Posted: 9/7/2021
Key to survival is having a plan, practicing it
Even though the dog days of summer didn’t call for too many days of barking about the heat this year, most people are looking forward to cooler temperatures. But while the drop in degrees can be refreshing, it can also mean weeks of unsettled weather.
Each year about a thousand tornadoes touch down in the United States, far more than any other country. Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, South Dakota and Kansas make up “tornado alley” where destructive storms strike regularly in the spring and fall. In 2020, there were 1,075 tornadoes compared with 1,517 in 2019, which was the highest annual total since 2011, when there were 1,691 tornadoes, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Last year, there were 92 confirmed tornadoes in Texas, down from 184 in 2019.
And while severe thunderstorms and tornadoes are the primary cause for concern for North Texans, those who travel to the coast are reminded that hurricane season runs through Nov. 30. NOAA predicted the country could see between 13 to 20 named storms in 2021, with as many as five major hurricanes.
Planning is key to staying safe, said Chris Noah, MS, CHSP, Parkland Health & Hospital System’s Director of Disaster Management.
“People plan for vacation, they plan what they’re going to have for dinner, they plan who they’re going out with on Saturday night, but they don’t plan for negative things like tornadoes, floods, fires or even car crashes,” Noah said. “The majority of people don’t plan for something that they don’t think will ever happen.”
But planning ahead, Noah said, could mean the difference between life and death. That’s why the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recognize September as National Preparedness Month, which serves as a reminder that everyone should take action to prepare, now and throughout the year, for the types of emergencies that could affect people where they live, work and visit. The theme this year is “Prepare to Protect. Preparing for disasters is protecting everyone you love.”
It begins with creating a family communication plan starting with one simple question, “What if?”
“What if I’m separated from my family when something happens? Does everyone know what they’re supposed to do? If I’m at work, will I be able to take my usual route home or is there a backup plan for these types of emergencies,” Noah said. “These are the things you have to plan for because you don’t know when roads will be flooded or trees and power lines will be blocking the road. And what if communication towers are down and mobile phones or computers won’t work, what will you do then?”
Planning in advance will help ensure that all the members of your household, including children and people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs, as well as outside caregivers, know how to reach each other and where to meet in an emergency.
Officials with DHS say planning starts with three easy steps:
• Collect – Create a paper copy of the contact information for your family and other important people/offices such as medical facilities, doctors, schools or service providers.
• Share – Make sure everyone carries a copy in her or her backpack, purse or wallet. If you complete your Family Emergency Communication Plan online at ready.gov/plan you can print it onto a wallet-sized card. You should also post a copy in a central location in your home, such as your refrigerator or family bulletin board.
• Practice – Have regular household meetings to review and practice your plan.
DHS also says that during an emergency, “text is best.” If you are using a mobile phone, a text message may get through when a phone call will not. This is because a text message requires far less bandwidth than a phone call. Text messages may also save and then send automatically as soon as capacity becomes available.
“The bottom line is no one thinks something bad is going to happen to them, and in most cases it doesn’t. But that doesn’t mean that it won’t. It’s not a matter of if something is going to happen, it’s when,” Noah said. “That’s why having answers to the ‘ifs’ is critically important. Planning today could mean a safer tomorrow.”
For information about services at Parkland, please visit www.parklandhospital.com.