Just in Case (41 page)

IF A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED:

• If you are in a building such as your home, a school, or a store, go to the designated shelter area. This might be a basement, storm cellar, or safe room. If there is no basement or designated shelter, go to the center of an interior room on the lowest level, away from windows, doors, and outside walls. A closet, interior hallway, or bathroom might work. Your goal is to put as many walls between you and the outside as possible. Get under a heavy piece of furniture if you can. Protect your head (and small children) with a thick blanket or several towels.

• If you are in a car, truck, trailer, or mobile home, don’t try to outrun the tornado in your car. Get out immediately and seek shelter in the nearest sturdy building or storm cellar. Mobile homes and vehicles offer little protection from tornado-force winds. They tend to roll over easily.

• If you are outside and no shelter is available, lie as flat as possible in a ditch or depression, and cover your head with any clothing or material you can find. You are actually safer in a low, flat area than you are under a bridge or overpass.

AFTER A TORNADO:

• Call 911 to alert authorities to the location of the tornado.

• Do not use any appliance, including the phone, if you smell gas.

• Use the phone only for emergency calls.

• Check on your neighbors, but exercise caution when entering buildings. The high winds of a tornado may make them structurally unsafe.

• Take pictures of any damage for insurance purposes.

HURRICANES

A
HURRICANE IS A
low-pressure weather system that forms in the tropics. In the northern hemisphere, a hurricane comprises a severe thunderstorm accompanied by a counterclockwise circulation of air near the earth’s surface. Hurricanes often spawn tornadoes and cause coastal flooding. The heavy winds and torrential rains account for significant property damage and take many lives each year.

All Atlantic and Gulf Coast states are subject to hurricanes, although the more southern states are at highest risk. Hurricane season begins in June and runs through November, with the peak season from mid-August to late October.

Hurricanes are rated 1 through 5 based on their strength, with a category 5 hurricane being much stronger than a category 1. But hurricanes gain and lose strength as they travel over land or open water, and a particular storm’s strength may rise and fall as it moves. The hurricane that was a category 2 one day can be a category 4 a day later. Another thing to keep in mind is that, although the big category 3s and 4s are the ones we tend to remember, even a 1 or 2 can be deadly if you are in the wrong place or don’t take the recommended precautions.

If you live in hurricane territory, take steps to secure your property and plan for possible evacuation and power disruptions well before storm season.

• Make preparations to protect your windows. Storm shutters offer the best protection, but you can also board up windows with to
to ½-inch exterior-grade marine plywood. Cut a piece of plywood to fit each window, and label it with indelible marker or paint so you know which piece fits which window. Depending on your home’s construction, lay in a supply of double-headed nails, wood screws, bolts, or wood or masonry anchors, with any nuts or washers you may need for installing the plywood covers. Keep the plywood in a dry place, and consider painting or staining to further protect it from moisture. Have all these supplies ready well in advance of any storm warning.

• Prepare a safe room (see page 135).

• Be diligent about keeping your property in good condition. Inspect trees and shrubs for weak or damaged limbs, and remove any you find. Also remove brown fronds and seed pods from palms. Don’t leave the debris lying around. It could be a hazard in high winds.

• Pay special attention to storing water, nonperishable food, and dry goods such as batteries, matches, and candles. Prior to a storm there will be a run on these items, and immediately after a storm they may be completely unavailable.

• Have a plan for evacuation (see
chapter 9
), with a destination at least fifty miles inland. Make sure you include pets in your plan.

• Keep your car in excellent condition and equipped with emergency supplies (see
chapter 8
).

• Review your insurance paperwork to make sure that you have flood insurance. Flood insurance is not part of most regular homeowners’ policies. Many people who thought they were covered for flood damage after Hurricane Katrina found out the hard way that they had no coverage for their damages. See the box on page 122 for more information.

• Hold family hurricane drills.

IF A HURRICANE WATCH IS ISSUED:

• Fill your car with gasoline. Put your evacuation packs in your car, and keep the keys in your pocket. Park your car facing the street, with the garage door open.

• Clean rain gutters and downspouts.

• In anticipation of the power failing, clean out your refrigerator and freezer and turn them to their lowest temperature setting. Eat any perishable food.

• Store as much drinking water as possible. Fill bathtubs and sinks if you don’t think you have enough water on hand.

• Tune in to local radio or television for updates. Storms often change course, and landfall times and locations can change suddenly.

• If you are considering evacuation, do it now, well in advance of an emergency order, when the roads are less congested.

IF A HURRICANE WARNING IS ISSUED:

• Listen to your NOAA radio or tune in to local TV for information.

• Close shutters or board up windows. Move all outdoor loose items and equipment indoors. These include birdbaths, birdhouses, hanging plants, awnings, toys, and outdoor furniture.

• Turn off utilities if authorities instruct you to do so.

• Avoid using the phone except for serious emergencies.

• If you have a pool, shock it with a heavy dose of chlorine to reduce the risk of contamination if you are unable to care for it in the aftermath of a storm. Some people throw their lawn furniture into their pools to keep it from blowing away. It is okay to do this and certainly quicker than carrying it piece by piece into the house or garage, but remove it promptly after the storm to prevent rust marks from the steel parts from staining your pool liner. Do not lower the pool’s water level before a storm; it won’t help and may permanently damage the pool pump if the water falls below the level of the skimmer.

• Let family members know where you will go if you have to evacuate, and follow the general guidelines for evacuation given in
chapter 9
. If you expect a storm surge, take important documents and possessions to the highest point in the house.

EVACUATE IF:

• The authorities direct you to do so.

• You are uncomfortable remaining at home.

• You live on the coast, near a river, or on an inland waterway.

• You live in a mobile home, RV, or shoreline shelter.

• You live in a high-rise building.

• You or a family member has a special need that puts you at greater risk if power should go out.

IF YOU DO NOT EVACUATE:

• Stay indoors. A hurricane is not a spectator sport.

• Close all interior doors. Secure external doors.

• Take refuge in an interior room, closet, or hallway on the lowest level of your home or in your safe room (see page 136). If you do not have a safe room, get on the floor under a table or heavy piece of furniture.

• If the winds die down, remain inside. This could be the eye of the hurricane, and if so, the winds will pick up again.

AFTER THE STORM:

• Listen to the radio for weather and news updates.

• Check on your neighbors.

• Snakes and other animals may have been driven to higher ground when the water level rose. Be alert for their presence.

• Normally docile animals may become aggressive after a hurricane. Approach all animals, even familiar ones, with caution.

• Open windows and doors to aid in drying out your home.

• Take pictures of damage for insurance claims.

• Drive only when necessary. Emergency vehicles will be on the roadways. Avoid any flooded roads.

• Check for gas leaks. If you smell gas or hear the hissing sound of gas escaping, turn off gas at the outside source and leave home to call for assistance.

• If you see any downed power lines, report them to your local power company or police. If you see sparks or broken wires at your own home, turn off the electricity at your main electrical panel.

• If you suspect sewer lines have been damaged, call a plumber. Do not drink tap water until authorities tell you it is safe.

• If you have a pool, remove any debris and rebalance the chemicals. If there is any chance that your pool has been contaminated with salt water, call a pool service company for assistance.

EARTHQUAKES

A
N EARTHQUAKE IS
a sudden heaving motion of the earth caused by the release of pressure that has accumulated in a tectonic plate beneath the earth’s surface over a long period of time. If the resulting earthquake occurs in a populated area, it can cause many deaths and injuries and extensive property damage. In August of2007, an 8.3-magnitude earthquake devastated several small villages outside Lima, Peru. The most tragic sight was of families waiting in long lines for a single piece of bread in the days following the quake. Because all roads were heavily damaged, relief workers had not been able to reach most survivors. People slept in the open because they were afraid of aftershocks further damaging their homes. It really spoke to me about the importance of having an emergency pack at the ready to see you through those first critical days. A tube tent, essential medication, and some nonperishable food would have made such a difference to those people.

We often think of earthquakes as happening only in areas of known faults, but there are faults all over the world. Just because a quake has never struck where you live does not mean one will never hit there. That said, if you live on a known fault line, there are several steps you should take to protect your family and your property.

• Bolt down or secure to wall studs your water heater, refrigerator, furnace, and other heavy appliances. Do this also with top-heavy furniture such as armoires, entertainment centers, and bookcases.

• Equip all cabinets with childproof locks to keep them from opening during a quake.

• Fasten mirrors and large picture frames securely to wall studs. Do not place items such as these over sleeping spaces.

• Store breakable items on low shelves or in cabinets that fasten shut.

• Avoid chandeliers, which are more likely to break free than securely anchored flat light fixtures.

• Have a contractor ensure that your residence is securely anchored to its foundation.

• Be certain your property is in good condition with up-to-date wiring and utility connections. You might consider having a technician install an automatic gas shut-off valve that is triggered by the strong vibrations of a quake.

• Locate a safe spot to weather out an earthquake in each room. This might be under a piece of heavy furniture or against an inside wall. Make sure your family members know them all.

• Hold earthquake drills with your family.

IF YOU ARE INDOORS:

• Take as few steps as possible to a safe spot, such as underneath a heavy piece of furniture or against an inside wall, preferably in a corner.

• Crouch down and cover your head with whatever is available. Avoid windows, mirrors, and exterior walls.

• If you are in bed when a quake hits, stay there, covering your head with a pillow.

• Stay inside until the shaking stops. Most injuries occur when people are hit by debris as they enter or leave a building.

• As in most emergencies, do not use elevators. If the power goes out, you will be trapped.