This week Wendy Couture, the district’s safety and risk reduction manager, shares information about the Safe and Well website related to disaster recovery. 

“Safe and Well” is a website through the American Red Cross designed to help make communication with loved ones easier during a disaster emergency. At this website, provided and sponsored by the American Red Cross, people can register and list themselves as “Safe and Well.” This resource helps people who may be concerned about a loved one during a disaster search for them. Once the person in the affected zone is registered, others can look them up and see if they are listed. In emergencies, telephone communications may not be available for many hours.

After a disaster, letting your family and friends know you are safe and well can bring them peace of mind.

I found that reading through the “help” section of the Safe and Well site was very helpful as a tutorial on what to do, how to register and how it can be used as a resource.

There is also a frequently asked questions (FAQ) tab to help explain what Safe and Well can do and can’t do. This resource is provided as a communication tool for people in an affected disaster area to get messages to loved ones outside the area. Here is a list of the types of messages a person may be able to post for someone searching for them:

• I am safe and well.
• Family and I are safe and well.
• Currently at a shelter.
• Currently at home.
• Currently at a friend’s/family member’s/neighbor’s house.
• Currently at a hotel.
• Will make phone calls when able.
• Will send emails when able.
• Will mail letter or post card when able.

It is important that the information that is requested be filled out in full and as accurately as possible since this is a search for a specific person. There are privacy regulations which limit the information about the listed person which can be publicly displayed on the website. Your loved ones will need to know your current address, phone number or email to search for you. In the event of an emergency, it is important that these types of resources are utilized.

To learn more about this service through the American Red Cross, visit the Safe and Well website.

This week Wendy Couture, the district’s safety and risk reduction manager, shares information from the American Red Cross about storm safety, especially what to do in the event of a thunderstorm. 

A thunderstorm is considered severe if it produces hail at least 1 inch in diameter or has wind gusts of at least 58 miles per hour. Every thunderstorm produces lightning, which kills more people each year than tornadoes or hurricanes. Heavy rain from thunderstorms can cause flash flooding, and high winds can damage homes and blow down trees and utility poles, causing widespread power outages.

Be prepared

• Learn about your local community’s emergency warning system for severe thunderstorms.
• Discuss thunderstorm safety and lightning safety with all members of your household.
• Pick a safe place in your home for household members to gather during a thunderstorm. This should be away from windows, skylights and glass doors that could be broken by strong winds or hail.
• Make a list of items to bring inside in the event of a severe thunderstorm.
• Make trees and shrubbery more wind resistant by keeping them trimmed and removing damaged branches.
• Protect your animals by ensuring that any outside buildings that house them are protected in the same way as your home.
• Consult your local fire department if you are considering installing lightning rods.
• Get trained in first aid and learn how to respond to emergencies.
• Put together an emergency preparedness kit.

 How to respond during a thunderstorm

• Listen to local news or NOAA Weather Radio for emergency updates. Watch for signs of a storm, like darkening skies, lightning flashes or increasing wind.
• Postpone outdoor activities if thunderstorms are likely to occur. Many people struck by lightning are not in the area where rain is occurring.
• If a severe thunderstorm warning is issued, take shelter in a substantial building or in a vehicle with the windows closed. Get out of mobile homes that can blow over in high winds.
• If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be in danger from lightning. If thunder roars, go indoors! The National Weather Service recommends staying inside for at least 30 minutes after the last thunder clap.
• Avoid electrical equipment and telephones. Use battery-powered TVs and radios instead.
• Shutter windows and close outside doors securely. Keep away from windows.
• Do not take a bath, shower or use plumbing.
• If you are driving, try to safely exit the roadway and park. Stay in the vehicle and turn on the emergency flashers until the heavy rain ends. Avoid touching metal or other surfaces that conduct electricity in and outside the vehicle.
• If you are outside and cannot reach a safe building, avoid high ground; water; tall, isolated trees; and metal objects such as fences or bleachers. Picnic shelters, dugouts and sheds are NOT safe.

Stay safe

• Never drive through a flooded roadway. You cannot predict how deep the water may be.
• Stay away from storm-damaged areas to keep from putting yourself at risk from the effects of severe thunderstorms.
• Continue to listen to a NOAA Weather Radio or to local radio and television stations for updated information or instructions, as access to roads or some parts of the community may be blocked.
• Help people who may require special assistance, such as infants, children and the elderly or disabled.
• Stay away from downed power lines and report them immediately.
• Watch your animals closely. Keep them under your direct control.

Read more about thunderstorm safety from The American Red Cross, which has many helpful tools for emergency planning.