How to Prepare for an Act of God

Although they make great disaster-movie plots, fires, tornadoes and
hurricanes aren't so fun off the big screen. If you live in an area prone
to these natural disasters, it pays to be prepared.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Wildfire

1. Set up an evacuation plan from both your house and your neighborhood. Stick to the main roads. Smaller roads may be ignored by rescue crews or blocked by flames or burning debris.

2. Establish a family meeting place or check-in spot well away from the burn zone. This will be a different place than where you would go during a house fire.

3. Build a defensible area by clearing brush and deadwood from around your house. Check your firebreak every year and remove new brush and flammable debris. See 473 Fight a Forest Fire.

Tornadoes

4. Understand the alerts: a tornado watch means tornadoes are possible. Remain alert for approaching storms. Watch the sky and stay tuned to radio or television to know when warnings are issued. A warning means a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. Take shelter immediately.

5. Outfit your basement or storm cellar with emergency supplies. See 466 Assemble Emergency Kits. If an underground shelter is not available, an interior room or hallway on the lowest floor may be your best bet. Practice going to your shelter with your family.

6. Know the locations of designated shelters in places where you and your family spend time, such as public buildings and malls.

Hurricanes

7. Understand the alerts. Watch means storm conditions are possible in the specified area, usually within 36 hours. Warning means storm conditions are expected in the specified area, usually within 24 hours. Short-term watches and warnings provide detailed information on related hurricane threats, such as flash floods and tornadoes.

8. Prepare to survive on your emergency supplies for at least three days, since water may become undrinkable and stores may be closed. After sterilizing the bathtub and other containers with a diluted bleach solution, fill them with water to ensure a safe supply in case you are unable to evacuate or are told to stay put.

9. Make plans to secure your property. Permanent storm shutters offer the best protection for windows. A second option is to board up windows with five-eighth-inch plywood, cut to fit and ready to install. Tape does not prevent windows from breaking.

Tips & Warnings

• Review 105 Prepare Your Home for Nature's Worst and 390 Create an Evacuation Plan.
• Check out equipment and protective gear at online sources such as HomeFire FightingSystems.com, but be realistic about your skills and lack of training. If you live in a heavily forested area, it's unlikely you'll be able to stop a large fire from reaching your house and it's foolish to try. Outside hoses are useful for wetting the roof, which may provide a degree of safety, but during an inferno, all water may be diverted to professional firefighters.
• Cooperate with rescue personnel and follow evacuation orders. Do not endanger your life to save your pets.
• After a natural disaster, look out for broken glass and downed power lines. Check for injuries. Do not attempt to move seriously injured persons unless they are in immediate danger of death or further injury. If you must move an unconscious person, first stabilize the neck and back, then call for help immediately.
• It may be a long time before rescue personnel get to you. Look online at RedCross.org for preparedness training courses near you.

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