel is one item that needs to be addressed early when considering your emergency preparedness necessities. It is also advisable to have a hurricane reference guide to help you learn the most effective and prudent ways to get prepared, get through hand get over a hurricane emergency. Check out my book Train For a Hurricane for more disaster preparedness information at www.trainforahurricane.com

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Be Safe – Be Prepared – Help Others!

Terrie

www.trainforahurricane.com