Hurricane Readiness Plan
SIMULATION: A Category Four Hurricane is approaching Cornwall.
The purpose of the Hurricane Readiness Plan is to provide a systematic approach to follow in the event of a hurricane with emphasis on ongoing safety, awareness, preparedness and long-term survivability
DAY ONE minus 10 HOURS (10 hrs. before the hurricane hits Cornwall)
- We will have been notified of the impending weather by radio, TV, weather radio and Litchfield County Dispatch (LCD, the 911 center) will page all Fire Department personnel.
- We will also use reverse 911 to notify and warn all Cornwall phone numbers (that have registered with LCD) that a serious weather event is coming and that they should gas-up their vehicles and generators and have food and water stored and that we will give out commodities on day four.
DAY TWO AND DAY THREE (The hurricane has come over us, winds have subsided)
- Our Highway Department and our Fire Department personnel will be responding to emergencies and will begin clearing roads. We are anticipating most telephone lines and power line will have been disrupted.
- The Fire Department will begin door-to-door visits to acquire information about the condition of the residence. That information will be radioed back to the Fire Dept. HQ and solutions will be planned and executed. If you have a damaged home and intend to leave your home, please let us know so our first respondors conducting adoor to door inspection will not loose valuable time looking for you. Either call the fire department (860-672-6526), call me (860-671-0733), email me nevtond@gmail.com or leave a note at the fire department. It is very important for us to account for everyone and every home in Cornwall.
DAY FOUR
- Commodities will be distributed by a special volunteer group. Tony Appio will be the Point of Distribution (POD) manager. The POD will be located at a specific location for a specified duration to be announced in the reverse 911 call on day 1. We will distribute bottles of drinking water, MREs, ice and a tarp. A volunteer will gather data about any special help needed.
EMERGENCY CONTACT LIST
If you can’t get through to 911 and have a working phone, call the fire department at 860- 672-6526 or visit the Fire Department located across the street from the Cornwall Consolidated School.
COMMODITIES DISTRIBUTION
Power line, telephone lines and normal retail commerce will be disrupted. Some residents may need a supply of life-sustaining commodities and if this is so, we will request FEMA to make a drop shipment of water, ice, MREs and tarps to Cornwall.
On day four, a team of special volunteers will set up a drive-through center in Cornwall. Each household would open its car trunk, and a volunteer will place in the car trunk:
- 8 MREs per person in the household,
- one 20’x25’ tarp
- water, one gal per person
- ice, one 8 pound bag per person in the household
SHELTER
The town may provide shelter depending on the condition of suitable building with that capacity and the availablility of Civilian Emergency Response Team (CERT) members .
Glossary of Hurricane-Related Terms
The following are definitions of terms, used by the National Hurricane Center in their forecasts, which will help you better understand the extent of the threat posed by a hurricane.
• Advisory: A formal message from the National Hurricane Center, issued every six hours, providing details on location, intensity and movement of a tropical cyclone.
• Hurricane Eye: The relatively calm area near the center of a storm. The duration of the “Calm” may last from several minutes to over an hour, depending on the size and speed of the hurricane. The “Calm” usually ends suddenly as winds return, possibly with even greater force.
• Hurricane Warning: This warning indicates that a hurricane, with sustained winds of at least 74 mph, is to be expected in 24 hours or less. At this point, hurricane preparedness plans must be finalized. Hurricane warnings are seldom issued more than 24 hours in advance, and in cases of hurricanes with unusual or erratic paths, the warning may be issued only a few hours before landfall.
• Hurricane Watch: A hurricane watch indicates that hurricane conditions are a strong possibility and may threaten a given area within 36 hours. This advisory does not necessarily mean a hurricane is imminent, however you must initiate your hurricane preparedness activities.
• Intermediate advisories: Advisories are issued at two or three hour intervals, between regularly schedules advisories, whenever a storm nears a coast.
• Storm Surge: A dome-like rise in ocean level associated with a hurricane. The difference between this abnormal rise in sea level and the level that normally occurs is called the storm surge. It is highest along and to the immediate right of the location where the eye of the hurricane strikes land.
• Tornado Warning: If a tornado is reported in the area, a warning will be issued. Tornadoes spawned by hurricanes are capable of producing severe damage and casualties.
• Tropical Depression: A non-frontal low pressure system which usually originates in the tropics, it rotates counter clockwise and achieves maximum sustained winds of 38 mph.
• Tropical Storm: A non-frontal low pressure system which usually originates in the tropics, it rotates counter clockwise and achieves maximum sustained winds of 73 mph.
• Tropical Storm Warning: This warning indicates that there is a strong possibility that a storm, with a wind speed of 39 to 73 mph, which could strike a given area within 24 hours.
• Tropical Storm Watch: A tropical storm evolves from a tropical depression. This advisory means that a tropical storm could threaten a given area within 36 hours.
8The Saffir/Simpson H
Hurricane Intensity
Categories, Wind Speed Storm Surge, Typical Effects
Category One Hurricane -- Weak
74-95 mph (64-82kt)
Minimal Damage: Damage is primarily to shrubbery, trees, foliage, and unanchored mobile homes. No real damage occurs in building structures. Some damage is done to poorly constructed signs.
4-5 ft (1.2-1.5m)
Low-lying coastal roads are inundated, minor pier damage occurs, some small craft in exposed anchorages torn from moorings.
Category Two Hurricane -- Moderate
96-110 mph (83-95kt)
Moderate Damage: Considerable damage is done to shrubbery and tree foliage, some trees are blown down. Major structural damage occurs to exposed mobile homes. Extensive damage occurs to poorly constructed signs. Some damage is done to roofing materials, windows, and doors; no major damage occurs to the building integrity of structures.
6-8 ft (1.8-2.4m)
Coastal roads and low-lying escape routes inland may be cut by rising water 2- 4 hours BEFORE the hurricane center arrives. Considerable pier damage occurs, marinas are flooded. Small craft in unprotected anchorages torn from moorings. Evacuation of some shoreline residences and low-lying island areas is required.
Category Three Hurricane -- Strong
111-130 mph (96-113kt)
Extensive damage: Foliage torn from trees and shrubbery; large trees blown down. Practically all poorly constructed signs are blown down. Some damage to roofing materials of buildings occurs, with some window and door damage. Some structural damage occurs to small buildings, residences and utility buildings. Mobile homes are destroyed. There is a minor amount of failure of curtain walls (in framed buildings).
9-12 ft (2.7-3.7m)
Serious flooding occurs at the coast with many smaller structures near the coast destroyed. Larger structures near the coast are damaged by battering waves and floating debris. Low-lying escape routes inland may be cut by rising water 3-5 hours BEFORE the hurricane center arrives. Flat terrain 5 feet (1.5 m) or less above sea level flooded inland 8 miles or more. Evacuation of low- lying residences within several blocks of shoreline may be required.
Category Four Hurricane -- Very Strong
131-155 mph (114-135kt)
Extreme Damage: Shrubs and trees are blown down; all signs are down. Extensive roofing material and window and door damage occurs. Complete failure of roofs on many small residences occurs, and there is complete destruction of mobile homes. Some curtain walls experience failure.
13-18 ft (3.9-5.5m)
Flat terrain 10 feet (3 m) or less above sea level flooded inland as far as 6 miles (9.7 km). Major damage to lower floors of structures near the shore due to flooding and battering by waves and floating debris. Low-lying escape routes inland may be cut by rising water 3-5 hours BEFORE the hurricane center arrives. Major erosion of beaches occurs. Massive evacuation of ALL residences within 500 yards (457 m) of the shoreline may be required, and of single-story residences on low ground within 2 miles (3.2 km) of the shoreline.
Category Five Hurricane** -- Devastating
Greater than 155 mph (135kt)
Catastrophic Damage: Shrubs and trees are blown down; all signs are down. Considerable damage to roofs of buildings. Very severe and extensive window and door damage occurs. Complete failure of roof structures occurs on many residences and industrial buildings, and extensive shattering of glass in windows and doors occurs. Some complete buildings fail. Small buildings are overturned or blown away. Complete destruction of mobile homes occurs.
Greater than 18 ft (5.5m)
Major damage occurs to lower floors of all structures located less than 15 ft (4.6 m) above sea level and within 500 yards (457 m) of the shoreline. Low-lying escape routes inland are cut by rising water 3-5 hours BEFORE the hurricane center arrives. Major erosion of beaches occurs. Massive evacuation of residential areas on low ground within 5 to 10 MILES (8-16 km) of the shoreline may be required!