Tips: Prepare For Any Natural Disaster

  • May 18, 2009

The International Code Council Foundation offers tips to prepare for any type of natural disaster.

Zero Cost

  • Plan in advance: Develop a family disaster plan that includes a list of food and water supplies needed for each member of your family, a plan and supplies for your pets, important documents and files, a disaster kit and what to have in it, maps of local evacuation routes and emergency shelter locations, important contact information for local emergency providers and a checklist of important things to do before, during and after a disaster.
  • Reduce the threat of wind-borne projectiles that are a major factor in home damage and destruction during hurricanes, tornadoes and other windstorm events. Bring anything inside that may become airborne during a storm, such as patio furniture, potted plants or toys.
  • Assess your home's vulnerability to natural disaster events. Visit http://www.FLASH.org to access a free, online wind inspection toolkit with a self-powered tool, how-to videos and to-do lists. Click on the YouTube link to explore the entire FLASH disaster safety library of animations for protection from disasters of all kinds. All the videos are backed with free, expert counsel on disaster safety building practices and resources.

Low Cost

  • Purchase a NOAA weather radio with battery back-up for your home.
  • To protect wind and water entry points, touch up window flashing with caulk or replacing flashing.
  • Check the security of garage door rollers and tracks, secure loose roof shingles, and check the throw length of dead bolts and head and foot bolts on exterior doors, especially double doors.
  • Don't overlook attics. Shutter soffit vents and gable-end vents with code-approved products. If you are a do-it-yourselfer, measure, cut and pre-drill all shutter plywood and material to save time before a high wind event using 5/8-inch thick exterior grade plywood.

Long-Term Improvements

  • Install code-approved opening protection for all exposed windows, glass surfaces, sliding glass doors, exterior doors and skylights for high wind protection.
  • Install a "Safe Room" in your home to help protect your family from tornadoes, hurricane winds outside of a flood zone and other severe windstorms. Shelters or safe rooms built to comply with the ICC/NSSA 500 tornado standard can withstand winds of up to 250 mph and can be incorporated into the construction of a new home or retrofitted into an existing home.
  • Prevent wildfire damage by developing a defensible space in your landscaping and clearing at least 30 feet around your home and 50 feet if you reside in a heavily wooded area. Plant fire-resistant, native vegetation and remove any dead or dying trees. Properly prune shrubs, and trim tree branches so they don't extend over a roof or near the chimney.

Featured

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

  • Achieving Clear Audio

    In today’s ever-changing world of security and risk management, effective communication via an intercom and door entry communication system is a critical communication tool to keep a facility’s staff, visitors and vendors safe. Read Now

  • Beyond Apps: Access Control for Today’s Residents

    The modern resident lives in an app-saturated world. From banking to grocery delivery, fitness tracking to ridesharing, nearly every service demands another download. But when it comes to accessing the place you live, most people do not want to clutter their phone with yet another app, especially if its only purpose is to open a door. Read Now

  • Survey: 48 Percent of Worshippers Feel Less Safe Attending In-Person Services

    Almost half (48%) of those who attend religious services say they feel less safe attending in-person due to rising acts of violence at places of worship. In fact, 39% report these safety concerns have led them to change how often they attend in-person services, according to new research from Verkada conducted online by The Harris Poll among 1,123 U.S. adults who attend a religious service or event at least once a month. Read Now

  • AI Used as Part of Sophisticated Espionage Campaign

    A cybersecurity inflection point has been reached in which AI models has become genuinely useful in cybersecurity operation. But to no surprise, they can used for both good works and ill will. Systemic evaluations show cyber capabilities double in six months, and they have been tracking real-world cyberattacks showing how malicious actors were using AI capabilities. These capabilities were predicted and are expected to evolve, but what stood out for researchers was how quickly they have done so, at scale. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.