Lessons Learned regarding Hurricanes

[wdw4us2]

As some of you know from reading my posts, we were hit directly by Hurricanes Frances & Jeanne last year.

In today's Stuart (FL) News, there is an editorial regarding what lessons we learned here in Martin County. Here are some excerpts and a link to the entire editorial:

Editorial: In weathering hurricanes, pay attention and be prepared

September 4, 2005

There's always something we can learn from disasters, and hurricanes Frances and Jeanne were no different. Here's what Treasure Coast emergency managers say the public should have learned from last year's storms:

• Pay no attention to the thin black line on weather charts.


• Assume every tropical storm is headed your way.

• Don't depend on anyone for your own and your family's safety and welfare.

• Keep at least a week of food, water and other supplies on hand in a safe space.

• Have a hurricane plan that says when you will evacuate and where you will go, if you plan to do so.

• Listen to information from your emergency management services, and not to rumors.

• Have your vital papers, family valuables and photographs stored safely for after a storm — or take them with you when you evacuate.

"We have 74 technical items we are addressing in our own operations," said Keith Holman, Martin County emergency management director. "We have resolved about 50 percent of them, and are fine-tuning our plans."

But Holman says the public doesn't need to worry about detailed operations to survive a severe storm.

"What they should have learned is that they must be more self sufficient. They should understand that three days worth of supplies is not enough, seven days is more like it.

"Being independent is important," Holman said. "Right now there is a major draw on federal and state resources to help out where Katrina struck, if we were hit now, there wouldn't be very much left for us. The aid resources are drawn thin and we would have to depend on ourselves."

More importantly, Daniels said emergency services can plan to bring for water, ice, emergency shelters and food, but individuals have to be responsible for seeing that their individual medical needs are met.

All of the directors emphasized that the public should not think that the black line on hurricane tracking charts shows where a storm is going. They point out that the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric meteorologists now surround that line with a wide cone of probability where the storm might go.

The bottom line: Plan ahead for problems.

Link for entire column:

http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/pj_editorials/article/0,2546,TCP_1125_4050176,00.html

I did not print this to start any debates, place blame or get flamed. I just wanted you to see how professionals view hurricane preparedness.

 

[meg1mmfan]

• Pay no attention to the thin black line on weather charts.


• Assume every tropical storm is headed your way.

• Don't depend on anyone for your own and your family's safety and welfare.

• Keep at least a week of food, water and other supplies on hand in a safe space.

• Have a hurricane plan that says when you will evacuate and where you will go, if you plan to do so.

• Listen to information from your emergency management services, and not to rumors.

• Have your vital papers, family valuables and photographs stored safely for after a storm — or take them with you when you evacuate.

That's exactly right. Everyone should've learned a lesson after last year's 4 hurricane epic in Florida. People need to learn that you can't just assume "Oh that's not going to happen here." because when you least expect it, it will happen to you. I mean, what was the chance of two hurricanes strinking within ten miles of each other within two weeks? That happened and everyone in Martin county was thinking "There's know way this will happen." but it did. Everything isn't going to effect you, but at some point, it might. People need to be prepared.

I know our family learned a lesson after last year. We have a shelving unit in our shed set up with: gas for our new generator, a battery powered fan and other hurricane necessities. We got a new metal roof as soon as we could, we ordered new shutters and have them prepared, found a new garage door, purchased a generator and are working on setting up a hurricane evacuation plan. Yet, there are still people who leave rotting, dead trees in their yard, or not replacing broken parts of their home and leave everything just as it was. When is everyone going to learn from their mistakes? History does and can repeat itself, why don't people realize this? It's at apoint where it frustrates me that people don't heed the warnings of professionals and don't learn from the past. I'm not trying to be mean or flame anyone, but people can just be so stupid at times.