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Take the motor boat off the lift.

Dave Slater

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1. Cut power and water to the dock. If you have a lift for a power boat, lower it into the water.
2. Haul out boats early and put them on the hard pan. You may even get an insurance credit.
3. Don’t be a hero. Leave town if you can.
4. Call your insurance company early after the storm even if you don’t think you have much damage.
5. Stock up on bottled water before the storm. Store it up high. Same goes for dry goods.
6. If you leave town, take your chain saw and gas cans with you. Fill the cans before you return.
7. Buy a generator but store it high. Same goes for any power tools you will need for cleanup.
8. Have an analog phone on hand. Phones may get restored before electricity and digital phones are no good.
9. Store charcoal/propane up high. You may be doing a lot of outdoor cooking.
10. When you begin the outside clean-up first start with a good mosquito spray down of wet and brush areas.
11. When clearing brush, wear snake boots and gloves. Make sure you look before you reach.
12.Buy plenty of mosquito repellant before the storm. After, it is liquid gold and hard to come by.
13.Be courteous and helpful to neighbors. Stress is high among some folks after the storm.
14. Pace yourself during cleanup, drink plenty of water and take rest breaks whether you are 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 or beyond.
15. Keep watching Towndock.net because it has proven to be the ONLY reliable first-hand source for information. Thanks Mel and Keith.

Jim Barton

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Lesson #1 is “Preparation is everything”!
Lesson #2 is “Don’t wait for the last minute to prepare”.
Lesson #3 is “Tie EVERYTHING down.”

Some folks didn’t learn their lessons and we had loose garbage floating around in the floodwaters.

Jamie and Susan King

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We were smart enough last summer to build our house up 9 feet. We were less smart in not arranging things better in garage, barn and shed; 4’ of water took care of that.

We were reminded of the truly caring spirit of the folks in and around Oriental.

Thank you for being the best supplier of information before, during and after the storm.

Donna Creech

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Out of town relatives can help! I had a cousin texting me key information from Towndock as we began the cleanup, and two sisters who did the time-consuming chore of researching replacement values for our flood insurance.

Having Bob 93.3 (which you can get in Durham) broadcasting WCTI 12’s news coverage was really helpful as we were watching the approach from afar.

Meals at the fire station were so helpful, as were ice, water, and cleaning supplies. Thanks to all those volunteers!!

What I would do differently: Compile a list of friends’ cell phone numbers.

- Anne Parker

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From Oriental Village Veterinary Hospital:

We sandbagged front door. Put a tarp down first. Left back door unsandbagged. Also sandbagged surgery and xray room. Water ran through. No sheetrock damage. Rooms good. Someone recommended duct tape prior to sandbag. Will try next time!

- Sherri Hicks

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From your friends at the Provision Company:

Lessons learned. If you see waves breaking over or on Neuse Drive, consider leaving Oriental for the day.
Thanks for everything you are doing. Hope you get some rest soon.

- Pat

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BIG LESSON: Please tell us that hurricane debris needs to be separated into different piles before the storm, not 2 weeks after. Honestly, us folks not experienced with hurricanes had no idea.

- Margaret and Johnny Reiswig

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Dick and Dottie Osmun have been through a number of hurricanes and the former school teachers have put together a guide with lots of things to do in advance, as well as afterward. It’s good, matter-of-fact reading in advance of the next hurricane. (Putting your water-logged but important documents in the freezer til you could properly attend to them was one that made sense as soon as we read it.)

They’ve shared the guide with us and you can download the PDF of Dick Osmun’s Hurricane Guide, by clicking here.

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Wisdom still being added. Include your lesson learned – send it in to Lessons From Irene.

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Posted Monday September 19, 2011 by Melinda Penkava