How To Prepare for Hurricane Irene And Earthquakes

Tuesday afternoon’s 5.8 magnitude earthquake and the looming threat of Hurricane Irene should make residents think about updating their personal disaster plans. Fairfax County also issued earthquake safety measures.

Hurricane Irene is expected to pick up speed and strength today as it turns toward the East Coast, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. The latest projections indicate Virginia could see significant rain and wind this weekend, avoiding a direct hit.

Still, the 2011 hurricane season is young and, as Tuesday’s surprise trembler reminded us, disaster can strike at any time.

Online Resources

The Fairfax County Office of Emergency Management offers many online resources, including a mobile app with emergency information, a directory of crucial phone numbers and more.

In addition, www.readynova.com has a suite of online tools to help residents and business owners prepare emergency plans and kits.  Creating a plan for your home or business should take just 15 minutes using this tool. A dozen jurisdictions in Northern Virginia, including Alexandria City and Fairfax County, launched the site with a Department of Homeland Security grant.

OEM will host a live call-in program at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 6 that will focus on what to do in inclement weather and how to put together an emergency supply kit for your car, home or office.

Supplies

The Red Cross recommends having the following items on hand:

·  Water—one gallon per person, per day (3­-day supply for evacuation, 2­-week supply for home)

·  Food—non­perishable, easy ­to ­prepare items; can opener (3-­day supply for evacuation, 2-­week supply for home)

·  Flashlight

·  Battery ­powered or hand­ crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible)

·  Extra batteries

·  First aid kit

·  Medications (7-­day supply) and medical items

·  Sanitation and personal hygiene items

·  Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies)

·  Cell phones with chargers

·  Family and emergency contact information

·  Extra cash

·  Emergency blanket

Communications and Transportation

Cellular phone access was extremely limited in the hours following Tuesday’s earthquake, but many people were still able to send email or text messages. People with land-based phones lines had more luck getting through to people.

The Public Safety Alliance told Politico events like these prove the need for a dedicated, nationwide communications system that won’t be impacted by overloaded public cellular and data networks. Fairfax County and other jurisdictions reminded people yesterday to only call 9-1-1 for immediate medical and other emergencies.

Yesterday afternoon, after people poured out of Federal buildings downtown, many decided to just head home from work. This led to very heavy traffic on the Beltway and other major roads and brought up renewed concerns about how—or whether—the D.C. area could be evacuated if necessary.

In some cases, it may be safest to just stay where you are rather than venture onto the crowded roadways and trains. Emergency and government officials frequently use the news media to let the public know the best course of action, so try to look for news reports before making a decision.

Fairfax County sent along these earthquake measures:

 Initial reports from Fairfax County emergency personnel have indicated only minor damage following yesterday's 5.8 magnitude earthquake that was felt along the East Coast.

However, Fairfax County recommends the following:  
• If you smell gas, leave the building or area and call 9-1-1 immediately. 

• Commercial structures:  If you have concerns regarding the safety of your building, contact your building’s engineer, a structural engineer or licensed contractor. 

• Residential structures:  please survey your home for new cracks in brick facades and chimneys, foundation/basement walls and interior finishes around openings for windows and doors.  If you question your home’s structural stability, contact a structural engineer or licensed contractor.