EME-104
Emergency – Ida Redux
Once again ‘Mother Nature’ seems to have given us another wake up call–when Hurricane IDA came through the Yucatan Channel and then, although downgraded to a Tropical Storm, made landfall in the Dauphin Island/Mobile Bay area triggering elevated levels of rainfall on saturated lands, with the potential of flooding from runoff.
While our Atlantic Hurricane season, which opened on June 1st, 2009 thru November 30th has been extremely inactive for us this season here on the Texas gulf coast, we should be aware that the season is not over with. While sea surface temperatures (SST) are on the decline from their elevated levels of the previous months; and the annual retreat of the high level jet stream to more northerly climes is gradually reducing the upper level wind shear levels; conditions might just be favorable for late seasonal storm activity.
Disaster takes many forms, some without prior warning or notice, and hurricanes seem to give us at least a few days in which to finalize preparations. For most others, we may not have that luxury of time. The possibility of other disasters may still rear up and threaten us.
While you have made your annual family plan update with most current information, now is the time to review one more time. And your plan should not be just for the hurricane season, it should be ready for implementation for any disaster that might arise. If your home might be impacted by any event, you need to have both an alternate assembly point and a distant backup as a contingency. Be sure you have reduced your plan to a written format and insure that each family member has a copy.
Designate a safe room in the house in the event that you might be faced with shelter in place. Check again that all of the necessary supplies have been taken care of to insure that you have duct tape and plastic sheeting to render this area air tight.
Contact and review with the your out of area contact person to notify in the event that you are forced to evacuate.
Survey your survival kit for the three to seven day period time frame. You need to have at least one gallon of potable water per person along with non- perishable packaged and canned food. Locate your hand operated can opener and check your gas or charcoal grill to heat and warm your food supply. Check your medications, personal toiletries, insect repellent, a portable radio, flashlight, batteries and extra clothing, including any seasonal necessities. Be sure you have cold weather bedding materials packed. In addition, each of your family members should check their own individual personal kit.
In order to stay informed during an actual emergency with your locally accessible source of information, review just who and where it is. Both AM radio KTRH 740 and KUHF 99.7 FM, as our area’s primary emergency alert system stations are available, along with NOAA weather radio and our local designated VHF source of amateur information on the hour, the 147.000 + (Pl 103.5) repeater.
If directed to evacuate, you know where and how to turn off water and electricity at their main cutoff points. You have your evacuation route mapped out along with your plan for a designated destination.
That concludes tonight’s training. Are there any questions, comments or suggested additions to this material?
Thanks, this is (callsign) clear to net control.