Blackout/Power Outage
Earthquake
Extreme Heat
Flood
Hazardous Materials Incident
Home Fire
Household Chemicals
Hurricane
Landslide
Terrorism
Thunderstorm
Tornado
Tsunami
Volcano
Wildfire
Winter Storm

Blackout/Power Outage
            We all have experienced the power going out, whether it was out for just a few seconds, hours, or days. This disruption of electricity can cause many inconveniences or may even cause harm to equipment or to us. Depending on the time of day or time of year these power outages can cause harm. We never know how long the power might be out. We need to have a plan of what to do in the event the power goes out for an extended amount of time. 

Blackout Terms

• Rolling blackout – When the power company turns off the electricity to a given area in order to conserve electricity.
• Power outage – When power goes out unexpectedly for any number of reasons for an unknown amount of time.

Earthquake
            Earthquakes strike without warning and very suddenly. Every region of the United States is at risk of an earthquake. 41 states are at moderate to high risk of earthquakes. Earthquakes can cause major damage to homes, buildings, and roads. Power, gas, water, and phone lines will suffer damage, and numerous other conveniences will be disrupted.  Most crucial is that earthquakes will cause many lives to be lost and many people to be injured. However, there are many things that you can do to prepare your family and home for an earthquake.

Extreme Heat
            One of the dangerous weather conditions we face is extreme heat. Anyone can be affected by extreme heat. However, elderly people, young children, people with health problems, and people who are overweight are more likely to be adversely affected by extreme heat. There are many things that you can do to prepare yourself and your family in the event of extreme heat.

Heat Terms

• Heat Wave – A prolonged period of excessive heat.
• Heat Index – An index that combines air temperature and relative humidity to determine an apparent temperature.
• Heat Cramps – Muscle pains or spasms caused by heavy exertion. Usually the first signal that the body is having trouble with heat.
• Heat Exhaustion – Usually occurs when people exercise or work for long periods of time in a hot, humid environment where bodily fluids are lost    through heavy perspiration. Blood flow is then increased to the skin away from vital organs. This causes a mild form of shock. If the victim is not treated the victim’s body temperature will continue to rise and may suffer heat stroke.
• Heat Stroke – Is life-threatening. This occurs when the body’s temperature     control system stops working, the body stops sweating. The body temperature will rise so high that it will cause brain damage or even death.
• Sunstroke – This is another term for heat stroke.

Flood
            Floods are one of the most frequent and costly natural disasters. Flooding can happen anywhere in many different forms. Floods can happen even in areas of low annual precipitation. Flooding can be caused by rainfall for several days, sudden downpours, dam failures, and runoff from snow pack melt. Flash floods can cause fast moving water that may carry large debris and rocks. Flooding can cause landslides, debris flows, and rock falls. Depending on where you live there are many different hazards associated with flooding. There are many things that you can do to be prepared in case of a flood.

Flood Terms

• Flood Watch – Flooding is possible.
• Flash Flood Watch – Flash flooding is possible.
• Flood Warning – Flooding is occurring or will soon occur.
• Flash Flood Warning – A flash flood is occurring or will soon occur.

Hazardous Materials Incident
            We use chemicals everyday. Many different chemicals are used for many different purposes; some are used to purify our water, some are used for cleaning. Although these chemicals can be very helpful, they may also be very hazardous. Some chemicals are highly flammable, others are even radioactive. Because hazardous materials come in many forms, they can be dispersed in various ways; they can become airborne or contaminate water. Hazardous materials can cause illness, permanent injury, and even death. They can also cause damage to roads, buildings, and property. Many of these hazardous materials are transported daily across our highway systems, railroads, pipelines, and waterways. Most hazardous materials releases occur during transportation or on site, at a chemical facility. Most of us live in close proximity to major transportation routes. There are many things you can do to be prepared should a hazardous materials release occur.

Home Fire
            Fire in the home is the most common disaster in the country. According the American Red Cross, a home fire is reported every 79 seconds, and someone dies from a home fire every 135 minutes. Fire can spread very quickly leaving you only time to escape. In just a couple of minutes a fire can become life-threatening. In just under five minutes a home can be fully engulfed in flames. Every year more that 4,000 Americans die from fire and more than 20,000 are injured. Many of these deaths and injuries could have been prevented if these families would have been prepared for such an event.

Household Chemicals
            We all use chemicals of many varieties each day. Whether we use them for cleaning, auto use, or medical use, each can be deadly or cause irreversible damages. Each of these needs to be stored in safe and secure locations to prevent injury, damages, or even death.

Hurricane
            Hurricanes are a type of tropical cyclone. Hurricanes are very large and destructive storms. There are no other storms on Earth like hurricanes. Hurricanes can be as large as 400 miles across and wind speeds start at 74 mph and can exceed 155 mph. Hurricanes can also spawn tornados and microbursts. The most dangerous effects from a hurricane is the storm surge. Storm surges can devastate communities. Most deaths from hurricanes are flood related.
            Many people do not realize the threat of hurricanes. Each hurricane can have different threats related to the size of each. Evacuation from costal areas can be a major problem. These costal areas are growing rapidly and this makes it more difficult to evacuate when needed. The roads in these areas are not growing and keeping up with this expansion. The greatest problem is that around 90% of the populations in these costal areas have never experienced a direct hit from a major hurricane. Many of these people have survived through weaker storms giving these a false impression of a hurricane’s damage potential. This can lead to people to become very complacent and this can result in injuries and loss of life. There are many things you can do to prepare for such a devastating storm.

Hurricane terms

• Tropical Depression – A system of clouds and thunderstorms with a defined surface circulation and maximum wind speeds of 38 mph.
• Tropical Storm – A system of strong thunderstorms with a defined surface circulation and maximum sustained winds of 39-73 mph.
• Hurricane – An intense tropical weather system of strong thunderstorms with a well-defined surface circulation and maximum sustained winds of 74 mph or higher.
• Storm Surge – A dome of water pushed onshore by hurricane and tropical storm winds. Storm surges can reach 25 feet high and be 50-1000 miles wide.
• Storm Tide – A combination of storm surge and the normal tide (i.e., a 15-foot storm surge combined with a 2-foot normal high tide over the mean sea level creates a 17-foot storm tide).
• Hurricane/Tropical Storm Watch - Hurricane/tropical storm conditions are possible in the specified area, usually within 36 hours. Tune in to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, or television for information.
• Hurricane/Tropical Storm Warning - Hurricane/tropical storm conditions are expected in the specified area, usually within 24 hours.
• Short Term Watches and Warnings - These warnings provide detailed information about specific hurricane threats, such as flash floods and tornadoes.

Landslide
            Landslides are usually associated with heavy rainfall or rapid snow melt. Landslides can also be caused by earthquakes, and landslides can occur in sloped areas after recent fires due to loss of vegetation. Most landslides strike without any warning and can be very destructive. There are things to look for and do to prepare for a possible landslide.

Three CommonTypes of Landslides

• Debris Flow – are made up of sediment-water mixtures (dirt-water) that flow down a streambed or hillslope. They often deposit these sediments at the mouth of a canyon.
• Slide – these are downslope movements of rock or soil on a slope.
• Rock Fall – consist of rock(s) falling from a cliff or cut slope (broken rock face).

Terrorism
            A terrorist attack can happen anytime and anywhere. These attacks can be carried out in many forms. Theses attacks could be explosions, biological attacks, chemical threats, nuclear blasts, radiological dispersion devices, or a number of other threats. There has been a heightened concern about terrorism since the September 11th attack on our country. Whatever the method of attack may be, through planning and preparation we can reassure our families that we will be prepared if such horrible attacks happen again. 
            Terrorism - The use of force or violence against persons or property in violation of the criminal laws of the United States for purposes of intimidation, coercion, or ransom.

Thunderstorm
            Every thunderstorm can be very dangerous. Thunderstorms bring deadly lightning, strong winds, hail, flash flooding, and possible tornados. On average, lightning from these thunderstorms injures 300 people and kills 80 people each year in the United States. Many victims of lightning strikes live, but are left with debilitating symptoms for the rest of their lives. Although lightning kills and injures many people each year, flash floods are the most deadly consequence from a thunderstorm. Flash floods take the lives of more than 140 people annually. No matter how harmless a thunderstorm may look, preparations need to be made to respond in the event of a destructive thunderstorm.

Thunderstorm Terms

• Severe Thunderstorm Watch – Thunderstorms are likely to occur in a given area.
• Severe Thunderstorm Warning – When severe weather has been reported or spotters or indicated by radar. Warnings indicate imminent danger to life and property to those in the path of the storm.

Tornado
             Tornadoes are one of natures most violent and destructive forces. Tornados can create winds of 300 mph and paths of destruction up to 50 miles long. Since tornados are common in some areas, but not in others many people do not know what to look for or what to do in such an event.  We need to plan and prepare so we can act in the event such a destructive force strikes.

Tornado Terms

• Tornado Watch – Tornadoes are possible. Remain alert for changing conditions.
• Tornado Warning – A tornado has been spotted or indicated on weather radar. Take shelter immediately.

Tsunami
            Tsunamis are a series of waves produced by disturbances underwater. These disturbances can be from earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, and even meteorites. Tsunamis are a series of waves that can travel up to 600 mph in the open ocean. These waves can reach land with a height of 100 feet or more. In the open ocean these waves go unnoticed, but as the series of waves moves toward land the waves become compressed against the sea floor and slow down, but increase in height. All tsunamis are potentially dangerous and can happen anywhere along the coast. In the U.S. the most destructive tsunamis have occurred along the coasts of California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii. Most damages from tsunamis occur in areas less than 25 feet above sea level and within one mile of the shoreline. The most common cause of death associated with tsunamis is drowning.  Tsunamis can cause damage to structures, cause flooding, contaminate drinking water supplies, rupture gas lines, and cause fires. It is important to be familiar with tsunamis and know what you can do to be prepared for such an event.

Tsunami Terms

• Advisory – An earthquake has occurred in the Pacific basin, which might generate a tsunami.
• Watch – A tsunami was or may have been generated, but is at least two hour travel time to the watch area in Watch status.
• Warning – A tsunami was, or may have been generated, which could cause damage; therefore, people in the warned area are strongly advised to evacuate.

Volcano
            Volcanoes are mountains that are built up by accumulation of their own eruptive products. When pressures become too great from beneath, from gasses or molten rock, eruption can occur. Eruptions can be quiet and non destructive or very explosive and very dangerous. Volcanoes can cause lava flows, release poisonous gasses, flatten landscapes, release dangerous ash clouds, and cause flying rock debris. Volcanic eruptions can also be accompanied by other natural disasters. These can be earthquakes, mud flows, landslides, rock falls, acid rain, fire, flash floods, and tsunamis.
            Most active volcanoes in the U.S. are found in Hawaii, the Pacific Northwest, and Alaska. The most dangerous area around a volcano is within a 20-mile radius, but can reach as far as 100 miles or more. If you live in a volcanic area there are many things to be aware of and to prepare for in the event of a volcanic eruption.

Wildfire
            The United States has experienced many large and destructive wildfires. No matter the size of these fires, they can be very damaging to homes and communities. Many people live in a woodland setting or are building near or in forested areas know as the wildland urban interface or intermix (WUI). Living in these areas brings the beauty of nature close to us, but also brings the risk of damage from a wildfire. Many wildfires go unnoticed until they are fairly large and destructive. Wildfire behavior is very complicated and these fires can change in size and direction very quickly. Evacuations are very common in wildfires. There are many preparations that you can do for your home and family to be ready in the event a wildfire erupts near your home or community.

Winter Storm
            Many places throughout the United States experience winter storms. These storms often move in very fast, trapping motorists on roads or leaving us trapped in our homes, offices, and various other places. Many of these winter storms can last for days leaving roads impassible or leaving us without electricity. Depending on where we may be, we may or may not be safe from the extreme elements these storms bring. Preparations are needed for your vehicle, homes, place of employment, or wherever we may be to remain safe and warm.

Winter Storm Terms

• Winter Storm Watch – Winter storm is possible in the area.
• Winter Storm Warning – Winter storm is occurring or will soon occur.
• Blizzard Warning – Considerable amount of blowing snow, sustained winds of 35 miles per hour or greater, expected to remain for a period of time, often reducing visibility to less than a quarter mile.
• Sleet – Rain that turns into ice before hitting the ground.
• Freezing Rain – Rain that freezes upon reaching the ground, forming ice on   roads, trees, walkways, power lines, etc.
• Frost/Freeze Warning – Below freezing temperatures are likely to occur.