The disaster that befell us
on October 29, 2012 taught us, at a tremendous cost in both lives and treasure,
that we cannot ignore weather warnings without potentially paying a deadly
price. Storms are serendipitous; they often fail to follow the script, and
so we become jaded to the warnings and complacent in our preparation. No
one reading this, I’m sure, will ever forget what Superstorm Sandy did to our
borough, and our city, that horrible night, but the sad truth is that the
destruction of houses and property could never have been avoided.
The loss of life?
That’s a different story.
Last week we were threatened
by Hurricane Matthew, a Category 4 storm that wreaked havoc in the Caribbean
and our southeast coast, including much loss of life. Of course, the path
of any storm is not predictable with 100% certainty, hence the “cone” of
possible directions a storm might take. Any time our area is in the cone
we should, as the saying goes, hope for the best – but prepare for the worst.
Have we learned from
Sandy? I pray that we have. When a Hurricane Watch becomes a
Hurricane Warning we should use this time wisely. We should take stock of
our vulnerability and make preparations for the worst case scenario – even if
it means facing the uncertainty of evacuation.
Coastal communities have
designated hurricane evacuation zones based on their risk for storm surge and
flooding. Before a tropical storm or hurricane hits, city officials may
ask you to evacuate if you live or work in one of these zones. When you know
your zone, you and your family will know when to evacuate. If you are not
sure that you’re in such a zone, New York City has a hurricane evacuation finder here.
If you are required to
evacuate, it is recommended that you
shelter at the home of friends or family outside of the evacuation area. If you
wish to go to a public facility, select any evacuation center from those listed
on the hurricane page and click for travel directions. Before you leave
make sure you secure your home: close and lock windows and doors, and unplug
appliances. Wear sturdy shoes and comfortable, protective clothing, such
as long pants and long-sleeved shirts. Prepare a Go-Bag of essential
items and important documents – see the list below - to take with you.
Hurricanes can cause extended
power outages, flooding, and blocked roads. If you not asked to evacuate and
are sheltering in place, you should:
·
Bring in anything
that can be picked up by the wind (bicycles, lawn furniture, etc.).
·
Close your
windows, doors and hurricane shutters, if you have them. Most folks don’t
in our area, so if you have sufficient warning and the means and ability to do
so, windows and doors with plywood.
·
Turn your
refrigerator and freezer to the coldest setting. Keep them closed as much as
possible so that food will last longer if the power goes out.
You should build an emergency
kit in case you lose power or can’t go to a store. Make sure your kit includes:
·
Bottled water
·
Shelf-stable food
·
Flashlights
·
A radio and extra
batteries
·
A first-aid kit
and sanitation items
·
Important
documents and records
·
Clothing
·
Medication and
medical supplies
·
Pet food and pet
items
It’s important to have a
communications plan so you can stay in touch with worried loved ones who may
not live in the area, and make sure that each family member has a list of important
phone numbers. It’s also a good idea to designate one out-of-area friend
or relative as the point person for everyone to call and check in with.
Things are a lot less stressful if people know who’s safe.
Make sure your emergency
plans are tailored to all of your family members and their needs, including
seniors, children, individuals with medical needs, and people with disabilities
– and by all means stay informed! As the storm approaches, and for as
long as you have the means to do so, monitor media reports and follow
instructions from public safety officials.
The destruction of property
during any significant storm may be unavoidable – a house can’t simply be moved
out of the danger zone - but property can be replaced. The loss of human
life, however, IS avoidable by making sure one gets out of harm’s way.
And a human life, of course, can never be replaced.