Weather disasters

Figure 1.1 Billion dollar U.S. weather disasters, 1980-2004—National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Often this weather type brings heavy bad weather disasters to central Europe from the Alps to Scandinavia, in winter persisting strong snowfall with drift, in summer lasting heavy rainfall with flooding (Roloff and Brtill, 1979 Bursting and Dieterich, 1987). 

As a consequence, in the future also in the Baltic Sea area heavy weather disasters will occur more and more often (Sections 4.2 and 4.3). 

PTSD has also emerged as an issue in the wake of weather disasters dating back to Hurricane Katrina. 

The U.S. has had five weather disasters costing more than a billion dollars this year. 

We ve already surpassed the total for billion-dollar weather disasters for all of 2010 (three), and... 

Force majeure is an event, circumstances, or an effect that cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled - often called an act of God, which includes natural disasters caused by weather and land movement. Force majeure also includes war, riots, air crash, labor stoppage, illness, disruption in utility supply by service providers, etc. There is some contradiction in this requirement as you can take effective action to maintain business continuity as a result of certain events that may be classified as force majeure or natural disasters. 

Weather data for a number of years should be assembled for each community being studied. Particular attention should be given to such natural disasters as hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods, which often can be predicted from meteorological data. In certain locations these catastrophic events must be assumed to be probable and this increases construction costs. E.xtremely cold weather often hampers process plant operation and requires special construction features to protect equipment from freezing. Predominantly warm weather permits cheaper construction but may also reduce the efllcicncy of the labor force. 

About 2.5 million tons (2.3 million tonnes) of coal arc burned daily in U.S. power plants. This is equivalent to roughly 21,000 railcars in transit, so it is apparent that coorditiatiiig production and cotistimp-tioii is no easy task. Accidents, rail strikes, natural disasters (e.g., floods that take out bridges and rail lines) and severe weather (e.g., deep river freezes that halt barge traffic) can all severely disrupt deliveries for utility customers dependent on a reliable coal supply for base load plants. Nonetheless, to reduce costs U.S. utilities have significantly reduced typical inventory levels over time. Wliereas a coal inventory of ninety days of supply was once typical, inventories now frequently run in the range of thirty to forty-five days. 

Contribution to an International Network and a Standardized Methodology for the Investigation of Natural Disasters to Learn from Rare Severe Weather Events (like Ice Storm 98 ). 

Emergency Service Procedures and Facilities undergoing ongoing modification, as extreme weather risks are too unpredictable to be fully contained (IDNDR s research units for hazard mitigation and/or disaster preparedness are in place at the Universite de Quebec a Rimouski, the University of Manitoba, the University of British Columbia). 

Monitoring of Structures during extreme weather (e.g., Ice Storm 98) to Fine-Tune Climate Design Data and Contribute to the International Investigation of Natural Disasters. 

The protocols and software developed in this study will give the Pacific Disaster Center tools that will enable it-and other agencies such as the Hawaii State Department of Land and Natural Resources and the U.S. National Weather Service-to conduct dam breach hazard assessments more easily. Results of these assessments are expected to be of value for disaster planning, emergency response, and flood warning. 

We pointed out earlier that most emergency plans address fire, medical emergencies, and the accidental release or spills of hazardous materials. Note that the development of emergency response plans should also factor in other possible emergencies— natural disasters, floods, explosions, and/or weather-related events that could occur and certainly will occur. Now, emergency response to terrorist activity or threats must also be added to the list. 

Be flexible and prepared to adapt your plans, while sticking to the rotation principles. Unexpected weather and other crop disasters can affect everyone. 

Because it is the lightest known gas, hydrogen was once used to float airships and aeronautical balloons. But it happens to be also extremely dangerous, and will burn readily (sometimes explosively) in oxygen. After a couple of spectacular disasters, the idea of passenger airships was abandoned in favor of airliners. Today, gas-filled balloons (often used for weather surveys) contain helium, which is also light, and safer than hydrogen. 

Since none of the above listed "antifreezes was really good, many. industrialists preferred not to use them at all, but just defrost the ordinary Dynamite in winter or store it in a warm magazine. This situation lasted until 1902 when a severe exp In in Greisenau Mine, Germany, was caused by frozen Dynamite. This disaster produced the renewal of research on antifreezes and in 1903 the SA de Poudres et Dynamites of France introduced DNT TNT as antifreezes. These compds did not reduce appreciably the strength of Dynamites and were satisfactory from this point of view. They, however, did not lower the ft p of NG sufficiently for use in very cold weather... 

The certification committee allows the farm to purchase conventional feed and forage during a shortage of organic feed. Flowever, the conventional feed and forage cannot exceed 15% for non-ruminants on a dry matter basis. Daily maximum intake of conventional feed intake cannot exceed 25% of the total daily feed intake on a dry matter basis. Exemptions due to severe weather and disasters are permitted. Detailed feed records must be kept and the conventional feed must be OFDC-approved. 

The U.S. has sustained 62 weather related disasters ever the Iasi 24 years with overall damages/costs exceeding 1.0 billion for each event. 

Go to the National Traffic and Road Closure Information Web site at http //www.fhwa.dot.gov/ trafficinfo/index.htm. In the event of a natural disaster involving severe weather conditions, locate updated information on the status of roads in your state and locality. What other Web sites could you go to for current weather-related road conditions during a disaster What aspects of a disaster plan would this information change ... 

External disasters can trigger internal disasters for an organization. A severe weather condition like a snowstorm or a geological event like an earthquake can create both conditions for a hospital. During severe weather events, staff may not be able to commute to work, but trauma cases may increase, and this results in a situation where there is short staffing with a simultaneous increase in demand for services. An earthquake may cause structural damage to the hospital, destroy roads and highways, and cause mass casualties in the community. Such a hospital would be faced with simultaneous internal and external disasters. 

Preparedness/Risk Assessment Evaluate the facility s vulnerabilities or propensity for disasters. Issues to consider include weather patterns geographic location expectations related to public events and gatherings age, condition, and location of the facility and industries in close proximity to the hospital (e.g., nuclear power plant or chemical factory). 

Assembling a disaster supplies kit containing a first aid kit, battery powered weather radio, flashlight, and extra batteries. 

A car disaster supply kit. Keep a smaller disaster supply kit in the trunk of you car. If you become stranded or are not able to return home, having these items will help you be more comfortable until help arrives. Add items for severe winter weather during months when heave snow or icy roads are possible—salt, sand, shovels, and extra winter clothing, including hats and gloves. 

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