HURRICANE GUIDE – START OF HURRICANE SEASON

All of us need to do a few things to prepare for hurricane season. It is very important that we be prepared whether we are going to stay or evacuate.

• Review your insurance policies and update your coverage if necessary.
• Cut back tree limbs or branches near your home.
• Stock up on emergency supplies such as nonperishable food, bottled water, insect repellant, sunscreen, baby items, special medications, batteries for radios, TVs, and flashlights. Keep a first aid kit and a manual can opener on hand.
  (Items For First Aid Kit)
• Copy important papers and phone numbers and store them in storm-proof places. Put one set in a safe deposit box and the other in a water-proof container.
• You might want to digitally archive family photos and documents that are not replaceable. Simply scanning or having them scanned and saved onto a CD or DVD can save the memories that you have collected over the years.
• A quick way to do an inventory of your household goods would be to take a video of all your rooms in detail using a video camera. Making sure to capture tapes/dvds and electronic equipment noting the particulars about the equipment being viewed via the audio portion of the tape and various furniture and antiques in their pristine state and then making a copy of that tape and storing it in a secure place and when you evacuate taking the tape you made with you in case of damage to your home or belongings.
• Be prepared to protect windows and glass doors with either shutters or half-inch thick plywood, cut to size and framed or drilled for easy installation.
• If you know you will evacuate, decide now where you will go. If you have pets, make plans to board them. They are not allowed in public shelters.
• If you need special help to evacuate, register with your county emergency management office now.
• If you receive home health care or depend on electrical life support equipment, discuss emergency plans with your doctor. Also contact your power company and inform them with a letter from your doctor stating that you depend upon electrical service so that they might attempt to restore service to your home.

Hurricane Preparedness Kit

— Water – at least 1 gallon daily per person for 3 to 7 days
— Food – at least enough for 3 to 7 days
— non-perishable packaged or canned food / juices
— foods for infants or the elderly
— snack foods
— non-electric can opener
— cooking tools / fuel
— paper plates / plastic utensils
— Blankets / Pillows, etc.
— Clothing – seasonal / rain gear/ sturdy shoes
— First Aid Kit / Medicines / Prescription Drugs
— Special Items – for babies and the elderly
— Toiletries / Hygiene items / Moisture wipes
— Flashlight / Batteries
— Radio – Battery operated and NOAA weather radio
— Cash – Banks and ATMs may not be open or available for extended periods.
— Keys
— Toys, Books and Games
Important documents – in a waterproof container
— insurance, medical records, bank account numbers, Social Security card, etc. 
Tools – keep a set with you during the storm
Vehicle fuel tanks filled
Pet care items
— proper identification / immunization records / medications
— ample supply of food and water
— a carrier or cage
— muzzle and leash

2011 Peak Season Ending

 Please pay attention to your local weather stations for updates.  Although the weather patterns are changing, one of the systems may get close enough to us.  You do not need to have one late season storm to ruin your lives.   If nothing happens, you can donate all of the canned goods and supplies in your Hurricane Kit to your favorite charity.

Hurricane Irene

Hurricane Irene is out on our East Coast heading North.  Stay tuned to your local weather broadcasts.  Although it appears it will not directly impact us, we should all be aware of the problems it could cause.

There could be higher gusts of winds as it passes by.  Watch for fallen tree limbs on roadways.  If you encounter any fallen tree limb look for utility wires before you approach.  Assume the wires are live with high voltage.  Call the authority to advise them of the situation.  The wires may be cable or telephone lines.  Be cautious anyway.

Additional rainfall may cause flooding in some areas.  Be aware of flooded roadways when you are driving.  Most automobiles and trucks are not designed to float.

If your power goes out, you may be in the dark for a few hours.  Check your flashlight batteries.  Be sure you have enough.  If you run a generator, don’t run it inside your house.  Carbon monoxide fumes are odorless and deadly.

Contact the Hurricane hotline (1-866-374-5120) for information about work.

August 2011 Update

Tropical Storm Emily

We are at the beginning the peak of the 2011 Hurricane Season. Stay tuned to the weather reports!!!

Currently, there is a Tropical Storm out in the Caribbean, heading in our general direction.

• Remember to be sure your Calling Tree information is updated.

• Make sure important documents are secure.

• Make sure you have some emergency cash on hand.

• If you have prescription medicine, be sure you have enough to last a few days if the storm hits.

• Do you have flashlights with batteries?

• Do you have enough drinking water?

• Do you have enough food?

STAY INFORMED. STAY SAFE!!!

Hurricane Terminology and Hurricane Dangers – Prepare to Learn, and Learn to Prepare

An important part of preparedness is understanding what we are up against.  To prepare for hurricanes, we should familiarize ourselves with the terminology used in describing tropical cyclones and become aware of storms’ potential effects.

Here are some common terms for various types of storms:

• A tropical depression is defined as an organized system of clouds and thunderstorms with a defined circulation and maximum sustained winds of 38 mph or less.
• A tropical storm is a more advanced storm than a tropical depression, with winds of 39 to 73 mph in an organized system of strong thunderstorms with a defined circulation.
• A hurricane is an intense tropical weather system with a well defined circulation and maximum sustained winds of 74 mph or higher. In the western Pacific, hurricanes are called “typhoons” and similar storms in the Indian Ocean are called “cyclones”.

Every hurricane season, we hear hurricanes described in terms of categories.   Despite that category of a storm is based on wind speed (according to the Saffir-Simpson Scale), winds aren’t the only damaging part of a hurricane.  In fact, winds oftentimes aren’t the most devastating or deadly force that a hurricane produces.   Hurricanes have the potential to bring storm surge, tornadoes, lightning, heavy rains, and flooding.   As we’ve seen recently with Hurricane Ike, which was only a strong category 2 at landfall, even if the hurricane is classified as a relatively low category of storm, the devastation can still be high.

More people have died from floods than any other weather related cause, and it should be noted that a low category of storm does not always translate into low potential for flooding.  Tropical Storm Fay stalled over northeastern and east central Florida in August of this year, dropping up to two feet of rain in some locations.  Fay was responsible for historic levels of flooding, yet was categorized as a mere tropical storm.

For more information regarding storms, visit OneStorm’s section, “Storms Explained,” for educational resources.  You’ll find articles on hurricane flooding, storm surge, FAQs on hurricane history, and a glossary of hurricane terms.    All types of storms have the potential to be dangerous, and learning about them is another great way to be prepared.

Source:  “Terminology.”  NWS.  August 2000.