what do you do if there's a power outage?

[rainey]

Hurricane Irene is making its way up here and we're being warned to prepare for power outages. What should I do to prepare? I live in a basement apartment, by the way.

 

[Laurie]

Is there someplace safe you can evacuate to? Someplace your chinchilla is also welcome? If not you'll need to make sure it does not get too hot for your chinchilla, not sure about the temps in MA right now. As with any case of the power going out you need to make sure you have the essentials for yourself as well as your chinchilla--make sure you both have plenty of food and bottled water.

I would start keeping some chinchillers in the freezer now in case you do lose power so your chin can be cooled off if necessary.

 

[mistywaterwoman]

I live in New Orleans so we deal with this every year. I bought smaller collapsible cages for evacuating from www.qualitycage.com and I keep them flattened out under my ferret nations. Should the hurricane come directly at us or be more than a Cat 3, we put everyone into their carriers, stash the cages in the car and head north.
For smaller storms, we ride it out at home with the preparations like Laurie said. We also have a generator and a window unit to run with it.

 

[caiti]

The hurricane is freaking me out too. I am dogsitting this weekend, so I'm not even sure I will be home to see how everyone is doing. My folks will be, and they will make sure the animals are safe, but I hate not being able to see and know what's going on.

I'm counting on my car AC or basement until I need to find a place to stay, if we need to leave or it gets too warm. I will have all Chloe's stuff in a bin so she would just need to be put in her carrier. I might bring the dog over my house just so I feel safer knowing we're all together if we need to get out of the area.

I wish I had a generator. I have a feeling one of my neighbors might. My neighbor across the street is part of an emergency response team so she would know where the shelters are and what places have generators as she'll be working there this weekend.

 

[rainey]

Yeah if the power goes out its really going to be bad.. I wish my chins got along so I could put them all together if I need to transport them! I only have 2 cages I could easily transport so I guess I'd end up with 2 chins in those and the other two in carriers. I'm going to make a lot of ice and pack a go bag, but I'm very worried I'm not going to be prepared enough.

Caiti- I hope you're able to take the dog to your place. I can't imagine how stressed I'd be if I weren't home and a storm like this hit. I'm just thankful I'm not in nyc!

 

[Spoof]

I'm not too far from Kara, it's a yearly thing. I have enough show carriers for the entire herd and stick them in my car under a tree with the a/c on. The power has always come back in in 3-4 days. If we get another direct hit I'll be heading north, maybe take them on a camping trip....