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Recent Southern weather reminds Carmel to take precautions

CHS has plan for disaster situations


By Kelsey Binion
<[email protected]>

For sophomore Elizabeth Russell, being prepared for severe weather is something that isn’t an option for her family. While Russell lives here in Carmel, her relatives have been through two hurricanes and many floods, including Hurricane Katrina that devastated New Orleans three years ago.

“My grandparents, great grandparents and aunts and uncles on both sides lived down in the area where Hurricane Katrina struck,” Russell said. “They lived in Metarie, LA, which is right outside New Orleans. During Katrina, I had 14 relatives living in my house (in Carmel), because the hurricane was predicted and was a Category 4. They stayed for about three weeks during the school year. It was quite busy.”

But despite the crowding in her house, Russell knew her family would be safe. “My relatives knew what kind of hurricane was coming toward them. They boarded up their windows, gathered pictures, memorabilia, prize possessions and then left everything else and drove to safety,” Russell said.

But while Russell said she is prepared for severe weather because of her proximity to events like Hurricane Katrina, many others in the Midwest don’t take proper precautions, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Advertising Council. In a recent survey from those groups, while 91 percent of respondents said it is “very” or “somewhat” important for all Americans to be prepared for emergencies, and even though from 2005 to 2006 the percent of Americans who said they have taken any steps to prepare rose from 45 percent to 55 percent, only 54 percent of people put together an emergency kit, 39 percent created a family emergency plan and 40 percent searched for information about preparedness.

For Russell, the fact that people here aren’t prepared is a concern. Russell said, “Everyone up here doesn’t know how bad it can be. They only see pictures and newscasts about the events. People always need to be prepared.”

Some of those low numbers may be attributed to the fact that the Midwest doesn’t experience the full brunt of hurricanes like Katrina and, more recently, Hurricane Ike. However, the area does experience tornadoes, severe thunderstorms and even earthquakes, including a recent one felt by students here on April 18. And, in fact, Hurricane Ike did affect the Midwest, albeit indirectly. The storm’s aftermath caused raised gas prices here along with severe flooding and downed power lines that left more than 100,000 businesses and homes without power.

But unlike personal homeowners, this school is prepared for the worst, according to Assistant Principal Doug Bird. The student body and staff practice emergency drills every month to make sure everyone is prepared for severe conditions, he said.

“We have emergency drills that meet the state requirements. The big thing is to keep staff and students safe. We want to keep them away from the windows. We will go out into the hallways away from any danger. In the Freshmen Center, no one will be allowed on the third floor. The main goal is to put staff and students in the safest area,” Bird said.

For those who have experienced extremely severe weather, like Russell, the experiences stay with them. Russell said that she still remembers all of the details of Hurricane Katrina’s aftermath. “My aunt had six feet of water in her house. Since she had recently gotten married, they decided to start from scratch. A tree split my other aunt and uncle’s house. Majority of the roofs were damaged by intense winds,” Russell said.

Bird said, “It is important to be prepared because emergency situations are very chaotic. It is easier to handle that chaos if we have practiced out response to those difficult situations.”

READY FOR A DISASTER?

First Aid Supplies

  • adhesive bandages
  • antiseptic wipes
  • tweezers
  • scissors
  • cold pack
  • antibacterial ointment
  • cotton balls
  • thermometer
  • safety pins
  • CPR face shield
  • roller gauze
  • first aid manual
  • gloves
Equipment and Tools
  • flashlight
  • extra batteries
  • matches
  • duct tape
  • battery-powered radio
  • all-purpose knife
  • manual can opener
  • needles and thread
  • signal flare
  • manual can opener
  • blanket
  • small cooking stove
  • whistle

FEMA.GOV / SOURCE

Story updated on 10.6.08

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