Part of vacation planning includes Emergency preparedness plans!

Hurricane preparedness doesn’t stop jut because you are on vacation.

Just got finished reading Robert’s Caribbean Travel Blog ( see below). Yes there are great deals on travel and fantastic vacations to experience during Hurricane season. If you are going to enjoy a vacation in the Caribbean or even in the US hurricane zones like shore vacations along the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of Mexico then be hurricane prepared.

Make sure you have set aside some of your pre-vacation time to get disaster preparedness information on where evacuation shelters are, alternative routes for evacuation planning, what are the guidelines the airlines have for emergency flight changes to get out of a Caribbean dream destination before a hurricane nightmare.

Pack low cost emergency survival kits one for each member of the family with a flashlight, some shelf safe food, bottled water and extra medication. Bring alone a portable radio with fresh batteries.. Get a hurricane reference guide for the local area you are going to be vacationing at. Review emergency preparedness tips as well. Oh yes by all means make sure you have an emergency preparedness checklist to you can quickly see what you have and what is necessary to do if a hurricane is making its way to your vacation spot.

Remember to be flexible during a hurricane zone vacation. IF a hurricane is even a mild possibility then change your plans. Go somewhere else. Don’t risk getting stranded in a dream location in an evacuation. That is not the best kind of vacation in fact it can be the worst of vacations.

If you are going to go to a hurricane prone location then spend the extra money to get travel insurance. There is also vacation insurance that will offset the costs of an emergency evacuation. Yes it might cost a bit more (and insurance premiums will often be higher) to have the insurance but well worth it if a hurricane is joining you on vacation.

Enjoy your vacation but also keep a close ear on the news and weather forecasts so you can be some of the first out of a potential hurricane 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 – Be Prepared – Help Others!

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/

Robert's Caribbean Travel Blog

By Robert Curley, About.com Guide to Caribbean Travel

http://gocaribbean.about.com/b/2008/06/16/hurricane-shmuricane-poll-finds-many-travelers-unconcerned-about-storm-threat.htm

Hurricane, Shmuricane: Poll Finds Many Travelers Unconcerned About Storm Threat

Monday June 16, 2008

A recent survey of TripAdvisor members finds that 30 percent of travelers -- and 36 percent of U.S. travelers -- say they plan to visit a destination in the hurricane zone this summer even though it is hurricane season. Moreover, 43 percent of those traveling to hurricane-prone areas like Florida and the Caribbean say they are not concerned about a storm interrupting their trip, and 15 percent said they are taking advantage of low, hurricane-season prices on hotels, airfares, etc.

The survey found that while the Caribbean is the "most feared" hurricane-season destination, 64 percent of travelers said they would be willing to visit a destination in the hurricane zone if it meant significant savings: 26 percent said it would take a half-off deal to lure them, while about a quarter of travelers would take the risk for a 41-50 percent discount (only 17 percent of those surveyed said they wouldn't travel to a hurricane area for any price). Lucky for travelers, those are exactly the kind of discounts you can find in the Caribbean for summer stays.

If that's not enough evidence that travelers are hardier souls than they usually get credit for, the poll also found that fewer than half say they would immediately cancel their vacation plans if a hurricane was due to hit their destination, and 10 percent said they would ride out the storm. Only about one in five travelers say that predictions of an active hurricane season would alter their travel plans.

"Travelers consistently appear to have a healthy respect for hurricanes, but generally won't let weather get in the way of their vacation plans," said Michele Perry, vice president of global communications for Trip Advisor.

Get your disaster kits ready just in case there is a Hurricane Kyle!

Possible Hurricane Kyle blowing north

I certainly hope that if tropical storm Kyle turns into a hurricane that it steers back out to sea and not towards the New England states. My concern with a hurricane striking the northern coast of the US is that is not that frequent that a hurricane eye impacts directly that region. Many are not familiar with hurricanes in that region and may not be ready to prepare for a hurricane with necessary disaster plans, possible emergency evacuation plans and disaster kits.

It is true that those up North are familiar with nor’easters a major storm experience all its own so there are those that will have some advanced disaster kits and emergency plans already established. Nationally less than 20% of the population is hurricane prepared.

It is so important to be prepared for any sort of disaster. Having hurricane preparedness plans developed long before a potential disaster occurs is of utmost importance and will help the most.

Dr. Terrie Modesto

Dr. Terrie Modesto is a disaster grief specialist with 20+ years experience

Website: www.trainforahurricane.com Blog: www.hurricane-prepared-ness.blogspot.com http://disastergrief.blogspot.com/

Kyle becomes named storm — hurricane by Saturday?

By Charles Elmore | Thursday, September 25, 2008, 05:31 PM

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/palmbeach/stormblog/entries/2008/09/25/kyle_becomes_named_storm_hurri.html

Tropical Storm Kyle has been christened as the season’s 11th named storm, with sustained winds reaching 45 mph as it moves north toward Bermuda.

“Interests in Bermuda should monitor the progress of Kyle,” a National Hurricane Center advisory urged at 5 p.m.

Forecast maps show it tracking well east of Florida and proceeding north toward eastern Canada by Sunday.

But most of the U.S. east coast will be watching it closely. Kyle is expected to become a Category 1 hurricane by Saturday afternoon with winds between 74 mph and 95 mph.

Its current location is about 645 miles south-southwest of Bermuda and it is moving north at 8 mph, the hurricane center said.

Emergency preparedness checklists, disaster evacuations and peppered potato salad

Personalizing disaster kits for comfort and taste

Yesterday I told you about an individual on a forum that wants to know where the best food is in an emergency shelter. He was upset at the amount of pepper in the potato salad it seems.

At first reading I was ready to say “get real it is an emergency response situation” then I realized that pepper in the potato salad was important to this person because could symbolize his need for nurturing and comfort during an emergency evacuation.

I could not tell him specifically where to find the best dinners at the emergency shelters but here is my reply to him. I hope it helps to understand the differences in the types of responses that occurs in a disaster situation as well as the issues surrounding emergency shelter food.

Next blog will talk more about he reasons to select an emergency shelter close to home.

I can certainly appreciate your desire to know the menu especially if you have a very selective taste in foods and pepper in your potato salad is a bit offensive for you. There is a great diversity of taste and preparation even in the most simple of food items.

In disaster experiences and upsetting emotional events, people often look to food for comfort and a sense of stability. That is often why people will want to drink hot chocolate or milk supplied or base of a beverage like coffee with cream – it is nurturing for many individuals.

In a small local disasters such as a tornado, the menu is often much more reflect of a ‘home-cooking style’. This is most likely a group from the nearby local community with similar taste and cooking experience that are preparing it for a relatively small number of people ( say 150 +/-). Often the food is based on an experience of a community supper or church / faith center dinner event.

When one gets into mass evacuations and disaster response of larger numbers of individuals, the focus become very institutionalized and unfortunately often impersonal since vast amounts of cold sandwiches, and coffee have to be made and the ingredients are stretched to the maximum to serve the most people in need. In mass emergency situations, there is a possibility that the food needs to be as simple and easy to prepare as possible to meet the needs of the many.

Often emergency shelters have to deal with intermittent supply of power resources that influence the selection of foods that can be prepare and store locally. As a result there is less probability that the meals will be as personal as one would like.

When faced with the possibility of an emergency situation, as always it is best to be personally prepared for you individual taste and needs as much as possible – this includes comfort foods. I suggest you select some enjoyable foods you can take with you in your disaster kit for your personal enjoyment to an emergency shelter. This can help make your stay a bit more comfortable for you. Having a disaster preparedness plan that includes special treats can help a great deal when faced with a challenging situation of an emergency evacuation.

Should you have medical / dietary needs, you may want to contact the health department for information as how to address your physical nutrition needs in an emergency. If you have special medical needs it is vital that you make disaster plans and have your health care provider look them over to ensure you have addressed all your health concerns. Get your doctor or health care provider to write a note explaining exactly WHAT YOU NEED not what you want in the way of nutrition that will directly address your medical condition. Collaborating with the local health department and emergency management center is also important in such a situation.

As for a list of emergency shelters, check with your library and they most likely will have an emergency preparedness checklist that will include this information. Also check the local newspapers, fire department / rescue squads, community recreation and senior centers information boards for current emergency shelter information for emergency preparedness tips.

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 – Be Prepared – Help Others!

Terrie

www.trainforahurricane.com

Please check out my newest blog Disaster Grief and Recovery Bog thank you! http://disastergrief.blogspot.com/

Staying close to home and emergency evacuation centers

Consider local when thinking emergency disaster shelters

I agree with many who say there is no place like home -- except in a hurricane emergency and you live in a low-lying area in the cone of uncertainty with a hurricane knocking at your door. If you are in possible danger then do all you can to get out of the dangerous area or circumstance as fast as you can! This is why a disaster plan and well thought-out evacuation plan is so important for every person.

When thinking of emergency evacuations often one of the first images that comes mind is the l-o-n-g congested interstates filled with over-heating cars and hot tempered people desperate to get out of harms way.

When a disaster event occurs, requiring an emergency evacuation, take the danger seriously and get out. Your life and that of loved ones is more important than any property etc. Many people try to outrun the disaster such as a hurricane and think that 300 miles away is better than something closer to home in a safe and secured area. If you have loved ones to stay with or desire need for privacy etc, then staying with loved ones or a motel/hotel provided you can get reservations is a good choice. This can be a very good choice PROVIDED that you leave early and stay late to avoid the crush of congested travel. If you need or want to get to use a community disaster evacuation shelter than if possible first think local. Here are some good reasons to think locally if there is space and services available that meet your needs. To get registered in a closer to home emergency evacuation shelter, you will need to act early to get in and get comfortable. Emergency shelters can fill up fast. Know of several emergency evacuation shelters n your area so if one or more are already filled then you have a better chance of getting into one still close by.I hope you will consider these suggestions when developing your disaster plan and planning your emergency shelter choices. Which ever type of emergency evacuation you choose - PREPARE AHEAD and make sure you have a well stocked disaster kit for each member of your householdThe following list suggests a few reasons to consider a local emergency evacuation shelter.

1. The faster you can get to an emergency shelter, register and get settled, most often the better you are in comfort and conveniences. So the closer the emergency shelter the quicker you can get there.
2. It will cost much less to travel to a local emergency evacuation shelter than to drive across state or hundreds of miles somewhere else.
3. You don’t need to pack as much to take with you to an emergency shelter closer to home. The more miles you drive to evacuate the more supplies and resources you will need to sustain yourself in the emergency evacuation process. Many stores and restaurants will be closing early or will run out of supplies quickly with the crush of people traveling the roads. This will mean there will be less food and beverages available and yes less restrooms and even less toilet paper and possible water supplies since many facilities will shut down their utilities long before a disaster hits! So if you’re preparing to travel a long distance to get out of harms way make sure you include additional supplies of water, food, hand cleaners and toilet paper. Many vehicles run out of fuel while attempting to evacuate. Make sure you bring extra fuel as well.
4. You are more likely to learn sooner and more accurately the emergency situation and disaster recovery status of your local area and neighborhood than if you are sheltered farther away. The farther away from your home, the more likely you will receive less specific the information and disaster status of your particular area.
5. Staying at a local, nearby emergency shelter you will have more probability of knowing some of the people there at the shelter either as quests or as volunteers since many may be your neighbors and family. This can help provide more reassurance and comfort. It can also be a great way to work on developing personal and community disaster recovery plans.
6. You will most likely be allowed back into your home faster the closer your emergency evacuation housing is to your residence due to less travel time congestion, etc.
7. It may be possible to have disaster response staff that will know your area and help you with disaster recovery resources than those who seek assistance in other jurisdictions and states.
8. Natural disasters like a hurricane can result in a great deal of disorientation when returning home with road signs down and familiar locations severely damaged. The more familiar you are with the area the easier it will be to reorient yourself and begin the disaster recovery process.

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 – Be Prepared – Help Others!

Terrie

ww.trainforahurricane.com

No fun and games when facing Hurricane Ike emergency preparedness

Hurricane Ike no cartoon Hurricane Preparedness a MUST gets disaster supplies & emergency preparedness kits ready

OK when I was growing up I loved the cartoon Popeye so on a whim I figure I’d offer the Top 4 Ways Hurricane Ike and Popeye are similar.

Both appear weaker than their potential

1. Both know where to go for energy ( Popeye + spinach -- Hurricane Ike + warm waters)
2. Both tear thing up ( Popeye and Brutus destroy things while fighting Hurricane Ike destroys community in Cuba, Turk and Caicos Islands
3. Both have people crying for help ( Popeye its Olive Oil that is yelling for help Hurricane Ike it is the people devastated by severity of storm

Ok the fun stuff is over. Yes not only for this blog entry but also in getting hurricane survival ready. We have seen what can happen as a result of HurricaneIke. It looks currently like Texas might be the principal area of Hurricane Ike to strike later this week. Hurricane Ike projected landfall is still up in the air. No matter it is important for everyone to have their hurricane supplies at the ready. Have your gone over your emergency preparedness checklist recently? Do you have all your disaster preparedness necessities at hand? Where are you going if you are told to emergency evacuate? Where is the local emergency shelter? What are you doing to safeguard your pets? Do you have a good disaster guide?

Theses are just a few of the questions you need to be asking your self to prepare for a killer hurricane.

Cartoons are just that cartoons someone draws up on paper a hurricane is not fictional -- it is real and kills hundreds and disrupts the lives of thousands so please get hurricane prepared NOW.

So please get your hurricane preparedness done now.

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 – Be Prepared – Help Others!

Terrie

www.trainforahurricane.com

Hurricane warning– be hurricane prepared --Don’t play with Hurricane Ike!

When facing down Hurricane Ike - Hurricane safety a MUST

As Hurricane Ike makes its forceful march towards the Gulf Coast I hope all residents of the Southern Texas area have taken heed and prepared for their own hurricane survival. From what I have seen on TV that does not look like that is the situation.

There are youth and young people playing in 3 feet of storm surge waves and thinking it’s a joke. It’s no joke! It takes a lot less than what they are playing in to get caught in a thunderous storm wave and be swept you to sea in a rip-tide.

Don’t Play with Ike!

Many can not comprehend what a catastrophic storm Hurricane Ike is. Many of us have sheltered-in-place through category 2 hurricanes in the past which result in broken windows, a couple days of power outages and typical hurricane damage to roods etc.. This is not your garden variety category 2 hurricane.

The size of this hurricane storm is what makes it so treacherous. The window of opportunity is quickly shutting and within the next few hours at the very most the option to emergency evacuate will not be viable for most people who have not left already.

Authorities estimate that 37,000 people will need to be evacuated from flooded and wind damage homes – that is if they are lucky to be alive. Emergency response teams are going to risk their lives to try to save the lives of those that could have safety evacuated before the Hurricane Ike hits.

Please don’t risk the lives of brave emergency response teams because you think this is a joke or you want to the thrill of being a John Wayne sort of tough guy or gal. No one laughing ad you’re not tough. Get out while you can!

By having a hurricane preparedness plan that includes disaster supplies for at least 7 days of emergency food, water and medications for all members of the household including pets, the chances of hurricane survival increases significantly. The national and regional emergency management disaster authorities are saying that 5.2 MILLION people will be without electric. Many water supply plants and sanitation operations will not be online for days, even weeks. Hospitals, fire stations and police barracks will be severely damaged or completely destroyed. The infrastructure of the community is going to be under siege from the furry of Hurricane Ike for some time to come.

My grave concern as hurricane Ike marches quickly towards the Gulf coast, even with all that we have seen in the way of the damage from Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Gustav as examples, there is still approximately 10% of the population that elects to endanger themselves and their families by not heeding the call for emergency evacuation.

Hurricane force winds and storm surge is a deadly combination. Human life is much more important than even the most valuable of property items. I sincerely hope that those within the potential path of Hurricane Ike listen to hurricane warnings and take responsible actions to get out of harms way.

As Hurricane Ike makes its forceful march towards the Gulf Coast I hope residents of the Southern Texas area will take heed and prepare for their own hurricane survival. This hurricane preparation is not only for the physical issues but also for the emotional issues as well.

In the days, weeks and months perhaps for years, people will grief the affects of this storm. Life as they knew it for much of the Galveston region will not be the same as it was even a couple of weeks ago. The magnitude of destruction this hurricane storm will have on individuals, families and communities will be for many beyond their wildest nightmares. In the days head I’ll be discussion the issues that face individuals who live through Hurricane Ike.

COMMENTS WELCOMED!

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

Al 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 – Be Prepared – Help Others!

Terrie

www.trainforahurricane.com

37,000 may need to be rescued after Hurricane Ike

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/weather/09/12/ike.rescues/index.html

HOUSTON, Texas (CNN) -- Coast Guard and Air Force aircraft were sent Friday afternoon to try to rescue 22 people on board a massive freighter adrift in the Gulf of Mexico, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Coast Guard said.

The Coast Guard has active-duty military on standby if people need to be rescued because of Ike.

Petty Officer Jaclyn Young said the five aircraft, including two Air Force Ospreys, were sent to the ship around noon. She said their arrival time would depend on wind and rain.

The decision to rescue the freighter comes after a U.S. military official told CNN that 37,000 people may need to be rescued after Hurricane Ike strikes.

Texas has asked for help, and the active-duty military has 42 search-and-rescue helicopters on standby, the official said.

Coast Guard officials had said earlier they thought the best way to help the 584-foot freighter might be to let the storm push it to shallow water where it can drop anchor.

The freighter had been headed south from Port Arthur, Texas, and is loaded with petroleum coke -- a petroleum byproduct.

The Coast Guard said in a news release it received a distress call around 4 a.m. from the Antalina, a Cypriot-flagged freighter. It said the vessel had "lost main propulsion 90 miles southeast of Galveston" and was unable to steer.

Coast Guard Capt. Bill Diehl said the freighter had been "in the direct line of the path of the storm and lost its engines."

He said the Coast Guard is keeping radio communications with the freighter, and its news release said the Coast Guard is in hourly contact with the crew.

The Coast Guard also worked to airlift people and their pets from their cars and homes on the Bolivar Peninsula, a narrow stretch of land that separates the Gulf of Mexico from Galveston Bay, as the wind and rain from Hurricane Ike slapped the Texas coast.

The guard issued a statement saying "Coast Guard Air Station Houston launched a HH-65C rescue helicopter and crew to airlift and transport approximately 22 to 50 people" who had called authorities for help.

There had been warnings for residents to evacuate beforehand, and Chief Petty Officer Michael O'Berry, interviewed by CNN, was asked why they didn't get out in time.

He said he thinks the residents "didn't understand, I guess, the strength of the storm. As it came about, they realized it's a lot stronger than they may have anticipated."

Disaster preparedness and evaluating emergency evacuation shelters

Hurricane Preparedness and the peppered potato salad guy

My peppered Potato salad guy wrote again on another forum saying that we need to see the evacuation shelters and head of time so as to be able to make a wise selection based on the amenities offered. While waiting for my initial comments to download onto the forum that I just sent, a ‘V-8 light bulb’ moment of inspiration went off in my head. I think. His principal position is correct! The peppered potato salad and perked coffee with fresh donuts well seem a bit far from the basic truth but he basic truth is still there concerning hurricane preparedness.

We really DO need opportunities to become more acquainted with the REAL situation and NEEDS at disaster centers and emergency evacuation shelters. For some people the only way to get them to come to check out an evacuation center ahead of time and get some solid hurricane preparedness information and disaster planning advice is to have a ‘show and tell’ hurricane evacuation situation fully displayed in 3-D and hands on.

I am not suggesting that it be done to discern what is the most entertaining of disaster response and hurricane evacuation shelters --for that is not what is important in such disaster situations. Life is more important than entertainment, food or creature comforts.

What I am saying is that many individuals in our communities don’t have a clue as to what to expect at an emergency evacuation center. This is obvious every year by what people bring to emergency evacuation shelters. Sometimes what people bring into an emergency shelter can make one stop and scratch their heads wondering "what were these people thinking?". Few know what REALLY is important to bring especially if it is their first time at an emergency evacuation shelter. Different populations have different needs. So yes my potato salad guy is onto something. Perhaps there should be a rotating hands on exhibit during non - hurricane season to inform the community with an entire set up disaster shelter looks like in a full mock-up setting. Perhaps the day’s schedule to educate the community could look something like this

7am-9am Senior Citizens -- Yes with coffee and donuts – hopefully fresh to my potato salad guy's likening!:)

10am-12noon Day Care Centers and Pre-School offer cookies and punch

1pm-3pm Middle and High School grade students some sort of snacks teen acceptable

4pm-6pm Special Needs Populations cookies and punch

7pm-9pm General Public cookies and punch

When I was in congregational pastoral ministry, a very wise, successful and very retired senior pastor told me on more than one occasions ‘if you want people to come to a meeting feed them. If they’re in distress or upset at something – food not necessary”. I had forgotten that wise counsel until Mr. Potato Salad guy brought it back to mind.

Testimonials and peer ranking is very interesting and insightful to most people in the pubic. By teaming up with day care providers, youth and even some children to get their opinions as well for the other sections of the guide this information might be more quickly received than from officials on high. When going in together with these other groups and writing disaster information guide on evacuation shelters, it would be helpful to the community for next year’s hurricane season. It could offer some important insights that have not been looked at before.

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 – Be Prepared – Help Others!

Terrie

www.trainforahurricane.com