Tips For Emergency Preparation During Severe Climate Changes

Due to global warming and other factors, the changes in our climate have become drastic. We have seen the devastation of properties and cities. Many lives have also been lost due to super typhoons and hurricanes, which caused flooding, and extremely hot weather condition, which caused heat wave. Since we are no longer sure what type of weather will hit our locality, all of us should be prepared for whatever situation certain climate changes and situations would bring.

Tips for preparing for hurricanes and storms

Check your house

Our house is our sanctuary during storms; thus, we need to regularly check the integrity of our roofs, walls, etc even before the hurricane season arrives. Since our house is our only defense against heavy rains and strong winds, we need to ensure that it can withstand severe weather conditions, especially if we live in hurricane prone areas.

Once a hurricane warning has been issued, we need to start boarding up our windows and doors. We also need to shut off our gas and electricity and make sure that all objects that can fall or fly around must be removed.

Prepare for provisions

When a hurricane warning has been issued, you need to make sure that you and your family has enough water and food to last for days. Be sure that the food you will be stocking up are those that can be eaten even without cooking and does not need to be refrigerated. Moreover, you need to make sure that you have enough potable water for you and your family.

Aside from food, you need to prepare for candles, matches, flashlights and batteries. In order for you to be always informed on what is happening, you need to have a battery-operated radio available.

Heed government warnings

If the government has called for an evacuation, do not think twice. Follow the advice of the government. Just make sure that your home is properly secured before you leave.

Tips for preparing for heat wave

Extremely hot weather can be dangerous, particularly for young children, old people, and those with certain health conditions, such as mental illness, heart and breathing problems.

Listen to the news

We need to closely monitor the situation and wait for warnings and bulletins issued by the government. Many people have died because they did not know that there is a heat wave and it was unsafe for them to go out during the hottest part of the day.

Stay out of the sun

It is really advisable to stay indoors when there is a heat wave. If you must go out, you need to ensure that you are wearing proper clothing and have a protection against the sun, such as a hat or an umbrella. You also need to schedule your day well so that you will be indoors from 11pm to 3pm, the hottest part of the day.

Shower up

Take a cold bath or shower several times a day. If you cannot do that, just wash your face and nape with cool water occasionally or whenever you feel hot.

Regularly check on your elderly relatives and neighbors

Old people are usually the ones who succumb to heat wave, thus you need to check your old relatives or neighbors once in a while. See if they are drinking plenty of water and are feeling well. If you cannot physically visit them, you can always call them during the day and constantly remind them to follow health bulletins for heat wave.

Surviving the Imperfect Storm: Tips for Emergency Preparations

If you live in a storm-prone area, you should be used by now on what to do, where to go and what to have to be prepared for bad weather.  However, if you're not used to getting pummeled by high winds and hard rain, you probably don't have an idea how best to face a storm situation.

For starters, storms do not just come without a warning.  Weather stations monitor the atmosphere day in and day out.  If a storm is possible, they will issue two types of warnings:

Storm watch – is issued when there is a possible storm in your area.  You probably will be experiencing a dark, cloudy sky, an unusually windy day and some rain.  The storm may or may not come, but this is the time to keep tuned to your local radio for news and updates.

Storm warning – is issued when a storm is headed toward your area.  Try to stay indoors as much as possible.  Or if residents are advised to evacuate to a safer place, go as early as you can.  Don’t wait until the last minute to leave your house.  By that time, the streets could be flooded and traffic is bad.  You don’t want to be caught in your car in bad weather.

Blizzard – usually occurs in winter and means heavy snow, strong winds and wind chill.  When a warning is issued, avoid traveling as much as possible and stay indoors.  There is no use exposing yourself outdoors where you could get trapped in traffic or in locations where you will be difficult to reach or worse, find.

For all our technology, no one can stop a storm from coming.  The only way to survive it is to be prepared to face the emergency.  Things don’t always go bad during storms, but weather is unpredictable and anything can happen.  To help you prepare for a storm emergency, here are a few tips:

Dress up.
Wear enough clothes to keep yourself warm.  Heat may not be available in your house so get extra coats and blankets to maintain your body temperature sufficiently.  Have your mittens, gloves, hats, socks and boots ready as well.

Have food ready.
Emergency provisions are a must during storm emergencies.  Make sure you stock on no-cook food, canned food, some candy and other non-perishable items.  And don't forget can openers, scissors or utensils.  If the storm gets too bad and the streets are flooded, you will have a difficulty going out to the grocery shops.  Besides, stores might be closed.

Keep bottles of water handy.  Clean water may be hard to come by during really bad conditions and the worst thing you can do is suffer from dehydration because you were not prepared.  Keep a supply of at least one gallon for every person per day that will last for 3 to 4 days.

Fill the tub.
You'll need more water for washing and flushing the toilets.  When the power is out, your water pump won't operate, so best fill your bath tub, water containers and pails with water.  If you have small children in the house, take precautions by covering deep containers and keeping children away from the bathroom unless necessary.

Emergency kit
Have a medical or first kit ready and make sure it's freshly-stocked.  It should contain disinfectants, gauzes, cotton balls, Q-tips, medicated plasters and necessary medicines.  It's also a good idea to have another kit in your car.

If anyone in your family is under special medication, make sure you have enough supplies to last until after the storm is over and drug stores are open.

Lights off
Expect power outages during storm emergencies.  You won't have any electricity, so stock on candles, flashlights and emergency lights.  Have extra fresh batteries and matches in case you run out.

If you can't turn on the TV, have a battery-powered radio tuned in to a station that covers your area.  Media will monitor the storm and will keep you updated.

You might need hot water during the period when power is not yet available, so keep a small tank of gas around just in case.  Your outdoor gas grill will do nicely.

Get an alternate shelter.
If you think your house will suffer considerably, it's a good idea to consider an alternate shelter.  It could be an evacuation center or another house or building that is safer.  Make sure you have enough gas in your tank in case you need to get out of the house and move someplace.  Keep to a higher ground where you have better chances of being safe and dry.

Vital steps in preparation for an industrial emergency

First things first, the fact of the matter is that there are great benefits to be had when there is guidance and ample preparation in cases of an emergency.

Planning and preparation helps industries and corporation discover any hazardous problems or conditions that could be unrecognized and if not paid attention to could possibly aggravate a situation.

When there is preparation, deficiencies are immediately brought to light.

Some of these deficiencies could include resource-lack (e.g. lack of personnel that are adequately trained, lack of supplies, lack of equipment, to name a few).  Knowing these details beforehand helps correct any lack in the soonest possible time.

It also prevents major losses and casualties as well as financial organizational collapse.

Another advantage of preparing for an industrial emergency is that it helps promote appropriate safety and awareness among the workers as well as present a company that is concerned with the welfare of all its staff.

The following are some of the needed steps designed to assist industrial plants as well as businesses in preparing for any type of emergency.

Establish a team

As much as possible, set-up a good planning team. A leader as well as a staff must be chosen as based on their appropriate capabilities and skills.

Particular tasks should also be assigned to teams or individuals.

Analyze hazards and capabilities

It is also important to assess the preparations the industrial plant or the organization currently has against risks such as power failure, damage in structures, among others.

In an emergency such as flooding, contacting the manager of the local floodplain as well as other flood officials helps organization and industries learn the risks involved.

Using building materials that are flood-resistant, erecting a physical barrier as well as anchoring structures and tanks is one of the ways to prepare in advance for flood emergencies.

Meanwhile, preparing against high winds is by reinforcing the roof as well as the side panels.  Covering windows is also important, covering the doors and removing any objects that are loose from the industrial plant’s site is a must.

Have a backup

As much as possible, have a backup emergency power such as a battery storage, power and heat system combined.  It is also vital that contact utility info be obtained in case of a power outage.

The plan should be developed

It is important that there is a plan developed during, before as well as after a particular emergency.  Protocols should be established for the welfare of the employees, especially their safety and similarly the readiness of the site.

Emergency power should also be updated as well as the options for power supply.  Communication emergency systems must also be established.

Responsibilities for each staff with regards to the recovery, shutdown and restart procedure should be outlined.

An evacuation plan should also be developed including employee support.  Procedures on shutting down the utility and the safe processing of operations is a necessity.

Methods in protecting records, inventory and materials must also be developed.

Plan implementation

Staying in touch with the operations emergency center on your own state is important.

In this stage, the appropriate preparation, shutdown, emergency backup and evacuation should be started.

All in all, the final stage is the recovery process and the assessment of the damages brought by the emergency as well as in prioritizing needed repairs.  Hopefully, the procedures above helps in the adequate preparation of industries and organization.

Prepare for the worst hurricane in the best way possible

Believe it or not, the coastline of the United states is regularly battered by hurricanes – about five on the average – every 3 years.

The fact of the matter is that hurricanes do bring lots of winds – some as strong as a hundred miles every hour.  Along with hurricanes also come water surges that reach to twenty feet in height.

Such cyclones are extremely dangerous, therefore preparing for their onslaught especially during the months between June up until November, is a smart and practical thing to do.

The following are tips and advice you could do to be able to best prepare for any worst that could happen when hurricanes come.

Be aware and beware

Understand and know that every hurricane is a lot different, preparing for the possible worst is usually the best option as it makes one prepare and be pro active.

Make a list and check it twice

Try to make up a list of all the items found in your backyard or front yard which you think you need to bring in the house when a hurricane hits.  The items which could be included in this list are the tools for the yard or lawn furniture.

Trim it

As much as possible, try to keep shrubbery and trees trimmed.  Doing so prevents any unnecessary entanglements brought about by tree branches or the like.

Drain it

As much as possible, try to ensure that all the gutters as well as drains in your area are appropriately cleared.  This is so that further flooding is prevented especially during the bouts of long and heavy rainfall that usually accompany strong hurricanes.

Use shutters specifically designed for hurricanes

Using shutters permanently for the doors and windows is a much safer and better alternative that simply taping all the glass as doing the latter does not in any way prevent the glass’ breakage.  You could also protect the window from the outside using plywood or the shutters.

Plan for an evacuation

As much as possible, develop a plan for evacuation.  Try to communicate with your emergency local management chapter or office of the Red Cross.

They may be able to provide you with the route for evacuation as well as shelters that are nearby.

Prepare blankets

Have ready sleeping bags and blankets just in case there is a need for you to have to rush to a shelter.

Think about your pets too

Know in advance what you could do to take care of your pets.   A lot of animals were abandoned during the onslaught of hurricane Katrina.

Gather needed emergency supplies

As much as possible, prepare supplies beforehand.  Included in this list of supplies should be flashlights, batteries, a radio, water and food, first aid kits, can opener.

An additional tip is by turning the temperature of your fridge to the highest setting.  The reason for this is when the power goes off, the cool air of your fridge will get to stay a lot longer, thereby preserving your food a lot longer.

Elevate your home and furniture

It is also a good idea to elevate your house especially if hurricane and flooding is a common thing in your area.

All in all, preparing for the worst is always the best course available.  It could save you precious time and energy as well as possibly save your life as well as those of your loved ones.