Flood Safety Basics for National Flood Safety Awareness Week 2012

Photo by Val Huffman

When it rains, it pours! And when it pours, the water has to go somewhere, right? On average, flooding is the #1 cause of severe weather related deaths (more than tornadoes).  And most of those flood deaths are caused by vehicles swept away in moving waters!  Take a minute and educate your family about flood risks (especially younger drivers). 

In an emergency four eyes are always better than none

I am blessed to be fairly functional without my glasses. I've even arrived at work more than once without them. I do need mine for reading, fine detail and computer work. My husband, on the other hand, can't do anything without his. A long term loss of our glasses and we'd both be sunk.

Just How Safe is a Safe Room?

Strength test of prefab safe room.

Some storms can crush a home like a gingerbread house and blow the crumbs away.  A safe room can keep people from being injured when these storms blow through.  Scientists study the power and effects of storms, hurricanes, and tornadoes.  Mathematical models easily predict the strong forces and severe damage of debris that high winds cause.  Engineers have designed and tested a variety of plans for safe rooms that can be built in new construction, added to existing homes, or dropped in to either as prefabricated shelters.  Designed to withstand the effects of wind speed up to 250 mph, these rooms can be completes with simple supplies from your local lumberyard or professionally assembled from high-tech materials like concrete filled foam.  Either way, falling branches, flying debris, and sheer winds will not penetrate a properly planned and prepared safe room.

 Safe room from www.familyhandyman.com

Starting around $1500-3000,

Tuscaloosa Safe Room Survives EF-4 Tornado

Photo Credit: FEMA

William Blakeney grew up in Tuscaloosa County and is well aware of the effects of disasters in the area. In an effort to prepare for disasters like the tornadoes in mid and late April 2011, he built a safe room in his grandparents’ home. Although they weren’t home when the storms devastated the area, the only portion of their home left standing was the multipurpose safe room.

Blakeney and his construction company had built a few safe rooms in the past, mainly in their family members’ homes. While not built according to the design criteria of Federal Emergency Management Agency’s publication FEMA 320,Taking Shelter from the Storm: Building a Safe Room For Your Home or Small Business, this safe room was able to withstand the strong winds of the EF-4 tornado that ravaged the area.

FEMA 320 includes construction plans and cost estimates for building individual safe rooms. A safe room, built according to the standards outlined in FEMA 320, in a home or small business provides "near-absolute protection" for its occupants.

Alabama Family Takes Refuge from April Tornado in Safe Room

Pre-fabricated safe room Photo Credit: FEMA

When an EF-5 tornado struck the western part of Jefferson County, Alabama, near Birmingham, on April 8, 1998, Rebecca Henderson and her family had taken refuge under her mobile home. Damage to Henderson’s home was major. The front door and left side were gone. Yet, she considered herself lucky because the church next door was completely destroyed. The sight of the destruction convinced her that she needed a safe room.

Hurricane Preparedness Week - 2011

Press play and read on!  The Atlantic basin is expected to see an above average hurricane season this year.  What does this mean to you and me?  Well, it depends on where you live.

Residents of coasts likely to be hit by hurricane strength storms need to:

• watch the forecast
• listen to local instructions
• build a kit, make a plan, and be informed

If you live farther inland,

• know the plans of friends and family in at-risk areas
• consider secondary impacts of a storm (communications losses, product delays, transportation interruptions)
• prepare for temporarily suspended services (banking, government processes, mail, websites)

In addition to the tips and links listed above, I have included a few additional ideas.

• When an evacuation is ordered, go immediately.  If you're trying to get out of dodge, you'll want to avoid last minute traffic jams and running out of gas on the highway.  Use your disaster plan, get your go bags, and follow your communications plan (with an out of town contact) to put things in motion right away.
• Don't forget about your pets. Take enough food and water for a week or more.  Make sure you have collars and tags on pets and that they travel in a kennel for everyone's safety. Plan ahead for pet friendly lodging.
• Make certain everyone in your family knows what to do before, during, and after a hurricane.  Practice, practice, practice - especially adults (kids have already practiced lots of times at school.)
• Get your paycheck, social security, or other income direct deposited (and learn to use an ATM/debit card) so that mail delays and evacuations won't keep you from having the cash you need. Keep some cash on hand in case or power outages.
• Keep more shelf-stable, ready-to-eat food in the house than you plan to need.  Buy things like cereal, crackers, cans of soup, and tuna. 
• Take photos of you property, home, and valuable possessions in case you have claims later.
• Plan way ahead if you plan to board up your home.  Lowe's offers some helpful product information, preparedness tips, and how-to videos on their website.
• This article from the Huffington Post tells you how to know a hurricane is coming without the benefit of technology, media, and communications.