How to Prepare for Severe Storms or Natural Disasters

When a storm threatens

Inside the home

side the home

Get your key documents - passports, wills, contracts, insurance papers, car
Monitor the news.
Set the refrigerator at its coldest setting in anticipation of the power failing.
Fill the bathtub; it may be your main supply of water.
Stock heavy duty garbage bags for post-storm home and yard cleanup.
Check flashlight and radio batteries and have extras on hand.
Charge rechargeable cellular phones, drills, power screwdrivers, flashlights, lanterns, batteries.
Make sure you have enough toilet paper to last until you can safely get to the store again.
If you plan to leave, start packing. Don't wait until landfall to get on the road. Also, make sure that driving away is the best option. The roads will likely be clogged and staying put might be safer.

Outside the home

Refill special medications
Get cash (ATMs may not work for days after). Don't charge credit cards to the limit in case you need extra cash after the storm.
Get supplies. Follow instructions in this guide for food and water.
Don't fill gasoline cans; they are a fire hazard.
Fill vehicle fuel tank. Gas stations will run out.
Check battery, water, oil. Make sure you have a spare tire and buy aerosol kits that fix, inflate flats.
Prepare your pool. Don't drain it.
If you own a boat, make necessary preparations.
If you own a plane, have it flown out or secured.
Limit traveling to necessary trips.

When a warning is issued and the storm is approaching

Inside the home

Don't be misled by landfall predictions; strong winds could arrive hours before official landfall and many miles away from the eye.
Move furniture away from windows or cover with plastic.
Move as many valuables as possible off the floor to limit flooding damage.
Secure anything inside your home that can be thrown around.

Outside the home

Get shutters, storm panels or plywood in place on windows. If you haven't installed sockets, attach with wood screws; they're better than nails and do less damage.
Don't tape windows; tape can create daggers of glass and bake onto panes.
Remove swings and tarps from swing sets. Tie down anything you can't bring in. Check for loose rain gutters, moldings.
Move grills, patio furniture, and potted plants into your house or garage. If you do any last-minute pruning, take the clippings inside.
Disconnect and remove satellite dish from your roof.
Check your mailbox. If it's loose, secure or remove it.
Remove roof turbines and cap the holes with screw-on turbine caps. Unsecured turbines can fly off and create a large hole for rain to pour through.
Prepare patio screening. It is usually built to sustain tropical-force winds, but as it fills with wind, it can separate from the frame. Officials recommend you remove a 6-foot panel on each side to let wind pass through. Pull out the tubing that holds screening in frame to remove screen.
Secure and brace external doors, especially the garage door and double doors.
Move vehicles out of flood-prone areas and into garages if possible. If not, park cars away from trees and close to homes or buildings.
Don't turn off your natural gas at the main meter. Only emergency or utility people should do that.

Thunderstorms

There are no official lightning watches or warnings. Keep alert for thunder, lightning and other signs that can be (though aren't always) associated with thunderstorms, such as darkening clouds and sudden wind shifts. What should your family do?
Unplug all appliances, including air conditioner, before the storm hits.
Listen for storm updates on a battery-powered radio.
Avoid using the phone. Telephone lines can conduct electricity.
Metal pipes also conduct electricity. Stay away from faucets, sinks, and bathtubs.
Keep pets on a leash or in a carrier.
If you are outside, take cover in the best shelter you can find.
If you are in your car, keep the windows closed.

Hurricanes

A hurricane is a type of tropical cyclone, the generic term for a low pressure system that generally forms in the tropics. A typical cyclone is accompanied by thunderstorms, and in the Northern Hemisphere, a counterclockwise circulation of winds near the earth’s surface.

All Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coastal areas are subject to hurricanes or tropical storms. Parts of the Southwest United States and the Pacific Coast experience heavy rains and floods each year from hurricanes spawned off Mexico. The Atlantic hurricane season lasts from June to November, with the peak season from mid-August to late October.

Hurricanes can cause catastrophic damage to coastlines and several hundred miles inland. Winds can exceed 155 miles per hour. Hurricanes and tropical storms can also spawn tornadoes and microbursts, create storm surges along the coast, and cause extensive damage from heavy rainfall.

Hurricane season runs from June to November, so it is important to pay attention to any significant weather systems building in the Atlantic through the Summer and Fall.

What To Do:

Make sure you have a battery-powered radio nearby.

If you are not told to evacuate, stay put. Fill food-grade containers with water from your tap ahead of time. Place all valuables and records in a waterproof container and store on the highest floor of your home or a safe area. If you have to evacuate, make sure you turn off water and electric utilities.

Tornadoes

Tornadoes appear suddenly and strike randomly. Your best defense is to be alert during times of severe weather. Peak tornado season in the southern states is March through May; in the northern states, it is late spring through early summer. However tornadoes can form at any time of the year. Tornadoes occur in every state in the country.

What To Do:

Seek shelter in the lowest level of your home (basement or storm cellar). If there is no basement, go to an inner hallway, a smaller inner room or a closet. Keep away from all windows. Make sure you have a battery-powered radio nearby. Cushion yourself with a mattress, but do not use one to cover yourself. Cover you head and eyes with a blanket or jacket to protect yourself from flying debris and broken glass.

Make sure you have the following essentials on hand:

Battery-operated weather radio
Flashlight
Extra Batteries
Water
Food
First Aid Kit (one for your home and one for each car)
Prescription and non-prescription drugs
Tools and supplies (paper cups, utility knife, hammer, matches, etc.)
Personal supplies to maintain sanitation (toilet paper, paper towels, household chlorine bleach, etc.)
Clothing and bedding
Supplies for infants and toddlers
Pet supplies
Important family documents
Entertainment (games and books)
Perishable contents should be changed or replaced every six months.

Decide ahead of time where to go if you are at home, school, work, outdoors, or in a car when a severe weather warning is issued. Agree upon a place to meet if separated. Designate a friend or relative outside of the area as your contact if you are separated during severe weather. If your area is vulnerable to weather extremes, get a good map and plan an evacuation route.

Earthquakes

One of the most frightening and destructive phenomena of nature is a severe earthquake and its terrible aftereffects. An earthquake is a sudden movement of the earth, caused by the abrupt release of strain that has accumulated over a long time. For hundreds of millions of years, the forces of plate tectonics have shaped the earth, as the huge plates that form the earth’s surface slowly move over, under, and past each other. Sometimes, the movement is gradual. At other times, the plates are locked together, unable to release the accumulating energy. When the accumulated energy grows strong enough, the plates break free. If the earthquake occurs in a populated area, it may cause many deaths and injuries and extensive property damage.

Take Protective Measures

Before an Earthquake

The following are things you can do to protect yourself, your family, and your property in the event of an earthquake:

Repair defective electrical wiring, leaky gas lines, and inflexible utility connections. Get appropriate professional help. Do not work with gas or electrical lines yourself.
Bolt down and secure to the wall studs your water heater, refrigerator, furnace, and gas appliances. If recommended by your gas company, have an automatic gas shut-off valve installed that is triggered by strong vibrations.
Place large or heavy objects on lower shelves. Fasten shelves, mirrors, and large picture frames to walls. Brace high and top-heavy objects.
Store bottled foods, glass, china, and other breakables on low shelves or in cabinets that fasten shut.
Anchor overhead lighting fixtures.
Be sure the residence is firmly anchored to its foundation.
Install flexible pipe fittings to avoid gas or water leaks.
Flexible fittings are more resistant to breakage.
Locate safe spots in each room under a sturdy table or against an inside wall. Reinforce this information by moving to these places during each drill.
Hold earthquake drills with your family members: Drop, cover, and hold on!

During an Earthquake

Minimize your movements during an earthquake to a few steps to a nearby safe place. Stay indoors until the shaking has stopped and you are sure exiting is safe.

If you are	Then:
Indoors	Take cover under a sturdy desk, table, or bench or against an inside wall, and hold on. If there isn’t a table or desk near you, cover your face and head with your arms and crouch in an inside corner of the building. Stay away from glass, windows, outside doors and walls, and anything that could fall, such as lighting fixtures or furniture. Stay in bed - if you are there when the earthquake strikes - hold on and protect your head with a pillow, unless you are under a heavy light fixture that could fall. In that case, move to the nearest safe place. Use a doorway for shelter only if it is in close proximity to you and if you know it is a strongly supported, load bearing doorway. Stay inside until shaking stops and it is safe to go outside. Most injuries during earthquakes occur when people are hit by falling objects when entering into or exiting from buildings. Be aware that the electricity may go out or the sprinkler systems or fire alarms may turn on. DO NOT use the elevators.
Outdoors	Stay there. Move away from buildings, streetlights, and utility wires.
In a moving vehicle	Stop as quickly as safety permits and stay in the vehicle. Avoid stopping near or under buildings, trees, overpasses, and utility wires. Proceed cautiously once the earthquake has stopped, watching for road and bridge damage.
Trapped under debris	Do not light a match. • Do not move about or kick up dust. Cover your mouth with a handkerchief or clothing. Tap on a pipe or wall so rescuers can locate you. Use a whistle if one is available. Shout only as a last resort - shouting can cause you to inhale dangerous amounts of dust.

After an Earthquake

Be prepared for aftershocks. These secondary shockwaves are usually less violent than the main quake but can be strong enough to do additional damage to weakened structures.
Open cabinets cautiously. Beware of objects that can fall off shelves.
Stay away from damaged areas unless your assistance has been specifically requested by police, fire, or relief organizations.
Be aware of possible tsunamis if you live in coastal areas. These are also known as seismic sea waves (mistakenly called “tidal waves”). When local authorities issue a tsunami warning, assume that a series of dangerous waves is on the way. Stay away from the beach.

May 07:
This white paper is written by Guy Lacerte @
Power Solutions LLC with data gathered from FEMA