Preparing You and Your Preparing You and Your Family for Natural & Family for Natural & Manmade Disasters Manmade Disasters

Tony VaramoTony Varamo

Tony’s BioTony’s Bio

20 years experience in emergency 20 years experience in emergency and disaster responseand disaster responseEmergency Contingency Planner**Emergency Contingency Planner**Hazardous materials releasesHazardous materials releasesOil spill cleanupsOil spill cleanups FiresFiresHurricanesHurricanesFloodsFloodsAccidentsAccidents

Tony’s bio (con’td)Tony’s bio (con’td)

Volunteer groupsVolunteer groupsCommunity Emergency Response TeamCommunity Emergency Response TeamMedical Reserve Corps – East Metro Medical Reserve Corps – East Metro

District Health District – Operations District Health District – Operations OfficerOfficer

American Red CrossAmerican Red CrossNC Emergency Mgt OfficeNC Emergency Mgt OfficeBrunswick NC Nuclear Power Plant Brunswick NC Nuclear Power Plant

Emergency Response Community WatchEmergency Response Community Watch

Why worry about preparing Why worry about preparing ourselves? Won’t the ourselves? Won’t the

government take care of us?government take care of us?

10-11 – Pres Bush created USA Freedom 10-11 – Pres Bush created USA Freedom Corps to coordinate volunteers Corps to coordinate volunteers (Citizens Corps)(Citizens Corps)

Katrina – communication problems Katrina – communication problems between city, state, and fedsbetween city, state, and feds

Tornadoes and AlabamaTornadoes and AlabamaFloods in Iowa/North Dakota, LAFloods in Iowa/North Dakota, LAPrepare for self preservation for 3 daysPrepare for self preservation for 3 days

Topics to be discussedTopics to be discussed

Definition of a disaster or “event”Definition of a disaster or “event”Disasters/Events in the pastDisasters/Events in the pastCommon “reactions” to disasters or Common “reactions” to disasters or

eventseventsCommon problems during disasters Common problems during disasters Minimize “reactions” by planningMinimize “reactions” by planningPrepare yourself for disasters and eventsPrepare yourself for disasters and eventsResourcesResources

Definition of DisasterDefinition of Disaster

A A disasterdisaster is a natural or man-made is a natural or man-made hazard resulting in an event of hazard resulting in an event of substantial extent causing significant substantial extent causing significant physical damage or destruction, loss of physical damage or destruction, loss of life, or drastic change to the life, or drastic change to the environment. (Wiki)environment. (Wiki)

A crisis situation causing widespread A crisis situation causing widespread damage which far exceeds your ability damage which far exceeds your ability to recover to recover

When an event outstrips your resourcesWhen an event outstrips your resources

Past world DisastersPast world Disasters Black Death – 1330’s–1340’s (Black Death – 1330’s–1340’s (up to 100 Mil up to 100 Mil

dead, dead, including 1/3 of Europe’s populationincluding 1/3 of Europe’s population)) Burma Cyclone Nargis – 2008 (138K+dead)Burma Cyclone Nargis – 2008 (138K+dead) Spanish Flu Epidemic – 1918 (Spanish Flu Epidemic – 1918 (20-40 Mil dead20-40 Mil dead)) North China DroughtNorth China Drought – 1920 (500K+dead) – 1920 (500K+dead)China Famine – 1960 (China Famine – 1960 (20 Mil dead20 Mil dead))Bangladesh cyclone – 1970 (500K dead)Bangladesh cyclone – 1970 (500K dead)South Asia Earthquake – 2005 (50K dead)South Asia Earthquake – 2005 (50K dead)Haiti earthquake – 2010 (220K dead)Haiti earthquake – 2010 (220K dead)

US DisastersUS Disasters Trail of Tears – 1838 (over 4K dead)Trail of Tears – 1838 (over 4K dead) Galveston Hurricane – 1900 (6-12K dead)Galveston Hurricane – 1900 (6-12K dead) San Francisco Earthquake – 1906 (3K dead)San Francisco Earthquake – 1906 (3K dead) Spanish Flu Epidemic – 1918 (500K-675K dead)Spanish Flu Epidemic – 1918 (500K-675K dead) Texas City Explosion – 1947 (581 dead)Texas City Explosion – 1947 (581 dead) AA DC-10 Crash – 1979 (272 dead)AA DC-10 Crash – 1979 (272 dead) Mt St Helen – 1980 (9 dead) Mt St Helen – 1980 (9 dead) Exxon Valdez Spill - 1990 (250K+ dead animals)Exxon Valdez Spill - 1990 (250K+ dead animals) Hurricane Andrew – 1992 (34 dead)Hurricane Andrew – 1992 (34 dead) World Trade Centers – 2001 (2,992 dead)World Trade Centers – 2001 (2,992 dead) Hurricane Katrina – 2005 (1,833 dead)Hurricane Katrina – 2005 (1,833 dead)

Georgia DisastersGeorgia Disasters

Sea Islands Hurricane - 1893 (3K dead)Sea Islands Hurricane - 1893 (3K dead)SS Central America – 1857 (400 dead)SS Central America – 1857 (400 dead)Woodbine Explosion – 1971 (29 dead) Woodbine Explosion – 1971 (29 dead) Sugar ref – Ft Wentworth 2008 (14 dead)Sugar ref – Ft Wentworth 2008 (14 dead)Tornado (AL-GA) – 2011 (43 dead)Tornado (AL-GA) – 2011 (43 dead)36 major disaster declarations sine 195336 major disaster declarations sine 1953

Common Reactions to Common Reactions to DisastersDisasters

PanicPanicShockShockDisbeliefDisbeliefDisorientationDisorientationStress/DespairStress/DespairPsychological effectsPsychological effects72 “Disaster Reactions” from Katrina72 “Disaster Reactions” from Katrina

Common problems during Common problems during disastersdisasters

Being in harm’s way and medical Being in harm’s way and medical emergenciesemergencies

Physical shock/few medical supplies/morguePhysical shock/few medical supplies/morgue Inadequate fresh water supply/food supplyInadequate fresh water supply/food supply Inadequate refuse disposal, sanitation & Inadequate refuse disposal, sanitation &

bathingbathing No identifying documentsNo identifying documents No medicationsNo medications No food/meds or facilities for animalsNo food/meds or facilities for animals Lack of A/C or heatLack of A/C or heat No lighting during hours of darknessNo lighting during hours of darkness Lack of communicationsLack of communications

Minimize problems by Minimize problems by Planning Planning

Learn how to take care of yourself Learn how to take care of yourself during a disaster or event by taking during a disaster or event by taking courses (classroom and online) from courses (classroom and online) from emergency response organizationsemergency response organizationsCommunity Emergency Response Team-Community Emergency Response Team-

CERTCERTGA Emergency Management Agency - GA Emergency Management Agency -

GEMAGEMAFederal Emergency Mgt Agency - FEMAFederal Emergency Mgt Agency - FEMA

Minimize problems by Minimize problems by PlanningPlanning

Make a plan – plenty of templates on Make a plan – plenty of templates on web for each type of disaster but web for each type of disaster but most require the same type actionsmost require the same type actionsSee See www.fema.gov/hazardwww.fema.gov/hazardSee www.ready.gov/america/beinformedSee www.ready.gov/america/beinformedKeep battery operated radio handy for Keep battery operated radio handy for

openings of disaster recovery sheltersopenings of disaster recovery shelters

Minimize problems by Minimize problems by PlanningPlanning

Make a survival kit with the Make a survival kit with the essentials required to keep you self-essentials required to keep you self-sufficient for at least three days sufficient for at least three days (plenty of web sites willing to sell you (plenty of web sites willing to sell you a kit)a kit)See Ready America “Get a KitSee Ready America “Get a KitWaterWaterFoodFoodRadio, etcRadio, etc

Citizens Corps Volunteer Citizens Corps Volunteer groupsgroups

Join a volunteer groupJoin a volunteer groupCommunity Emergency Response Team Community Emergency Response Team

(Atlanta, Macon, Americus)(Atlanta, Macon, Americus)

Medical Reserve Corps Medical Reserve Corps (Atlanta, Macon, (Atlanta, Macon, Columbus, Albany)Columbus, Albany)

Volunteers in Police Service Volunteers in Police Service (Atlanta, Warner (Atlanta, Warner Robbins, Columbus, Albany)Robbins, Columbus, Albany)

Fire Corps Fire Corps (Atlanta, Macon, Columbus, Albany)(Atlanta, Macon, Columbus, Albany)

USA On-Watch USA On-Watch (you can register one)(you can register one)

ReferencesReferences

www.fema.gov www.fema.gov ** (good stuff)** (good stuff) www.ready.gov/america/getakit **www.ready.gov/america/getakit ** www.72hours.org **www.72hours.org ** www.redcross.org **www.redcross.org ** www.citizenscorps.govwww.citizenscorps.gov www.gema.state.ga.govwww.gema.state.ga.gov www.pueblo.gsa.govwww.pueblo.gsa.gov www.health.state.ga.uswww.health.state.ga.us www.aspca.orgwww.aspca.org

www.fema.gov/areyoureadywww.fema.gov/areyouready

www.72hours.org (SF, CA)www.72hours.org (SF, CA)

www.ready.gov/www.ready.gov/america/getakitamerica/getakit

ww.redcross.orgww.redcross.org

www.citizenscorps.govwww.citizenscorps.gov

Creating a Disaster Kit Creating a Disaster Kit ExerciseExercise

Break up into equal-sized groupsBreak up into equal-sized groupsRead the scenario assignedRead the scenario assignedHave a discussion on what supplies Have a discussion on what supplies

are needed and whyare needed and whyReview the resultsReview the results

Thanks for your time!Thanks for your time!