[cheryl19]

Originally Posted by MauiGirl

I'm still somewhat shocked about it all. Evacuating with dogs at night really got my adrenalin pumping. Tried to stay calm, pack some important things in the car (but not too much), computers, hard drives, a few valuables, etc. and they say to take enough food & water for 7 days.

Shelters don't allow dogs here, so I was faced with living in my Nissan Murano SUV with 4 doggies if I was unable to reach my upcountry destination before they closed the roads.

I was somewhat prepared for evacuation, since I had to do it last year in Feb. But this time was harder because I was in bed with a bad cold & fever (thank God I didn't take any meds that would have made me sleepier); it was dark, my cell phone was working only sporadically, roads were jammed with people trying to get out, or forming long lines at gas stations, and news on the radio was totally insufficient. Arrggg.

As my head clears and nerves settle down, I want to process it all and think of how I could do it better *next time*. Emergency preparedness is so important for ALL of us. I'll start a new thread about that, and we can all share thoughts about being prepared for emergencies.

And yes, many prayers to people in Japan.

Thank god you are ok! It's a reminder to us all to have an emergency plan in place. Just praying for the people in Japan.