Emergency/Disaster Preparedness
Severe Weather

There are a variety of severe weather hazards that affect the United States, including
thunderstorms, floods, lightning, tornadoes and hurricanes. Every year lives are
threatened or lost, and property is destroyed by severe weather events.

Severe thunderstorms can produce very damaging winds. They can cause significant
structural damage to buildings, especially weaker structures such as barns, canopies
and outbuildings. Thunderstorms may be accompanied by large hail and dangerous
lightning. Hail rarely causes injuries, but it can cause millions of dollars in damages to
crops, vehicles and buildings. Lightning poses a significant risk to citizens. Victims are
usually struck outdoors, but they can also be injured indoors when on the telephone,
using appliances, or taking a bath/shower.

Flooding is a significant severe weather hazard. Nationwide, more than 75% of the
Federal Disaster Declarations have historically resulted from flooding. Most casualties
occur when motorists try to drive through flooded roadways and are swept away by
strong currents.

Tornadoes pose the greatest severe weather risk to residents of Alabama. Most
tornadoes produce rotating winds of 50 to 120 mph. They move at speeds of about 30
to 40 mph. There have been tornadoes recorded with winds of 200 mph moving at up
to 70 mph.

The most costly natural disaster in U.S. history was named Hurricane Andrew. Andrew
laid waste to commercial, institutional and residential buildings across southern Florida
and southern Louisiana in 1992.
Thunderstorms
It is very important to be familiar with the terms used to describe severe thunderstorm
threats:
Severe Thunderstorm Watch – Severe thunderstorms are possible. Watch the sky and listen to
radio or television for more information. Be prepared to take shelter.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning – Severe thunderstorms are occurring. Take shelter, turn on
battery-operated radio or television, and wait for the "all clear announcement by authorities.
How to prepare for severe thunderstorms/weather:
1. Purchase a NOAA Weather Radio with battery backup and tone-alert feature which
automatically alerts you when a Watch or Warning is issued.
2. Choose an out of area contact that separated family members can call to report their
whereabouts and condition.
3. Keep important documents and records in a safe deposit box or other secure location.
4. Maintain a disaster supplies kit.
5. During the storm, keep all windows and doors closed with the shades or blinds drawn.
6. Avoid using the telephone or other electrical appliances until the storm passes.
7. Delay taking baths/showers until the storm passes.
8. If outside, seek shelter immediately. If you hear thunder, you are probably close enough to
the storm to be struck by lightning.
9. If you are in a boat when a thunderstorm approaches, you should attempt to reach shore as
quickly as possible.
10. If driving, be alert for hazards in the roadway.
Lightning Safety for buildings and individuals
On average, lightning causes more casualties annually in the U.S. than any other storm
related phenomena, except floods. Many people incur injuries or are killed due to
misinformation or inappropriate behavior during thunderstorms. A few simple precautions can
reduce major dangers posed by lightning.
How to avoid lightning exposure:
1. No place is absolutely safe from the lightning threat, however, some places are safer than
others.
2. Large enclosed structures tend to be much safer than smaller or open structures. The risk
for lightning injury depends on whether the building incorporates lightning protection,
construction materials used, and the size of the building.
3. In general, fully enclosed vehicles such as cars, trucks, buses, vans, etc. with the windows
rolled up provide the best shelter from lightning.
4. Places to avoid include high places and open fields, isolated trees, unprotected gazebos,
rain or picnic shelters, baseball dugouts, communications towers, flagpoles, light poles,
bleachers, convertibles, golf carts and bodies of water.
5. Avoid using the telephone, or other electrical appliances until the storm passes.
6. Lightning threats continue well after a thunderstorm passes. Strikes can occur even in
sunny skies.
7. To protect buildings, apply the benefits of Faraday Cage (lightning rod) concepts where
possible...employ multiple downconductors/structural steel/rebar/metal stud walls/wire
mesh/etc. into the shielding design.
8. Bond all buried and overhead building entry penetrations such as utility pipes, service
ducts, etc to the Faraday Cage or to an equivalent ground electrode system at the building
entry.
9. Employ a buried ground ring and/or Ufer ground where practical. Use thermal welds on all
below-ground connections. Assure that buried grounds are directed away from exterior assets.
Floods/Flash Floods
Drowning has been the number one cause of deaths related to flooding. Flash floods are a
common and widespread disaster that can occur anywhere in the United States. The sheer
force of just 6 inches of swiftly moving water can knock a person off his feet. Cars are easily
swept away in just two feet of water. Flash floods can occur with little or no warning and can
reach full peak within minutes. No area is immune to flash floods.
The following alerts are issued by the National Weather Service:
Flash Flood Watch - This alert is issued when flash flooding is possible within the designated
watch area.
Flash Flood Warning - This alert will be issued when a flash flood has been reported or is
imminent. Take necessary precautions.
How to prepare for flooding:
1. Floods and storms can also knock down power lines. If you lose power, never use a gas
oven, range, barbecue, hibachi or portable propane heater to heat your home. These units
give off deadly carbon monoxide.
2. Do not attempt to drive over a flooded road. You can be stranded, trapped or swept away.
Flood water depths can be much deeper than they appear. The depth of water may be difficult
to assess.
3. Flood waters carry silt, raw sewage, oil or chemical waste. Wash your hands frequently with
soap and disinfected water to prevent spread of disease.
4. Be especially cautious at night. It is harder to recognize the danger at night.
5. Know where high ground is and how to get there quickly.
6. Store drinking water in clean bathtubs and in various containers. Water service may be
interrupted.
7. Do not attempt to cross a flowing stream where water is above your knees.
8. Boil drinking water before using. Wells should be pumped out and the water tested for
purity before drinking.
9. Use flashlights, not lanterns or torches, to examine buildings. Flammables may be nearby.
10. Throw away food, frozen or otherwise, that may have come in contact with flood waters.
The Division of Risk Management provides access to flood insurance.
Tornadoes

Tornadoes occur in many parts of the world but are most frequently found in the
United States east of the Rocky Mountains during the spring and summer months. In
an average year, 800 tornadoes are reported nationwide, resulting in 80 deaths and
over 1500 injuries. The most violent tornadoes are capable of tremendous destruction
with wind speeds in excess of 250 miles per hour. Occasionally, two or more tornado
funnels occur at the same time. Waterspouts are weak tornadoes that occur over
water.

Tornadoes can occur at any time of year at any time of day.
Tornado Watch - Tornadoes are possible in your area. Remain alert for approaching storms.
Tornado Warning - A tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. If a tornado
warning is issued for your area and the sky becomes threatening, move to your predesignated place of safety.
Remember, tornadoes occasionally develop in areas in which a severe thunderstorm watch or
warning is in effect.
How to prepare for tornado weather:
1. Develop a plan for you and your family for home, work, school and when outdoors. Have
frequent drills.
2. Have a NOAA weather radio with a warning alarm tone and battery back-up to receive
warnings. Listen to radio and television for information.
3. In a home or building, move to a pre-designated shelter, such as a basement or inner
hallway or a room with no windows. Make sure to stay on the lowest floor and get under a
sturdy piece of furniture. Use pillows or mattresses to shield your head. If they are not
available, use your hands.
4. Stay away from windows.
5. Get out of automobiles. Do not try to outrun a tornado in your car, instead, leave it
immediately. Tornadoes can change directions quickly and can easily lift up a vehicle and toss
it through the air. If possible, get under an overpass or other sturdy concrete structure. If all
else fails, lay in a ditch or other low point.
6. Mobile homes, even when tied down, offer little protection from tornadoes and should be
abandoned. Mobile homes can easily be turned over. As in #5 above, seek shelter outside of
the trailer.
7. Avoid places with wide-span roofs such as auditoriums, cafeterias, gymnasiums, and large
hallways. Stay away from windows and open spaces.
8. If in a high-rise building, go to small, interior rooms or hallways on the lowest floor possible
and seek protection as outlined above.
9. Most public places have a shelter area for such emergencies. Make sure that you know the
whereabouts of such shelters at all times.
10. If unaffected by the tornado, stay out of the damaged area until allowed by officials, your
presence may hamper emergency operations.
Hurricanes

Hurricane season officially runs from June 1st through the end of November. Many
people think that they will not be affected by a major hurricane, and do not take time
to think about preparedness. The State Insurance Fund reported that the state of
Alabama had hurricane related damages to roofs as far north as Fort Payne!

A hurricane is an intense tropical weather system with a well defined circulation and
maximum sustained winds of 74 mph or higher. The bulk of damage is caused by what
is known as the storm surge. The storm surge is a large dome of water, often 50 to
100 miles wide, that sweeps ashore near where a hurricane strikes land and typically
accounts for nine of ten hurricane fatalities.

Tornadoes and flooding are secondary hazards related to hurricane.

Thanks to modern detection and tracking devices, the National Weather Service can
usually provide 12 to 24 hours of advance warning. Advisories are issued by the
Weather Service of NOAA when hurricanes approach land.
Hurricane Watch - This advisory is issued whenever a hurricane becomes a threat to coastal
areas. Everyone in the area covered by the watch should listen for further advisories and be
prepared to act promptly if a hurricane warning or evacuation order is issued.
Hurricane Warning - This advisory is issued when hurricane winds of 74 miles an hour or
higher, or a combination of dangerously high water and very rough seas, are expected in a
specific coastal area within 24 hours. Precautionary actions should begin immediately.
Here are some steps to prepare for hurricane weather:
1. If you live in a coastal area, identify your evacuation route. Your community's hurricane
evacuation plan includes designated safe areas, areas to be evacuated during a hurricane
emergency, and safe evacuation routes to shelter. Get information on emergency planning in
your area by contacting your local civil defense or emergency services office.
2. Keep tuned to local radio or television stations for the latest National Weather Service
advisories as well as special instructions from local government.
3. Check battery-powered equipment. Your battery-operated radio could be your only source
of information, and flashlights will be needed if utility services are interrupted. Keep extra
batteries on hand.
4. Keep your car fueled up should evacuation become necessary. Also, service stations may be
inoperable after the storm strikes.
5. Store drinking water in clean bathtubs, jugs, bottles and cooking utensils as your towns
water system may be contaminated or damaged by the storm. Obtain extra prescription
medications and medical supplies.
6. Board up windows or protect them with storm shutters. Windows are broken mainly from
wind-driven debris. Wind pressure may break large windows, garage doors and double entry
doors.
7. Secure outdoor objects that might become debris. Garbage cans, garden tools, toys, signs,
porch furniture, and a number of other harmless items become deadly missiles in hurricane
winds.
8. Moor your boat securely well before the storm arrives, or move it to a designated safe area
early. Do not stay on the boat or you may drown.
9. If you live inland away from the beaches and low-lying coastal areas, your home is well
constructed, and local authorities have not called for evacuation in your area, stay home and
make emergency preparations.
10. Be alert for tornado watches and warnings as tornadoes are often spawned by hurricanes.
Should your area receive a tornado warning, seek shelter immediately in an interior bathroom
or small hall, preferably below ground level.