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Storms – Natural Disasters Worksheet
Some of the density–independent factors limiting our population are
natural disasters such as thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods, blizzards,
hurricanes, and tsunamis. Technologies such as Doppler radar and
computer models help track the events in our atmosphere and
hydrosphere that precede these disasters, and help predict their
occurrence and track them once spotted. We can’t prevent their
occurrence, but early warning enables us to minimize property damage
and loss of life. Unfortunately, some of our technologies, like dams
and levees, while helpful during small floods, can cause more damage
than they prevent when they fail during really big floods. We haven’t
perfected our early warning systems enough to entirely prevent false
warnings, and when hurricanes turn from their predicted paths, or a
flooding river “crests” 5 times in 5 days, or tornado sirens are set
off inadvertently, people begin to ignore the warnings. The news is
full of people who chose to have “hurricane parties” instead of
evacuating, or run out and try to videotape the tornado bearing down
on them. In recent years, government agencies have taken a stronger
interest in minimizing future disaster damage than in just bailing
people out from financial woes with little to prevent it from
happening again. Mitigation is the cornerstone of emergency
management. It's the ongoing effort to lessen the impact future
disasters have on people and property. Structural mitigation involves
raising buildings up on pilings, engineering bridges and buildings to
withstand earthquakes, creating and enforcing effective building codes
to protect property from hurricanes – and more. Non–structural
mitigation involves rebuilding homes away from floodplains,
unprotected coastal areas, and on solid bedrock instead of on loose
sediments in fault zones. Success story – In Arnold, Missouri, the
total amount of Federal disaster assistance granted after the 1993
floods was over $2 million dollars, given to 528 households. After the
floods of 1995, the fourth largest flood in Arnold’s history, the
damage was less then $40,000, given to 26 households, as a result of
non–structural mitigation – the “buy–out” of flood-prone or
flood-damaged properties after 1993, instead of letting them be
rebuilt.
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SAMPLE QUESTION |
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Name the disaster you would be mitigating
against if you did the following: |
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1. |
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Bolt or strap cupboards and bookcases to
the wall, and keep heavy objects on the lower shelves.
Strap your water heater to a nearby wall using bands of
perforated steel (commonly known as "plumber's tape").
Install bolts to connect your home to its foundation. |
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2. |
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Strap your home to better secure the roof
to the walls and foundation. Install and maintain storm
shutters over all exposed windows and glass surfaces, and
use them to prevent damage from flying debris. |
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3. |
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Elevate home on pilings. Move valuables and
appliances out of the basement of your home. Elevate the
main breaker or fuse box and the utility meters, to
prevent damage to utilities. Buy an insurance “rider” to
cover the value of your home and its contents. |
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4. |
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Move shrubs and other landscaping away from
the sides of your home or deck. Install tile shingles on
your roof, instead of asphalt shingles or wood shakes.
Clear wood piles, dead brush and grass from your property. |
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