What Would YOU Pack For Evacuation?

You can learn a lot about a person by what they pack during an evacuation!

With all that’s going on hurricane-wise lately… first Charley (which hit hardest just south of Tampa, Florida), then Frances, most recently Ivan (which destroyed the city we used to live in – Pensacola, Florida), and up-and-coming Jeanne (who knows where that one’s headed!), I’ve done a lot of reflecting lately about my time spent in Florida and a couple close calls with hurricanes while I was living there.

In March of 1998, the part of Orlando that I lived in was just a few miles from a wildfire that was burning out of control. (To this day, there’s still evidence of the widespread fire damage — all the way from Cocoa Beach to Orlando.)

For days, it was touch and go whether we’d have to evacuate or not.

Since my little apartment in Orlando was a bit too close for comfort, here’s what I packed for the impending evacuation:

• Swimsuit (I waited 5 years to find one I liked… figured I’d never find one that fit me like this one again!)
• Camping gear — to have a place to stay
• Favorite biking shorts, tops, and jerseys (bicycling is my hobby, my exercise, my life right now)
• Biking shoes — cost $200 and everyone wants a pair like these, but they don’t make them like this anymore
• “Simplify Your Life” book — because I might have no choice
• Favorite work clothes — Tom (my boss) would’ve been proud, I packed all of my UCF polo shirts!
• A year’s supply of underwear
• Black heels, navy heels, black flats, navy flats (for work)
• My cameras (I’d be lost without them. I often say that my only memories are those I’ve saved in photographs.)
• Old high school and college yearbooks (one of my few ties to the past)
• All my photo albums (9) and negatives (many boxes!)
• Scrapbooks (8) and all craft supplies (a couple huge plastic tubs)
• Favorite clothes in 2 suitcases
• Dog food and Jersey’s favorite toys, brush, and nail trimmer
• Computer files & documents I’ve saved on disk
• My favorite framed pictures
• Old love letters
• Corded phone (I’m too practical for my own good!)
• Flashlights
• Universal remote and instructions (…we’ve all got our priorities)
• Insurance papers
• Receipts for everything I’ve saved for years
• All credit card statements with account numbers and balances
• Credit cards to buy new stuff
• Toiletries
• Van Morrison CD’s
• 5 of my favorite videotaped movies

 

UPDATE: It’s funny to read this list so many years later…

(I’ve always been one to make and keep lists – for everything!)

Looking back, I was lucky that I had an SUV, and it was just me and the dog!

 

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