Natural Disasters

Winter Storms Include Ice Storms Heavy snow (4 inches in 12 hours) Blizzard (snow and wind) High Wind

These storms have the ability to trap you in your home, so be sure to have food and water available Try to have an alternative source of heat (power may be lost, fuel delivery may not be possible) If no alternative source is available dress in multiple thin layers Cover the head and neck

If You Must Go On The Road Do not drive unless absolutely necessary Make sure your vehicle is in good condition Plan your route before hand Let someone know when you leave and when you expect to arrive Keep warm clothing in your vehicle Keep a first aid kit, water, and food Have a shovel and bag of sand

Accounts for 40% of natural disasters worldwide Flooding Accounts for 40% of natural disasters worldwide

Your house has a 26% chance of being damaged by a flood during a 30 year mortgage (only a 9% chance of fire) Everyone lives in a flood zone As little as one inch of water can cause costly damage to your property A car can be carried away by two feet of floodwater

Common Causes Hurricanes Rainstorms Winter Storms Snow Melt River Blockages Damn Failure

If Time Permits Fill bathtubs and sinks with drinking water Turn off electrical circuits Shut off the main gas line Move valuables to upper floors Open basement windows to equalize water pressure on the walls of the foundation If possible, evacuation is an option

Tornadoes In the United States we average around 1200 tornadoes each year As a result of these tornadoes an average of 45 people die each year

Intensity of Tornadoes F0 (winds between 40 and 72 mph) 29% of tornadoes fall in this category F1 (winds between 73 and 112 mph) -40% of tornadoes fall in this category F2 (winds between 113 and 157 mph) -24% of tornadoes fall in this category F3 (winds between 158 and 206 mph) -6% of tornadoes fall in this category F4 (winds between 207 and 260 mph) -2% of tornadoes fall in this category F5 (winds between 261 and 318 mph) -less than 1% fall in this category

Pre-Tornado Preparation Be alert and aware of your local weather Store water in clean covered containers Have flashlights, candles and matches Have a camera for insurance pictures Canned foods

During a Tornado If you are at home Go to the basement or an interior room on the lowest floor Wrap yourself in blankets or coats so you are protected from flying debris If possible take a flash light and a radio

If you are in a vehicle If at all possible, get out and into a substantial structure Most deaths occur in cars or mobile homes If no substantial structure is available, lie flat in the nearest ditch covering your head with your hands Do not try to outrun the tornado in your car

Post-Tornado Help injured or trapped people Give first aid if appropriate Use the telephone only for emergencies If the building you are in has been damaged get out in case of collapse

Hurricanes Category Winds Damage One 74-95 Unanchored materials Two 96-110 Roofing, doors, windows Three 111-130 Structural damage to homes Four 131-155 Complete roof and structural damage Five 155- Complete building failures

Direct hits on the US Category 1 – 57 Category 2 – 25 Category 3 – 44

The Storm Serge The most dangerous element of a hurricane Accounts for 90% of hurricane deaths A great dome of water that rises rapidly

Hurricane Preparation Know your surroundings Plan a possible evacuation route Be prepared to cover windows (have these supplies available) Store canned food and water There is usually a warning at least 12 hours before a hurricane reaches land

Lightning Strikes Usually occur at the beginning or end of a storm Lightning reaches 50,000 degrees which is four times as hot as the sun Can be between 100 million and 1 billion volts Lightning affects all regions There are 8,640,000 strikes each day in the world (68,000 reach the ground)

Americans are twice as likely to die from lightning than a hurricane, or tornado 20% of all victims die from the strike 70% suffer long term effects Lightning also causes more than 10,000 forest fires each year around the world In your lifetime the odds of being struck by lightning are 1 in 3000

What you should do Avoid high ground or moist areas Remove all metal objects and crouch Spread out from other individuals Seeking refuge in a fully enclosed car is a good idea, put your hands on your lap 30-30 rule

If an earthquake occurs Go to a doorway if you live in an older home In a newer home duck and cover Know where gas, electric, and water main shut offs are Have a family meeting place for afterwards

If you are outside Get to an open area away from power lines or anything else that may fall on you Watch for any debris that may be loosened by the earthquake

If you are driving Slowly pull over Get as far away from traffic as possible Do not stop under a bridge or overpass Stay in your car until the shaking stops When you resume driving be alert for cracks in the pavement and avoid bridges that may have been damaged

Statistics on Cause of Death One year averages 20,000 – flu 15,517 – murders 120 – airline crashes 100 – lightning strikes 45 - tornados 114 – car crashes each day 41,611 – each year