Fresh off a glancing blow of Hurricane Bill and looking ahead to the potential of Tropical Storm Danny this weekend, Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency issued a review of key information on hurricane preparedness, 72 hour Home Shelter kits, and hurricane warnings.
Hurricanes that approach New England can speed up dramatically, making it essential to be prepared if there is a potential for a tropical storm or hurricane to effect Maine.
The Lincoln County Emergency Management recommends that residents start preparing three days before the storm is scheduled to hit. Tropical Storm Danny is due off the Coast of Maine by Saturday. Check ar 72 hour Home Shelter kit, or for those who you have not assembled one, below are items to consider if you plan on sheltering in your home during the storm:.
Drinking water (at least one gallon of water per person for three days)
Canned and packaged food
Cooking utensils of which do not require electricity (can opener)
Re-sealable plastic bags
First aid kit and handbook
Essential Medications
Fire Extinguisher
Sturdy work gloves
Wrenches to turn off gas or water supplies
Standard phone, one which electricity is not necessary
Blankets and sleeping bags
Comfortable, warm clothing
Heavy-duty plastic bags for use as tarps, rain ponchos
Copies of important documents, such as insurance policies, certificates
All original documents should be in a water/fire secure safety box.
Copies of your family’s emergency plan
Remember to fill the car with gasoline. Secure all outside furniture or other objects that could be caught by the wind. Board up exposed windows, or tape them to reduce the potential for shattering glass.
If an evacuation is recommended, predetermine a route to the nearest shelter, have two evacuation routes that are not subject to flooding. Consider asking a friend or relative out of the affected area to be your point of contact. If you and your family evacuate, call this person and they will alert other friends and family. This detail is key for the wellbeing of your family and extended family as well that could be worrying about you.
As the storm approaches, you may be tempted to go to the beach to see the waves. This is dangerous. Stay away from the water! The combination of strong winds and powerful surf can lead to many types of injuries or even death, as we learned last week from Acadia National Park tragic death of a 7 year old girl.
Hurricane advisories are issued at six hour intervals at midnight, 6:00 a.m., noon and 6 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time. Bulletins provide additional information. Each message gives the name, eye position, intensity and forecast movement of the storm.
A hurricane watch is an alert added to a hurricane advisory covering a specific area and duration. A watch means that hurricane conditions are a real possibility; it does not mean they are definitely going to happen. When a watch is issued, everyone in the area covered by the watch should listen for further advisories and be prepared to act quickly if a hurricane warning is issued.
When a hurricane warning is issued, a it is an alert added to an advisory when hurricane conditions are expected within 24 hours. Hurricane warnings identify coastal areas where winds of at least 74 miles per hour are expected. A warning may also describe coastal areas where dangerously high water or exceptionally high waves are forecasted, even though winds may be less than hurricane force.
For more information, contact the Lincoln County Office of Emergency Management at 882-7559.
