GAME DAY 2 SCENARIO: Last night, a significant windstorm hit your local community. For 3 hours, wind gusts of 80-100 miles per hour were recorded by nearby weather stations. Many large trees have blown into houses, power is out to hundreds of thousands of customers, school are closed and local government agencies are only beginning to assess the damage. Many roads are blocked and traffic throughout the area is heavily congested. You wake up to find you are without your primary power source and see there is a lot of debris in your neighborhood and various levels of damage scattered around.
Two simple questions:
- What are the initial actions you would take upon waking up to evidence of this event?
- How do you think the community should prepare for this possibility?
- Leaving your comment here on the blog
- Commenting on the Facebook Fan Page at www.facebook.com/cresa.911
- Commenting on Twitter using the #12DaysPrepared hashtag or @CRESA in your reply
- Email your answers to cheryl.bledsoe@clark.wa.gov
Original Game Rules for #12DaysPrepared can be read here: http://cresa911.blogspot.com/2010/11/12-days-prepared-challenge-starts.html
6 comments:
Upon waking up? If the wind had been blowing all night like that I would probably be up already. First thing to check is the home's interior and exterior for damage, also to see if there are any downed power lines nearby. I keep a 72-hour emergency prepardness kit with a portable camping stove and fuel, so access to food/water won't be a problem unless the after effects of the windstorm last longer than that. After making contact with out-of-state relatives about my status; I'd go out to see if any of my elderly neighbors need assistance.
There are 200+ homes in my neighborhood, and I doubt that even 30% of them have an emergency plan or central contact point to coordinate family statuses after a disaster. My neighborhood is ill-prepared for such an event. I think the community could participate in family-oriented disaster prepardness training, that at least covers the basics of first aid and CPR. To have a well-coordinated neighborhood, every street or block would be divided into groups, each with a captain of sorts to coordinate information and feedback, as well as assess community resources if the major roadways cannot be cleared to allow emergency transport access to the neighborhood. Emergency family plans are discussed by some K-12 schools, but I don't think it's mandatory learning.. maybe that could change?
1. A quick assessment/inspection around my house to see if electrical power loss was the only problem. I'd start the electric generator outside (no carbon monoxide inside)and power the essentials. Phone or text my care providers to confirm that they can make it over to the house that day. Report power outage to Clark PUD at 992-8000 (automated reporting). Phone or text my work of my status and get in as soon as able.
2. The community should restore the power and unblock roads based on predetermined priorities. Critical resources and roads first. Personal preparedness should be encouraged and taught. Schools could teach preparedness principles and bring those useful ideas home.
1. Place flashlights from emergency kit around house. Turn porch light on for utilities company when power is restored. Report power outage to utility co. Turn off other non-essential items plugged in. Check outside property for damages and trees that have been damaged and may come down later. Check on neighbors.
2. Emergency kits with food, water, blankets, flashlights. Map Your Neighborhood plan knowing who has what tools, supplies, skills and understanding where vulnerable neighbors are.
SELF:
Turn on emergency radio (cranking-type) listen to updates on situation including weather-forecast. Inspect residence for damage and secure any items or damage. Go through family preparedness checklist with storm/power-outage annex and insure all preparedness items are up to snuff. Tune portable CAP-radio to WX-Channel Four with continuous weather reporting and turn on 2m HAM radio to scan all local amateur freqs. If phone works, check with PUD. Call D/O and other colleagues about EOC activation. Before leaving home turn off all lights and unnecessary appliances to lessen the load If/when the electricity comes back. Check in on neighbors to see if they need help (that’s the CERT guy in me). Clean up sidewalk in and roadway in front of house as much as I can – same with back alley. If roads from home to CRESA are passable, drive, if not hoof to the EOC. If it is weekend, crank up generator and insure spouse knows how/when to refuel and where the fuel is.
COMMUNITY:
Needs a preparedness kit and emergency plan(s). Best are to develop checklists before disaster hits. The checklist items then can be checked off when an incident occurred or is imminent, and even if very nervous, this running down a well-developed checklist will insure one has all items covered and thus lessen the possibility of a panic.
1.) I would activate my NET team upon securing my home and check the neighborhood using our plan.
2.) I would check with our neighborhood fire station on emergency communications and actions on their part.
I would look out my window to report situational awareness to my office since I live in a tall building and have a large view. I would not have to worry about trees unless it was a hurricane. 2. The community can make sure they are prepared to withstand the loss of power, transportation and possible housing damage. Learn of the hazards of there community.
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