ORLANDO, Fla. – Residents of Central Florida are coming together to share tips and tricks as they prepare for Hurricane Irma.
Central Florida is expected to feel the Category 4 storm's impacts as early as Sunday morning. Meanwhile, residents have been sharing tips with one another in a public Facebook group called "Hurricane Tips and Preparedness."
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The following tips, ranging from how to prepare your pets to protecting valuables around the house, have been shared in the page and may be useful, but News 6 can not guarantee their success.
A woman from Meadow Woods posted a tip Friday morning about how to see if food is safe to eat once the storm passes for residents whose freezers may lose power.
The woman, who called it the "quarter in frozen cup of water" trick, said it could prevent people from getting sick in the aftermath of the hurricane.
"You just fill a cup with water, freeze it, and stick a quarter on top," the woman wrote. "When you come back from a hurricane evacuation, if the quarter is still at the top of the cup, your food is safe to eat."
The woman said that if the quarter sunk, it likely means that the freezer lost power and the food should be disposed of.
Another tip that has been shared offers residents a way to preserve their valuables by protecting them from water that may seep into someone's home. A Central Florida man posted a picture showing folders with important documents, picture frames and photo albums lined up along dishwasher racks. When closed, the dishwasher's tight seal should help to keep water from leaking into the appliance.
An Osceola woman posted a list of things pet owners should pack if they decide to bring them to a shelter for the duration of the storm. Supplies include a crate, medications in a waterproof bag, blankets and toys, a picture of their pet, food and water to last several days and labels to place along each of the items. Other supplies were also listed.
For nursing mothers, a woman shared a tip that came from the Instagram page called "Milkymamallc." The tip suggested that moms put frozen breast milk in quart bags, submerge them in water and freeze them.
"This double freezing method will take days to thaw and will help protect your freezer stash in case of an emergency," the Instagram post said.
Another person shared the video below with the group.
Here's how to charge your cellphone if you get your power cut off, from say, #HurricaneIrma etal. You just need a 9V battery, car charger and a spring from a ballpoint pen.
Posted by Gary W. Graham on Wednesday, September 6, 2017
The video showed how residents could charge a cellphone using a battery, car charger and a spring from a ballpoint pen in case they lose power.
To see other tips and tricks, or to share some of your own with other Central Floridians, visit the Facebook group here.