Hurricane in NY????

This weekend we saw Hurricane Bill make its way up the East Coast. Luckily it stayed out to sea until it hit Canada as a Category 1 Hurricane. The only deaths that I have heard of so far were in Maine and were a result of people getting to close to the wind driven ocean and were swept out to sea.

This storm should reinforce in our minds that Hurricanes are not confined to the southern US. Some years ago I sat through an excellent presentation given by a representative of NYC Office of Emergency Management on hurricane potential in the NY area. As an example he used the Great Long Island Hurricane of 1938. The damage estimates were staggering. We have to remember that when this Hurricane hit Long Island in 1938 that area of the state was small towns and farmland unlike the busy suburb that it is today.

As with many types of disaster, we here in NY take our continued lack of events for granted. This past weekend's "flyby" by Hurricane Bill should give us a little bit of a wake up call.

For more information about the 1938 Hurricane you can visit this site. The Great Hurricane of 1938 - The Long Island Express

And for an excellent reference for disaster tracking, I will remind you of the site that I posted in my last post. NESEC - Real-Time Hazard Monitoring On this site is an awesome set of links to multiple Hurricane Tracking sites for real time updates and forecasts.

Excellent Reference Tool- Real Time Hazard Maps

For some reason I was under the impression that I put this link up when I started this blog, but I guess I didn't.

For those that are interested here is a link to the North East States Emergency Consortium. This site has an awesome selection of disaster maps that are updated real time.

http://www.nesec.org/hazards/hazard_maps.cfm

There is some pretty cool stuff on there. For instance you will be very surprised to find how often we actually have Earthquakes in the Albany Area.

Enjoy :)

Power Outages

I was listening to the radio today and heard an advertisement from Central Hudson regarding power outages and planning. Since it is the season, it seems like a good idea especially considering all of the storms recently. I visited the site tonight and it looks pretty good. Figured I would pass it on.

Report a power outage, information on outages - Central Hudson Gas & Electric.

I have some additional things to add for another day. I also have some neat Hurricane stuff that I have used for years. Hopefully I will get this stuff up in the next week or so.

Officials Warning to Stockpile Food

In the last couple of weeks there has been articles about (at least) two Town Supervisors who have warned people to stockpile food in anticipation of Swine Flu outbreaks this fall.

While I do not want to criticize these officials who are just trying to help, I want to caution people not to get caught up in the fear of a possible disaster. This is much like what happened leading up to Y2K, and I feel it is bad for two reasons.

First, people that prepare out of fear are more likely to be taken advantage of. Unfortunately there are a lot of people out there looking to make a quick buck, and capitalizing on fear is the easiest way to do this. For instance people might be out there selling "disaster kits" filled with items that you could get from local stores at half the price.

Second, and this is reflected perfectly by Y2K. People will prepare in anticipation of one event (in this case Swine Flu) and once that event has passed a family or person will not stay prepared. For example those that stockpiled food for Y2K likely let that stockpile dwindle after it turned out to be a non event.

You should prepare for not just one spotlight event but you should prepare in general for anything that may come up. While I think that it is unlikely that people will be kept in their houses for a month because of a swine flu outbreak. History has proven that we may be hit with an ice storm which restricts travel and/or knocks out power for days or weeks.

COLD!!!!!!

We in the Hudson Valley are in for some extremely cold weather over the next couple of days including temps in the negative digits. Just a couple of thoughts off of the top of my head.

1: Make sure not to leave animals out without protection from the elements.
2: Beware of alternative heating sources like space heaters, they can be very dangerous if left unattended.
3: If your children walk to school or wait at a school bus make sure they bundle up , monitor the temperature and consider driving them.
4: If you warm up your car for long periods of time, be aware of where the exhaust is going if the car is near your house. Obviously don't warm up your car in the garage either. Carbon Monoxide poisoning is very bad
5: If you have pipes that travel though unheated portions of your house, keep a close eye on them for freeze-ups.
6: Most importantly, take out a calendar and count the days till Spring.

Did I miss anything???

Firearms???

I have had several emails asking me about firearms and disaster preparedness, and what my recommendations are.

The answer is complicated. I am a very big supporter of firearm ownership for a variety of reasons. They are great tools, they are a fun sport on many levels.

However, to ask if you should buy one for disaster preparedness poses a problem in my thinking. Buying a firearm is not like going to the Shop-rite Can Can Sale to stock up on canned food for your home disaster kit. Owning a firearm requires a large investment of time and lifestyle change to become a responsible owner. Most of all if you want to purchase a firearm simply out of fear, then you are really in dangerous water, and in my opinion your should reconsider.

If you have chosen to purchase a firearm for what ever the reason and are planning on making the investment of time and energy. Then there a lot better sources than me to gather more information on the subject.

Wilderness Survival

This is a little off topic, but given our close proximity to the beautiful Catskill Mountains I thought I would post this helpful link. Growing up in scouts, probably my favorite merit badge was Wilderness Survival. I enjoyed it and even became a counselor for it at summer camp.

I can not stress how important it is to "Be Prepared" when you walk into the woods, whether it is to camp, hike, or hunt. You should have a survival kit along with some basic knowledge on how to survive should you become lost or injured. Rather than try to reinvent the wheel, I would like to post my favorite website for Wilderness Survival Info, it is called the Ranger Digest .com or http://www.therangerdigest.com/. It is run by retired US Army Ranger Rick Tscherne. It is very informative and is not one of those wacko survivalist websites. There is great info on there for just about anyone that ventures into the woods. Besides survival information there is some good orienteering info as well.

It is a lot of fun just to read, and the advice makes for some fun learning acitivities to do with your kids.

Enjoy.

Phones during Disaster

In our modern times, people have come to rely on their phones (especially cell phones) heavily. Many times replacing preparedness with a phone. I can't tell you of how many people I have met hiking that carry a phone to replace things like survival kits and map and compass. It is scary.

All of us need to recognize that a phone is a tool for communications. It should not replace preparedness. Think back to September 11th and even Tropical Storm Floyd or the Blackout of 2003. Phone systems can be easily overwhelmed by everyone trying to use them at once. Add to that the fact that cell phone networks are dependent on power for towers and switching stations. How many people for that matter actually have a phone in their house that is not dependent on electricity. The phone line it self does not need electricity to work, but your cordless phone does.

Additionally, every family should have a communications plan as part of their family disaster plan. This sounds more complicated than it is. Basically everyone in the family should have contact info. In addition you should have a check in person, that is some distance away, like out of state. This is a person that everyone can check in with during a disaster. This person will also serve as a clearing house for info. This enables you to get a message out to one person that everything is ok. Then if friends or family are unable to contact you due to phone networks being down etc. They can call the contact person and find out that you are in fact ok.

Just a Thought.

Traveling this Holiday Season

If you are planning on doing some traveling this holiday season, think about a disaster kit for your car.

Every year you see the story on the news of someone that gets stranded in their car during a snow storm. Sometimes the outcomes are good, some times they are not. You can help yourself have a good outcome if you keep a couple of important things in your car.

Here are couple of ideas. First and foremost a cell phone is a good thing to have if you own one have it charged and with you. Also in your car it is a good idea to have blankets, water, snacks, a flashlight with batteries, first aid kit, road reflectors or flares and maps. Also before you leave on a trip, have a person that you check in with. This is just a friend or family member that knows when you leave and the route you are taking, and when to expect you to check in. If you fail to check in this person can send out the Calvary.

Now should you become stuck or stranded somewhere, first don't leave your car especially during a storm. Walking on the side of the road is dangerous in the best of conditions, add in a storm and it is definitely not a good idea. If it is cold, break out blankets. Refrain from turning on the car for heat, especially if you are stuck in the snow. Many times snow will get around your exhaust pipe and could cause the passenger compartment to fill with exhaust and deadly Carbon Monoxide.

Fortunately most major roads are routinely patrolled by law enforcement so hopefully you will not have to wait long for help. But in a major storm you might be waiting a while. If you have gone off the road, try to put something on the road indicating that you are in distress (if it is safe to do so) like a flare or reflector, etc. If you are stranded for a long period of time with no help, and you are thinking about walking for help, think long and hard. Also study your maps, and make sure you know how far you need to go for help, and be honest with your self as to whether you can make it or not. I don't advocate it, but if you are going to go for help, leave early in the day so you are out in the safest possible conditions.

That is it for now, I will add more later that I am sure I am forgetting.

Winter Emergencies

Well, it is getting cold quick. With winter comes a change in the types of disasters and emergencies that are possible.



For this area, our biggest worry is the winter storm which very often causes power outages and tough driving. Obviously power outages take on a whole new meaning in the winter due to the cold temperatures. We are fortunate that local power companies typically have our power back on quickly after a winter storm, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't prepare for longer outages. I remember about 2 years ago when I was given an ETA of two days for power to be back on, (luckily it was back on in about 24hrs.) This is where your disaster planning should come in.



You should have a plan ahead of time, and test your plans. If you have alternate heating plans, make sure they are tested and properly serviced. This means cleaning your chimney, etc. Don't cause an even bigger disaster for you family. If you use a generator make sure that you are using it safely. Make sure it is maintained, and that you are hooking it up correctly. Be careful with space heaters of all types, if possible avoid their use all together. Most homes will retain heat for a fair period of time, it may not be the most comfortable but you can deal. Use flashlights for light instead of candles. If you must use candles or oil lamps, NEVER leave them to burn unattended.

Food, Luckily you don't need to worry about cold food spoiling. At worst put it in a cooler outside. As far as cooking goes, I always keep propane for my BBQ grill on hand (I use it year round anyway). You can cook anything on a grill that you can on a stove, even charcoal grills. The biggest thing is think outside the box. I can't tell you how many times I have heard people complain that food spoiled during a winter power outage, because they didn't think to put it outside.

As more thoughts and articles come up I will add them, but that is all for now to get you thinking.

Documents to have with you in a disaster

My sister in-law forwarded me this link. It has some good tips on documents you should have with you in a disaster. The link is:

http://www.walletpop.com/insurance/documents-you-need-if-disaster-strikes

It has some things on it that I haven't put up yet. Another site to visit would be the Red Cross, they have some checklists that are in their brochures which are helpful.

When is it time to Evacuate?

Since hurricane Ike hit the Texas coast, we have all seen the news reports on the approximately 33 persons that were killed and the several hundred that remain missing as of today.

People need to realize that when evacuation orders are given it is not a joke. In many areas, like in NY the Declaration of Emergency where an evacuation may be ordered comes from an elected official whether it be Mayor, Governor etc. (based on recommendations from Emergency Management and Emergency Services personnel of course). These elected officials obviously do not want egg on their face nor do they want to cry wolf during every event, so the decision to evacuate an area is based on very serious circumstances. Unfortunately, people base their decisions on their feelings of not wanting to leave their home, and many times based on the luck of others that have made it through similar events. Sadly these decisions many times cost people their lives, if not during the event then during the aftermath.

Twenty people died in the aftermath of hurricane Ike rather than during the actual storm itself. These deaths were a result of Carbon Monoxide and fires from generators, as well as medical emergencies and lack of medicine after the storm had past. Everyone remembers Katrina where people made it through the storm, only to be rescued by the thousands in the aftermath due to lack of food and electric.

Please, if you are in an area that is evacuated please do it. Don't put your self or your family in danger. And also remember that you are putting the rescue workers that may have to rescue you in danger as well. Especially to those that live in Ulster County, we are fortunate enough to have one of the most talented Emergency Managers that I have ever met. He and the Emergency Service personnel in our area don't want to throw you out of your home for no reason. If evacuation is recommended by them, it is for very good reason and you need to evacuate for you own safety.

Your Disaster Supplies Kit

A disaster supplies kit is very simple and cheap to assemble. You don't need to spend crazy amounts of money, most things can be found around the house or purchased very cheaply.

First what does your kit need to cover. Well I have two (not really two, one that part of which can be taken if I need to leave my house). If due to disaster you become housebound, your goal should be to have enough supplies for at least 3 to 5 days. History tells us that depending on the disaster it could take 3 to 5 days before you can make contact with the world outside of your immediate neighborhood, it may even be longer (look at the NY ice storms). Some people freak out when they hear this, but think about it, in your normal life do you really need to leave your house that often for things that you can't live with out. You should also be prepared should you need to leave your home, whether for a shelter or another place to stay.

Now the kit. First and foremost prescription medication. It is a good idea to try to keep as close to a 30 day supply on hand as possible. I know with this age of health insurance and what not that it may be difficult but do the best you can. In my home, I always have simple things that everyone thinks of like flashlights, a battery powered (or crank) radio, first aid kit etc. Be careful with candles.
I also keep food on hand besides what is in my kitchen. Mainly canned food, dry goods and food that I jar from the summer. The important part of this is, get food that your family will eat so that you can rotate it out on a regular basis. A hundred cans of creamed corn may not go over well. I also keep MRE (meals ready to eat) type food on hand that can be taken with us if we need to leave our home.
Another big concern is water. Some people are on municipal water systems and assume that the water will last through anything. However many water systems rely on electric, either for pump houses or to refill supply tanks. No electric, eventually no water. If you have a well you are in the same boat. Keep water jugs on hand and rotate them regularly. Cornell Cooperative Extension has great info on storing water (and food) you can visit their website at http://www.cce.cornell.edu/. Or you can call them, they are great people. And they will help to make sure that your food and water storage won't make you sick. If you have a generator that you plan to use to run you well try it before you need it, many well pumps have a large draw.
If you have to stay in your house there isn't a lot more that you absolutely need. The problem comes in the winter if you are without power. Be careful if you plan to use alternate heat sources, you can't just light up a fireplace that hasn't been used in years. It takes some planning ahead to make sure that these sources are safe to use in the first place.

If you need to leave you home plan ahead. Have a portable kit, sometimes referred to as a bug out bag. This kit should have the necessities, just like if you were going on a trip. In addition other helpful things are blankets and pillows, Red Cross and other shelters are not hotels they will have basic items but if you want to be comfortable bring some of your own stuff. Also have an emergency contact list with you, some basic medical info, identification etc. will also help.

These are some of the basics, doing a family disaster plan will help you identify other needs as well. Remember if you identify needs, don't just run out and buy the biggest and best. Look for the cheaper alternative. Over the years I have developed a large disaster cache for very little money. With proper planning and storing you could be more comfortable during a disaster than on a normal day.

**MOST IMPORTANTLY: Store a little extra, and keep an eye out for neighbors that may be struggling if something happens. This will enable you to help out, and be a good neighbor.

For more information on putting together a disaster supplies kit visit:
http://www.redcross.org/ _ Their literature also has some good checklists
http://www.fema.gov/

Does your family have a Disaster Plan

One of the most important parts of disaster preparedness is having a plan. Every family should have a disaster plan, for events as simple as a fire in the home (home escape plan), to a plan to address larger disasters where you may have to leave the area all together. It should include meeting places both outside the home, as well as in another location in the community should you not be able to get to your home. You should also have an emergency contact list written out. Have you ever tried to remember a phone number in a crisis? On your list should be an out of state (or out of the area) contact that you can check in with to let them know everyone is ok.

Every member of the family should have a say in this plan, even children. Children can be severly affected by even the threat of disaster. So, make disaster planning a family activity. It not only gives children a better understanding of what to do, but it releives a great deal of the anxiety of the unknown associated with disaster. Besides, children have a much better imagination than adults and their innovative ideas may surprise you.

Most of all have a disaster supplies kit stored in your home. My next post will address a disaster supplies kit. You don't need to spend a bunch of money or buy one of these super duper kits.

For more information on Disaster Plans you can visit.
http://www.redcross.org
http://www.fema.gov

Or call your local Red Cross Chapter, they will be glad to help.

Disaster Preparedness is a State of Mind

I remember as a young Boyscout attending a Wilderness Survival Camporee. One of the instructors at the start of the weekend said the most important aspect of Wilderness Survival is POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE. The same is true for surviving a disaster. If you have a positive mental attitude you can survive anything. You can read article after article, whether a person is lost in the woods, stranded in a blizzard, or picking up after a hurricane. A positive mental attitude enables one to deal head on with all that life throws at you.

That being said the one thing that can make disaster easier to cope with is a disaster plan. Whether a personal or family plan every person should have one. My next article will be about disaster plans.

In Memory of Townsend George Peters Cann Jr

Known to most as Peter Cann. I dedicate this blog in his memory. Peter is one of the greatest mentors I have ever had. Peter had the greatest commitment and intensity for disaster preparedness that I have ever seen. He was ready to help anyone at anytime, including a 21 year old kid that was just hired as the ESC to the Ulster County Chapter (me).

During the Spring and Summer of 2001 Peter worked hard at finishing a formal backup communications network for the Red Cross in New York. Even though everyone understood that it maybe needed in some form we could not imagine a time when we would have a statewide outage of phones and email. But Peter worked to have the system in place for the 2001 Hurricane season, most of the work he did was on his own time traveling the state meeting with Ham Radio Operators and testing the plan that he developed. On the morning of Sept. 11th 2001 his plan was put to the test. On my way to the office (about 9am) I received a call from Peter on my cell requesting personnel and a ERV vehicle to respond, that was the last phone call I was able to get in or out to the response operation. I (as did all chapters) contacted our local Ham Radio Operators asking for help, and they responded using the plan that Peter set up, and we were able to communicate to every chapter in the state and the relief operation, if this had not happened who knows where we would have ended up. All because of Peter's belief that one day we would need a back up communications system. This was just one of the many and many of huge improvements that Peter's ideas made to not just the Red Cross but the disaster community in general.

I left the Red Cross in March of 2003 and became a volunteer, but I kept in contact with Peter. Sadly Peter passed away on August 11th 2003. Ironically August 14th, 2003 was the first day of his Wake, it was also the day of the great blackout. To this day I believe that the Blackout was Peter letting us know that he made it, and to keep working hard in disaster response and preparedness.

Below is Peter's Obituary:

TOWNSEND GEORGE PETERS CANN
Oct. 27, 1948 - August 11, 2003

Townsend George Peters Cann Jr., 55, known to most as Peter T. Cann, died
suddenly on August 11, 2003 at his home. Mr. Cann was a life-long resident of
the City of Yonkers. He was born to Adelaide and Townsend George Peters Cann on October 27, 1948

His parents and three of his brothers, William Cann, Temple Cann and Alexander Cann predeceased him. Cann is survived by his wife, Barbara Ciegler Cann, his brother Colin Cann, and by nephews Casey Cann, Carrie Cann, Kevin Cann, Jennifer Cann, Alexander Cann and Lindsey Cann. He will be remembered as a devoted husband, brother and uncle and beloved godfather of John Vincent Keane. He is cherished by many unofficially adopted children and grandchildren.

In his career, he is mourned as the dedicated and tireless Director of Emergency Services for the American Red Cross in Westchester County for 20 years, providing emergency assistance to families losing their homes to fires and other disasters. He was committed to community disaster education, teaching classes for the public and for businesses on “Preparing for the Unexpected,” and previously served as a health and safety instructor. He was a Mason in Westchester County and for 10 years, he headed up C & C Communications Contractors, Ltd. of Yonkers. A life-long Red Cross volunteer, he considered the Red Cross his home and the volunteers and staff his extended family. He was a steadfast supporter of the Boy Scout and Girl Scout programs in the County.

Cann held a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Herbert H. Lehman – CUNY, and a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Columbia University. He had advanced course work towards an MSW – administration from Fordham University. In his youth, he attended the Englewood School for Boys (Dwight Englewood School) and was a graduate of St. Cecilia's School.

About this blog

I decided to start this blog as an outlet for the interest I have in disaster preparedness. I have had an interest in disaster prep. that dates back to the four years I spent as an Emergency Services Coordinator with the American Red Cross in Ulster County. During that time I served in several staff and volunteer capacities, even serving a stint as the Co-Chair of the Community Disaster Education Task force for the Red Cross in NYS.

I was thrust in to the whole Y2K deal when I was hired in March of 1999. Because of raised public awareness we were able to put together some great programs that focused on all types of disaster preparedness. We built on that, and over the 4 years until I left we built a Disaster Preparedness program with elements that are still used today in some Red Cross chapters in the state and country. I tried to stay on as an active volunteer, but unfortunately with a family, jobs, and many other volunteer commitments I just don't have the time. But I see this blog (which I can maintain during the weird hours I keep) as a way to share an interest I have had for many years.

I chose to do this in form of a blog as opposed a website because I want to have the interaction from readers. I do not know everything nor do I claim to. This is a place where I will share info and tips that I have gathered over the years, and I hope to have input from you as well. Disaster Preparedness works best if people work together. If you have ideas or questions please post them or email them to me. Although I live in Ulster County NY, I hope to have a following from as far away as possible. Not just because Disaster Preparedness is generic to many different areas, but info and comments from other areas that are more used to dealing with these situations will help us all. All that I ask is, if you share something that you picked up another place, please give credit where credit is due.

WHAT THIS BLOG IS NOT: This blog is not political. I would like constructive comments and tips. No conspiracy theories or complaining about this that or the other thing. This is not the forum. I pride myself in not deleting comments on my other blog (which is more political) but that will not be the case here. I will screen and moderate.

About me: I am a normal down to earth person. I like to take a common sense approach to disaster preparedness I am not an alarmist. My experience and knowledge comes from many different places. From a child as a boyscout, nearly 15 years as a volunteer firefighter (currently Asst. Chief), my staff and volunteer time with the Red Cross. I have been fortunate to have had many experiences, and some great mentors over the years. Most of all I have a passion for disaster preparedness and education, and spend a great deal of time reading and learning about disaster prep and management.

Welcome and please check back often for updates.