|
| Web This Site |
The Importance of Being Prepared for a Disaster
by Judy Torrieri, Proprietor
Animal Camp
PSC Guest Columnist
Well, here we are again . . . about to go into another Hurricane Season. It starts in June and ends in November. Already, it’s been a wild season weather-wise. Are you and your pet prepared for what’s to come?
Spring 2011 brought a record number of tornadoes in the U.S., according to Reuters news service. More than 900 tornadoes were reported in April 2011 alone. Sadly, 284 people died as a result of 164 tornadoes that tore across one region alone that stretched from Mississippi to Virginia. One storm produced an F-5 tornado (the strongest level). It flattened homes, flipped over cars and left nothing but a trail of destruction.
In New York, snow was the story. FiOS 1’s Long Island Weather Central reported that our last snowfall was April 1, 2011, with more than 4” of snow, just when we thought we were going into Spring. Also in April, wind and torrential rain flooded our communities, forcing people from their homes and businesses.
My point is simply this: if having the record number of tornadoes and the wind/rain storms are any indication as to what the 2011 Hurricane Season might be like, we had better prepare ourselves … and our pets.
Last year I closely tracked the hurricanes that came off the coast of Africa. One particular hurricane appeared to be on the same track as the Category 3 Hurricane that hit Long Island on September 21, 1938, of that year, the so-called “Long Island Express.” According to Wikipedia, that Hurricane killed 682 to 800 people and destroyed over 60,000 homes.
For me it’s not just that history warns us that we need to make sure we are prepared; it’s knowing that anything can and will happen at any given time. Since we cannot control the weather, we must have more control over making sure that we have our family and pets prepared in case of any disaster. A disaster can be hurricanes, tornadoes, floods or even a fire in your home. In fact, according to Amanda Ripley, author of the book, The Unthinkable, the likelihood is actually greater that you will encounter a fire in your home than other categories of disaster. But in recent years, Long Island has seen an unusually high number of tornadoes too. And tornadoes are always a hazard when hurricanes hit.
With a tornado about to hit and only 15 to 30 minutes of warning, would you know what to do with your pet? If it is a dog or cat, you might want to have a crate already set up in the basement along with food and a jug of water for each of you.
It doesn’t take much to be prepared for any disaster. Don’t wait for something to happen. Get more information on what you need to get started on putting an Evacuation & Survival Plan together by visiting: www.petsafecoalition.org
The takeaway is this: your belongings can be replaced but the life of a loved one, including your pet, cannot be replaced, so make sure you, your family and your pet are ready for any disaster.
|  |
|
Sitemap | Legal Information | Privacy Policy Copyright © Pet Safe Coalition 501(c)(3) Charitable Organization |
|
