We had a tornado watch in Richmond yesterday, so I decided to be prepared in case I heard what sounded like a freight train again and hid in the downstairs closet.
I collected a bunch of useful things, and some less useful things, in case a tornado blew my house down. Here’s what I put in or right next to the closet:
- A flashlight
- A hand-crank radio (with weather channel)
- A battery-operated LED lantern
- Sneakers
- Pocketbook and car keys
- Pillows
- My brand-new Asus tablet
- Camera
- My rings
- My favorite earrings
Some items on that list got on that list because I was getting the important things and went, “Oh, hey, I have pocket room for my rings and earrings!” Others got on that list because I just bought the damned tablet, no freaking way does it get destroyed in a tornado if I can help it. Work computer? Who cares? I didn’t pay for it. My tablet? Damn straight. The camera, well, it’s usually on my desk, and I figured if the house blew down I could document things and put the video on YouTube. I was going to get my Flip video camera, but I forgot it.
The inside closet is my coat closet, so there’s already a fair amount of padding. It’s under the stairs, which I’m told is a pretty sturdy area. Thankfully, I did not have to use it. But I’ve always been a big believer in an ounce of prevention, so until about midnight, I was prepared to hide out in the closet if the wind kicked up too much and I started hearing that noise again. I was thinking I should probably buy another flashlight and just keep it in the closet, in case I have no time or warning. I also need a decent pair of sturdy shoes. Time to buy hiking boots again. I don’t remember what happened to my old ones.
Things I thought about bringing but didn’t: My pistol, food (let’s not get carried away), and the cats. I figured that there was no way to get them in the event of a tornado, and they’d have to deal as best they could. They’d run under the bed or the bureau at the noise, anyway.
Probably should have brought the revolver. Better with me than blown away in a tornado, or buried under the rubble. Oh, well. Next time.
Yes, always take the revolver. I would get a hand-crank flashlight/radio combo and keep it in the inside closet. Also keep two 1 gallon bottles of water there (rotate them out every month).