As we cope with the coronavirus quarantine, Jane and I have been trying to find special places to walk each afternoon. Recently we strolled Cavallo Point. When I sent the photo below to Jane’s daughter Jennifer, she replied: “What you two call quarantine other people would call honeymoon!” Mother Nature... Read more
Do you know your holding tank’s capacity? How many times can you flush your toilet before your holding tank is ready to overflow? These and other questions were posed by Emergency Services chair Flo Hoylman at the FHA Annual Meeting, as she introduced the world premiere of a 5-minute video,... Read more
“Use some empty plastic or glass bottles to make ice to keep the freezer and refrigerator cold. (Choose small bottles to fit anywhere; large-mouth are easiest to fill.)” That’s just one of many tips for surviving a power outage on the docks. Flo Hoylman and her Emergency Services Committee have... Read more
Late last year I received an extra gift from my mother. It was a package with four battery backup light bulbs. These bulbs have a battery built in, so when the power goes out I will still have light. The bulbs I received are from a company called BrightLiving. The... Read more
As described previously, tide tables are merely estimates calculated by averaging the highs and lows for the last ten years and projecting them forward for the coming year(s). During periods of rain, tide tables must be adjusted to higher levels than forecast. Here is a high water level forecasting tool... Read more
The recent high winds, coupled with the PGE shutoff—though inconvenient and even challenging for some—were easily survivable. What if events had been of a higher magnitude: people trapped or injured, collapsed structures, and outbreaks of fire? The stuff we train for as CERTS. How well would we have responded? A few... Read more
Neighbors helping neighbors. It’s how we weathered the chaos brought on by some unusually high winds, coupled with yet another PGE shut-off. Larry Clinton opined, “I’ve never seen so many whitecaps, and I moved here in the winter of 1980-81, when 90mph gusts closed the GGB. Ironically, we never lost... Read more
Emergency Services Chair Flo Hoylman sends along some lessons learned from the recent PG&E power outage: Lighting ideas I purchased two solar powered lights for less than $20 each. They have their own stand, so I can direct the light in different directions. Use a mirror by the light to... Read more
As soon as the October 10-11 power outage was announced, Emergency Services Chair Flo Hoylman began polling neighbors for their experiences coping with the blackout. Many tips involved keeping food safe: Buy a block of ice or use some empty plastic or glass bottles to make ice to keep the... Read more
Last October’s firestorms claimed 44 victims and the majority were elderly. Statistics from the U.S. Fire Administration confirm that people ages 85 or older have the highest fire death rate (39.5%). They are four times more likely to die in a fire than the general population. Professionals emphasize that planning... Read more