Hurricane Fear Is Not An Option

Hurricane Preparedness is a major way to reduce fear and anxiety.

Have you ever awakened in the night with the cold chill of fear and anxiety that something terrible was about to happen? Most everyone has had that sort of experience at some time in their lives. It certainly is no fun.

One of the important things to remember is that as long as we have life we can move forward with our lives. There is always something we can do to reduce the fear and travel forward on the path of life and happiness.

Well right now is a time that everyone who lives in a hurricane or other natural disaster prone are area should have at least one sleepless night wondering and worrying about the possibility a disaster occurring in their area. Fear can be a fantastic stimulus to get us moving pro actively on address a perceived danger and an actual possibility.

The following article is a go start at reflecting on hat you need to be doing this Hurricane Preparedness month to get things in order at your own home and work / school location. IF he school does not have an emergency kit for every child then do yourself and every child and teacher in the school a great favor and insist that every family prepare a disaster kit for their child at school. If a child is not able to afford a disaster kit then the school needs to know this and help them obtain one. This may be the greatest end of the year project that a school can have.

Come on folks, let’s get prepared and then let the fear turn into positive action that can save a number of lives including possibly yours as well.

COMMENTS WELCOMED!

Please share your thoughts, emergency preparedness tips and stories here on this blog.

All I ask is that everyone be respectful and sensitive of each other and that identifying information about a person who is not the author be limited to protect their privacy.

Be Safe

Terrie

www.trainforahurricane.com

Officials stress planning for storm season

By ROBERT NAPPER

rnapper@bradenton.com

http://www.bradenton.com/local/story/538040.html

MANATEE --

"Failure is not an option."

That was the slogan that dominated a meeting Wednesday of local and state officials preparing for the upcoming hurricane season.

With less than seven weeks until hurricane season, Florida Division of Emergency Management Deputy Chief Ruben Almaguer addressed more than a dozen county and city officials at Manatee County's new Emergency Operations Center.

He stressed the need for planning, not only by government officials, but also by citizens.

"Get a plan. I can't stress that enough," he said. "Take care of yourself, then take care of your neighbor."

Almaguer said Florida has for the most part been spared a major hurricane the past two years, so the need for public officials to urge preparedness is crucial this season.

"We have been fortunate in one sense for the past two years," Almaguer said. "But, on the other hand, people are becoming more complacent every day. People forget about their role, which is actually most important. That is to be prepared."

Almaguer showed graphics of just how susceptible Florida has been to hurricanes over the last hundred years.

Florida has been hit with 26 category 3 to 5 hurricanes since 1900. That's more than double Louisiana, the state that came in second, with 12.

Almaguer also discussed the financial costs of hurricane recovery.

He said it will be five more years before the state is done paying off debt related to recovery from the devastating 2004 hurricane season, which included Category 4 Hurricane Charley.

"In fact, we just wrote the last check a few days ago for Hurricane Andrew," Almaguer said.

A room full of officials from Manatee County, Bradenton, Palmetto, Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach listened intently.

"This is all information we need to consider and use," county Commissioner Carol Whitmore said.

Seniors need to know hurricane preparedness tips

Senior citizens need to know how to protect themselves for a disaster

So often when we retire all we ever want is a relaxing and enjoyable senior life. Many who are retired feel that they have retired from the stress and strain of work life. Well in many ways I guess they have, unfortunately that is not the case when it comes to disasters. EVERYONE MUST be wiling to step up to the plate and be responsible for their own well being especially in times of disaster.

The following article is a quick introduction into what all the necessary issues and needs of seniors when a hurricane disaster is possible.

Many seniors are on a fixed income so if at all possible it is wise to start NOW to establish or revise emergency preparedness kit. Articles like the one below is a good way to start to get the emergency preparedness tips that can be of help when a disaster such as hurricane occurs. It is most important to have comprehensive disaster preparedness information that can be obtained from a hurricane reference guide.

Make sure you have your own personal disaster plan as well as your disaster recovery plan completed long before a hurricane might strike. BOTH are necessary to have at the ready to quickly get your life back into order as best as possible. Remember that disaster kits can be low cost emergency survival kits. Emergency preparedness necessities don’t have to be fancy or high tech, they need to be useful. For some items see if you and some friends can go in together to purchase them so that you can buy in bulk and get the items at a discount.

Start now with what ever budget you have and take the steps even small steps that will add up to a well prepared you and your household.

Hurricane Preparedness - Ensure you're prepared in the event of a hurricane with our hurricane preparedness websites, books and free advice. Learn Emergency preparedness tips & Disaster preparedness information

www.trainforahurricane.com.

COMMENTS WELCOMED!

Please share your thoughts, emergency preparedness tips and stories here on this blog.

All I ask is that everyone be respectful and sensitive of each other and that identifying information about a person who is not the author be limited to protect their privacy.

Be Safe

Terrie

www.trainforahurricane.com

Dr. Terrie Modesto, PhD, author of Train For A Hurricane is an international expert in dying, death, loss and critical incident individual and community disaster preparation and response with 20+ year’s experience. She has over 60 courses, books and training manuals to her credit and is available for consulting, lectures and interviews. Website: www.trainforahurricane.com Blog: http://hurricane-prepared-ness.blogspot.com/

8 Ways Senior Adults Can Prepare for a Disaster

Written by Danny Von Kanel

This article is courtesy of Mature Living.

http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/article_main_page/0%2C1703%2CA%25253D167482%252526M%25253D200744%2C00.html?

Encounters with recent hurricanes and tornados have pinpointed weaknesses in preparedness plans – especially those related to senior adults.

“Hurricane Katrina taught us several important lessons about caring for our elders in time of disaster,” said Nina Tumosa, Ph.D., professor of geriatrics at Saint Louis University School of Medicine and a health educator at the Veteran Affairs Medical Center in St. Louis. “There was no mechanism for the elderly to get access to medications, both emergency and regular,” she said. “And many people didn’t have a plan in place to care for their pets.”

What should senior adults do to prepare for a disaster? Start with these eight ways.

1. Discuss the community warning system with all members of your household. Know the location of a shelter nearest you. Local radio and television stations can provide routes to shelters, listings of temporary sanctuaries, and other emergency procedures.

2. Itemize neighborhood directory listings. Create a list of your local emergency management office, police department, fire department, and hospitals. Also, make a list of other seniors in your neighborhood who may be alone during emergency situations.

3. Seek safety for your pets. Develop an emergency care plan for your animals and know where the local animal shelter is located. Seek their advise on what to do with your pet(s) in an emergency.

4. Assess special needs. If you will require specialized assistance during an emergency, let your disaster management leaders know prior to the disaster.

5. Secure property protection. Purchase and learn how to use a fire extinguisher. Learn how to shut off utilities, including gas, electricity, and water. Make sure your house address numbers are large and well-lit so emergency personnel can find your home easily.

6. Test evacuation procedures. Determine the shortest and safest route to the evacuation shelter in your area. Obtain a map if you are not familiar with the neighborhood. Note alternate routes in the event your primary escape routes are blocked. Once your procedures are in place, walk through them and test their viability.

7. Establish a disaster supply kit. Assemble a kit that includes six basic items: water, food, first aid, appropriate seasonal clothing, tools, and emergency supplies of special items (heart and blood pressure medicine, insulin, prescription drugs, denture tools, contact lenses and supplies, and extra eye glasses).

8. Remember your Protector. In times of disaster, human beings are prone to panic. As a Christian, you have a resource that the world does not know. Put your faith in our Lord and trust Him to protect you during a disaster.

If you learn and put into practice these eight measures (discuss, itemize, seek, assess, secure, test, establish, remember), you will be well on your way to preparing yourself when the next storm passes by.

Danny Von Kanel serves as minister of music and outreach at Memorial Baptist Church in Bogalusa, La. He has published two books and more than 130 articles. Danny has been preparing for hurricanes for the past 25 years.

Don’t count on FEMA (AGAIN)

Be hurricane recovery prepared!

The article below is just another reason why each person should take their safety and well being into their won hands and become hurricane prepared including emergency evacuation plans, initial, intermediate and even a plan for long-term recovery. It is not enough to plan for a hurricane, it is so important to plan on how you will recover from a hurricane as well. Being safe through a hurricane is great and is so necessary. The issue that also arises when a hurricane strikes is that most folks are not hurricane recovery prepared.

Do you have everything that is necessary to jump start the process you will have to go through to get your life back on track once a hurricane has hit your area or that of a loved one? If you have a copy of letters of reference for everything form work to housing etc, then you will be miles ahead in the process. In a disaster situation, those letters don’t have to have last week’s date at the top, but it will be mighty impressive to a hiring official or rental office to see that you were able to think well enough ahead to have some letters of recommendation available immediately. Most disaster victims will be using scrapes of paper to scribble down local information.

Instead of being a disaster victim -- be a disaster recovery master!

If you have clearly printed information available – who do you think will be the one they will most likely call first? If you answered the one that is well organized and the materials are legible and professional in presentation, that you are right on the money. The chances of getting a job faster is greater wit those few simple well thought out preparations.

It is vital that you develop not only a disaster plan but also a disaster recovery plan that will have already made up business cards with an out-of-state / region emergency contact number as well as a cell phone number. By having both phone numbers available you will have a better chance of being reached to let you know that a company is interested in your employment services or rental potential. Keep the business cards in a plastic zippered shut bag and the letters of recommendation in a sealed zippered bag and you will have it made.

Also have a good supply of generalized resumes ready to hand out in order to get a jump on all the job applications that will be necessary should your company that you work for or won is destroyed or will have a major delay in re-opening. These are just a few suggestions in the hundred of things that you need to know about to get your self back on the path to a disaster recovered life.

For more information on how to be disaster recovery ready, check out my newest book Train For A Hurricane (www.trainfora hurricane.com). There is a whole section dedicated to helping the reader prepare for hurricane recovery and even a hurricane recovery plan workbook to help you quickly have vital information to get you to the head of the line for employment, and housing to name just a few.

Please don’t think of waiting for FEMA or well intentioned aid-agencies to help you out. By the time that help arrives if it really does arrive in full measure, valuable and life restoring hours, days and possibly even weeks will have passed by. Remember there is a golden week and a silver month in the establishment of the disaster recovery process. Make sure you use your golden week and silver month of disaster recovery to the maximum. YOUR future depends on it!

COMMENTS WELCOMED!

Please share your thoughts, emergency preparedness tips and stories here on this blog.

All I ask is that everyone be respectful and sensitive of each other and that identifying information about a person who is not the author be limited to protect their privacy.

Be Safe

Terrie

www.trainforahurricane.com

FEMA Hurricane Trailers May Be In Short Supply

http://cbs4.com/hurricanes/FEMA.Trailers.Toxic.2.655777.html

Reporting
Stephen Stock

PORT ST. LUCIE (CBS4) ― The CBS4 I-Team has learned of new, potentially wide-ranging problems with FEMA trailers and the formaldehyde fumes in them. We've reported how they've been banned by FEMA already, but I-Team has learned that could create a major housing shortage should a storm hit here this summer.

Even as old used campers continue to roll into FEMA's staging grounds near Fort Pierce, there is now concern in Washington and here in Florida that there won't be enough housing for storm victims should a major hurricane strike this summer.

"When the next storm hits, are we going to have the necessary temporary housing if a storm were to hit Florida?" asks US Rep. Tim Mahoney (D) of Florida.

In fact, Mahoney and Alcee Hastings wrote a letter to FEMA Director David Paulison last August expressing that concern, and asking for details on a plan to handle a housing shortage in the event of a storm. Six months later, neither Congressman has officially heard back.

"We're still waiting to her back from FEMA," said Mahoney.

After our interview, Mahoney says he contacted Paulison, who assured him that there were 7,400 mobile homes on standby in Arkansas and Alabama. We confirmed that, but those are mobile homes, not campers, and because of flood plain rules here in Florida, mobile homes can't be used in the same way for storm victims as the campers were used.

"We have been asking for months for this, and they still haven't produced a plan," said U.S. Senator Bill Nelson.

The bottom line according to Florida Senator Bill Nelson--FEMA is not ready and does not have a plan.

"We could be in a world of hurt because FEMA is supposed to have an alternative plan for housing and they don't have one," said Nelson.

In fact back during the hurricane season of 2004 here in Florida FEMA gave out 14 thousand of these trailers to storm victims.

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

Hurricaen Preparedness vs. hurricane Prediction finger pointing

Hurricanes don’t depend on numbers

I just read an article on the ‘discussion’ of 2007 hurricane numbers and the hurricane predictions and how they should have possibly been classified. I know that from a scientific perspective the statistics are very important. For many who have even informally studied hurricanes it is important.

My concern is for all those who do not study hurricanes. There are many who will say “hey all this talk about hurricanes and hurricane preparedness is a bunch of (*&*^ stuff!” and will not heed the advice for hurricane preparation. This winter we have had more tornados than I can ever remember. Even if we do not have many if any hurricanes in 2008, go ask the folks in Arkansas about their view of disaster preparation or those who have their homes flooded out I other parts of the country. They will tell you that a disaster is a disaster when the house is so damaged is not livable or is completely blown away by a tornado funnel or a pelting rain and wind event called a hurricane. Being prepared for any disaster at any time is important and a real blessing when a terrible situation occurs.

I’m concerned that we want to point fingers and play guessing games with the hurricane prediction issues than to prepare for a real possibility of some sort of a disaster occurring that affect even one of us. I don’t want to be Chicken Little with a cry that the sky is falling. That sort of mentality is certainly not helpful.

What I want is responsible citizenship where ALL of us are prepared for a disaster no matter what kind it is. We can’t depend on the government, local or even national charities to help no matter how sympathetic and charitable everyone is.

The reality is that each person and household needs to take responsibility for their own personal well being. I have already heard complaints that it will cost more this year to prepare for a disaster than it did last year or the year before. Well yes it WILL and DOES cost more and with a possible – present recession looking at us in the face and rising food prices it only makes sense to prepare BEFORE the prices get any higher. Common sense rules!!

With home prices down, the home building supplies are much less expensive than in 2005 - 2006 so take advantage of that and get your plywood for the windows or have installed the hurricane shutters if you live on the Gulf or Atlantic waterways. Many a person with exceptional building skills is looking for work now days. This is a good time to get a fair price for what is necessary to protect your home.

The cheap easy to store foods are also going up in price, just like everything else. Rice in many areas is increasing significantly. In some countries the price has already doubled in the past year. Beans and of course wheat has jump in price beyond our experience in recent years. Still considering the price of other things, the prices are still low for many, particularly in North America. Try to purchase the things that can last for a long time even years such as canned foods, beans and rice and put them aside. They will not go bad if stored correctly and they can come in handy when the grocery stores have a run on their supplies with lines around the block or have empty shelves.

Imagine how handy 8-10 rolls extra rolls of toilet paper or a couple jars of peanut butter will be if a moderate to serious disaster occurs. Over the counter (OTC) medications can be bought in smaller sizes that can be very helpful if there is a disaster in your area. A bottle of pain relievers sure can come in very handy when the head is aching and the body is sore from a major clean up after a storm and a neighbor’s tree is imbedded in the roof!

Electronics such as hand cranked radios and flashlights are going to go up due to shipping charges if nothing else. These will last a very long time and will come in handy more than once in their lifetime if taken care of properly. Get them and your other hurricane supplies now so you will have them on hand. Oh yea don’t forget a carton of matches stored in a water-proof zipped plastic bag.

Trying to figure out if the weather classifications were accurate etc is like counting angel wings on the head of a pin, harder, useless and unproductive than even counting the angles themselves! People need to stop being bean counters pointing fingers and start being proactive responsible members of this world community and begin collecting beans, rice, tuna, bottled water and all other shelf safe food items and other emergency preparedness necessities and get those disaster kits ready for hurricane season 2008. If we don’t have to use them than thank the Divine Power above and if you do need to use the hurricane supplies, than again say ‘thank you’ since you will be more ready and much safer than if you were not prepared.

Either way you win!

COMMENTS WELCOMED!

Please share your thoughts, emergency preparedness tips and stories here on this blog.

All I ask is that everyone be respectful and sensitive of each other and that identifying information about a person who is not the author be limited to protect their privacy.

Be Safe

Terrie

www.trainforahurricane.com

Dr. Terrie Modesto, PhD, author of Train For A Hurricane is an international expert in dying, death, loss and critical incident individual and community disaster preparation and response with 20+ year’s experience. She has over 60 courses, books and training manuals to her credit and is available for consulting, lectures and interviews. Website: www.trainforahurricane.com Blog: http://hurricane-prepared-ness.blogspot.com/

Former NHC Director Questions Storm Classification

For The Latest Weather Forecasts Click Here

http://cbs4.com/hurricanes/neil.frank.national.2.621586.html

HOUSTON (CBS4) ―

Neil Frank, who once headed the National Hurricane Center from 1974 to 1987, told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel on Wednesday that he believed some storms in 2007 were so weak that they should not have been given a tropical storm status.

Frank, who is a meteorologist at the CBS television affiliate in Houston, said that six of the 15 named storms from last year's hurricane season should not have been ranked.

He added that the inflation in the number of named storms has been going on for the past decade. If scientists took out what he considered unworthy systems from the annual lists of named storms, then it would appear that tropical weather patterns these days aren't more intense than the past.

Contrary to that suggestion, some scientists contend that global warming has produced more active hurricane seasons.

(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Hurricane Preparedness Needs ToStart NOW

It doesn’t seem that 4 months have gone by since the official end of 2007 Hurricane Season. Since then we have had NUMEROUS tornados that have wrecked havoc in many communities in the US including the unheard of serious tornado that struck Atlanta GA..

Well the news out of the office of the famed hurricane expert Dr William Gray and his staff doesn’t give me a warm fuzzy. Instead it gives me a blustering wind and rain gust down my spine as I read the announcement. The 2008 hurricane predictions of 15 named storms, 8 hurricanes and 4 major hurricanes is not the kind of news anyone wants to hear. It certainly is not a recommended bedtime story!

For the last two years those of us who live along the Atlantic Ocean have been given a treat of no major hurricanes. I have enjoyed the respite but it also scares me. Why the scared comment? Simple, the more people enjoy the comforts of a milder hurricane season, the more chance that they will not be hurricane prepared this season.

I hope and pray we will have a mild hurricane season. From the hurricane forecasts updated and released yesterday, it is worrisome when considering how many residents and visitors along the Gulf of Mexico coast and Atlantic coast will take the need for hurricane preparedness seriously.

This is the time to get those emergency preparedness kits out and see what needs to be discarded. These items can most often be used in the ordinary basis of everyday living so there is no money lost. It is vital to have the discipline to replaced your disaster kits with fresher emergency supplies.

Things change over a year and it is necessary to review your personal emergency preparedness checklist as well as the checklists of each member of the household. Remember that theses checklists need to address not only your home needs but also your work / school needs as well as your car and pet emergency preparedness checklists.

I recognize that money is tight for all of us. Prices of things such as food have gone up considerably since last year. It is estimated that it will cost some 15% more to establish your kits by the end of this year than it did last year. Unfortunately the increased costs to establish disaster kits will not stop anytime soon. The more you get a head start on the items you will need, the better likelihood you will be able to find your emergency preparedness necessities at reasonable prices and in quality and quantity you want.

So the best way to make your emergency preparedness money go as far as possible is to make a list of EVERYTHING you will need this year and prioritize what is the most important to buy first. Once all of your emergency preparedness necessities are listed, then every week start to find what things are on sale and what can be obtained at thrift stores and yard sales.

This is the time of year that there will be many a yard sale in neighborhoods in very community large and small. What others don’t want, and are willing to sell, can be perfect for YOUR disaster kits. Example is the end of the school year backpacks that the kids are tired of. They are often sold for little money and are in good enough shape for what your needs are. They make excellent personal disaster get & go kits for the kids as well as the one for each of the cars in the household! Low cost emergency survival kits can be made from your neighbor’s yard sale, school rummage sale and a willing attitude coupled with some creativity and elbow grease of effort on you and your family’s part.

Get your disaster preparedness information updated as well. Review the hurricane evacuation routes in your area. Much can change in a year with road construction etc. Also review and reconfirm your alternative housing if you your area calls for an emergency evacuate at a moments notice. Don’t be caught without a place to stay in the midst of a horrific storm.

COMMENTS WELCOMED!

Please share your thoughts, emergency preparedness tips and stories here on this blog.

All I ask is that everyone be respectful and sensitive of each other and that identifying information about a person who is not the author be limited to protect their privacy.

Be Safe

Terrie

www.trainforahurricane.com

Upgrades Hurricane Prediction

Prediction: 15 Named Storms

8 Hurricanes

4 Major Hurricanes

Famed hurricane forecaster Dr. William Gray has released his updated Atlantic Hurricane Season and has upgraded the predictions released in December.

Phil Klotzbach, who has been the lead author on hurricane forecasts with Dr. Gray in recent years, said Wednesday that the 2008 season will be "very active" with 15 named storms, 8 hurricanes and 4 major hurricanes of category 3 or higher.

In December, Gray's group based at Colorado State University, forecast an above-normal season with 13 named storms, seven hurricanes and 3 major hurricanes. A hurricane is considered major when it reaches category 3 status or when winds reach 111 mph.

Klotzbach and Gray updated their forecast from the Bahamas Weather Conference on Grand Bahama Island.

Dr. Gray said there are signs of a very active season due to La Nina cool-water conditions in the Pacific and higher sea surface temperatures in the eastern Atlantic.

An average season produces about 10 tropical storms and six hurricanes. The last season in 2007 saw 14 tropical storms, of which six strengthened into hurricanes.

A record 28 storms formed in 2005.

http://cbs4.com/hurricanes/hurricane.season.dr.2.695621.html