Topic: Emergency Preparation

[pyanow]

Earlier this month I read a quote from the United Nations' top emergency relief coordinator, Jan Egeland, who talked about the incidence of natural disasters around the world, and I quote:

"The world has witnessed an "explosion of misery" over the past three decades as a result of natural disasters.

And according to the top UN emergency relief coordinator, Jan Egeland, the number of people affected by natural disasters has increased five-fold.
He says many people believe this year-2006-is much better than 2005 when there were many disasters including the tsunami, Hurricane Katrina and the South Asia earthquake.

"It's wrong. There have been 267 disasters recorded up to the end of August. 91 million people have had their lives devastated. Over the past 12 months, the economic cost of disaster reached $173 billion."

Jan Egeland." (Ref: http://radio.un.org/story.asp?NewsID=5478). (You can also listen to a radio version of this information at www.pya.com.au/October/06101100-1.mp3)

I would like to pose the following question to forum members:

Given the above quote and the recent events in Australia's own history such as Cyclone Larry and numerous smaller events, along with the current media discussion about the effects of climate change on our weather, what is the current feeling about taking steps to prepare ourselves for natural (and other) disasters? I would be interested in getting feedback from both people who have experienced some kind of natural disaster and those who live in what we might term "safe" areas.

Regards,

David McSweeney

[Meso]

Hi David,

The quote is interesting, especially 'the number of people affected by natural disasters has increased five-fold'.  I wonder, what is the point of reference here?  Increased five-fold since the previous year, over the past 3 decades, since last week?

Formerly from the Wide Bay / Burnett area in Queensland, I've been through a few weak cyclones, and countless severe storms. To answer your question regarding preparedness, I think that everything that can be done is being done. Better building codes, an increase in weather and disaster awareness in the general public, etc. At the end of the day though, you can't stop mother nature.  What are the 'other' kind of disasters that you were referring to?

Mal

[sparky]

Predominately I agree with John, though I do think that there is more that the general public can do for themselves.  And in some instances it doesn't matter where you live there is always the possibility of some disaster, man made or natural. 

How many people think more than week to week or past their own immediate needs?  It has become the norm to rely on 'electronics' and plastic cards - how many people carry cash around now, or have cash stored in case of a genuine emergency? How many people have a generator or containers specifically for water, back up fuel or non-perishable food stock?  If a major disaster happens you can expect at least a week before any real help is operational - as seen in Katrina.  Reports of Darwin were also the same - it was a week before any real relief was available.   How many places have an efficient disaster plan? Until it eventuates and you go through one, can you really know what to expect? 

Past experiences teach us many lessons but I think that many of the general public still have no idea or just don't think about it until it happens to them.

[Harley Pearman]

Hello there

Interesting topic - Re natural climatic disasters.

I have been keeping weather records of where I live in Blacktown for 10 years now but this year I have noticed an interesting trend emerging.

There is great debate about global warming and climate change but some of it I question and disagree. However, what I have noticed this year is that there has been a trend towards "More extreme weather events". This year there have been numerous extreme events in Sydney such as:-

1) - 1 January it reached 44C which only came about after parts of western Sydney had experienced 13 days of 30C plus temperatures. This was the only day it reached 40C last summer in Sydney.

2) - A heavy thunderstorm that dropped up to 94 mm of rain over Penrith during the last Sunday of February.

3) - Followed by one of the driest Autumn on record.

4) A waterspout off Sydney one August afternoon.

4) - Followed by a very wet September caused by an east coast low 6 to 13. All the rain of September fell during this period and parts of western Sydney during one rain event had up to and over 100 mm of rain in one single fall.

5) - Followed by a very dry October, not to mention the heat that came with it.

6) - There were also early season fires too during this motnth.

All these events have had some impact on somebody and all have been extreme in one way. Some extreme events are related to El Nino and drought and some may have links towards global warming.

Auburn Council engineers have noticed that rainfall across Sydney has fallen over the past 6 years but have noticed that when it does rain it is more extreme ie heavier but for shorter periods with longer dry periods between each rain event. I too have noticed that for 2006.

Hence, I think there should be planning emphasis on dealing with the extreme events.

Climate change:- The planets climate is always changing and we are currently in an ice age but an interglacial period of an ice age. Did you know that a warming period is followed by increased cloud cover which over a period of time results in a cooling effect.

Climate is changing and the world is becoming warmer for the interim period but more people are exposed to severe storms and other natural weather related disasters and the dangers they brings. Cities are becoming bigger. Hence cities represent bigger targets than in the past leading to an increase in insurance claims and damage bills. Perhaps there are too many people on this planet exposed to natural disasters and living in big cities. Another reason why population growth needs to be addressed.

Solar panels

I will bring this up and hope it will spawn some debate as well.

I am becoming highly concerned about proposals by several Sydney Councils to get residents to install solar panels on the roofs of dwellings to cut green house gas emissions. I have raised this issue here at work and have sent a critical E Mail to half the Council. Given that Sydney is exposed to severe thunderstorms and the occasional Supercell, storm many of which bring large enough hail, these solar panels will be destroyed or at best seriously damaged during such an event. Hence during a severe thunderstorm crossing Sydney containing big enough hail, these structures would suffer badly. Insurance companies will not insure these.

Such structures would raise the thunderstorm damage bill significantly but this is preventable by simply not switching to solar power in the Sydney region.

I am having a debate about this at work and conclude it is not a clever idea to address energy issues for Sydney via solar energy. Hence some form of property damage can be prevented in the first instance.


Harley Pearman

[sparky]

Does the insurance for the solar panels depend on the companies? Some companies refuse to insure you if you have an asbestos roof, while others insure regardless, including reputable bigger companies.  So is it a similar position with solar panels. yes they would be potentially another source of damage, but they can also be a bigger relief than burden.  If you install enough solar panels on your roof you can be feeding into the electricity grid and potentially eliminating your power bill and reducing the load on our coal powered and hydro electric power stations.  Surely this has to be an advantage.  Cheers.

[ozone doug]

Intresting topic on the preparation side we have generators and a proper input to the house and always had 12 volt back up on the radio gear to know whats going on . we have extra food and water containers handy and 3 big tarps for the roof which came in handy last year a hail storm and a fibro roof . lucky we were with suncorp who covered the fibro roof and insulation which came to about $15.000 in repairs . I will have to check with suncorp as i was planing to put solar panels on the new house in the country . I think they would cover them . OK cheers Doug

[Robert1984]

I am very well prepared for any kinda disaster that dares to strike rural South Australia as i've got radios that can tell me what is going on as well as a first aid kit and emergency response clothing

[TroyVR]

I have first aid kit, torches, radios, cb radios

and a storm cellar (sauna)

^i'd be using it in case of a tornado

[Harley Pearman]

Since my post in 2006, I am finding out and reading more and more about how insurance companies deal with clients and weather events in Florida (USA).

Following recent hurricanes in the past few decades there have been changes in building codes. Use of new materials, new structural connectors and storm shields and shutters to protect windows and easy to install and activate storm covering for windows are becoming a requirement for new homes. Further, shatterproof windows, connector systems that tie the roof to the home and new cap anchoring systems for tile roofs are becoming a requirement as well.

Insurers are looking favourably to the new devices because homes with these devices suffer less damage than homes without them. I think Florida has mandated these and insurance companies offer clients discounts to those with the devices where it is shown the homes are built to withstand hurricanes.

On the flip side and following many storm events, damage surveys often find hidden construction flaws and poor building code enforcement. This results in greater damage than what should occur and it comes back to builders carrying out the work properly and building inspectors doing the inspection job properly to ensure compliance.

My book Extreme Weather by H Michael Mogil 2007 (Page 28), has revealed that since 1980 to 2006, the USA has suffered a staggering 70 weather related natural disasters costing $560 Billion (This estimate was done by NOAA covering 27 years but only covers events costing $1 Bilion or more). Hurricane Katrina has accounted for $125 Billion of this figure.

Currently in the USA, the recent floods have cost Iowa and surrounds $8 Billion in agricultural loses alone.

The fiscal extremes are amazing and one may jump to the conclusion that extreme events are getting worse or there are more of them but the truth of it lies in the fact of population shift in this country to warmer climates. More people and the expansion of cities is being blamed for the fiscal loses. There are not more of them, just more people being affected by the events.

Often or not events can be exaggerated too.

We have to adapt and learn to live with the events as best as we can and implement the technology that is invented to lesson the losses that occur.

The Florida model of insurance companies rewarding clients who build homes the way they want them built is interesting. This is one sure way of being prepared for a weather related natural disaster via the insurance premiums.


Harley Pearman