Friday, August 28, 2009

Emergency Preparation For A Typhoon

Wherever part of the world you may live, you are likely to encounter a typhoon of some kind from time to time. Of course, there are specific places more prone to typhoons. There are also typhoons which are deadly and could cause great damage, not only to crops and infrastructures but also to human beings.

If meteorologists forecast that a strong typhoon is coming, it is not enough for us to just sit at home and watch TV. If the typhoon is strong enough, you won't even be able to watch TV because of electricity blackouts. Typhoons are just one of the ways nature demonstrates its power, you should take precautionary measures to avoid any untoward incidents during the typhoon.

Although different kinds of typhoons in different places may bring different kinds of danger, there are some basic emergency preparations that you can do. To ensure your safety, familiarize yourself with the kinds of typhoons that hit the area where you live or are visiting and with the local government's safety rules and regulations.

Once the National Weather Service have broadcasted that a typhoon will possibly hit your area, immediately start your emergency typhoon preparations. Here are a few things you can do before a typhoon arrives.

1. Fix any broken doors and windows. Make sure that there are no objects which could obstruct the entrance, just in case you may need to evacuate. Tape your big glass windows which can be potentially shattered by road signs, tree branches and other things.

2. If the place where you live always had problems with floods and a great typhoon is expected, move to an evacuation center in a higher ground even before the water levels reach a meter high. You should also park your car in a higher ground. Do not leave it in your garage because it can be carried by strong floods and cause bigger disasters.

3. Since it wouldn't be wise to be loitering around during typhoons and convenience shops are possibly closed, store enough food and water for a few days. Power and water connections might also stop, so you might as well prepare a lot of candles, batteries, rain coats and thick blankets to keep you warm.

4. Make sure that all items in your backyard or balcony are fixed. If any of those items can possibly be flown by strong winds, better store them inside for the meantime. Also, remove rooftop construction accessories, if any, as these can be detached and may break other people's windows.

5. Ensure that all water drains in your home are clean to avoid clogged drainage systems which can cause a lot of water problems.

6. Listen to news about the typhoon. If the power is down, make sure that you have a battery-powered radio so you are still updated on what is happening, and know if in case there is an emergency evacuation program. Listening to the news will also keep you informed when the typhoon is expected to stop.

Even if it already seems clear outside, do not leave you home unless you have confirmed that the typhoon is not coming back. It is possible that your area is just experiencing the eye of the typhoon. When the eye of typhoon passes, there are no rains or strong winds.

After the typhoon, do not forget to fix whatever has been damaged. Check that no water is leaking into your home. There are still a lot of accidents which can happen because of not taking enough responsibilities of the effects of the typhoon.


Article By Jonathan Sin

CLICK HERE FOR MOR INFORMATION ON "EMERGENCY PREPARATION"

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Emergency Preparedness For A Hurricane

There is nothing anyone can do when nature decides to leash out its fury. There is no way to stop it so people should brace for the worse and seek shelter.

In order to minimize the loss of life, most towns and cities have created emergency plans. Sirens are placed in strategic locations to announce a major evacuation; the emergency broadcast system is in place in the event that power and electricity has been cut off as well as stockpiles of food, water and medicine.

Those who live in the coastal communities will usually be battered by hurricanes. This happens between the months of June until November in the Atlantic and from May to November in the northern Pacific Ocean.

When this is first spotted on radar, the forecaster will already inform the public about it. There is no need yet to panic here since the weather conditions may change in the next few hours but if there are no improvements, it is time to activate emergency procedures.

The hurricane may pack winds exceeding more than a 100 miles per hour that can make cars, pieces of metal or wood cause severe damage to the home. Households can board up the windows and doors of the house with hurricane shutters and plywood.

People will rush to the supermarket to stock up on food, water and other essentials. These include candles, batteries for the radio and the flashlight as well as fuel for the generator.

All of these things are necessary especially water to prevent dehydration so every possible container must be used including the bathtub.

The most important which must never be forgotten is a medical kit. This should have bandages and some antibiotics to be able to treat anyone who is ill or injured until the person can be brought out to a medical facility for better treatment.

Should the incoming hurricane be classified as a category 4 or 5, residents are advised to evacuate and seek higher ground. It will be a good idea to travel light so only a few pieces of clothing, food and water must be brought into the vehicle.

The citizens are also advised to drive slowly and avoid panicking since this could cause accidents on the road.

The hurricane will pass within a few hours. This is the only time that people will be able to go out or return to see how much damage was done.

It is only after assessing the damage that towns and cities can say whether the emergency preparedness procedures that were sent in place were effective or not. One indication that it works is if no casualties are reported. This is because a house or even a building can be repaired but the life of an individual can never be replaced.

The people who live in the household can rehearse the emergency preparedness plan to see if some improvements need to be made. This is because time is off the essence in order to be safe in this type of crisis.

Emergency preparedness is key to ensure the survival of everyone present. People who live through this annually know what to do but those who are moving into the community should learn fast to be able to survive the onslaught of the hurricane.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON EMERGENCY PREPARATION