June 1 marks the start of hurricane season. Now is the time to start preparing. It can take awhile to gather all the things needed whether you stay or evacuate.
The National Hurricane Center has a nice booklet that explains what a hurricane is.
Ready.gov has a list of items everyone should consider keeping in an emergency kit.
Recommended Items To Include In A Basic Emergency Supply Kit:
Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
Flashlight and extra batteries
First aid kit
Whistle to signal for help
Dust mask, to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
Local maps
Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger
Additional Items To Consider Adding To An Emergency Supply Kit:(My note: The following items are essential for preparing for a hurricane)
Prescription medications and glasses
Infant formula and diapers
Pet food and extra water for your pet
Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container
Cash or traveler's checks and change
Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container. You can use the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (EFFAK) - PDF, 277Kb) developed by Operation Hope, FEMA and Citizen Corps to help you organize your information.(My note: If you live in an area close to beaches, rivers, etc take photo albums if evacuating and protect them in waterproof materials if staying)
Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or information from www.ready.gov.
Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-weather climate.
Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.
Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper – When diluted nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.
Fire Extinguisher
Matches in a waterproof container
Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils, paper towels
Paper and pencil
Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children
Some additional recommendations by me:
Have a phone that can be plugged in directly to the phone jack. When the power is out, you can still get a dial tone as long as the phone lines haven't had too much damage.
Save bags from the grocery store. These can be very useful in many different ways.
If you are not evacuating, have a propane table top grill. This will be useful for boiling water and having warm meals. A charcoal grill is good as well but if your power is out for more than three days, you will have to have a lot of charcoal on hand.
Instead of a three day supply of food and water, I would recommend at the very minimum a week's supply. After Hurricane Katrina, many stores were not able to reopen. If roads and bridges are out, it could take longer than three days for state and federal emergency management to get to you.
Make sure to fill your gas tank up. I usually fill mine up when any tropical system hits the Gulf of Mexico.
The most important thing is to rely on what local officials tell you. If you live in an area that is ordered to evacuate, do so. Don't rely on bench marks from prior hurricanes. Many people on the Mississippi Gulf Coast thought they were safe when Hurricane Katrina hit because they lived in areas that didn't flood during Hurricane Camille's storm surge.
Each tropical system is different and unique. Even depressions can cause major problems if there's a great amount of rain. You need to prepare for a tropical storm or a minimal hurricane like you would if a major hurricane was making landfall.
Also, if you are under a tropical storm watch or warning, pick-up loose items outside. When squall lines come through, those items can become airborne and can damage your home.
Showing posts with label preparation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label preparation. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Change You Can Believe In
President Obama's pick for heading FEMA is Craig Fugate. A very good choice! He was Florida's emergency manager.
Fugate has been praised for helping guide Florida through several devastating hurricanes in the past decade. He was criticized in 2005 for not distributing enough ice, water and other supplies immediately after Hurricane Wilma. Fugate had warned residents before the storm that they should have enough supplies for three days after it passed, but many did not and that overstressed the system.
Napolitano called Fugate one of the most experienced emergency managers in the country.
"The work he's accomplished in Florida serves as a model for other states," Napolitano said in a statement. "He will be a tremendous asset to FEMA and it's employees."
After Hurricane Katrina, Fugate said there was too much focus on blaming the federal government for the botched response. He said in a 2006 interview with The Associated Press that it was the state's responsibility to prepare for such disasters, and the state should only turn to the federal government for help when the disaster is larger than the state can handle on its own.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Questions of Power
In less than four months, it will be the start of another hurricane season. Being without power is not fun. There's a local store that has some items that I think would be great. However, I haven't had any experience with them and am asking for your input.
One is a jump-start/air compressor/power supply that can provide up to 50 hours of power to 12v DC appliances. It also has 400 crank amps/900 peak amps. Can this run a full-size refrigerator? Even if it can't run a full-size refrigerator, I'm still considering getting one just in case of flat tires. After Katrina, it was 9 days before I could have a tire replaced. The only car repair store open before than was only repairing emergency vehicles.
Another is LED solar powered security lights. They have a motion range detection of 120 degrees at 16 feet. Has anyone had any experience with them? These seem like they would be a great thing to have after any natural disaster in providing security.
One is a jump-start/air compressor/power supply that can provide up to 50 hours of power to 12v DC appliances. It also has 400 crank amps/900 peak amps. Can this run a full-size refrigerator? Even if it can't run a full-size refrigerator, I'm still considering getting one just in case of flat tires. After Katrina, it was 9 days before I could have a tire replaced. The only car repair store open before than was only repairing emergency vehicles.
Another is LED solar powered security lights. They have a motion range detection of 120 degrees at 16 feet. Has anyone had any experience with them? These seem like they would be a great thing to have after any natural disaster in providing security.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Is Your Life Worth It?
Some of the commetors at Weather Underground are saying they will not evacuate if Hurricane Ike threatens their area. Some are just tired after Gustav and don't have the money to leave. It worries me.
I'm fortunate that I live in a zone for which I don't have to evacuate for even a Category 5 storm. Still, I too lack the energy to prepare for another storm so soon after Hurricane Gustav.
However, I will do what is necessary, as will my son. My offices are still the trailers we've been renting since Hurricane Katrina. We know the drill well and even though my muscles are still aching from the flurry of activity of first clearing all equipment, files, etc, and then replacing them once the threat was over, this week, if Ike threatens the Mississippi Gulf Coast, we'll do it ago. I view the preparations we did for Gustav as a practice run. If next week, we have to do it all over again, it will be easier.
The mental fatigue of worrying and the thought of "Oh no, here we go again" takes its toll. But it isn't something that can be wished away. It has to be dealt with.
Staying in a area that is prone to floods is just plain stupid. I was so angry at those in Pearlington and Pass Christian Mississippi who stayed during Gustav. These two areas are like water magnets and flood severely during hurricanes. They not only put their lives in danger but those of rescuers.
If money is a factor, don't let a false sense of pride keep you from using the options that are available. Mississippi and Louisiana offer buses for evacuees that need transportation. Pets are allowed as long as you have proper medical documents showing your pets are vaccinated and have no communicable diseases . I'm sure Alabama and Florida do the same. There are also shelters, some for those with pets, available.
In short, if you are under a mandatory evacuation order, there is really no reason you cannot evacuate.
Right now, the thought of redoing everything that was done before Gustav seems overwhelming. There's the lost work, the stress and strain, the constant worry of what damage will occur if your area is hit.
The thing to remember is isn't your life and that of your loved ones worth more?
I'm fortunate that I live in a zone for which I don't have to evacuate for even a Category 5 storm. Still, I too lack the energy to prepare for another storm so soon after Hurricane Gustav.
However, I will do what is necessary, as will my son. My offices are still the trailers we've been renting since Hurricane Katrina. We know the drill well and even though my muscles are still aching from the flurry of activity of first clearing all equipment, files, etc, and then replacing them once the threat was over, this week, if Ike threatens the Mississippi Gulf Coast, we'll do it ago. I view the preparations we did for Gustav as a practice run. If next week, we have to do it all over again, it will be easier.
The mental fatigue of worrying and the thought of "Oh no, here we go again" takes its toll. But it isn't something that can be wished away. It has to be dealt with.
Staying in a area that is prone to floods is just plain stupid. I was so angry at those in Pearlington and Pass Christian Mississippi who stayed during Gustav. These two areas are like water magnets and flood severely during hurricanes. They not only put their lives in danger but those of rescuers.
If money is a factor, don't let a false sense of pride keep you from using the options that are available. Mississippi and Louisiana offer buses for evacuees that need transportation. Pets are allowed as long as you have proper medical documents showing your pets are vaccinated and have no communicable diseases . I'm sure Alabama and Florida do the same. There are also shelters, some for those with pets, available.
In short, if you are under a mandatory evacuation order, there is really no reason you cannot evacuate.
Right now, the thought of redoing everything that was done before Gustav seems overwhelming. There's the lost work, the stress and strain, the constant worry of what damage will occur if your area is hit.
The thing to remember is isn't your life and that of your loved ones worth more?
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Gustav: A Normal Hurricane
I suppose it may seem somewhat strange to characterize a hurricane as normal. It was normal in the sense there wasn't massive damage and destruction like we saw with Hurricane Katrina. It was with a sense of relief that when we look around, there were only a hundred homes flooded in Mississippi and not the tens of thousands that were reduced to slab after Katrina.
It was a normal hurricane in that there were no pictures of boats in trees, just a few tossed on Highway 90.
It was a normal hurricane in that Highway 90 was closed due to sand being washed onto it and not because large sections were washed away.
Instead of casinos being closed for months, they will reopen today.
Damage assessments ares till being made. When completed, they will be in the millions of dollars and not the billions after Hurricane Katrina.
I'm so thankful Gustav wasn't as bad as it could have been. But I'm fearful that people will become complacent and won't heed the evacuation warnings or prepare for the next hurricane. Even after the devastating storm surge from Hurricane Katrina, there were those on the Jourdan River and Pearlington, both in Hancock County, who didn't heed the mandatory evacuations for Gustav. Some had to be rescued. Not only did they put their lives in danger but those of the National Guard and police and fire and rescue teams as well.
Pass Christian is one of those towns which can expect to be inundated by a storm surge. Even in that most vulnerable city, people stayed and had to be rescued.
Tine and again, when hurricanes move across the Gulf of Mexico like Gustav did, they push water from the south east and water accumulates at the Louisiana and Mississippi line. It goes into Lake Ponchatrain. It goes up the Pearl River. It goes up Bay St. Louis. And until the winds recede and the storm passes on, the water piles up and has no where else to go but on land.
Memories of Katrina are still fresh and raw three years later. These memories will tend to fade as the Mississippi Gulf Coast experiences another normal hurricane. Already there are those who say since their homes didn't flood or wash away from Katrina, they have nothing to fear from the next one. It was this fallacy over the belief that no storm surge could equal Hurricane Camille's which led to many people dying from Katrina's storm surge.
Even with a normal hurricane like Gustav, if evacuation orders are not heeded, loss of life can occur. Thankfully, no one in Mississippi lost their lives in Gustav.
People must remember each hurricane has the potential to be a Betsy, a Camille, an Ivan, a Charley, or a Katrina. It may be a pain in the ass to prepare and to evacuate each time warnings are given. But that pain in the ass may very well save your life.
It was a normal hurricane in that there were no pictures of boats in trees, just a few tossed on Highway 90.
It was a normal hurricane in that Highway 90 was closed due to sand being washed onto it and not because large sections were washed away.
Instead of casinos being closed for months, they will reopen today.
Damage assessments ares till being made. When completed, they will be in the millions of dollars and not the billions after Hurricane Katrina.
I'm so thankful Gustav wasn't as bad as it could have been. But I'm fearful that people will become complacent and won't heed the evacuation warnings or prepare for the next hurricane. Even after the devastating storm surge from Hurricane Katrina, there were those on the Jourdan River and Pearlington, both in Hancock County, who didn't heed the mandatory evacuations for Gustav. Some had to be rescued. Not only did they put their lives in danger but those of the National Guard and police and fire and rescue teams as well.
Pass Christian is one of those towns which can expect to be inundated by a storm surge. Even in that most vulnerable city, people stayed and had to be rescued.
Tine and again, when hurricanes move across the Gulf of Mexico like Gustav did, they push water from the south east and water accumulates at the Louisiana and Mississippi line. It goes into Lake Ponchatrain. It goes up the Pearl River. It goes up Bay St. Louis. And until the winds recede and the storm passes on, the water piles up and has no where else to go but on land.
Memories of Katrina are still fresh and raw three years later. These memories will tend to fade as the Mississippi Gulf Coast experiences another normal hurricane. Already there are those who say since their homes didn't flood or wash away from Katrina, they have nothing to fear from the next one. It was this fallacy over the belief that no storm surge could equal Hurricane Camille's which led to many people dying from Katrina's storm surge.
Even with a normal hurricane like Gustav, if evacuation orders are not heeded, loss of life can occur. Thankfully, no one in Mississippi lost their lives in Gustav.
People must remember each hurricane has the potential to be a Betsy, a Camille, an Ivan, a Charley, or a Katrina. It may be a pain in the ass to prepare and to evacuate each time warnings are given. But that pain in the ass may very well save your life.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Gustav: Reflections
In Mississippi, we prepared for Gustav like it would be another Hurricane Katrina. Preparations on the Mississippi Gulf Coast started in earnest when Gustav was a Category 4 and the potential was there for it to become a Category 5. The National Hurricane Center's projected path of Gustav proved very accurate with landfall expected along the central Louisiana coast. Mississippi has been experiencing the tail-end of Gustav all day. Even at 11:00 pm Monday evening, the occasional gust would go through. The storm surge spread across the Mississippi Coast and was greater than expected.
Mississippi started preparing for Gustav on Wednesday, August 26, 2008. Containers at the Port of Gulfport were moved inland. People began stocking up on water, food, and materials needed to secure homes. Businesses took the threat seriously and secured inventory, equipment, and files. Mandatory evacuations were ordered in Hancock and Harrison counties for those living in flood zones A & B. Mandatory evacuations were also ordered for those living in FEMA trailers and Katrina cottages. The National Guard was called in.
It was an eerie repetition of what we all were doing three years ago in preparation for Hurricane Katrina. Lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina were employed, hence the containers being ordered inland. School buses were used to evacuate those who needed transportation and pets were allowed to go along. The Mississippi Department of Transportation did a great job of handling the contraflow of evacuees from New Orleans and other areas of Louisiana.
Some may say the threat of Gustav was hyped up. That all the time and energy put into preparing for Gustav was wasted effort since we did not have a direct hit or because it was not a major hurricane when it made landfall in Louisiana. Hurricanes can be very unpredictable. You can never know what to expect until it hits land. Hurricane Camille which struck the Mississippi Coast in 1969 intensified to a Category 5 just before it made landfall. Hurricane Georges which struck us in 1998 was a Category 2 storm. The rains it dumped caused major flooding in Jackson County.
With other disasters such as earthquakes, tornados, and wildfires, you don't know when they will occur. When a tornado threatens, you may have only a few minutes warning to seek shelter. With hurricanes, you have days to get prepared. And if you don't, it can cost you your life. Everyone should have a basic emergency kit consisting of food and water to last at the minimum of three days. It's best to prepare for a longer period of time.
Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. That is what we in Mississippi and Louisiana did for Gustav and by doing so, lives were saved.
Mississippi started preparing for Gustav on Wednesday, August 26, 2008. Containers at the Port of Gulfport were moved inland. People began stocking up on water, food, and materials needed to secure homes. Businesses took the threat seriously and secured inventory, equipment, and files. Mandatory evacuations were ordered in Hancock and Harrison counties for those living in flood zones A & B. Mandatory evacuations were also ordered for those living in FEMA trailers and Katrina cottages. The National Guard was called in.
It was an eerie repetition of what we all were doing three years ago in preparation for Hurricane Katrina. Lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina were employed, hence the containers being ordered inland. School buses were used to evacuate those who needed transportation and pets were allowed to go along. The Mississippi Department of Transportation did a great job of handling the contraflow of evacuees from New Orleans and other areas of Louisiana.
Some may say the threat of Gustav was hyped up. That all the time and energy put into preparing for Gustav was wasted effort since we did not have a direct hit or because it was not a major hurricane when it made landfall in Louisiana. Hurricanes can be very unpredictable. You can never know what to expect until it hits land. Hurricane Camille which struck the Mississippi Coast in 1969 intensified to a Category 5 just before it made landfall. Hurricane Georges which struck us in 1998 was a Category 2 storm. The rains it dumped caused major flooding in Jackson County.
With other disasters such as earthquakes, tornados, and wildfires, you don't know when they will occur. When a tornado threatens, you may have only a few minutes warning to seek shelter. With hurricanes, you have days to get prepared. And if you don't, it can cost you your life. Everyone should have a basic emergency kit consisting of food and water to last at the minimum of three days. It's best to prepare for a longer period of time.
Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. That is what we in Mississippi and Louisiana did for Gustav and by doing so, lives were saved.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Bad, Bad, News: I-10 eastbound to Mobile closed
MDOT: I-10 eastbound to Mobile closed
SUN HERALD
Click on the Mississippi Department of Transportation web-site for traffic updates.
SUN HERALD
The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) has announced that hurricane evacuees will be unable to enter Alabama on I-10 eastbound due to major delays from the Biloxi-Ocean Springs area to the Mobile Tunnel. Drivers will be diverted north on Mississippi 63 at exit 69.
Click on the Mississippi Department of Transportation web-site for traffic updates.
Hurricane Gustav: My Update
Co-workers, bosses, and I finished evacuating all equipment and files. Mississippians are taking Gustav's threat seriously. It may well be that we only receive a glancing blow but after Hurricane Katrina, no one takes anything for granted. Businesses are taking necessary steps. The local and state governments are doing what needs to be done and making sure those most vulnerable to threats from wind or storm surge are being evacuated. Boats were being moved to safer harbor. Yesterday, it was mostly pleasure craft. Today, the shrimp boats were on the move.
Shrimp boats on Biloxi's Back Bay heading for safety.
Some were already moored along the intercoastal seaway.
More and more National Guard are being seen on the streets. They were busy yesterday in towns such as Pearlington, Biloxi, Gulfport, and other coastal cities. They went door-to-door informing those in FEMA trailers and Katrina cottages that they had to evacuate.
Click here for information on Harrison County evacuation zones and other information.
Update: For those seeking more information about shelters, transportation, and special needs,click here for the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency .
Shrimp boats on Biloxi's Back Bay heading for safety.
Some were already moored along the intercoastal seaway.
More and more National Guard are being seen on the streets. They were busy yesterday in towns such as Pearlington, Biloxi, Gulfport, and other coastal cities. They went door-to-door informing those in FEMA trailers and Katrina cottages that they had to evacuate.
Click here for information on Harrison County evacuation zones and other information.
Update: For those seeking more information about shelters, transportation, and special needs,click here for the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency .
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Being Prepared-Gustav
Gustav, now a tropical storm, is days away. Mississippi Emergency Management officials began urging Mississippi coastal residents to prepare as though Gustav is a Cat 3 heading directly to us. This is very good advice.
some of the items you need to have on hand:
There are many other items on that list. Click here for the full list. There are some things that I recommend that aren't on the list:
Mousse-It keeps insects out of your hair
Plastic grocery bags-There are many uses for these. Don't throw them away.
Bleach-A few drops can make suspect water(in a gallon jug) okay to drink. It also is essential for disinfecting while trying to maintain a clean without running water and electricity.
Clothes line or twine- You may find yourself having to wash clothes by hand(9 days!!!)
Tarp
Propane grill or camp stove-Much better than charcoal grills. You don't need to store bags upon bags of charcoal
Pet food
There are other things you should be doing now as well. Cleaning out your refrigerator and freezer that may not be past expiration dates. Time it so that it is done when garbage is scheduled to picked up next day. If your power goes out for days, these items will be the first to spoil and if there isn't garbage pickup, you will have a bigger mess to deal with.
Keep your laundry up to date. Scrub your bathtub. The bathtubs need to be filled with water once it appears very likely your area will be hit. This water can be used for pets, yourself(see bleach), flushing the toilet, and other purposes.
Once you are under a hurricane warning, items in your yard need to be secured. Shutters, plywood, etc. need to be placed on windows. If you in an evacuation zone, EVACUATE! Do not be lured by the seductive fallacy that if your home/street didn't flood during a previous hurricane, it won't flood during this one.
Many of us on the Mississippi Gulf Coast are going through a controlled panic. Quietly, yesterday, we began filling up our cars and trucks. Some businesses have already started moving frozen inventory to cold storage faclities in Hattiesburg and Jackson.
In other words, many are fearful of what is in the Caribbean and might be paying us a visit Sunday or Monday. But the fear is not paralyzing us. We are getting the job done to protect ourselves.
some of the items you need to have on hand:
Review your hurricane plan, including your evacuation plan.
• Make sure you have family emergency contact numbers and emergency supply kit essentials.
• Review coverage provided in all insurance policies; make sure all insurance paperwork is included with documents for evacuation or stored out of harm's way.
• Prepare your home for a storm.
• Make sure you know how to shut off your gas, electricity and water. Hurricane kit
The following is a list of hurricane supplies you might need for the storm:
• Non-perishable food
• Drinking water
• Medications
• Battery powered radio and/or TV
• Flashlights or lanterns
• Extra batteries
• Manual can opener
• Disposable plates, cups and utensils
There are many other items on that list. Click here for the full list. There are some things that I recommend that aren't on the list:
Mousse-It keeps insects out of your hair
Plastic grocery bags-There are many uses for these. Don't throw them away.
Bleach-A few drops can make suspect water(in a gallon jug) okay to drink. It also is essential for disinfecting while trying to maintain a clean without running water and electricity.
Clothes line or twine- You may find yourself having to wash clothes by hand(9 days!!!)
Tarp
Propane grill or camp stove-Much better than charcoal grills. You don't need to store bags upon bags of charcoal
Pet food
There are other things you should be doing now as well. Cleaning out your refrigerator and freezer that may not be past expiration dates. Time it so that it is done when garbage is scheduled to picked up next day. If your power goes out for days, these items will be the first to spoil and if there isn't garbage pickup, you will have a bigger mess to deal with.
Keep your laundry up to date. Scrub your bathtub. The bathtubs need to be filled with water once it appears very likely your area will be hit. This water can be used for pets, yourself(see bleach), flushing the toilet, and other purposes.
Once you are under a hurricane warning, items in your yard need to be secured. Shutters, plywood, etc. need to be placed on windows. If you in an evacuation zone, EVACUATE! Do not be lured by the seductive fallacy that if your home/street didn't flood during a previous hurricane, it won't flood during this one.
Many of us on the Mississippi Gulf Coast are going through a controlled panic. Quietly, yesterday, we began filling up our cars and trucks. Some businesses have already started moving frozen inventory to cold storage faclities in Hattiesburg and Jackson.
In other words, many are fearful of what is in the Caribbean and might be paying us a visit Sunday or Monday. But the fear is not paralyzing us. We are getting the job done to protect ourselves.
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