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Perilous
Times and Climate Change
Could you survive an extreme weather disaster?
By Katherine Dorsett Bennett, CNN
updated 12:42 PM EST, Sat January 28, 2012
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
NOAA: A record 14 climate disasters in 2011 caused $1 billion
or more in damage
Official says conditions are prime for more extreme weather
disasters
Weather Service director: Doubling efforts to be a
"weather-ready nation"
Atlanta (CNN) -- Ranee Roberts feels lucky to have survived the
impact of a tornado that hit her Alabama convenience store in
April.
"Before the twister hit, I sent a last text to say 'I love you' to
my best friend, and then the building began to come apart around
me," said the 34-year-old from Henagar.
Roberts said she knew only about two minutes before impact that
the twister was heading toward her store. The tornado was rated an
EF-4, with estimated winds peaking at 175 mph.
"There was no time for preparations, only prayer," she said. "I
felt utterly hopeless thinking I might be spending my last moments
on Earth curled up on the stockroom floor."
Looking back, she was ill-prepared for the storm and its
aftermath. She felt that she got off extremely lucky walking away
with "just a few scratches" to her body.
She learned from her harrowing experience to keep a first-aid kit,
flashlight, bicycle helmet, battery-powered radio, power generator
and Meals Ready to Eat in her storm closet.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
a record 14 weather and climate disasters in 2011 caused $1
billion or more in damage, including the Alabama tornado that
Roberts survived. At least 669 people died in these storms and
thousands were injured.
"In my four decades of tracking weather, I have never seen extreme
weather like we had in 2011," said Jack Hayes, NOAA's assistant
administrator for weather services and the National Weather
Service director.
Although no two years are alike, Hayes said, it's important for
Americans to be prepared for the worst.
"The U.S. population has almost doubled since 1954, and trends
such as urban sprawl and conversion of rural land to suburban
landscapes increase the likelihood a tornado will impact densely
populated areas," he said. "We have also become more vulnerable to
coastal storms and hurricanes as more people are living in coastal
areas."
Hayes said the 2011 Southern drought and floods across the
northern U.S. represent the extreme temperature and precipitation
swings that climate scientists project will become more common
amid a warming climate.
As a result of these conditions, Hayes' agency has redoubled its
efforts to create a "Weather-Ready Nation."
"We want the nation's response to and the outcome from severe
weather to be different in 2012 and in the future," he noted.
The devastating effects of extreme events can be reduced through
improved readiness. Hayes said a "weather-ready nation" is one
made up of people empowered to make life-saving decisions that
also prevent devastating economic losses.
Roberts said that neither she nor her neighbors and friends in
Alabama felt they were as prepared as they could have been for
April's tornado. They lacked basic supplies and relied on the
Federal Emergency Management Agency, other community members and a
local church to help them after the storm.
"That tornado was a clear reminder of our vulnerability," she
said. "Your life can change in an instant."
One of the many lessons she learned from her experience was to
create an emergency preparedness plan, something Hayes wants for
all Americans.
In the end, emergency managers, first responders, government
officials, businesses and the public need to be equipped with
better weather information and a plan to make fast, smart
decisions to save lives and livelihoods, Hayes said.
As part of creating a "weather-ready nation," Hayes' agency is
launching pilot projects in the Gulf Coast, South and mid-Atlantic
regions to increase "on the ground" capabilities.
In the north central Gulf region, for instance, a pilot team of
meteorologists and hydrologists is developing methods to improve
coordination to enhance preparedness and response efforts.
Hayes also wants Americans to understand that each type of weather
condition deserves a specific type of preparedness. NOAA's website
links to FEMA's ready.gov site, which offers detailed information
on how to create a disaster plans for various conditions.
To prepare for tornadoes, for example, it's critical that families
identify a "safe room" in their house to go to when they hear a
tornado siren or learn that a tornado warning is in effect, Hayes
said. If you are outside or away from your home, you should
immediately get into the lowest level of a sturdy building. The
safest type of room would be underground, such as a basement or
cellar, he said
Meteorologist Bonnie Schneider, who appears on the various media
platforms of CNN and HLN, has written a new book releasing January
31, called "Extreme Weather," which provides a guide to surviving
all types of natural disasters. She notes the growing importance
of technology and social media in becoming a "weather-ready
nation."
"During natural disasters like earthquakes or hurricanes phone
lines may go down so SMS and Twitter may be the only ways to
communicate," she said. "It's important to have these types of
accounts set up, and know how to use them, before an extreme
weather event occurs."
Schneider recommends having a plan for pets too, including
emergency food supplies and an accessible place to keep a picture
of your pet and proof of ownership. This may be needed at a
shelter, or if the pet is lost.
"You've got to be proactive in preparing for extreme weather," she
said.
"An extreme weather condition, like the tornado I experienced,
doesn't care if you are rich, poor, young or old," said Roberts.
"What does matter is how prepared you are and how quickly you
react when time is of the essence."