Anyone who has studied the history of disasters knows that the major leaps in the formation of policies that support enhanced disaster mitigation and response comes from experiencing disasters.    It is unfortunate that we cannot have an emphasis on disaster readiness without having experienced a disaster–and a major one at that.  See Disaster Timeline This is not the most current edition of the timeline, but the first one I could find.  For more information see Disaster Timeline Series

With the above as context, the D.C. Quake was a missed opportunity.  All the legislators who could have been “moved” to take action by the quake were not in town because of the the congressional recess.  There is nothing like the ground shaking below your feet and a sense of “no control” to get you to revisit what your personal and professional priorities are.  Even without major damages to buildings, deaths and injuries this quake has left a lasting impression on the people who were in the quake-zone.  I’m sure there will be a couple of congressional hearings once congress returns to visit the topic of earthquakes, but it will not have the impetus behind it of being a “survivor” and having experienced the event yourself.

Why did people leave work to go home after the quake? Read More

There’s a lot of excitement on the East Coast this week. In addition to Tuesday’s earthquake, Hurricane Irene will likely make an appearance this weekend in the Carolinas and possibly elsewhere.

As I write this, Hurricane Irene is wreaking havoc on the north coast of the Dominican Republic, but who knows where it will go?  Read more

ScienceDaily (June 7, 2010) — Rima Taher, an expert in the design of low-rise buildings for extreme winds and hurricane, hopes her phone won’t ring much this hurricane season. It’s already been busy with requests for information about best building design and construction practices to reduce wind pressures on building surfaces.  Read the remainder of Building to Withstand Hurricanes.

2010 Hurricane Season Summary

Today marks the first day of the 2010 Hurricane Season, and what a 2010 Hurricane Forecast that has been made.  In preparation, we’ve started a facebook fan page to stay up to date with the latest tips, storm names, vital support information, and overall preparedness materials (see or click image below to visit page).  Remember, don’t the roll the dice on a Hurricane being a near miss… Prepare Now!

So you don’t have time or don’t know where to begin in creating a homemade low-budget disaster supply kit for you and your family to survive on for at least 72 hours?  Well, it doesn’t have to take that much time or cost that much money.  Most of the products you are sitting around your home or can be found a garage sale or shelter for a little bit of nothing.  To help you put together your kit, follow the checklist below and you’ll be set for the first 72 hours:

• Water – at least a five to seven day supply, basically one gallon per person per day as a rule of thumb.
• Food – at least a five to seven day supply of nonperishable/canned food.
• For both food and water, be sure to change out stored items every 6 months or you’ll end up with a less than tasty surprise when you’re needing them the most.
• First Aid Kit – ointments, band-aides,wraps, scissors, rubbing alcohol.
• Flashlight with extra batteries or a solar light; you may be able to find a crank-style light too, all the better if you do!
• Solar, battery or crank-style radio.
• Medications and special items needed to survive or maintain stable health.
• Tools and supplies
• Sanitation (toilet paper, personal hygiene items, etc.)
• Change of clothes and bedding
• Cash — important as ATM’s could be down due to no power!
• Food, water, shelter/crates/kennels/trailers and meds for your pets/livestock.

While the oil leak disaster in the Gulf of Mexico is bad enough, many people have been wondering what could happen if a hurricane were to slam into the region.  AccuWeather.com hurricane expert Joe Bastardi is concerned but multiple threats from storms throughout the season in the Gulf of Mexico.  Bastardi attributes heat rising over the tropical Atlantic to a collapsing El Niño pattern in the Pacific. In turn, the rising warm, moist air over the tropical Atlantic is forecast to unleash a top-10 hurricane season in the Atlantic Basin.  With 16 to 18 tropical storms and/or hurricanes expected, a significant number of these are bound to make their way into the Gulf of Mexico. Bastardi expects a little more than 1 out of 3 tropical storms and/or hurricanes to impact U.S. coastal waters this season.  The hurricane seasons of 1998, 2005 and 2008 had similarities to the expected pattern this season.  Some locations could be hit by…

Read the remainder of a Hurricane Slamming Into The Oil Slick.