AFD - National Hurricane Preparedness Week

[sharon sanders]

FEMA: National Hurricane Preparedness Week


# 3246



New readers may wonder why an infectious disease blog would take time out to discuss other threats, like tornadoes, earthquakes . . . or in this case, Hurricanes.

There are several reasons.

First, I began writing about hurricanes long before I started this blog on infectious diseases. In fact, my first writing about avian flu (back in early 2005) appeared on some of the Hurricane boards.

Second, as my banner proclaims (`with an emphasis on personal and community preparedness?) this is a preparedness website, that happens to focus most of the time on infectious disease threats.

If you are well prepared for a pandemic, you are also well prepared for a hurricane, earthquake, or any other disaster.
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And third, as native Floridian, I?ve been through my share of hurricanes (although never in the heart of a CAT 4 or 5 monster), and I?ve seen first hand the destructive power of these storms.

Hurricanes, like pandemics, are a force to be reckoned with.

If you don?t live in a Hurricane zone (and being inland 100 miles is no guarantee you won?t be affected), you undoubtedly do live someplace that is vulnerable to other threats.

Here is some sage advice from FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) on some of those threats.

Learn About the Different Types of Disasters and Hazards

• Chemical
• Dam Failure
• Earthquake
• Fire or Wildfire
• Flood
• Hazardous Material
• Heat
• Hurricane
• Landslide
• Nuclear Power Plant Emergency
• Terrorism
• Thunderstorm
• Tornado
• Tsunami
• Volcano
• Wildfire
• Winter Storm

General preparedness should be a goal, and a mindset, for every family.

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Here is FEMA?s 2009 Hurricane preparedness advice. Follow the link to access the entire page.

Hurricane Season 09

With hurricane season starting on June 1st, FEMA is urging residents to be prepared for their personal safety and survival in case a hurricane threatens their community. To assist in these efforts, FEMA, along with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is helping to raise awareness of steps that can be taken to help protect citizens, their communities and property.
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(Calendar of Events ? Click to access)

FEMA: Better Prepared for 2009 and Continuing To Move Forward

• FEMA Preparedness Overview (PDF 102KB, TXT 19KB)
• The Declaration Process (PDF 28KB, TXT 6KB)
• Urban Search & Rescue (PDF 27KB, TXT 3KB)
• Disaster Emergency Communications (PDF 21KB, TXT 3KB)
• Mobile Emergency Response Support (PDF 25KB, TXT 3KB)
• Incident Management Assistance Teams (PDF 21KB, TXT 3KB)
• Disaster Operations Directorate (PDF 24KB, TXT 6KB)
• Logistics Management Directorate (PDF 36KB, TXT 9KB)
• National Flood Insurance Program (PDF 24KB, TXT 6KB)
• Use of Social Media Tools (PDF 35KB, TXT 12KB)

Are You Prepared?

• Are you Ready?
• Private Sector: Your Role In Emergency Management

 

[sharon sanders]

Re: AFD - National Hurricane Preparedness Week

Not Too Early In The Season



# 3400

Hurricane models, particularly model runs that are created before a system has reached hurricane or tropical storm strength, are notoriously unreliable.

And so, these two computer runs (see below) from this evening are probably way off base.

Still . . . it is hurricane season.

And right now there is an area of low pressure in the western Caribbean that the National Hurricane Center is watching.

One model (the GFDL) brings it ashore in south Florida as a tropical storm in 4 days time. Another model (the HWRF) has it as a Cat 1 hurricane threatening West-Central Florida on Wednesday.

GFDL Computer Model for June 29th

HWRF Computer Models For mid-week (July 1st).

`Spaghetti? model with all runs putting this system in the GOM (Gulf of Mexico) next week.


Right now, I wouldn?t put any money on either of these scenarios. It is simply too soon to know if this system will intensify, or where it will go.

Maybe we?ll know better by Sunday.

But it is a good reminder that if you live anywhere along the Atlantic or Gulf Coast (including up to a couple of hundred miles inland), you are within the strike zone of hurricanes.

And even those who live hundreds of miles from the coast can see tornadoes and floods from the remnants of a tropical system.
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Now is the time to prepare. If you haven?t visited the FEMA Hurricane website, this weekend would be a good time to do so.

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You can also visit READY.GOV Hurricane Preparedness page for more information on how to prepare.

But don?t just read about it. Do it.

Get your family, or your business, ready to deal with a disaster.

It is early in the hurricane season, and normally we don?t see really big storms until late July or August. But that doesn?t mean it never happens.

It?s not too early in the season to pay attention.