Last Minute Hurricane Safety Tips

                                                            

The hurricane season expands from June 1 to November 30; however the peak months for hurricanes are August and September.  A hurricane watch means that a hurricane is possible within 36 hours.  A hurricane warning means that a hurricane is expected within 24 hours or less. 

Hurricanes are tropical storms that consist of water and warm air from the tropics.  As the warm air increases, it cools, and the moisture condenses to clouds and rain drops.  When a hurricane reaches land it loses the warm air moisture which feeds the storm. Hurricanes weaken rapidly over land due to the quick loss of water.

As this cycle continues, more warm moist air is drawn into the developing storm and more heat is transferred from the surface of the ocean to the atmosphere. This ongoing heat exchange forms a wind pattern that spirals around the eye.

Converging winds near the surface of the water collide, pushing more water vapor up which increases the circulation of warm air, and accelerates the speed of the wind. Simultaneously, strong winds blowing steadily at higher altitudes pull the rising warm air away from the storm’s center and send the warm air swirling into the hurricane’s cyclone.

As high-pressure air is pulled into the low-pressure center of the storm, the speed of the wind continues to increase.  The storm can expand to a tropical storm or hurricane.  Hurricanes have wind speeds greater than 74 – 95 mph while tropical storms have wind speeds from 39 – 73 mph.

Hurricane intensity is based upon the highest sustained wind speed the hurricane is producing. Hurricanes are rated from Category 1 – Category 5 based on the amount of damage each category may produce.  Category 1 may result in fallen tree branches, blowing debris, damage to mobile homes and power outages vs. a Category 2 which may result in fallen tree branches, damage to mobile homes, fallen trees, power outages and wind speed 96 – 110 mph. Check you electric company’s website for frequent updates.  Here are 29 tips to help you survive a hurricane.

1. If your car is parked under or near a tree move it.
2. Move all trash cans, furniture and anything that can fly away to a closed area such as your garage or basement. You can also tie down furniture to something sturdy such as a deck. If you are not sure if something will fly away bring it inside.
3. Keep flashlights, batteries, candles, lanterns and portable devices nearby so if the power goes out they will be easily accessible.
4. Use candles and lanterns with caution; don’t fall asleep with them on.  Keep papers, bags, clothing and anything flammable out of reach.
5. Use generators with caution. Visit your electricity company’s website to get safety tips on how to use your generator.
6. Limit your use of the refrigerator if your power goes out.  Food can stay cold for up to 4 hours.
7. If you don’t have bottled water, boil tap water or use your faucet filter and store in large containers in your refrigerator.
8. If you have electric heat gather blankets to make them easily accessible if your power goes out.
9. Don’t suddenly become an adventurer and decide to take pictures or follow the storm to fulfill a midlife crisis, to get on television or get your picture taken for your 30 seconds of fame.  Stay indoors and remain safe.
10. Ensure all doors and windows are securely locked.
11. Seal up any leaks or drafts in windows or doors.
12. Check sump pumps, gutters and drains to make sure they are clear of debris.
13. Check sump pumps and your basement every few hours to ensure water hasn’t backed up in your home.
14. Immediately report power outages and any down power lines.
15. Keep emergency service numbers easily accessible.
16. Plug computers, printers, and large appliances into surge protectors.
17. Ensure cordless phone batteries are fully charged.
18. Ensure you cell phones are fully charged at all times.  Send text messages instead of talking on your cell phone during the storm to save your battery power.
19. Unplug all electronic devices if your power goes out to prevent an overload on circuits.
20. If you keep your pets outside bring them inside for safety.
21. Gather mops, towels and buckets so they will be easily accessible if your home starts to flood to help you remove some of the water until you are able to get a plumber to solve the problem.
22. If were not able to buy ice or dry ice use your ice maker or ice trays to make ice which you can use to keep food cold if the power goes out.
23. If you have a cooler make it easily accessible so if you power goes out you can fill it with ice to keep food cold.
24. Listen to weather conditions updates on your local news or radio shows.
25.  When power is restored turn on appliances and electric devices one at a time.
26. Identify a list of temporary shelters that are in your neighborhood in the event you need to use them.
27. Evacuate immediately if you are told to do so.
28. Confirm if it safe to drink tap water.
29. Don’t move or touch down wires or trees.  This is especially important if any of your property is damaged.  If weather conditions are safe take pictures and provide to your insurance company.

 

Emergency Preparedness Must Have Items

Natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, tsunamis etc. can occur at any time but are less likely to occur on the east coast. Hurricanes are one of the most destructive natural disasters that can occur. Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30 and usually occurs in warm weather areas. On average 5-6 hurricanes occur during the hurricane season. Hurricanes are classified into 5 different categories:

Category 1 - winds 74-95 miles per hour
Category 2 - winds 96-110 miles per hour
Category 3 - winds 111-130 miles per hour
Category 4 - winds 131-155 miles per hour
Category 5 - winds greater than 155 miles per hour

Tropical storms have winds ranging from 39-73 miles per hour. A tropical depression has winds up to 38 miles per hour and look like individual thunderstorms grouped together. When a natural disaster transpires you can never be fully equipped for what materializes but there are some things you can do to help make the experience go smoother. The east coast has recently experienced multiple natural disasters it a short period of time. Here are 22 emergency preparedness tips to help when experiencing a natural disaster:

1. Relax. Don’t let your emotions overwhelm you. Don’t let media coverage, family or friends cause you to overreact.
2. Outside items. Bring in all outside furniture and items that can easily blow away or tie them down tightly.
3. Cover. Keep blinds, shades and curtains drawn. Avoid staring out the window.
4. Lighting. Use kerosene lights or keep candles and flashlights near in case your power goes out. Buy matches or lighters to light candles as needed.
5. Heating. Keep lots of blankets. Wear extra clothes to stay warm. Buy hot water heater insulators to keep the hot water warm even if the power goes out.
6. Cooking. If you don’t want to use your gas stove or have an electric stove, cook food outside on a grill and store leftovers on ice. If you have a gas stove, you can still cook by lighting the pilot manually.
7. Ice. Buy 1 - 5lb bag of ice per every 3 days to use if you want to drink your beverages cold. If you have an automatic ice maker, make several trays of ice and store in the freezer to use if the power goes out.
8. Drinks. Drink more water to help stay hydrated. Try drinking beverages at room temperature to save ice. Buy bottled water or fill water pitchers with filtered water and store in your refrigerator if you are unable to drink tap water.
9. Snacks. Buy snacks to eat in between meals.
10. Food. Buy canned fruits and vegetables and other non-perishable items such as nuts, powered milk, beef jerky, spam, tuna fish, dried fruit, crackers, peanut butter, granola or protein bars, juice boxes, etc.
11. Water. Fill your bath tub and use the water to flush your toilet or use to wash up if the power goes out.
12. Cleaning. Fill a large trash can full of water to use if you are unable to take a shower. Keep moist towelettes, alcohol pads and disposable bathing clothes or wash clothes on hand. Use bleach as a disinfectant.
13. Health. Make sure you have enough prescriptions, aspirin or pain reliever, anti-diarrheal medicine, and multiple first aid kits.
14. Power. Buy a generator or get batteries to use for portable tv’s, radios or dvd players. You can also charge cell phones or other electronic devices in your car. Make sure you have lots of batteries.
15. Fun. Pull out the board games to play with your family. Do fun activities such as tell stories, crossword puzzles, etc.
16. Leisure. Read books or play battery powered games. Catch up on activities and reconnect with family.
17. Breathing. When the disaster has ended, use dust masks if needed to filter contaminated air. If the air is not contaminated open windows to get fresh air.
18. Cell phones. Make sure cell phones are fully charged and minimize use prior to the natural disaster.
19. Babies. Keep plenty of baby formula, food and diapers on hand as well as medicine, and other supplies.
20. Money. Keep extra cash or travelers’ check on hand in case you need to make unexpected purchases.
21. Smoke detectors. Check to make sure smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working properly.
22. Disposable. Keep disposable items on hand such as paper plates, cups, utensils, paper towels, toilet paper and other toiletries or recycled paper products.

What's Your Cell Phone Backup Plan

In 2006 Congress passed legislation under the Warning Alert and Response Network Act (WARN) allowing the Federal government access to private cell phones to issue emergency warnings and alerts which resulted in the Personal Localized Alerting Network (PLAN). WARN requires cell phone provides to activate PLAN technology by April 2012. Participants that will offer PLAN prior to the deadline include Sprint, AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile.

PLAN allows authorized national, state or local government officials to send alerts via cell phone providers regarding public safety emergencies, such as a tornado or a terrorist threat. Cell phone providers push the alerts from cell towers to cell phones in the affected area. This technology ensures that emergency alerts do not get stuck in highly congested user areas.

PLAN enables government officials to target emergency alerts to specific geographic areas through cell towers which pushes the information to dedicated receivers in PLAN enabled cell phones. PLAN complements the existing Emergency Alert System implemented by the FCC and FEMA via media service providers.

Customers can opt out of the service but will still receive Presidential alerts even if their GPS locator is turned off. The PLAN technology will allow the messages to take precedence over regular phone calls or text messages so the alerts can get through. Messages will show up on the phone’s front screen, and arrive with a distinct ringtone or vibration. Three types of messages are included in PLAN: level 1 - messages from the President, level 2 - looming threats to safety, and level 3 - amber alerts about missing or abducted children. As of October 2010 the following cell phone providers participate in PLAN www.fcc.gov/pshs/docs/servcies/cmas/MasterCMASRegistry.xls

During a natural disaster cell phone networks quickly get jammed and subscribers are unable to make phone calls. This happened recently with the earthquake that struck the east coast. During a disaster many people rely on cell phones or the internet. If your power is out your only other option is your cell phone. Government agencies are urging subscribers to send text messages instead of making phone calls during a natural disaster.

Using social media and text messages cannot replace voice communications and does not address the cell phone network load problems. If everyone is sending text messages that causes another increase in load and can cause delays in sending and receiving text messages. For people who don’t use social media or cell phones or people who live in rural areas where cell phone coverage is not available there is no way other for them to communicate. The U.S. needs to invest more money in technology to compete with other countries. Japan is working to use renewable energy for its cellphone tower network s with solar, wind or biomass which protects against power grid outages. Japan has also created a cooking pot that can cook food over a campfire and charge a cell phone at the same time which costs $300.

If cell phone companies can provide their executives with million dollar salaries, bonus and perks each year, saved money by transferring their customer services departments to India and other countries, decreased their level of customer service, and made some staff reductions, why can’t they spend more money to upgrade their networks to provide better service to subscribers and handle increased loads during a natural disaster.

Here are 6 tips to prepare for phone interruptions during a natural disaster:
1. Disaster Plan. Create a disaster plan and test it periodically.
2. Don’t wait. Don’t wait until the last minute to take action. Prepare in advance and stay calm. Execute your disaster plan to minimize further damages and safety issues.
3. Communication Plan. Develop a communication plan to contact friends and family and test periodically.
4. Satellite phone. If you live areas that experience frequent natural disasters consider purchasing or renting a satellite phone which connects to satellites in space. They provide functionality similar to cell phones such as voice, paging alerts, messaging service and internet access. Coverage can include the world or specific regions. Prices ranges from $200 to $5,000 for the phone plus talk time ranging from $0.15 to $2.00 per minute.
5. Smartphones Apps. Use emergency communication smartphone applications such as Life360, Guardly, Emergency Distresss Beacon and Quake SOS to connect to family and friends or emergency service providers to identify your location and confirm your safety.
6. Emergency Alerts. Sign up to receive emergency alerts with your city or state government, local school or university, utility company or weather service. You can also sign up for the Emergency Email and Wireless Network to receive alerts from local, state and federal government agencies.

How to Plan for the Unexpected

The East Coast has been hit with 3 snow storms this winter season. Many did not believe the meteorologists predictions because many times in the past they have been incorrect, but this season it seems they were pretty accurate. This accuracy unfortunately left many of us unprepared for the snow and have had "cabin fever" so bad that many people started walking to the store in these dangerous conditions just to get out of the house.

I started having cabin fever but quickly got over it once I wrote a list of all the things I should have done in my spare time that I did not get around to doing. I then began to start working on the list and checking off each item I completed. I felt a sense of accomplishment and did not feel like I was just a couch potato watching t.v. all day.

I have been stuck in the house since it started snowing last Friday and can't say that I am unhappy about the days off. My street needs to be plowed and salted before the additional 10-20 inches that are expected to fall in our area on Tuesday and I am hopeful that they will get around to us. I can't remember when our area has had so much snow; I think back in 1996 we had a huge snow storm.

Every time there is a snow prediction I go to the grocery store to pick up one or two items which are not necessity items just items I want to have. I laugh every time I go because they are always lines of people in the grocery store who wait until the last minute to buy groceries for the snow and are probably the same people every year who repeat the same behavior over and over again which is insanity. Each time you go to the grocery store pick up one or two extra items that will last you for a few which are very helpful if you lose power. Here are 13 tips to help if you experience an emergency or an unexpected situation and are stuck at home for several days.

1. Have a week's supply of food to prepare or eat at least two meals a day.

2. Have a week's supply of non-perishable food - dried foods that does not need to be refrigerated or cooked such as canned foods, dry cereal, fruit or protein bars, and soups.

3. Have a week's supply of toiletries, prescription drugs and nonprescription drugs such as cold medicine, aspirin, anti-diarrhea medication, heartburn medicine, upset stomach relief, hand sanitizer, rubbing alcohol, peroxide, a first aid kit and vitamins.

4. Buy batteries, flashlights and a portable radio.

5. If you live in a home consider buying a generator, wood-oven stove or kerosene lights to keep your house warm and provide light.

6. Buy a week's supply of bottled water.

7. Buy a thermometer.

8. Know where you gas line, cable line, and closest fire hydrants are located in the event of an emergency so that repair crews can fix the problem quickly.

9. If you are snowed in, help out your neighbors if you are physically able. Don't shovel your snow onto your neighbor's property or park in an empty space that someone shoveled out. Take time to shovel out your car and driveway. You can get sued if someone walks on your property and falls.

10. Check on loved ones often to make sure they are safe and have enough food, water and heat.

11. If you drive a 4-wheel drive vehicle such as a truck or hummer assist others who need to get to doctor's appointments, hospitals, or go to the grocery store.

12. Clean off your car completely. Many drivers only clean off a portion of the snow on their cars and when driving down the street or on the highway snows flies off sometimes causing accidents or causing cars behind them to swerve out of the way. Imagine how you would feel if someone died in a car accident trying to swerve out of the way of snowing flying off of your car.

13. Use caution and common sense. Don't drive down a snowy or icy street; you will get stuck and will appear on t.v. like many drivers who thought they could get through the snow.