Kevin's Blog

Exactly three years to the day that Hurricane Katrina made landfall along coastal Louisiana and Mississippi, residents that lived through the devastation of Katrina are preparing for a potential repeat storm.

It is encouraging to report that what was learned in the extensive study regarding the lack of adequate preparation for Katrina seems to be informing good early decisions in preparation for Hurricane Gustav.

After a quick survey of news stories tonight from the area hit by Katrina, I noticed the following:

- Fifty trucks of bottled water have been dispatched to the Rouse Markets in southeast Louisiana and Mississippi.

- Thirty 52-foot trailers of water are visiting all 60 Winn Dixie stores in the threatened area.

- All of the home improvement stores and hardware stores are shipping in additional plywood and tape, even though Gustav has not even entered the Gulf of Mexico.

- NOAA weather radios are being sold in record numbers, as are batteries.

- Consumers are NOT buying loads of perishable foods. Many people before Katrina bought loads of perishable food, only to have it rot in refrigerators when the power was out for an extended period of time. Buying fewer perishable goods means either a better purchasing decision by the residents this time, or people are planning on evacuating. Both of these are better outcomes than what we saw in 2005.

- People inland seem to be the ones stocking up on groceries, with the expectation that they might be hosting family members or friends evacuating from the threatened areas.

- Pet carriers are being sold in record numbers. One of the most frequent reasons people provide for not evacuating in a hurricane is that the community shelters will not take pets. Most shelters however will take pets if you have them in a pet carrier.

- Blank DVDs, CDs, and thumb drives are being purchased in record numbers. This is one of the best things a small business owner or a homeowner can buy. I want to stress the importance of backing up your computer data, especially for small business owners. If you own a business in the area threatened by Gustav, this should be the primary activity of your business on August 29, 2008. Use the third anniversary of Katrina as a reminder to think about implementing your business continuity plan.

Of course, the number one item purchased in 2005 prior to Katrina is still the number one item being purchased in advance of Gustav three years later.

"Beer," said Dave Ducote, district manager for Winn Dixie Stores Inc., "It's always the best-seller right before hurricanes."

Everyone knows that beer is a prerequisite for a Ph.D. in anything!

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