Hurricanes

INTRODUCTION

A hurricane is defined as a tropical storm that has sustained winds of 74 miles per hour or greater.  Hurricane winds blow in a large spiral around a calm center known as the "eye". In the northern hemisphere the winds circulate in a counterclockwise motion around the eye; in the southern hemisphere the motion is clockwise.  Besides high winds, hurricanes can bring torrential rain, coastal surges, inland flooding and tornadoes.  During the 1970's, 80's & 90's more than half of the deaths associated with hurricanes were due to inland flooding which is something that people in upstate New York should be aware of.  There is a designated Atlantic Coastal Storm and Hurricane "season" which extends from June 1 through November 30th each year.

Two very important hurricane-related definitions that everyone needs to understand:

Hurricane Watch - threat of hurricane conditions exists within 24-36 hours

Hurricane Warning - hurricane conditions (winds 74mph or greater) are expected in 24 hours or less.


RESOURCES:

May 25-31, 2008 has been designated as Hurricane Preparedness Week and important information can be found on the National Hurricane Center's website which is a government sponsored site.  In being prepared for a hurricane, residents need to heed the evacuation orders of local officials, especially if living in coastal areas or unsecured buildings such as mobile homes.  High winds can destroy mobile homes easily and storm surges present the greatest potential threat for loss of life during a hurricane.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has an extensive website on hurricanes including information on being prepared, mitigating damages, storm watches, and general facts such as how hurricanes are named.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is an all-inclusive information site about hurricanes.  This site also provides information on battery-operated weather radios which should be part of every business' and family's disaster preparedness kit.

The National Weather Service (NWS) established the StormReady Project in 1999 to help communities improve communication and safety skills with the goal of saving lives during weather-related emergencies. In NYS, there are 12 counties, 4 cities and one university that are designated as StormReady communities. To learn more about the project and how to get your community involved, visit StormReady.

The New York State Emergency Management Office (SEMO) provides safety information on hurricanes for residents of the state.

The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) provides a series of safety and health information bulletings that address "Keeping Workers Safe During Clean-Up and Recovery Operations Following Hurricanes". The following are examples of topics covered: asbestos, spiders, snakes, confined spaces, heat stress, molds, electricity, general decontamination, tree trimming, chain saws, etc.

ARTICLES:

The Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina: Lessons Learned 
     http://www.whitehouse.gov/reports/katrina-lessons-learned/