I hate the New Normal, redux:
Dear south coast: If you’re under mandatory evacuation orders, pack up and LEAVE.
Listen to your local officials. Please?
Info for SC in advance of Hurricane Florence:
Listen to your local officials. Please?
Info for SC in advance of Hurricane Florence:
Even if you think it’s excessive, or over-cautious, or you’ve survived worse. I promise emergency managers don’t issue orders for their own entertainment.
Evac orders are a damn hard call between logistics, vulnerability of destabilization, & loss of trust if it’s conservative.
Evac orders are a damn hard call between logistics, vulnerability of destabilization, & loss of trust if it’s conservative.
An evac order isn’t just about the storm intensity (bad) or expected tide + surge (bad).
It’s also about infrastructure capacity, response resources, ability to serve basic needs in aftermath. It’s about temporary islands with no sewage. It’s about putting responders in danger.
It’s also about infrastructure capacity, response resources, ability to serve basic needs in aftermath. It’s about temporary islands with no sewage. It’s about putting responders in danger.
Like everything, disaster resilience is easy with money.
Big evac zones may strike you as foolish, but it means no one will get fired for not showing up for shift when their home is flooded. (Still doesn’t help if they’re living paycheque-to-paycheque.)
Big evac zones may strike you as foolish, but it means no one will get fired for not showing up for shift when their home is flooded. (Still doesn’t help if they’re living paycheque-to-paycheque.)
PSA to everyone NOT under threat of catastrophe: STAY OFF THE HURRICANE HASHTAGS!
When things get bad, all you’re doing is cluttering noise when impacted people are searching for life-safety info or emergency crews are trying to get situational data.
Use Florence without the #.
When things get bad, all you’re doing is cluttering noise when impacted people are searching for life-safety info or emergency crews are trying to get situational data.
Use Florence without the #.
Hidden hazard:
South coast already had a LOT of rain this year, which means soils are relatively saturated & water table is high.
That means flooding is going to happen faster than you’d expect — it’s like pouring into a glass that’s already half-full
South coast already had a LOT of rain this year, which means soils are relatively saturated & water table is high.
That means flooding is going to happen faster than you’d expect — it’s like pouring into a glass that’s already half-full
Hazards are the storm (wind, rain, blown crap), but also flood, storm surge, & landslides:
Storm surge is a bulge of water driven by high wind, low pressure, high waves. It’s a major source of damage. It’s even worse when it coincides with high tide.
Read more (& good animations): nhc.noaa.gov/surge/
Read more (& good animations): nhc.noaa.gov/surge/
Q: How come ocean floor is sometimes exposed before a storm surge
A: Wind pushes water away (drawback); it'll rise rapidly with storm surge. More:
General PSA: Never explore exposed sea floor. It’s a lull before either tsunami or surge rises deadly-fast
A: Wind pushes water away (drawback); it'll rise rapidly with storm surge. More:
General PSA: Never explore exposed sea floor. It’s a lull before either tsunami or surge rises deadly-fast
Q: I have no idea how to prep!!
A: Hit up @Readygov. The FEMA App is also good: fema.gov/mobile-app
Key points:
1. Prep NOW, the clock is running out
2. Take care of those who can’t take care of themselves (kids, elderly, pets, some people with disabilities)
A: Hit up @Readygov. The FEMA App is also good: fema.gov/mobile-app
Key points:
1. Prep NOW, the clock is running out
2. Take care of those who can’t take care of themselves (kids, elderly, pets, some people with disabilities)
For the rest of us:
Please be gentle on people for the choices they're making.
Everyone is doing the best they can based on their personal context. It’s been a year since I wrote this thread, but it’s evergreen for every disaster:
Please be gentle on people for the choices they're making.
Everyone is doing the best they can based on their personal context. It’s been a year since I wrote this thread, but it’s evergreen for every disaster:
Easy disaster prep you can do RIGHT NOW: Track down your disaster agencies on Twitter.
Look for city/county/regional/national:
- emergency management
- emergency response, police, fire
- weather (US: NWS)
- science (US: USGS & NOAA)
- politicians (mayor, governor)
Look for city/county/regional/national:
- emergency management
- emergency response, police, fire
- weather (US: NWS)
- science (US: USGS & NOAA)
- politicians (mayor, governor)
Nearby but not under threat? Check around to see if you can volunteer pet fostering, evacuee billeting, reception center support, or comms support.
(If you’ve got advanced skillz, I’m hoping you already hooked up with local SAR & are gearing up in anticipation of activation.)
(If you’ve got advanced skillz, I’m hoping you already hooked up with local SAR & are gearing up in anticipation of activation.)
Q: I want to donate!
A: Money is so much easier to deal with than things (which rapidly turn into heaps of Stuff needing sorting & distribution).
Best bet is to donate to preexisting nonprofs with a history of working in the impacted communities, or employer matching funds.
A: Money is so much easier to deal with than things (which rapidly turn into heaps of Stuff needing sorting & distribution).
Best bet is to donate to preexisting nonprofs with a history of working in the impacted communities, or employer matching funds.
Nope, still not loving the New Normal of frequent intense hurricanes, thnx
Note: Flowing water even a few inches deep can be enough to knock an adult down.
Tick, tock, tick, tock...
If you’re under mandatory evac, leave as soon as you can. Traffic makes travel time nasty.
If you’re under mandatory evac, leave as soon as you can. Traffic makes travel time nasty.
Disaster best practices are super-tricky for elderly!
Always mandatory evac.
For voluntary evac, think carefully. Relocating increases vulnerability, especially if displacing from support networks & routines.
Always a good idea:
Always mandatory evac.
For voluntary evac, think carefully. Relocating increases vulnerability, especially if displacing from support networks & routines.
Always a good idea:
