When people hear the term storms, vivid images of Hurricanes Katrina and Ivan fill their minds. Americans have witnessed the destructive forces of Nature haplessly battering affected cities, towns and communities. Government agencies, concerned groups and local officials could only do whatever they can to address the situation and to minimize storm damage that would be inevitably coming in such scenarios. However, Americans have also seen the importance of preparedness in the event of storms. Although these were natural disasters and there was not much that anyone can do in such situations, people can still do things in preparation.
It is well understood that a natural disaster can strike anytime and anywhere and in most cases will occur with minimal or no warnings at all. Some areas are prone to such natural calamities while others are not. The first thing that homeowners should comprehend is to know how susceptible their area or community is to such disasters and to understand the likelihood of such disasters to occur. In any case, it would still be wise for a homeowner and his or her household to be prepared for any eventuality, so that the loss of lives and properties as a result of storm damage would be placed at the very minimum.
Dealing with the forces of nature is like throwing a feather against the wind. No one knows the extent of its fury nor can anyone predict the behavior and outcome of such a storm. One can only prepare a contingency plan so they will not get caught unawares should the storm hits their communities and their homes.
The Destructive Force of Storms
Regardless of what the category force winds were assigned to a particular hurricane, storms are basically unpredictable; this makes them even the more dangerous to lives and properties. To understand how to properly prepare a home or property against a serious onslaught of a storm, one must first comprehend how lethal the forces of hurricanes are. In this regard, homeowners and their households should know this for a fact and should follow to the letter - no matter how prepared you think you are, if the call to evacuate is announced, then take heed and evacuate.
There are several things that make a storm or hurricane a very lethal force of nature, and the first thing in the list is lightning. Lightning is basically an electrical discharge resulting from clouds being tossed around in the storm resulting to positive and negative particles getting separated and thrown about. Lightning can strike a home, property and even a person and would cause very considerable amount of damage.
The next threat that storms pose is the very strong winds, and in some cases would result to tornadoes or destructive twisters. Such forces can render a structure or a building into rubble in seconds or they can uproot a whole house and toss it about as if it were a ragdoll. In some areas and states that are prone to the occurrence of tornadoes, they have storm shelters with weak points like eaves and projections removed to make them more withstanding to strong winds. Such shelters are also reinforced against floods and heavy objects that can be tossed around in the storm.
Another threat to storms, particularly those that are accompanied with heavy rains, is the possibility of flash floods. Having the same destructive force as tornadoes, flash floods can be strong enough to sweep everything in its path, including bridges, cars, houses, buildings, trees and of course - people. Flash floods usually occur when the amount of rainfall is too much than what the ground or soil can absorb in a short span of time. Other elements associated with a heavy downpour from storms include hail, which can also render heavy damage to cars, houses and properties.
Warnings before the Storm
Federal and local agencies are always on the watch for abrupt changes in weather conditions and atmospheric events, some of which can be cataclysmic if ignored. In such cases weather watches and weather warnings are issued to local communities, alerting people in a particular area or region that conditions are ripe for a possibly dangerous weather situation. In line with this, appropriate safety measures are advised to the public, and homeowners and their households should be wise enough to heed such advices.
The difference in a weather watch from a warning is that a weather watch is sent out to inform the public of the possibility of storms and hurricanes, while a weather warning has already identified and are tracking severe storms that have the potential of reaching or affecting a particular area.
The public should take heed of these weather watches and warnings and should continue to monitor updates particularly on a storm's location, and if necessary, to heed the call for evacuation.
Things to Do before the Storm Hits
The act of preparing your home and household against the possibility of storm damage can involve minor preparations in a home, to major survival plans. It would be wise for homeowners to give careful attention and resources to plan and execute these preparation activities.
Some storms are slow and can be monitored effectively to determine when it will make landfall to a particular area. This will give ample time for residents to prepare their homes for such an event. Other storms are fast moving and are very unpredictable. In such cases, federal and local officials will issue a mandatory evacuation order for people in affected areas. Homeowners should be knowledgeable in preparing for both events so whatever comes to pass, they will be ready for it.
* Whether you are preparing for a possible evacuation or to wait out the storm to pass inside your homes, the homeowners should prepare sufficient stocks and supplies to last them for several days. This includes food, water, clothing, blankets, medical supplies, flashlights, batteries, and radios at the minimum.
* Make careful considerations for your shelter, either on your own homes or in another area. In some cases, you may need to move temporarily to a location that is outside the storm's path, however, should this be your decision you should make the move as early as possible as highways would likely to get very congested. In preparation, your vehicle should have enough gas plus reserves. On top of this, you should also prepare drinking water and food that requires no cooking.
* If you are staying at home, it would be best to stay in your storm shelter. If this is not possible, it would be wise to start boarding up windows with plywood and have extras sets at the ready so you will be prepared for any eventuality of storm damage. You should also reinforce your roofs and doors by securing them with hurricane straps. Windows can also be protected by hurricane shutters, but simple plywood would be sufficient if this system is not in place. However, a home that is susceptible to storm damage should be reinforced by such devices and homeowners should be wise enough to invest in them.
* If you are living in a mobile home or homes that are built on wooden frames, it would be wise to simply evacuate to a safer place, particularly if the storm brewing is potential category three to five hurricane. Do not risk your personal safety as well as your household by opting to stay in such a home during these types of storms.
* Prepare for the worst case scenario. Stock up on food and drinking water that will last you for several days and if possible for a couple of weeks. You should store foods in cans or those food items that require no cooking or extra preparations.
* Have several flashlights and batteries at the ready and store these in waterproof containers. If possible, prepare a portable electric generator that is powerful enough to keep refrigerators or even medical equipments running. Have an ample supply of fuel and ensure that the exhaust systems are directed outside and into your storm shelter or home.
* Check your yard or patio for any possible objects or things that can be converted into a dangerous projectile by the storm. This includes metal and stone objects like furniture, grills, pots, signs, fences, swings, figurines, and other similar stuff. You should also cut down protruding branches from trees or tie down trees that can be easily uprooted by the storm.
Things to Do During the Storm
A storm shelter is a logical place to stay during the storm; however, if this is not possible or you have no such facilities, reinforcing your house from the storm's onset as discussed earlier would be your logical plan of action. This includes properly waterproofing basement and walls and sealing cracks and fissures with proper materials.
If local authorities issued a hurricane warning, it would be best to stock up on fresh and clean water using containers and jugs. You should also clean and disinfect sinks and bathtubs and fill them up with clean water. This is important particularly if floods occur resulting from the storm. Water supplies can get contaminated and you will not have enough water for drinking and hygienic purposes.
If floods occur during the storm, it would be best to stay clear from floodwaters. Go to higher levels in the house should floodwaters manage to penetrate your home. Do not leave valuable items in basements or lower levels and it would be best to store them inside waterproof containers.
At the height of the storm and while Mother Nature pounds your home and properties, monitor the boards and straps that you put in place and be ready for any contingencies by having materials available. Always keep everyone together and review evacuation plans and other actions should you encounter the worst case scenario and would need to abandon the house.
Things to do after the Storm
After a storm strikes, particularly if this is accompanied with strong and buffeting winds that can know down power lines and structures, it would be best to have an electrical generator ready. Electrical power may be out or your house may be flooded with water and would be dangerous to turn the power on.
Water may be out for several days or may get contaminated until the floods receded and supplies go back to normal conditions. In such cases, it would be best to conserve your water. Use sponge bathing for hygienic purposes or use disposable clothing and underwear.
After the storm has passed and the waters receded, the first thing to check is the structural integrity of the home and to check for any storm damage that may have occurred that may need immediate repair or restoration. If your home encountered flooding, you can make use of various water damage restoration methods to clean up your house and restore it back to livable conditions.
The most important thing in any disaster preparedness plan, particularly in preparation for a hurricane or a storm, is to make early and quick decisions and to follow through with your plans. A storm is a very frightening experience that any family can encounter in their lives, so it would be best to have them prepared for any onslaught. Your lives, and properties, may likely depend in it.
