Avian Flu Diary: As If We Needed Another Reminder To Prepare

# 4559

As a native Floridian, while I may not like hurricanes, I am somewhat used to them. You can see them coming, and can usually get out of the way.

Not so with tornadoes.

They strike suddenly, often at night or are rain-wrapped and impossible to see coming during the day, and can turn a well-built home into splinters in seconds.

We have tornadoes in Florida, of course.

But mostly in the form of relatively anemic EF0, EF1 and EF2 twisters. Rarely more than a hundred yards wide, short-lived, and with winds of less than 160 mph.

The mid-west (where I lived for about a decade) is known for seeing really monstrous tornadoes; the EF3, EF4, and the rare, but horrific EF5.

They can be nearly a mile wide, have winds approaching 300 mph, and can stay on the ground for dozens of miles.

Yesterday afternoon, for several hours, a string of EF3 and (possibly) EF4 tornadoes rampaged across Oklahoma, destroying numerous homes, businesses, vehicles . . . and in some cases lives.

The ten most significant tornado tracks are shown above, with this graphic from the NWS Norman, Ok office.

Residents of Oklahoma (and to a lesser extent, Kansas) will resume counting the damage and the cleanup process this morning. The early tally of this outbreak is five dead and about 4 dozen injured.

Oklahoma power companies report about 60,000 homes and businesses without electricity, and it may take several days to restore power to some areas. Water is either out, or considered unsafe, in some communities.

The exact number of tornado touchdowns hasn’t been determined.

KFOR-TV (OKC) at one point in the evening was reporting more than two dozen suspected Tornadoes in this outbreak.

Meanwhile, the NWS (National Weather Service) is advising residents of Oklahoma that there is a slight chance of more severe weather today, and again later in the week.

For many Oklahoma residents, it has been a long night.

The Red Cross has opened shelters, emergency managers are assessing the damages, and FEMA is looking to see if this will require a disaster designation and Federal assistance.

Already, in the month of May, FEMA has declared 4 disasters in the United States.

Those households and businesses that were prepared in these areas were no doubt in better position to deal with these emergencies.

FEMA has a preparedness brochure called ARE YOU READY? which you may download, and a “Getting Ready for Disaster” DVD available on their Plan and Prepare page.

Are You Ready? An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness

Are You Ready Full Document (PDF 21MB)

FEMA RELEASES "Getting Ready For Disaster" DVD

With the upcoming hurricane season on the horizon, killer tornados and wildfires in the Midwest and south and California floods breaking levies, FEMA announces the release of a new citizen preparedness DVD titled, "Getting Ready For Disaster- One Family's Experience". The DVD guides viewers through important steps of disaster preparedness and is a welcome addition to FEMA's preparedness materials.

Introduction (Windows Media 6.3MB)

Get Informed (Windows Media 4.7MB)

Make a Plan (Windows Media 7.0MB)

Disaster Supplies Kit (Windows Media 5.6MB)

People with Disabilities (Windows Media 3.8MB)

Food and Water (Windows Media 5.8MB)

Helping Children Cope (Windows Media 5.8MB)

Get Involved (Windows Media 7.0MB)

A transcript of the videos has been provided for those that are unable to view these files.

Every year, millions of Americans are affected by disasters.

They are called upon to evacuate their homes due to hurricanes, floods, or wildfires. They may find themselves without power, or municipal services for days (or even weeks) following a storm, fire, or earthquake.

Or it may be something smaller, more personal, like a house fire, or a family member having a heart attack. Being prepared means being able to deal with smaller emergencies as well as big disasters.

While Federal, State, and local officials will work towards restoring services and providing relief to victims of these disasters, they really want every household prepared to handle the first 72 hours without relief supplies.

Longer, if possible.

Which means having food and water on hand, an emergency radio, a good first aid kit (and the knowledge to use it!), and most of all . . . a good family or business emergency plan.

If you haven’t already done so, there is no better time than today to begin preparing. If you have already started, today is a good day to review your plans, and check your supplies.

For more information on how to prepare, you may wish to consult: