Kids and Disasters - Hurricanes
After the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, many children have become aware of natural disasters and are beginning to ask questions about them. As a parent, you should become educated about disasters and the safety procedures that need to be followed to ensure that everyone remains unharmed. The following is an explanation of hurricanes and the steps that your family will need to take if they ever find themselves in a hurricane disaster situation.
Hurricanes are severe tropical storms that form in the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, and the Pacific Ocean. These storms rotate in a counter clockwise rotation and gain strength as they move into warmer waters due to the evaporation of sea water in these areas. They can reach winds of 74 miles per hour and can devastate coastal areas if they reach landfall.
Many of these tropical storms do not reach land, however. They “stall” or remain stationary in one place over the ocean for too long, cooling the water temperature. Without warmer water to fuel them, these storms dissipate with no harm done.
In the Northern Hemisphere, these storms are most common from the months of June to September while in the Southern Hemisphere they are likely to occur between October and May.
Unlike tornadoes, warnings involved in this type of storm activity are usually given days in advance. Meteorologists will begin tracking these tropical storms and their wind gusts while they are still out to sea. By calculating their speed and the direction of prevalent winds, these experts can accurately predict when and where these hurricanes will reach landfall although they may not know how strong the hurricane may be by the time it reaches the coast.
States that are affected by these storms on a regular basis have disaster plans already in place. If it appears that a severe tropical storm with the potential of becoming a hurricane is headed your way, state officials will usually issue evacuation orders. During regular sized hurricanes, you will just need to move inland away from the coastal regions. In the case of major activity, such as Hurricane Katrina, the evacuation may be statewide.
There are several things that you may want to do before the evacuation process begins. You will want to bring any outside furniture and other items inside so they do not blow away during the approaching storm. You will also want to protect your windows by boarding them up. You may also want to shut off any of your utilities lines to eliminate the danger of accidental fire during the storm, especially if you are not going to remain at home. You should also make sure that you have plenty of gas in your vehicle in case the evacuation order does come as the highways will be busy and the gas stations may be full.
To prepare for the evacuation process itself, you should make arrangements to meet your family at a predestined location if anyone should become separated. You can also choose a relative or a friend that lives out-of-state as a contact person if separation does occur. You may want to pack imperishable food items in case you lose electricity for several days. Fresh water may not be available for awhile, so you may want to pack extra. You will want to take any necessary insurance papers and other important documents with you in case your home does flood while you are gone.
Since waves that are caused by these storms are as dangerous as the storms themselves, you should avoid going into the ocean at this time. If you are evacuated, you should not return home until instructed to do so as the flooding that results from, a hurricane can last for several days.
By teaching your children about hurricanes and the various evacuation procedures, your family will be safely able to ride the storm out together.
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