Posted by Steve Hull on 12/17/2019 to
Community Disaster Preparedness
When we have an important and dangerous storm series, it is critical that you prepare. With modern weather forecasting, people in the US get about 5 days notice of a bad storm series coming in. use that time to prepare your self, your family and your business for snow, rain, and flooding. Because of high winds roads may be too windy for emergency vehicles to drive on if you call 911 for help until the storm has passed. It may take up to 10 hours for First Responders to arrive. So have all your emergency supplies ready to use. This is why we talk year-round about being prepared for emergencies.
- Get 5-10 days of food that does not require cooking and store at least 5 days of water. tap water is fine. fill clean jugs, pitchers, clean barrels with large trash liners your bathtub before the power and water go out. (Remember your hot water heater has 30-70 gallons of water inside. look at the directions for draining this if needed. )
- Find your shovels, rakes, gloves goggles, etc. to clear paths, drains, roads, and roofs if necessary. You and your neighbors can help keep street drains for clogging and flooding roads and homes.https://youtu.be/oRpXoJgRzHE
- Get your radio, flashlights, LED lanterns and extra batteries as there could be days of power outages. LED flashlights last many days longer on one set than the "D-cell" flashlights we grew up with.
- Clean and Prepare your fireplace and store extra firewood. Use your gas or charcoal grill or camp stove only outdoors.
- make sure your smoke and CO2 detectors are working as your home will be closed tightly and could trap gases that could kill you.
- Candles and oil lamps start fires in homes.
- Refill your car in case flooding requires you to evacuate. Having an extra 5-gallon container (safely stored) of gas can keep your car running for charging or evacuation.
- Learn today where the local emergency shelter address is.
- Find out if your city can open a shelter without Red Cross assistance. (As most Red Cross Chapters do not have supplies for 1,000 people.)
- Charge up all your phones and battery-powered tools they may be needed to fix your house.
- Have wood, tarps, ducktape code or rope and plastic sheeting to repair leaks or broken windows.
- Test your chain saw and have extra fuel & oil. Many trees may be down and Rescue or public works services may not be able to get to you for a few days. Clearing up a road can help you and your neighbors if you all get together.
- Test your generator and cords. Have fuel but again only use outdoors.
(NEVER run your generator in your house or garage - this kills people every year.)
A rare West Coast “bomb cyclone” is forecast to sweep into southern Oregon and northern California later Tuesday and into Wednesday.
