Why Preparing For This Year's Hurricane Season Will Be `Different'

Some Preseason Potential for Next Week

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Seven days ago we finished up the eighth installment in this year's coverage of Hurricane Preparedness Week, and several times during that series I mentioned that preparing for, evacuating during, or staying at a community shelter in the midst this COVID-19 pandemic would require additional planning.

Although long range forecasts aren't 100% reliable, this year the consensus is to expect a busier than normal Atlantic Hurricane Season. 

And while hurricanes are the most likely cause of a mass evacuation this summer, there are other natural disasters (earthquakes, floods, wildfires, etc.) that can affect any community.  So these same emergency preparations could apply to anyone, even those not living in hurricane country. 

The CDC has two web pages devoted to dealing with a hurricane during this COVID-19 pandemic. 

Given a potential early start to the hurricane season, and our ongoing supply chain challenges, the time to prepare for this year's hurricane season is now. 

Preparing for Hurricanes During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Español (Spanish)

Planning for hurricane season and other potential disasters can be stressful, and because the 2020 hurricane season comes during the COVID-19 pandemic, it may be especially so.

Public health and emergency response professionals have advice to help you safely prepare, evacuate, and shelter for severe storms while protecting yourself and others from COVID-19. Here are some tips to help you and your family stay safe during hurricane season this year.

Prepare for hurricane season

• Understand that your planning may be different this year because of the need to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.
• Give yourself more time than usual to prepare your emergency food, water, and medicine supplies. Home delivery is the safest choice for buying disaster supplies; however, that may not be an option for everyone. If in-person shopping is your only choice, take steps to protect your and others’ health when running essential errands.
• Protect yourself and others when filling prescriptions by limiting in-person visits to the pharmacy. Sign up for mail order delivery or call in your prescription ahead of time and use drive-through windows or curbside pickup, if available.
• Pay attention to local guidance about updated plans for evacuations and shelters, including potential shelters for your pets.
• If you need to evacuate, prepare a “go kit” with personal items you cannot do without during an emergency. Include items that can help protect you and others from COVID-19, such as hand sanitizer, or bar or liquid soap if not available, and two cloth face coverings for each person. Face covers should not be used by children under the age of 2. They also should not be used by people having trouble breathing, or who are unconscious, incapacitated, or unable to remove the mask without assistance.
• When you check on neighbors and friends, be sure to follow social distancing recommendations (staying at least 6 feet, about 2 arms’ length, from others) and other CDC recommendations to protect yourself and others.
• If you need to go to a disaster shelter, follow CDC recommendations for staying safe and healthy in a public disaster shelter during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Stay safe after a hurricane

In addition to following guidance for staying safe and healthy after a hurricane, note that:

• You should continue to use preventive actions like washing your hands and wearing a face covering during clean up or when returning home.
• It may take longer than usual to restore power and water if they are out. Take steps to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning if you use a generator.
• If you are injured or ill, contact your medical provider for treatment recommendations. Keep wounds clean to prevent infection. Remember, accessing medical care may be more difficult than usual during the pandemic.
• Dealing with disasters can cause stress and strong emotions, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is natural to feel anxiety, grief, and worry. Coping with these feelings and getting help when you need it will help you, your family, and your community recover.
• People with preexisting mental health conditions should continue with their treatment and be aware of new or worsening symptoms. Additional information can be found at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration page.

(Continue . . . . )

Although many people will have no better alternative, riding out a hurricane in a public shelter is far from ideal, even without a pandemic virus threat. While state officials are looking into alternatives to cramped traditional mass shelters in schools and other large buildings, it is unclear what other options will be offered this year.

Suffice to say, if you can make any other arrangements - either staying in a motel, or at a friend or relatives' house  (see my post on Disaster Buddies) - you will not only be more comfortable, you'll be safer as well. 

The CDC offers the following advice about preparing to go to a community shelter.

Going to a Public Disaster Shelter During the COVID-19 PandemicEspañol (Spanish)

Emergency managers, shelter managers, and public health professionals are taking measures to reduce the possible spread of COVID-19 among people who seek safety in a disaster shelter during severe weather events.

Here are some tips to help you prepare and lower the risk of infection while staying safe in a shelter.

Prepare to shelter

• Know a safe place to shelter and have several ways to receive weather alerts.
• Find out if your local public shelter is open, in case you need to evacuate your home and go there. Your shelter location may be different this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Follow guidance from your local officials on when and where to shelter.
• Stay informed with weather alerts, such as National Weather Service cell phone alerts, NOAA Weather Radio, or (@NWS) Twitter alerts.
• If you need to evacuate, prepare a “go kit” with personal items you cannot do without during an emergency. Include items that can help protect you and others from COVID-19, such as hand sanitizer, or bar or liquid soap if not available, and two cloth face coverings for each person. Face covers should not be used by children under the age of 2. They also should not be used by people having trouble breathing, or who are unconscious, incapacitated, or unable to remove the mask without assistance.
• Make a plan and prepare a disaster kit for your pets. Find out if your disaster shelter will accept pets. Typically, when shelters accommodate pets, the pets are housed in a separate area from people.

Protect yourself and others while in a public shelter

• Practice social distancing. Stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arms’ length) from other people outside of your household.
• Follow CDC COVID-19 preventive actions—wash your hands often, cover coughs and sneezes, and follow shelter policies for wearing cloth face coverings. Avoid sharing food and drink with anyone if possible.
• Follow disaster shelter policies and procedures designed to protect everyone in the shelter, particularly older adults (65 and older) and people of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions. These people are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
• Avoid touching high-touch surfaces, such as handrails, as much as possible. If not possible, wash hands or use hand sanitizers containing 60% alcohol immediately after you touch these surfaces.
• Keep your living area clean and disinfect frequently-touched items such as toys, cellphones, and other electronics.
• If you feel sick when you arrive at the shelter or start to feel sick while sheltering, tell shelter staff immediately.

Help your children stay safe while in a public shelter

• Teach and reinforce everyday preventive actions for keeping children healthy.
• Make sure children aged 2 and older wear cloth face coverings. Face covers should not be used by children under the age of 2. They also should not be used by people having trouble breathing, or who are unconscious, incapacitated, or unable to remove the mask without assistance.
• Be a good role model—if you wash your hands often, your children are more likely to do the same.
• Watch your children to ensure they stay at least 6 feet away from anyone who is not in your household.
• Watch your child for any signs of illness and tell shelter staff if your child may be ill.
• Try to deal with the disaster calmly and confidently, as this can provide the best support for your children. Help children cope with emergencies.

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Hurricane season runs from June 1st to the end of November, which means we could conceivably be dealing with one or more evacuations during a fall uptick in the virus. 

In the weeks and months to come I'll be blogging on ways you and your family can more easily weather the storm.