Storm Center Preparation List

My husband calls me Storm Center. 

As in, "Hey Storm Center, did you buy water and batteries?" 

I have been known to drive to Portland for a shopping trip and when I got down there all the stores had big X's taping up their glass windows because a hurricane was on its way.  True story (before kids).  

Before the Great Ice Storm of 1998, my husband told me to gather supplies. I underestimated the impact of that storm, and bought a few gallons of water, sandwich meat, and....er....cupcakes.   In case you are wondering, CUPCAKES are not on the storm preparation list provided by the Red Cross.

The Great Ice Storm of 1998 was a disaster.  We were very lucky that we lived on a road whose electricity service is on the grid with the wastewater treatment plant, because we got our electricity back quickly.   But others were not so lucky.  Many were without power and heat for weeks.  Some people  lost their lives.  You can see some of the pictures of that storm here:  

So now, when a storm is coming.  I buy batteries if we need them, and gallons of water, and food that is easy to eat if you have no power.  This storm is supposed to be bigger than the Blizzard of '78.

~ Dixie Redmond