I can tell you from going through both H. RITA and H. KATRINA when I lived on the LA coast that you will need: water, prepared foods, cash, and gas. Our gas stations ran out of gas early and started rationing people to only $10 worth of gas during the evacuation. ATMs were shut down so if u had no cash u were outta luck. No electricity meant no water (for peeps with wells that need an electric pump), no restaurants, no electric stoves or hot plates for cooking. All stores were closed so no food,water, or pharmacy open. By the time Rita hit us after katrina all shelters were full so no shelters.

Solar lights frm the garden that u can bring inside at night for a safe light source come in handy. Make sure to have bleach (for water purification), baby wipes, and other cleaning supplies on hand. Also paper towels, paper plates, cups, silverware etc. really helps. We froze water filled pop bottles to put in the fridge and freezer to keep stuff cold during the power outtage. You can also put your electronics and important papers in ziplocks. Propane is good if you have a grill or camp stove. We thought we could go to a campground but they were all closed due to the storm so those will prob be closed in FL as well lol. Generators are good. We are pulling ours out and changing the oil and making sure it runs today. If you have pets or livestock be sure to save food and water for them as well. Extra batteries, and old school hand held walkie talkies are good because cell phone towers can get damaged. Pull out your muck boots or other water proof hard soled shoes. Stock up on deet or whatever insect repellect you need.

Good ideas, but it's a bit late for any of them this time.

It always shocks me how unprepared people are. I'll never forget when Charley hit Punta Gorda, people refused to leave their "stuff" or their pets. So many people died or were injured because they could not take their pets to shelters that the state changed the law to have designated pet-friendly shelters. I don't get it myself. We had three cats and 3 birds. When Charley threatened, we put them in the safest place we could find in the house and left. I heard of people putting their children in danger by refusing to take them to a shelter if they couldn't take their dogs. I'm not sorry to say that is just FN CRAZY!!! Get yourself and your family to someplace safe, pets or no pets. If you are so attached to your pets that you would put small children's lives at risk, you should have those children taken away from you.

You don't have to leave anyone. Put pets and kids in car and come to North Alabama. We're not going to get a drop of rain all week and all next week (and we really could use it).