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Independence, MO —
Last weekend’s heavy rain was, meteorologically, a fluke. The National Weather Service says the remnants of only about a dozen hurricanes have gotten within 200 miles of Kansas City during the last century – not that residents didn’t welcome the rain or overlook the fact that Hurricane Isaac caused death and widespread destruction in the U.S. and elsewhere.
This weekend’s rain is a little more in line with the normal pattern. May and June are the area’s rainiest months and come at the height of the severe-weather season, but September is our third rainiest month and sometimes brings a secondary severe-weather season.
All of this – plus September being National Preparedness Month – serves as a reminder that a little planning can head off a great deal of hurt and heartache when disaster strikes.
And we stress when, not if.
Eventually, these things happen: An ice storm knocks out power for days. A tornado devastates a city. A blizzard effectively shuts down entire states. A train jumps the tracks or a semi goes off the road, spilling dangerous materials and forcing evacuations.
Are you ready? Organizations in this field like to use variations of this idea: Make a kit, make a plan, stay informed.
Start with three days worth of food and water in the house. And a couple of good flashlights and a weather radio – with fresh batteries. Don’t forget your meds. Don’t forget the special needs of kids, the elderly and even your dog or cat. Stow some extra clothes and a good, sturdy pair of shoes. Or two.
This list goes on, and fortunately very good and thorough resources are available online. We suggest:
- PrepareMetro KC at www.preparemetrokc.org/
- The American Red Cross at www.redcross.org. Click “plan and prepare.”n The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov/features/beready/
Just as every family should have a plan to escape from a fire and meet somewhere outdoors, every family should give some thought to what they would do if they had to evacuate with a minute’s notice or if the “shelter in place” order came, generally meaning a hazardous material release is forcing people to stay inside for a few hours – or longer.
It’s also important to have several means, not just one, to get immediate and solid information. Most weather radios can be set to come on when the National Weather Service posts a watch, warning or other alert. Local and radio stations, as well as the websites of this newspaper and other news outlets, air or post severe-weather information. There are lots of apps for your smartphone.
Good information is crucial to sidestepping trouble. Emergency managers sometimes define a disaster as the events that cause you to lose control of your life. The more thinking ahead you do and the more supplies you stow in a safe place, the more options you’ll have when disaster strikes.
Last weekend’s heavy rain was, meteorologically, a fluke. The National Weather Service says the remnants of only about a dozen hurricanes have gotten within 200 miles of Kansas City during the last century – not that residents didn’t welcome the rain or overlook the fact that Hurricane Isaac caused death and widespread destruction in the U.S. and elsewhere.
This weekend’s rain is a little more in line with the normal pattern. May and June are the area’s rainiest months and come at the height of the severe-weather season, but September is our third rainiest month and sometimes brings a secondary severe-weather season.
All of this – plus September being National Preparedness Month – serves as a reminder that a little planning can head off a great deal of hurt and heartache when disaster strikes.
And we stress when, not if.
Eventually, these things happen: An ice storm knocks out power for days. A tornado devastates a city. A blizzard effectively shuts down entire states. A train jumps the tracks or a semi goes off the road, spilling dangerous materials and forcing evacuations.
Are you ready? Organizations in this field like to use variations of this idea: Make a kit, make a plan, stay informed.
Start with three days worth of food and water in the house. And a couple of good flashlights and a weather radio – with fresh batteries. Don’t forget your meds. Don’t forget the special needs of kids, the elderly and even your dog or cat. Stow some extra clothes and a good, sturdy pair of shoes. Or two.
This list goes on, and fortunately very good and thorough resources are available online. We suggest:
- PrepareMetro KC at www.preparemetrokc.org/
- The American Red Cross at www.redcross.org. Click “plan and prepare.”n The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov/features/beready/
Just as every family should have a plan to escape from a fire and meet somewhere outdoors, every family should give some thought to what they would do if they had to evacuate with a minute’s notice or if the “shelter in place” order came, generally meaning a hazardous material release is forcing people to stay inside for a few hours – or longer.
It’s also important to have several means, not just one, to get immediate and solid information. Most weather radios can be set to come on when the National Weather Service posts a watch, warning or other alert. Local and radio stations, as well as the websites of this newspaper and other news outlets, air or post severe-weather information. There are lots of apps for your smartphone.
Good information is crucial to sidestepping trouble. Emergency managers sometimes define a disaster as the events that cause you to lose control of your life. The more thinking ahead you do and the more supplies you stow in a safe place, the more options you’ll have when disaster strikes.
