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It only takes one ticket to win the lottery. It only takes one second to tell a friend you made it home safe. It only takes one storm to change a community forever.We’ve seen it time and time again; instances of just one storm making a mark on a community. We know many of those storms and communities by name.Hurricane season is long. On the Atlantic side, it runs from June 1 through the end of November. Some seasons are more active than others; with multiple storms making landfall in one season. Some seasons don’t have any storms make landfall. Some, well, they only have one. And...
Posted On: June 1, 2016 Editor's Note: This post first appeared on the White House Blog. Today we released the 2016 National Preparedness Report, an important guidepost in our work to build a stronger, more resilient America. The findings of this year’s report are significant. This vital information is analyzed to gauge the progress that community partners—including all levels of government, private and nonprofit sectors, faith-based organizations, communities, and individuals—are making to prepare for a wide array of threats and hazards. We should be prepared for all hazards, from...
Posted On: May 31, 2016 Merriam-Webster in its infinite wisdom tells me that a reservoir is "a place where something is kept in store—as an artificial lake where water is collected and kept…" The term's origin? French—and its first appearance in the common lexicon was way back in 1690.1 For places like the Marshall Islands, this term is an incredibly valuable one.The Marshall Islands are a small group of atolls (islands formed by coral reefs) out in the Pacific—totaling just 181 square kilometers—or about 70 square miles.2 To bring it a little closer to home, it's...
Posted On: May 26, 2016 2015 was the second of two back-to-back years of record heat and 2016 looks to be no different.1 But even if you live in an area that hasn’t experienced a heat wave in the past, take the time now to educate yourself about how to protect your family if it does happen.Here are some things to make sure you’re ready.Know the alerts and warnings. The National Weather Service issues heat advisories and excessive heat warnings when unusual periods of hot weather are expected.Heat Outlooks: The potential exists for an excessive heat event in the next 3-7 days.Excessive Heat Watches...
Posted On: May 25, 2016 Scorched trees now line the roads where children played and parents drove to work. Ash and soot blanket everything—like dust settles on unmoved furniture. The sunrise is hazy with smoke that fills the air with a sweet scent, yet the ground is littered with bitter remnants.Communities across the Fort McMurray area in Alberta, Canada have faced tragically beautiful scenes like these since fires sparked at the beginning of May. Conditions continue to remain tough—with the Fort McMurray-area wildfires taking up 522,892 hectares (nearly 1.3 million acres for those of us who prefer...
Posted On: May 23, 2016 Unlike most natural disasters, hurricanes rarely take us by surprise. There’s a season (June 1 – November 30) when forecasters can see hurricanes developing off the coast, hundreds of miles away, and can track them as they move closer to land. However, when they hit, high winds, heavy rainfall, storm surges, coastal and inland flooding, rip currents, and even tornadoes are all part of the hurricane package that can really pack a punch. That’s why if you live in an area where hurricanes are a threat, now is the time to prepare. Watch this short animation about hurricane...
Posted On: May 19, 2016 Editor's Note: This post originally appeared on the National Hurricane Center's "Inside the Eye" blog. Hurricane season is almost here. The season officially starts June 1 and ends November 30. During these seven months, forecasters watch hurricanes as they develop hundreds of miles off the coast. While we may see a hurricane coming, we won’t know the impact it will have on a community until well after landfall. To ensure the safety of you and your family, don’t wait until it's too late to prepare; know your zone today. It only takes one...
Posted On: May 16, 2016 In the summer of 2014, the Carlton Complex Fire burned more than 250,000 acres of land, the largest wildfire in the history of Washington. The next summer, wildfires scorched more than 1 million acres in the Evergreen State. Most sadly, three firefighters lost their lives in an outbreak one sheriff called a "hellstorm." The 2015 Okanogan Complex Fire alone burned more than 500,000 acres — now crowned the largest in state history.As the federal coordinating officer, it’s my job to support the state and ensure FEMA aid — about $145 million in the long run —...
Posted On: May 10, 2016 You’ve heard the expression “spread like wildfire,” right? Well, there’s a good reason for that. Wildfires can start in an instant – sometimes from a flash of lightning or the quick careless flick of a cigarette. And if that happens in the summertime or during a period when there’s been little to no rain then dry brush, grass, and trees can quickly fuel that fire.Wildfires can happen anywhere in the country so here are some things you should do to make sure you’re ready:Have a Go Bag with essential items you can grab-and-go because every minute counts...
Posted On: May 5, 2016 “Check out this embarrassing photo from five years ago!” an unnamed social network tells me every morning promptly at 8:45. You could set your alarm by it. (Half the time, that buzzing notification is my alarm.) Social media flashbacks are all the rage these days and have been for quite some time. “Throwback Thursday,” “Flashback Friday,” the memories and archive apps we know and love. They’re everywhere.For some, these apps and posting trends bring back fond memories like junior prom or college graduation. For some, these apps don’t bring back...
Posted On: April 29, 2016