The Weather Guys (USA Today)
Posted April 03 2008 | Permalink

Not only will you find a bathtub-sized bladder for emergency storage of fresh water, but there is an exhibit hall full of such equipment at the National Hurricane Conference in Orlando. Florida Today reporter Rick Neale is at the conference and walked through the exhibit hall. Here's what Rick had to report:

The country’s highest-profile storm-product flea market is under way at the National Hurricane Conference in Orlando, drawing hundreds of window-shopping public officials from across the Southeast.

Organizers say 225 companies are staffing colorful exhibit booths in a spacious hotel ballroom, hoping to lure attention -- and lucrative government contracts. Vendors at this mini-carnival are hawking hurricane shutters, handheld radios, packaged food, debris-hauling equipment and a litany of other goods and services.

Some curious innovations fall on the exotic side of the spectrum. Max Mayfield, the retired longtime director of the National Hurricane Center in Miami, said he is personally fascinated by:

* Portable solar generators, capable of powering refrigerators and televisions for families that lose electricity after a severe storm.

Solar Stik, the St. Augustine, Fla., manufacturer, believes these contraptions -- which resemble science-fiction weathervanes in photos (www.solarstik.com) -- can replace gasoline-powered generators.

* 65-gallon plastic bladders, each designed to convert a bathtub into an emergency drinking-water supply container.

WaterSafe of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., sells these contamination-fighting bags online for $29.99*. Added bonus: siphon pump included (www.mywatersafe.com).

* Peel-and-stick adhesive roofing tarps, perfect for slapping atop areas of minor damage -- no nails required.

These UV-treated sheets purportedly stick to shingles, tile, concrete, metal and rubber, claims a Miami Lakes, Fla., company (www.atarpsolution.com).

In past years, Florida and other states have provided tax holidays for hurricane preparedness purchases. Have you taken advantage of such tax relief to get ready for hurricane season? Share your story (and, if you wish, how much you saved in sales tax) by clicking the comment button below.

(The Watersafe is a large, food grade plastic bladder that is placed in the bathtub first and then filled with potable water. Pictured is the 65 gallon bathtub version. Courtesy M.R. Crafts, Inc.)

*Prices may have changed since the publication of this article. For up-to-date prices, visit www.mywatersafe.com