Tag Archives: floods

General Safety Issues, Weather Protection

ARE WE PREPARED?

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This year, the United States has seen more than its fair share of natural disasters: the beginning of hurricane season, floods, tornadoes, and wildfires.  Sometimes, wildfires are natural, because they begin with lightning, or others acts of nature; however, they may be intentionally set.  If you ask all those thousands of citizens who have been affected by any of the above devestation, there’s the possibility that they were not prepared. 

This information from www.ready.gov supports how we and other safety sites have advised you on how to be prepared for these disasters.  Many of the suggestions are the same for each type of occurrence: tornadoes, floods, and hurricanes.  

Tornadoes are nature’s most violent storms.  They can appear suddenly without warning and can be invisible until dust and debris are picked up or a funnel cloud appears.  You must be prepared to act quickly, by planning and practicing specifically how and where you take shelter.  Tornadoes are more common in the Midwest, Southeast and Southwest; however,  they can happen in any state and at any time of the year; therefore advance preparation is vitally important. 

Hurricanes are usually forecast ahead of time, which gives businesses and individuals time to get ready before they touch land.  Hurricanes are classified into five categories based on their wind speed, central pressure, and damage potential.  Category Three and higher hurricanes are considered major hurricanes, though Categories One and Two are still extremely dangerous and warrant your full attention.  

A hurricane or tornado watch means that this event is possible in your area.  Be prepared to evacuate, and listen to your local weather and law enforcement agencies  when they tell you to leave your home.  A hurricane or tornado warning is when this natural disaster is expected in your area.  Listen to NOAA Weather Radio for the most current weather developments. 

Flooding is the nation’s most common natural disaster.  This can happen in every U.S. state and territory.  Some may develop slowly during rain, or others, such as flash floods can occur quickly.  If you live in a low-lying area, near a lake, or downstream from a dam, it is always important to be prepared for flooding situations.  Never try to drive through flowing water in low places; the current has the power to push your vehicle off the road.

With any or all of these events possible, the same suggestions apply:

Have an Emergency Supply Kit:

  • Bottled water;
  • Battery-operated radio;
  • Cell phone;
  • First Aid Kit;
  • Flashlight
  • Important documents and prescription medications;
  • Sleeping bags and pillows and changes of clothing;
  • Three-day supply of non-perishable food;
  • Manual can opener and plastic eating utensils;
  • Avoid salty foods that make you thirsty;
  • High energy foods;
  • Food for infants;
  • Pet foods;
  • Crackers, nuts, peanut butter, dry cereal, granola bars, fruit bars. 

Have a Family Emergency Plan.  You may all be scattered if disaster strikes, so it is important to know how you will contact each other, how you will get back together, and what you will do.  Plan places where you can meet.  Out-of-town contacts may be in a better position to communicate among separated families. 

Have a Business Emergency Plan.  Think about how you may keep your business going during times that your building is not accessible.  Consider if you could run your business from a different location or from your home, or develop relationships with other companies to use their facilities in case a disaster makes your location unusable. 

Hopefully, you will be spared from any of these disasters, but just in case, think seriously about how you and your family can best be prepared to handle any situation that may arise. 

Source: ready.gov/America/beinformed

Back Safety, Eye Protection, First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues, Hand Protection, High Visibility Safety, Protective Clothing, Weather Protection

WORKING WITH SANDBAGS IS HARD WORK

The Mighty Mississippi is on the move!  Many persons in areas along the Mississippi River have already seen their homes flooded over the past several days.  Friday, Memphis authorities urged citizens to leave their homes that are located in low-lying areas.  The Mississippi is expected to crest by late today (Monday), or early Tuesday morning in the Memphis area.  The Mississippi crested at 48’7” in 1937.  Floods from northern Iowa to the Gulf of Mexico may cause heavy damage to farmlands, as well as homes.  In Arkansas, Interstate 40 closed this weekend because of rising waters of the White River.  This latest threat brings to mind the time when persons in the heart of the Delta were victims of the Great Flood of April 21, 1927 – the great Mississippi broke through a levee, crushing homes, destroying sharecroppers’ farms, trapping thousands on their rooftops for days, and hundreds of people died.

We know we are probably “preaching to the choir,” about filling, moving and placing sandbags in getting ready for floods, because that part of the work may already be done by now.  However, we want to pass on some safety tips for this physically demanding work.  Repetitious lifting and carrying heavy loads, and working in awkward positions can cause back and other injuries.  For those who will be doing this work, please follow this advice from OSHA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: 

General rules:

  • Three-person teams work best: bagger: holds open and closes sandbags; shoveler: shovels sand into sandbags. (use a short handled, #2 rounded point shovel with straight shaft and D grip, bagger scoop or funnel to fill sandbags; and mover: carries and places sandbags.
  • Do not overfill sandbags – fill them ½ to 2/3 full.  Overfilled bags can leave gaps in levees.
  • Keep the load in front of and close to body, both when filling, and later carrying.
  • Do not reach out, bend over or twist when lifting.
  • Lift with legs, not back.
  • Take frequent rest breaks.
  • Alternate positions every 20 to 30 minutes.
  • If using automated filling, put the bag on a support (pallet) to reduce the stress on hands, shoulders, and lower back.
  • Fold the bag opening closed; tie only if necessary.
  • Use pallets when available when moving them to staging area.
  • A brigade team should be used when passing bags to areas that are further away.  The line should be staggered and workers should face each other to avoid twisting and turning.
  • Never throw sandbags, as this stresses the shoulders and back.
  • Straddle drop point with the bag between your ankles as you place it. 

Working around floodwater is hazardous because of debris and bacteria in the water.  Please heed these general safety and health warnings:

  • Wear gloves to protect hands from chemically-treated sandbags and contaminants in sand and floodwater.
  • Do not touch your eyes and mouth.
  • Wash your hands and face before eating or drinking.
  • Wear safety glasses, especially on dry and windy days, and when working with automated equipment.
  • Waterproof gear is necessary when working in floodwater or rain.
  • Use protective clothing if exposed to polluted floodwater.
  • Wear reflective clothing when working at night.
  • Use a personal floatation device when working near floodwater.
  • Wear work boots (waterproofed if working in floodwater.)
  • Stay hydrated.
  • Keep several first-aid kits handy. 

Tomorrow we will share more information regarding other safety measures that should be taken when working in flooded areas.  We appreciate all those who work in rescue and recovery following natural disasters, such as floods and tornadoes.  They should take every precaution to stay healthy and safe, as many hazardous situations exist.

First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues, Weather Protection

HAS THE MONTH OF APRIL BEEN CONFUSED?

The old saying, “March comes in like a lion, and out like a lamb,” really didn’t come true this year!  It went out the same way it came in!  Just because that happened, the month of April didn’t have to carry on the “lion” tradition; however, for some reason, this month didn’t get the message!    The week of April 14th  through 16th  brought the largest single system of tornado outbreaks in United States history – 153 confirmed twisters.  These wind funnels danced through at least 14 states, killing an estimated 43 persons.  St. Louis, Missouri’s Lambert Airport was hit Sunday, April 24th,  by the most powerful tornado that had happened in their area in forty-four years.  Miraculously, no one was seriously hurt or killed, but more than 100 homes were destroyed.  News that tornadoes are continuing this week makes us even more aware that we must be prepared.  

The Weather Channel has reported the confirmation of 292 tornadoes in the United States so far this month, beating the previous April record of 267 in 1974.  Storm survey teams continue to assess the damage from this month’s storms and could change the number of confirmed tornadoes. The average for April is only 116, according to the nation’s Storm Prediction Center, in Norman, Oklahoma.  With a few days left in April, one can only wonder how many more will touch down somewhere.

Last week, my husband and I decided to subscribe to a weather prediction service offered through one of  Dallas’ television stations, as tornado season seems to have hit with a vengence.    On Saturday and Sunday night, we received several phone calls from this service, warning of either severe thunderstorms in our immediate area or tornado warnings for our area.  (I believe we got our money’s worth for a year’s subscription to this service in those two nights.) Local sirens also sounded, adding to the warnings.  We were relying on these  types of warnings, as our television satellite usually fails during storms.  A NOAA battery-operated radio is also very helpful.  By checking the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service website, you can obtain just about any kind of warning, forecast, or information needed for your location.  Images of tornado tracks in the United States look as though a line was drawn down the center of the U.S., making it much more colorful from the center to the eastern border.  Frankly, it would be just as well to live on the less colorful side of the line during storm season! 

Flooding is another very serious threat during this time of the year, too.  We never know when a natural disaster may happen, so we should take the warnings seriously and be prepared.  As previously suggested, disaster kits should be filled with staples and supplies that will last several days.  A first aid kit should be available at all times, both in the home and vehicle.   And keep that cell phone charged up! 

Early warnings, good timing, and common sense are credited with saving many lives.  Don’t ignore those weather watches and warnings – weather professionals are doing a good job by forecasting upcoming changes that pose threats.  Pay attention and be ready!  Taking a CPR class is a good idea, too.  You never know when you may be able to help a neighbor or family member that gets injured during storms.  Let’s hope that  May showers will bring spring flowers, and nothing else!  Both May and June are still months for thunderstorms and tornadoes, but maybe we will get a break this year.  If not, records will be set for 2011.

For those who have been affected by fires, tornadoes, or floods, we wish you a safe recovery and that things can someday soon return to normal.

General Safety Issues

GOOD-BYE, MONTH OF MARCH, 2011!

It’s hard to say if the old saying “March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb,” applies to every part of the world.  It seems like the lion has been showing more of his teeth lately, with the horrible tragedies in Japan – an earthquake, tsunami, and the nuclear concerns.  Also, in the United States, tornadoes have already hit several areas.  Every year they start a littler earlier, or so it appears!  Floods, as well, have occurred as a result of heavy rains in certain parts of the country, and drought in others.  It’s either feast or famine, when it comes to the weather. 

In the eastern United States, March came in like a lamb, but is really threatening to go out like a lion.  In Texas, we have seen a few beautiful spring days; however, we have experienced some very unusually cold and windy March days, too.  Whatever has gone on in your corner of the world, it is hoped that it will get better soon.  April hopefully will bring showers, as rain is really needed in our state.  The threat of wildfires continues because of  extremely dry conditions. 

It is hard to realize that the first three months of 2011 have already passed us by.  We need to start preparing for spring and warm weather.  A few pretty days get us motivated to get outside and start yard work.  Take your time and gradually build up, as those muscles may not be quite ready for a full-throttle workout.  Stock up on work gloves, Eye safety glasses,  (for trimming tree limbs and mowing grass), and wear long-sleeves on your arms, and sunscreen on your face.  Spring brings a new beginning for the rest of the year, and it’s a time we all look forward to – before the heat comes around!  

Think about stocking up your emergency kit just in case bad weather should happen.  Keep plenty of water handy, some non-perishable foods, flashlights, NOAA weather radio, batteries, pet food, and other supplies ready.  Pay attention to weather warnings in your area.  Know where you can pick up your school children in case of a weather emergency, or where they will be taken for safety at their school.  Preparedness pays, regardless of weather conditions, or any other emergency situation.  Most everyone loves springtime, and yet Mother Nature can find ways to really get our attention during that season.   

Last, but not least, here’s hoping that everyone’s final day of March will mosey on out like a sweet little lamb.  But beware……….there’s one more thing to be prepared for:  April Fools’ Day!