Disaster Planning Provides Shelter from the Storm.Noted Emergency Planning Author Judith Kolberg Offers Safety Tips for Tornado Season NEW YORK New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of -- Early spring to late summer is peak tornado season in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . But Mother Nature's nastiest storms don't abide by human rules - families and businesses should ensure they have a disaster plan in place now to survive sudden outbreaks of severe weather, says Judith Kolberg, author of "Organize for Disaster." (Squall Press, 2005) According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Noun 1. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - an agency in the Department of Commerce that maps the oceans and conserves their living resources; predicts changes to the earth's environment; provides weather reports and forecasts floods and hurricanes and (NOAA NOAA abbr. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Noun 1. NOAA - an agency in the Department of Commerce that maps the oceans and conserves their living resources; predicts changes to the earth's environment; ) in an average year, about 1,000 tornadoes are reported across the United States, resulting in 80 deaths and more than 1,500 injuries, and over $1 billion US in damages annually -- Texans alone lost an average of $43 million annually to tornado damage during the years 1950 to 1995, according the National Center for Atmospheric Research's Extreme Weather Sourcebook. Tornadoes have struck in every state in the U.S., often with hardly any warning. As we enter the storm season, everyone should devise or review their severe weather survival plans, says Kolberg, who offers these emergency preparation tips. * Know Where To Go: Establish the place that offers the most protection from a tornado in your home, school, office and any other locations you frequent. The best spot is an interior room - one that puts the most walls between you and the wind -- with no windows on the lowest floor possible. If windows can't be avoided, be prepared to cover your head with clothing or your hands to protect your face from possible flying glass. * Put Together a Supply Kit: with first aid provisions and any medication family members regularly need, enough canned or non-perishable food for three days, a non-electric can opener, bottled water, flashlights and safety candles, a battery-powered radio that receives NOAA broadcasts, extra batteries and any other items you deem essential for basic survival. * Secure your House: Those who live in areas that are particularly prone to tornados may want to install permanent storm shutters on windows, and ensure that any damaged trees or tree limbs are promptly removed from the property. If a storm warning or watch is issued ahead of time, ensure that anything that could be turned into a projectile projectile something thrown forward. projectile syringe see blow dart. projectile vomiting forceful vomiting, usually without preceding retching, in which the vomitus is thrown well forward. by storm winds - outdoor furniture, trash cans In the Macintosh, a simulated garbage can used for deleting files and folders. The trash can keeps the files intact in case the user wants to restore them, but can be "emptied" from time to time to save disk space. , planters Planters is an American snack food company under Kraft Foods manufacturing, best known for its nuts and the Mr. Peanut icon that symbolizes them. Started by Italian immigrants Amedeo Obici and Mario Peruzzi in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, in 1906, it was incorporated in 1908 , bikes, etc. -- is safely stowed away. Flying debris causes the majority of tornado deaths and injuries. Make sure you have the necessary insurance coverage as well. * Ensure Access to Important Records: Critical records and irreplaceable family documentation should be stored in a safe, secure and accessible location outside of your home or place of business. Kolberg recommends the Online Safe Deposit Boxes A safe deposit box (sometimes incorrectly called a safety deposit box) is a type of safe usually located in groups inside a bank vault or in the back of a bank or post office. offered by KeepYouSafe.com. Insurance records, deeds, medical history, financial information, birth and marriage certificates and all essential records - even digital copies of family photos and other precious items -- as well as business records can be stored in KeepYouSafe.com's Safe Deposit Boxes and easily and securely accessed via a standard web browser The program that serves as your front end to the Web on the Internet. In order to view a site, you type its address (URL) into the browser's Location field; for example, www.computerlanguage.com, and the home page of that site is downloaded to you. and internet connection from anywhere. "The time to prepare for tornados and other emergencies is now, before they happen," says Kolberg. "Pre-planning for disasters is the best way of ensuring your family's survival and of avoiding the typical post-storm problems of not having access to basic supplies like water, medicine and food or the records you need to process insurance payments and move on with your life." About Judith Kolberg: After a decade as a political lobbyist and activist, Judith Kolberg founded FileHeads Professional Organizers (http://www.fileheads.net) in 1989. Kolberg received the National Association of Professional Organizers' prestigious Founders' Award in 1996 based on her pioneering work in chronic disorganization disorganization /dis·or·gan·iza·tion/ (-or?gan-i-za´shun) the process of destruction of any organic tissue; any profound change in the tissues of an organ or structure which causes the loss of most or all of its proper characters. . She is the author of "Conquering Chronic Disorganization" and "ADD-Friendly Ways to Organize Your Life." Inspired by the events of September 11, 2001, Kolberg also wrote Organized for Disaster (www.squallpress.net) She is a certified Community Emergency Response trainee and has organized documents for hundreds of clients. A sought-after speaker and trainer for hundreds of companies, organizations, and individuals, Kolberg currently resides in Atlanta, GA. |
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