Hurricane Guide
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Tropical storm:
When the wind speed in a tropical system reaches speeds of 39 miles per hour, and the
low pressure area is clearly defined by its rotary circulation, this system is considered
a tropical storm and is given a name.
Hurricane:
A hurricane is characterized by continuous winds that exceed 74 miles per hour or more, levels dangerously high water levels, and very rough seas.
Hurricane Alert:
The hurricane watch is issued when the conditions for the presence of a hurricane in a certain area are a real possibility within 48 hours.
Hurricane Warning:
A hurricane warning is issued when the arrival of a hurricane is expected within 36 hours. Take precautionary measures immediately.
WHAT TYPES OF DAMAGE HURRICANE CATEGORIES CAN POTENTIALLY CAUSE
Category 1 hurricane: very dangerous winds will produce some damage
These winds can cause some damage to buildings, including tearing off roof shingles, siding, and gutters. Additionally, tree branches can break off of trees. Falling branches and other storm debris can further damage properties or cause injury to people.
Category 1 hurricanes also have the potential to snap or otherwise damage power lines, leading to short-term power outages.
Category 2 hurricane: extremely dangerous winds will cause extensive damage
During a category 2 hurricane, buildings are likely to sustain major roof and siding damage. There is also a bigger risk of additional damage and injury caused by flying storm debris.
Shallow-rooted trees can be uprooted, blocking roads and taking down power lines. There is a big risk of total power loss that can last for days in hard-hit areas.
Category 3 hurricane: devastating damage will occur
A category 3 hurricane is a major hurricane that will cause major damage to residential and commercial buildings. The strong winds can potentially tear roof decking and gable ends off well-built homes, for example.
Many trees will be uprooted and electricity and water will be unavailable for days or even weeks after the storm (for reference, Hurricane Katrina was a category 3 hurricane when it made landfall in Louisiana in 2003).
Category 4 Hurricane: catastrophic damage will occur
Catastrophic damage from a category 4 hurricane means that buildings will sustain extreme structural damage, potentially losing most of the roof structure and parts of exterior walls.
There is a very high risk of injury and further storm damage due to falling and flying storm debris and most trees and power poles will be downed. Power outages and water shortages can make areas uninhabitable for weeks or months.
Category 5 Hurricane: catastrophic damage will occur
Hurricanes in the highest hurricane category cause near total destruction. A large number of homes and buildings will be completely destroyed. Areas hit by this level of hurricane will lack power and water and be uninhabitable for weeks or months.
Only three category 5 hurricanes have made landfall in the U.S. since 1924, the most recent being Hurricane Andrew, which devastated South Florida in 1992.
Emergency Operations Center Operating Conditions
OPCON 3 - Normal Daily Operations
Agencies coordinate, plan, train and exercise as warranted. Incidents are monitored by the EMD Staff and Warning Point.
OPCON 2 - Enhanced Awareness
A disaster or emergency is likely to affect the County. The County Emergency Operations Center is operating in one of the following levels of readiness: monitoring, partial activation or full activation as deemed necessary. Emergency operations plans are implemented.
OPCON 1 - Full Alert
A disaster or emergency is imminent or occurring. The County Emergency Operations Center is fully activated.
All County emergency support function personnel are activated or ready to deploy.
Before a Storm
Check your flood insurance policy.
You can find information about the National Flood Insurance Program through your insurance agent. Generally, a period of 30 days must first elapse to for a new insurance policy to take effect on a new residence. The owner's policies a residence do not cover damage caused by flooding caused by a hurricane.
Prepare a communications plan during an emergency.
In the event that members of your family are separated for a disaster (real possibility during the day when adults are at work and kids at school), make a plan for how meet and stay together again.
Ask a family member or friend who lives in another state to serve as your “family contact.”
After a disaster, it's easier to make phone calls long distance. Make sure everyone in your family knows the person's name, address, phone number, and email of who will serve as a contact.
Make sure everyone in your family knows what to do after a hurricane.
Teach your family how and when to turn off gas, electricity, and water connections. Teach your kids how and when to call 9-1-1, police, fire department, and what radio station to listen to for emergency information.
The deployment of relief supplies, supplies and materials to certain communities may
delayed or not possible due to the destruction of bridges and roads. The help from the Emergency services may not be available for up to 72 hours or more, after a
natural disaster of major proportions.
Prepare your home.
When a tornado, hurricane, or major storm impacts a community, it's too late to protect
your home or property. There are preparations you can make ahead of time to minimize damage caused by wind or floods. Some are simple and don't cost much; others need help from a contractor. You must take into account the characteristics of your home, your economic resources, and
building codes and regulations in your community
Most hurricanes that hit the continental U.S. are categories 1 or 2 by the time they make landfall, and are often classified as tropical storms rather than major hurricanes.
However, there is still potential for devastating property damage. The risk increases if a storm is accompanied by high levels of storm surge and rainwater flooding.
if you live in an at-risk area for hurricanes and tropical storms, such as Florida or any coastal region of the southeastern United States, what can you do to mitigate the risk of storm damage to your property?
No matter what type of building you have, its most vulnerable points are its windows (or glass doors).
A flying tree branch or another piece of storm debris hurled by hurricane-force winds can smash through a pane of standard window glass incredibly easily.
Not only does this mean you have to replace a broken window, but it leaves your property open to rain and wind, which can cause much more internal damage. Besides that, the shards of broken glass can fly dangerously inwards, potentially injuring anyone inside.
In order to mitigate these risks, you must secure your windows and doors with some type of physical barrier.
Storm Damage Mitigation Barrier Options:
