North Wildwood’s Emergency Preparedness website

Spring and Summer Weather Preparedness

We can get severe weather any time during the year however, during the spring when the cold air remnants of winter clash with the warm air of spring we generally get high winds.  Other places get Thunderstorms or Tornadoes and they are not out of the question for our area.   Today it is easier than ever to be informed but to get meaningful and concise information you have to pick and choose where you get your weather.   Some weather channels feature more non-weather than weather forecasts; others want to give you different forecast models of all the possibilities rather than what they think is coming our way.   The only real forecast to rely on is the National Weather Service.   So now what is the best way to get the forecast?   First, you could make an effort to check the Local Forecast on the National Weather Service website, but this requires that you make an effort and have the ability to check the website.   Also while you’ll know what is forecasted you won’t if things change or severe weather is imminent.    Therefore, you should find out the best platforms for getting National Weather Service alerts.   Probably the most common way and the one thing you will have during most of the day is your smartphone.  There are plenty of apps that will forward to you National Weather Service forecasts and alerts however most of them are simply vehicles to show you advertisements.   One we like the no-nonsense NWS-NOW app which has no advertising – just the weather. The app is not available in the google app store so you’ll have to go to www.nwsnow.net and use the link there for the free download. It gives you current conditions, severe weather alerts, radar maps, a 7-day forecast, and hourly conditions, and for those that want to learn more about the weather – forecast discussions. One of the best features is that you can set it up to use your phone’s GPS location so where ever you may be you’ll know the weather.  Remember as with all applications go to the settings page and turn on the notifications you want and turn off those that you don’t want.

Now if you are like many that have a hardline phone in your home and don’t take your smartphone to bed with you consider purchasing a weather radio for your home.   There are many out there at different prices, the one we have experience with is the ones made by Midland such as the model WR120b which costs $35.00 on Amazon.    Whatever make or model you select make sure that it has S.A.M.E. (Specific Area Message Encoder) which allows the radio to stay silent until an alert is sent by the National Weather Service.  Most good radios will have options such as allowing you to select which alerts you want the radio to play out loud or not.    So you can have tornados turned on but wind alerts turned off if you want.   When you get your radio don’t forget to add your S.A.M.E. number to the receiver.  Our area number is 034009 and can be confirmed here.   Additionally, there are other ways you can be alerted of severe weather.   An example is a lightning detector which is a small device that can be worn on your belt when you are on the golf course or at the beach.  It will detect lightning within 25 miles,  counts the lightning strikes, and estimates the distance away the lightning is,  along with setting off an audible alarm.   The current model of the one that NWOEM provided several to lifeguards and public works is the Acu-Rite 02020 Portable Lightning Detector which costs around $42 on Amazon.   There are other makes and models out there with some that are more expensive make sure you compare the features and select the one best for you.    Don’t hesitate to have multiple ways you get notified of severe weather.    Redundancy assures that you get the alert no matter where you are and what you are doing.    If possible always try to get your information from the source as it will be the most up-to-date version of the weather forecast.

Winter Weather Preparedness

With the recent cool temperatures, the winter season is not far away.  It is now time to prepare for the winter weather.   As we point out often there are many similarities between each severe weather event that takes place, for example, for all events you will need a plan, you should have your important papers and medications readily available, keeping a small amount of cash on hand for emergency purchases if the credit card systems are out, fueling your car when it goes below half a tank so it’s ready to go if necessary and maintain food supplies for several weeks.  The big thing for winter preparedness is being prepared for the cold weather.   That means practical cold-weather clothing and footwear.    When looking for outerwear think of layers so that whatever you purchase you can use other times.   An example is a rain jacket over a sweater or mid-weight jacket – add a hat and gloves and you are protected from the wind, rain, or snow and will be warm.  Each of those items can be used at other times of the year.    Same for footwear – consider a pair of 18-inch unlined rubber boots with a pair of heavy socks.   You’ll be warm and be able to walk in the snow and not get wet and then you can use the same boots in warm weather to walk in water during flooding.    More winter weather tips can be found by clicking on the BE PREPARED link at the top of this page and on the lower right-hand side of this page.     Remember when implementing your plan look for the similarities between your current plan and a plan you made previously for another event chances are you have much of the needed preparedness work already done.

With some people in the news media predicting a heating fuel shortage this winter and/or electrical shortages perhaps it’s time to start to consider looking into a backup energy source such as a generator, whether whole house or portable, and possibly solar panels and batteries.  These alternatives are costly investments however they can be used any time during the year and should be purchased only after due circumspect and planning.   Considering that the new electric meters being installed in our area allow the electric company to conduct remote disconnects to protect the electric grid, which is known in some areas as rolling blackouts, it may be time to start planning.  As with all investments only do what you can afford, even if it’s starting with a portable generator that will help you keep your food from spoiling and supply enough electricity to keep your gas heat on.     With the Internet, there are plenty of websites where you can research solar energy unfortunately the downside is there is so much information you have a hard time discerning which ones are the real facts and which ones are sales hype.  It might be better to check with neighbors who have whole house generators or solar to get ideas on cost and recommendations.

September is National Preparedness Month

Established in 2004 National Preparedness Month is observed every September in the United States.  During September Americans are encouraged to take steps toward preparing for emergencies in their homes, businesses, schools, and communities.   Since 2001 the federal government has urged all citizens to make their own survival preparations.  One can realize the need for personal preparedness when one compares the number of residents and visitors in a given area with the number of first responders in the same place.  During a widespread emergency, such as a hurricane, there will not be enough first responders to care for everyone and with neighboring towns facing the same emergency mutual aid would have to come from out of the area or even out of the region. Some may remember back in 2010 when an ice storm knocked out electric power in some sections of town for 7 days as electric crews came from Illinois and Georgia to make repairs.  Some may remember back when we were told to have food and supplies for three days until help would arrive.   In recent emergencies government officials have told citizens to prepare with supplies for 7 to 10 days.  Preparedness tips are readily available online and most of the most comprehensive sites are listed on this website by clicking on the “BE PREPARED” link at the top of the page and on the lower right-hand side.   An easy way to find out what it takes to prepare is to take a look at what FEMA lists as the 12 Ways to Prepare.

1. Sign up for Alerts and Warnings
2. Make a Plan
3. Save for a Rain Day
4. Practice Emergency Drills
5. Test Family Communication Plan
6. Safeguard Documents
7. Plan with Neighbors
8. Make your Home Safer
9. Know Evacuation Routes
10. Assemble or Update Supplies
11. Get Involved in Your Community
12. Document and Insure Property