I'm living in a New Jersey and they said we were going to get it hit the most. We have not been told to evacuate yet only the shore has. We are are not told to evacuate so if we stay in the house what do we do if like the wind blows the windows out, the roof off or a tree falls onto the house? Do you take the risk and run over to the neighbors, do you stay put and hope you don't die?
we stayed put when ike arrived in our neighborhood. once a storm arrives, it's too late to run to a neighbor's house. you wouldn't believe the wind we had in the day or 2 before ike actually came. the sky was bright & sunny, no clouds, but unbelievable wind already. if the storm starts to look bad, stay away from windows. before storm gets there, check your roof & nail down any loose shingles. put anything loose in the yard into garage. get car in there too if it'll fit. if you're close enough to the coast that you'll get the wind & rain, then if your car won't go into garage, then park it as close to house as possible, sideways, whatever way keeps it from being out in the wind. get groceries that don't need the frig. clean the tub & fill with water. if services get shut down, you'll need it for dishes, laundry, baths, flushing toilets. get drinking water from the store. get refills now for any meds you might run out of in the next week. most of all, don't panic. listen to tv & radio & follow suggestions.
I live in northern NJ but have had prior experience with hurricanes. If the window hasn't been boarded, taped, or safely secured prior to the weather event, and it blows out due to debris or wind speed, there's not a lot anyone can do about it. It would be more dangerous to re-secure the window or place furniture in the way as the furniture can be knocked over and you could injure yourself on wet glass-covered floor. If debris has broken your window, there's a high possibility that debris can strike you if you venture outside. Stay indoors. If possible, cover air ducts and close all doors to the room that has been compromised. Seek shelter in an area free from windows, keep a radio with you if a computer or TV are not readily available and be attentive to official instructions. In all likelihood you will be fine. Stay calm and take it one step at a time.
