Robert Pore
Since 1980, the United States has experienced more than 332 weather and climate disasters. These disasters cost him over $2.275 trillion.
Hall County is also immune to natural disasters.
In June 1980, Grand Island was hit by seven tornadoes in one night. There have been countless blizzards, ice storms, torrential rains and floods, like the March 2019 flood. Grand Island is currently suffering from an ongoing drought.
As climate change is happening around the world, weather experts say future storms could be even more intense than those seen in the last 40 years.
On Wednesday, Grand Island hosted the Community Emergency Preparedness Fair.
The show was sponsored by the Grand Island/Hall County Emergency Management Agency. John Rosenland is its director.
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“Disasters and emergencies can happen every day,” says Rosenlund. “It doesn’t have to be massive. A residential single-structure fire is a disaster for that household. , because if these things happen, people who are more prepared and self-reliant will survive disasters more easily, they will recover faster, they will be less vulnerable and sometimes disasters and even avoid it altogether.”
The fair was attended by a large number of first responders, including police, firefighters and emergency medical technicians. They were there to answer public questions about emergency preparedness.
Capt. Ryan Seaman of the Grand Island Fire Department says the more prepared you are, the better you will be able to handle disasters and emergencies such as house fires.
Emergency preparedness is important for homeowners and apartment dwellers, Seaman said.
Next month is fire prevention month. Seaman said firefighters will work with his third graders to help create evacuation plans that can be used at home in the event of a fire.
Firefighters also help families install smoke alarms in their homes and ensure fire extinguishers are working properly.
“I think in recent years the average homeowner has become more prepared and more aware of what they need to do in case of a fire,” he said.
Rosenlund says people can be overwhelmed by the term emergency preparedness.
“I like to have people assess their own independence and self-sufficiency,” he said.
Independence and self-sufficiency mean how long a family can manage with the food they have at home. Is it possible to cook in a house without electricity? personal savings? Do you have the skill set to help yourself and others? Are you planning to evacuate? Do you have a plan to evacuate? Do you have a plan for communicating with your family? And if you have those plans, when was the last time you executed or updated them?
“If you have a plan and you haven’t put it into practice or updated it, you’re probably fooling yourself into thinking it actually works.
Emergency preparedness isn’t just about surviving natural disasters and house fires. Since March 2020, the world has been hit by his COVID-19 pandemic, with businesses and supply his chains shutting down and causing shortages.
That’s why Rosenland believes emergency preparedness should also include self-reliance and self-sufficiency.
At the fair, there was information on how to make a 72-hour emergency kit for your family.
The show also featured experts from the National Weather Service, the American Red Cross, the Heartland United Way and other groups to educate people about the services that can help in an emergency.
Michael Moritz is a weather forecaster for the National Weather Service in Hastings.
At the trade fair, Moritz stressed the importance of “preparing for the weather”.
This week was the first day of autumn. As winter approaches, it’s important to be ‘prepared for the weather’, as severe snowstorms can bring power outages for hours or days. Snow and icy roads pose a travel hazard. Besides preparing your home for the onslaught of winter, it’s also important to have an emergency winter kit in your car.
“‘Preparing for the weather’ means knowing what to do when bad weather hits,” Moritz said. “It means being resilient.”
He said the NWS encourages people to understand what weather can and how it can affect them and to prepare in advance. .
Moritz said having multiple weather sources is also important.
“But I would like to hear basically the same message from most prediction services,” he said. “If we’re hearing something very different, we need to find out more information before we can make a decision.”
Moritz’s message is to check the weather conditions often if the forecast shows bad weather.
“Weather conditions can change quickly,” he said.
Rosenlund said Nebraskans have a long history of disaster preparedness.
“Think of the first people to settle this area 150 years ago,” he said. “They had to prepare for that annual disaster year after year. They had to live carefully. They had to take responsibility for what they did at home. I had to stand on my own, so I had to be positive and lean forward.”
Rosenlund said now is the time to prepare for emergencies, not when disasters and emergencies strike.
“Now is the time to prepare,” he said. “They can be big or small. We can create and sustain a culture of self-reliance in Hall County. Hall County residents and our businesses will also benefit from increased resilience to disasters.” .”
Emergency Preparedness Tips:
Stay informed — Learn what protective measures to take before, during, and after an emergency. It is helpful to know what hazards are possible in your community and to identify sources of information in your community.
Plan ahead — make a plan — be prepared, plan, and be informed for emergencies.
Build a Kit — Prepare for a disaster by building an emergency supplies kit for you and your family.
Take action — get involved — find opportunities to help prepare your community.
Kids, Parents, Educators — Disasters Affect Everyone — Find Resources to Prepare Today!
basic disaster supplies kit
To assemble the kit, store the items in an airtight plastic bag and place the entire disaster supplies kit in one or two convenient containers such as plastic bins or duffel bags.
A basic emergency kit can include the following recommended items:
Water (1 gallon per person per day for several days, for drinking and hygiene)
Food (at least a few days worth of non-perishable food)
Battery-powered or hand-cranked radio and NOAA weather radio with tone alerts
whistle (call for help)
Dust mask (helps filter polluted air)
Vinyl sheet and packing tape (for evacuation)
Wet towels, garbage bags and plastic ties (for personal hygiene)
Wrench or pliers (to turn off utilities)
Manual can opener (for food)
Mobile phone with charger and backup battery
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