FAMILY DISASTER NETWORK (FDN); FAMILY PRE-DISASTER MANUAL
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BLOGSPOT: HURRICANES, EARTHQUAKES, VOLCANOES, COMMERCIAL LEAKS & RADIATION
LESSON 23-HURRICANES: The National Weather Service and the Hurricane Forecast Center have the
hurricane season from June 1 to November 30. Eastern Hurricanes are born over the Atlantic/African
convergence zone where African weather fronts head west out into the cold water Atlantic and develop into new low
systems. As these low systems head west into the warmer Caribbean waters they gain strength. At this point the
NWS and the Hurricane Center watch, upgrade, name and alert various areas. The low systems become
Tropical Depressions, then Tropical Storms to get named and finally Hurricanes when they hit 74 MPH. There are
five categories of strength. See www.fdnintelreps.blogspot.com for previous disasters and other events for our
newsletters, or send three SASE if in the U.S. to above address. Or, if international send three self-addressed
envelopes with your home address with country/postal code with $10.00 US cash or €10.00 for the three
envelopes to get 12 newsletters and other important documents. THE CSU at Ft. Collins, CO is forecasting an
very serious year for 2020. So prepare now, even if you’re 500 miles inland.
Hurricanes also are born west of Panama in the Pacific and head northwest towards Mexico or Hawaii and they
are given another set of names. Typhoons hit around Southeast Asia and the Indian Sub-continent with another
set of names.
HURRICANE EVACUATION PLANS: With two to seven days notice on a hurricane watch and warning, at the
four-day mark prior to the storm you should been able to secure and board your property and have all ready kits
available to evacuate. You should concentrate on items that are not replaceable as well as what the kit lists provide.
A couple of new items to buy are detailed atlases (hunter maps) of your state and the state you plan to evacuate
to, such as from Florida to Georgia. Using these atlases you can determine alternate evacuation routes that are
NOT prone to flooding and hopefully not the interstate.
Take time to explore these routes, make notes of landmarks, street and highway names, lane changes and places
that you would want to stay at. Try to evacuate at the three days prior to landfall. Get ahead of the crowds and
use alternate routes when possible. Once the highway patrol and sheriffs shut down various thru routes, then you
wind up with a one or two day prior to the storm evacuation and stuck on the interstate with everyone else. If you're
a FDN member call us 7am-9pm CT at 605-838-9759 prior to hurricane season or at least any known track to get
personalized service with your evacuation plan.
If you live on or close to the coast, or in low lying areas to 100 miles inland, then you are at risk. Keep your stock
levels at one month. Hurricanes have the most warning time. You have two days actual track for the landing, and
to one week for a wide area. Take all proper precautions, tie downs, boarding and evacuation where required.
Follow local annexes and authorities. If you don't evacuate as requested you will be on your own. Risk is risk.
Make sure to watch The Weather Channel, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC and your favorite local news channel
with accurate doppler radar or find the best radio stations with disaster information in your area.
Remember that 2005 had 28 named storms including Alpha, Beta, and the infamous Katrina and Rita plus four
hurricanes that stormed FL, GA and AL. August 29, 2012, Hurricane Isaac makes landfall seven years of
Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and Mobile.
LESSON 24— EARTHQUAKES: If you live in an earthquake prone area-see State and Area Annexes-then you
should take all essential precautions and enhance your families and areas survivability to a two weeks or more
level. It is highly suggested to have extra cashes of supplies in other areas. It is not just California, the 1823
Madrid, MO fault shook so violently that the mighty Mississippi River flowed backward for 18 minutes and the
tremors were felt 700 miles away in Ohio, Virginia and Georgia.
Debbie and I took a trip to Oklahoma on the first week of November 2011 and we had several quakes with
the largest being 5.7 on the Richter scale. All 50 states have had or felt an earthquake in the last 100 years.
There was also a 6.4 earthquake centered in Virginia on August 23, 2011 which damaged the Washington
Monument in Washington, D.C. The WY/MT/ID Yellowstone Area can get an 8.0 earthquake. There are also
zones in AK, OR, WA, CO, HI, MO, AR, NY, OK and VA.
You need to secure shelves and brace top-heavy furniture. Store breakables and heavy objects on lower shelves.
Anchor overhead lights, heavy art work and mirrors. Strap water heater and gas appliances to the wall. Block the
wheels/feet on large appliances such as refrigerators so they won't slide. Store flammable liquids outside the home.
Equip gas appliances with flexible connectors. Know how to turn off natural gas, propane and electrical master
breaker or fuse and water shut off.
DURING AN EARTHQUAKE: If you're at home, stay indoors, turn off the stove and douse fires. Crouch under a
heavy table or desk and hang onto it. If there is no protective furniture, crouch and brace yourself against an inside
doorway or corner. As soon as the quake stops quickly assess damage, if you can recover all of your various kits
do so, if not, then grab those possible and evacuate the building.
If you're inside a store or office building then don't run for the exit; there may be a stampede. Stay on the same floor
and move away from windows. Crouch under a desk, bench or table. Don't use the elevator and expect the fire
alarm and sprinkler systems to activate. Use the floor fire marshal to start an evacuation after the quake. Grab
office E-Kits and uncovered data if possible, and evacuate per plans and rendezvous.
If you're on foot, stay out of doors, but in the open, and away from trees, buildings-the facades and windows
might fall- utility poles or signs. If you're in a building, duck under furniture or inside a doorway to avoid the
falling debris.
If you're in a vehicle pull to the side of the road as quickly as possible, but keep away from trees, buildings,
utility poles and lines, signs, bridges, and viaducts. Stay in the vehicle until the shaking stops.
IMMEDIATELY AFTER AN EARTHQUAKE: Take First Aid Lessons prior to any event. Treat the injured with
first aid. Stop the bleeding and call for medical assistance if there is an emergency. Don't attempt to move
severely injured persons unless they are in immediate danger of further injury. Cover with blankets to prevent
shock and elevate legs if possible.
Use phones to report injuries if possible, other wise use CB Channel 9 and GMRS Channel 9. Get people
to monitor these and other channels. FDN Communications Section should have relay systems set up for
emergency dispatch in most situations. Turn on battery-powered radio or vehicle radio for information and
instructions. Contact local FDN Command-see Annex. Remember your training in Chapter Two for First Aid
and CPR. That is why everyone is responsible to help the Network grow. SURVIVABILITY SYNERGISITICS!!
See the Communications SOP in Chapter 6 and your AREA/METRO ANNEX. Turn on your wind-up/solar/battery powered radio or vehicle radio for information and instructions. See next page for further
expansion of information.
LESSON 25-VOLCANOES: If you are in a risk area, stay alert, check Area/Metro annexes and local
Emergency Services for most information, and have extra various kits prepared at various locations. Be ready
to evacuate upwind up to 100 to 200 miles. Beware that volcanoes start with smoke and earthquakes, then
it can go to major lava spewing, throwing of boulders and a pyroclastic flow with a sonic wave that can shred
humans, animals, trees, and buildings and has the power of a Hiroshima type atomic bomb (25,000 kt).
During the week of April 4, 2010, the Eyjafjallajokull glacier in Iceland spewed smoke, hot ash, lava and
boulders in Iceland. The smoke and ash plume rose to over five miles in height with a 1000 mile long plume
of ash went ESE. The weather in Europe, Britain and beyond was affected with less sunshine, gloomy clouds
and a retro-pre-view of what a nuclear winter would look like. (Remember the Cold War 1980s.)
This hot ash if taken in by a jet engine would melt into sharp glass and tear up the jet blade fans in the engine
causing immediate engine failure. The jet would just drop from the sky killing all on board.
By that Thursday, the five mile high ash plume went east towards northern Europe, the United Kingdom, and
all of Europe and Russia. Over 50,000 flights were canceled with hundred of thousands trying to reroute or
try another mode of transportation. Ironically with deep regrets, but that Saturday were the State Funeral for
the Polish President and his wife and others that died on the Polish Government Airliner flying to Moscow but
crashed in thick fog the week prior. That meant that many state heads were not able to go to the funerals in
Warsaw.
Remember that there are over 30 major volcanoes on this planet. Most of them on the “Ring of Fire”, skirting
the rim of the Pacific Ocean, plus a few in the Mediterranean Sea, Indonesia, the western United States and
the Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, Idaho and Montana.
VOLCANO EVACUATION SOP [If your Area/Metro requires it and see your State Annex and staple in.]:
LESSON 26–SALVAGING PRE-BRIEF: After any evacuation it is hard to make a judgement on wether on
not to re-enter a building after being damaged. If at all possible try to recover your various E-Kits, and other
items as soon as possible. It is a dangerous area, use safety first use boots, leather gloves, rope and hard
hats. Get in and out in a matter of minutes. This is why we copy all important documents, pictures and have
them in a safe secondary location that is not prone to floods and fire. We also want to keep these kits and
boxes in the front closet, garage or outside storage. It is always a judgement call to retrieve kits that will
enhance your survivability to a two week or more level. The fire department, police and building inspectors
can easily block entrance or easily condemn the property within hours or days. Remember Safety First then
speed.
LESSON 27: RECAP ON EVACUATIONS: Double check these items: Quarterly family conferences to
discuss procedures on page 27 and hold those drills. Also make yourself a list for all important phone
numbers, rendezvous locations and alternates, an out-of-town POC for other queries from friends and family,
and include the E-Plans of your work, schools, day care, religious, clubs and other items. Listen to the news
and weather more than twice a day. Include your FESOP for all scenarios, see Lesson 9.
Have a building evacuation map and floor plans with two rally points. Have a business, club, church, or
organizational fire or evacuation marshal for different departments or floors. Business’ can use GMRS
channels 2, 5, 12 and 15. See Chapter Six for Communication Codes. Keep your vehicle, front closets,
backpack, and off-site kits stocked and rotate items specified. Don’t forget a wind-up or portable radio and
flashlights with extra batteries, a first aid kit with manual, basic tools and wrenches, bleach, emergency food,
water and water purification tablets with filters, spare eyeglasses, prescriptions and medicines, baby, feminine,
pet and special needs items, can opener, all hygiene items, blankets, shelter, camping gear, cooking
equipment and portable toilet with extra bags and two weeks of tissue per person. Chapter Five will tell you
how to set up Evacuation and Field Sites with shelter, water, food and triage.
HOW ABOUT IF I CAN’T AFFORD A WEEKS WORTH OF GROCERIES, NO LESS SIX MONTHS? No
worries, do what you can do or afford. Work with the Metro Kit Supervisor and the Metro Warehouser. They
can make sure that you are involved and in the loop as much as possible and have rations or supplies
available for volunteering your efforts of about ten hours a month. If there seems to be no Metro Personnel,
then contact me at 605-838-9759 (7am-9pm ct, Monday to Saturday) or email me at
redbecker2016@gmail.com .
COMMUNICATION AND COORDINATION: I’ll say it again, it is best to have CB radios, anyone can use them
and they’re inexpensive. Also try to get a small programmable scanner to provide you with all sorts of
information for emergencies. Use CB Channels 31 and 32, GMRS Channel 7–not scrambled, and the
Metro/Area Annexes will have scanner frequencies for Fire, Ambulance, Snow plows, Search and Rescue,
Civil Air Patrol, HAM Radio and stay out of harms way and use alternate routes.
Check on the elderly and housebound neighbors, family, and friends to join FDN. SYNERGISITICS
SURVIVABILITY! Buy a Manual for them and help them with Chapters One and Five and Lessons 6 to 9.
Have the Area/Metro Trainer or Kits Specialist to help them also. Will they need transportation in an
evacuation? Ask Area/District/Metro Managers and Metro Transportation Supervisor.
ANNEXES IN CHAPTER EIGHT AND SOPs: Your Area/Metro/State Annexes will be most useful in that they
will be more specific on how to respond to various scenarios in your area. Your Area/Metro/State
Planning/Operations/Training Supervisor will have Metro/State printouts for you to staple into your Manual in
the various pages that have SOPs or ANNEXES.
PROCEDURES FOR MAN-MADE DISASTERS
Review page 63 (questions 51-60) for review on Man-Made Disasters. They come in various forms but all
would create an evacuation and disrupt your life, your job or business. In all instances that you have to
evacuate, but you will not know how long that you might be away (five hours or five days), then make sure that
you have all ready kits, bags or boxes complete from pages 17-19.
LESSON 28–COMMERCIAL LEAKAGE RISKS: Various leaks could be a backhoe that digs up a gas line,
gas station leaks, propane tanks, semi-trucks that jack-knifed with Hazmat material, or train derailments of
petroleum products or other chemicals and refinery leaks, etc. Do your Leak Risk Assessment on pages 24
and 65, develop evacuation routes for two and ten minute time frames. Know which directions to evacuate,
don’t forget uncovered documents if a business or priceless photographs, office or home kits, evacuation
leaders, the response frequency-CB Channel 32, GMRS Channel 2 or business frequency. If there is an
explosion, what will be other procedures? Review CODE TOPAZ–less than a mile evacuation or CODE
EMERALD-LOCAL–over a mile wide evacuation zone. Using the Leak Risk Assessments, ask how far away
are the threats and develop the plans.
LESSON 29–RADIATION LEAKS OR ATTACKS: These could be Hazmat cargo, Nuclear storage facilities
or nuclear plants that are local, regional, or international that have or could suffer a major leak. Review page
64, questions 63-70. The Metro/State Annexes will cover more on this subject.
Know which way the fallout will travel, and what the expected dosages rates will be. Evacuate to the flank (90
degrees) and go upwind over 50 miles from the radiation cloud. Be ready to move supplies to the new
evacuation sites. National and State Network will set up Evacuation Sites.
FAMILY/GROUP/FIRM RADIATION LEAKS SOP: As reported in the “USA Today”, on September 22, 2011
they announced that 108 million Americans live within 50 miles of a Nuclear Plant. That translates that one-third of the U.S. is close proximity to a nuclear plant. That also means that one-fourth (25%) of you have a
chance of exposure to the radation plume cloud. Whoops–I just scared the bejebbers out of you. Oh, Nuclear
Plants have a less than 1% chance of having a leak. The Japan disaster showed the IAEA that making the
industry upgrade their safety and contingency plans to a 2% failure rate.
CODE EMERALD–BOUNDARY OR REGIONAL–STATUS BLACK SOP (RADIATION):
Staple copy of extended version to this page and copy to your Metro Annex on in Chapter 8.
RADIATION PROTOCOL: FAMILIES AND SMALL FIRMS:
SCENARIO ONE: This scenario is most likely to happen. There are tons of non-weapons grade-but medical
and research radioactive material in hospitals, universities, and on the roads each day to be stored or re-processed. How many of you have had a medical procedure using radioactive barium or other tracer? The
hospital or medical facility has to have a secure storage for unused medical radioactive materials. These
materials are sometimes shipped to other facilities that have long term storage for used medical or research
waste.
If a semi-truck was to jack-knife or roll over with these materials, most likely there would be a one to five mile
containment area. Most likely that there would be very little Hazmat cleanup to do because of the strength
of the steel alloy containers. If you are in an area where this would or did just happen then grab what kits that
you can and call Metro Control on CB Channel 31 or GMRS Channel 7. Contact other family members and
friends to coordinate rally points. Make sure to be self reliant as much as possible. Remember to have
secondary location kits.
Know which way the fallout will travel, and what the expected dosages rates will be. Evacuate to the flank (90
degrees) and go upwind over 50 miles from the radiation cloud. Be ready to move supplies to the new
evacuation sites. National and State Network will set up Evacuation Sites. Pay attention to the Emergency
Alert System (EAS) on CATV, Radio, and DTV. Find a clear channel (long distance) local or metro AM station
(540khz to 1050khz) that would guide you to safety zones.
