By WILLIAM R. LEVESQUE and ELISABETH DYER, Times staff writers
Published September 17, 2004
Do sandbags store well if I decide to keep them from one hurricane season to the next?
Generally, yes. Don Rainard, superintendent of stormwater, streets and traffic for Plant City, recommends residents store their extra sandbags in a dry spot indoors, perhaps in a shed or garage. The bags may deteriorate or become moldy if exposed to sun, water and insects, though he is unsure exactly how long they will keep. Plant City finds it can store its excess sandbags for a year or more without a problem if kept out of the elements.
What can I do with all that plywood I bought in preparation for a hurricane?
Check with any of your favorite local charities. Some will accept plywood and other building products, though not all. Any of the local affiliates of the Habitat for Humanity in the Tampa Bay area will accept donations of plywood for home construction. Or you can keep your plywood for the next hurricane threat.
To contact Habitat:
Hillsborough County: (813) 237-1978;
Pinellas County: (727) 209-2199;
Hernando County: (352) 754-1255;
Central Pasco: (813) 929-0171;
Citrus County: (352) 563-2744;
East Pasco: (352) 567-1444;
West Pasco: (727) 859-9038
Christian Contractors is accepting plywood, gasoline, chain saws and generators. The organization provides free emergency services including roof patching and tree removal. The drop-off site is at 2009 Broad St. in Brooksville. Call the office at (800) 278-7703 for delivery times.
What about extra canned goods?
Again, check with your favorite local charity if you have more canned goods than you need for your hurricane kit.
The United Way of Tampa Bay recommends residents who want to donate canned goods bring them to a Regional Recovery Center at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa, where items will be redistributed to those areas most in need. The center is open seven days a week, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Metropolitan Ministries in Tampa also accepts such donations at 2101 N Florida Ave. or by calling (813) 209-1000.
The Salvation Army has locations around the Tampa Bay where donations can be dropped off:
St. Petersburg: 1400 Fourth St. S
Clearwater: 1625 North Belcher Road
Tampa: 1603 N Florida Ave. in Tampa or 7409 U.S. 301 in Riverview
Pasco: 8040 Washington St., Port Richey
Hernando: 15464 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville
Citrus: 3975 West Grover Cleveland Blvd., Homosassa
If I keep my new generator in storage for several years awaiting the next hurricane, how can I best maintain it so it will start right back up when I need it?
A representative of Lazydays RV SuperCenter, which services generators for RV users, says it is essential for the owner of either gas or diesel generators to run the device at least once a month for an hour or two at 50 percent of its load capacity. That might mean connecting a few electrical devices to the unit.
Make sure to regularly change the fuel filter, and the oil and air filters if the generator has those. Changing the oil at intervals recommended by the manufacturer also is a good idea, and clean or change the spark plugs as required.
How long can I keep the bottled water I got for the last hurricane?
That depends on who bottled it. If you refilled a water bottle from the office cooler or the home tap, it is best consumed within two weeks if refrigerated or within a day if it has been standing at room temperature. If it was bottled commercially, it is good indefinitely, even if there is an expiration date on the bottle. Some states require expiration dates on all packaged foods, so some water bottlers put them on all their bottles, even those shipped to states that don't require them.
