Safety Alliance

Hurricane Resource Page

safety-alliance-hurricane-resources

Tropical storms and hurricanes are one of this country's most dangerous weather threats. Torrential rains, heavy winds and tornadoes can devastate towns and cause severe damage, flooding and major power outages. It doesn't take much (about 50MPH winds) to knock out power for an extended period of time due to the large number of trees. In addition to storm surge, there are a lot of other dangers associated with these dangerous storms. 

Hurricane season typically begins in June and lasts until November. These resources are provided to help you know the warning signs, hazards, and safety precautions that employers, workers, and first responders should take before, during, and after a storm. Preparing before an emergency is vital to ensure worker safety and health.

The Safety Alliance is a proud Ambassador for the National Weather Service. Please CLICK HERE for information and resources on their Seasonal Safety Campaigns!

Preparedness

Planning

It is important to have an evacuation plan in place to ensure that workers can get to safety in case a hurricane may affect the area. A thorough evacuation plan should include:

  • Conditions that will activate the plan
  • Chain of command
  • Emergency functions and who will perform them
  • Specific evacuation procedures, including routes and exits
  • Procedures for accounting for personnel, customers and visitors
  • Equipment for personnel

Some businesses are required to have an Emergency Action Plan meeting the requirements under 29 CFR 1910.38, see Evacuation Plans and Procedures eTool for more information. Ready.gov - Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has more information on evacuation plans as well as suggestions for precautions to take if you are unable to evacuate and do not have a safe room.

In addition to having evacuation plans in place, it is important to be familiar with the warning terms used for hurricanes, as well as your local community's emergency plans, warning signals, and shelters. Hurricane/Tropical Storm watches mean that a hurricane or tropical storm is possible in the specified area. Hurricane/Tropical Storm warnings mean that a hurricane or tropical storm is expected to reach the area, typically within 24 hours.

Be prepared to follow instructions from the local authorities and to evacuate if instructed to do so.

The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale is a 1 to 5 rating based on a hurricane's sustained wind speed. This scale estimates potential property damage. Hurricanes reaching Category 3 and higher are considered major hurricanes because of their potential for significant loss of life and damage. Category 1 and 2 storms are still dangerous, however, and require preparatory measures. In the western North Pacific, the term "super typhoon" is used for tropical cyclones with sustained winds exceeding 150 mph. This affects one or more U.S. territories ( i.e. Guam and the Mariana Islands).

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Employers whose workers will be involved in emergency response operations for releases of, or substantial threats of releases of, hazardous substances regardless of the location of the hazard must comply with OSHA’s Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) standard, 29 CFR 1910.120. This may include emergency response following an earthquake. Instruction CPL 02-02-073 describes OSHA enforcement procedures under the relevant provisions of the HAZWOPER standard.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has promulgated a standard applying OSHA’s HAZWOPER standard to state and local government workers in states where there is no OSHA-approved State Plan. See 40 CFR Part 311.

OSHA’s HAZWOPER Safety and Health Topics page explains requirements of the OSHA HAZWOPER standard, including required worker training.

Equipping
Training and Exercises
  • Ensure that all workers know what to do in case of an emergency.
  • Practice evacuation plans on a regular basis.
  • Update plans and procedures based on lessons learned from exercises.

OSHA's Disaster Site Worker Outreach Training Program is a training program for workers who provide skilled support services (e.g., utility, demolition, debris removal, or heavy equipment operation) or site clean-up services. The program highlights the differences between disaster sites and construction sites, and emphasizes the need for workers and employers to have pre-incident training.

Related Links & Information

Provided below are links to local hurricane guides and weather sites which will aide in preparing you for hurricane season. If a storm is currently threatening your area, please be sure to prepare for the storm, heed warning and watches as well as specific information related to potential impacts of the storm.

Important Links

Important Numbers

  • State Volunteer and Donations Hotline 1-800-FL-HELP1 (1-800-354-3571)
  • Salvation Army Donation Helpline 1-800-996-2769
  • American Red Cross 1-800-HELP-NOW (1-800-435-7669)
  • State of Florida Emergency Information 24-hour hotline (FEIL) 1-800-342-3557
  • FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) Registration  1-800-621-FEMA(3362)
  • TTY: 1-800-462-7585
  • Elder Affairs 1-800-96-ELDER (1-800-963-5337)
  • Department of Financial Services Insurance Claim Hotline 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (1-877-693-5236)
  • Attorney General's Price Gouging Hotline 1-800-646-0444
  • Agricultural and Consumer Services Price Gouging Hotline 1-800-HELP-FLA (1-800-435-7352)
  • Shelter Information *ARC or 850-402-5656

Additional Resources

Sunshine 811 - Hurricane season is officially here, and underground facility (utility) owners and operators across Florida are preparing for the potential damages, repairs and service interruptions caused by the season’s intense weather.

Ready.Gov/Hurricanes - This page explains what actions to take when you receive a hurricane watch or warning alert from the National Weather Service for your local area. It also provides tips on what to do before, during, and after a hurricane.

AccuWeather Hurricane Center - An expected delay in the onset of El Niño may increase the number of tropical storms and hurricanes to form in the Atlantic during 2017.

Weather.com Hurricane Central - The National Hurricane Center is keeping a close eye on a system that has come off the African Coast.

Cleaning for the World Hurricane Guide -  Over the years, Gleaning For The World has responded to nearly every major disaster in America and across the world. From Superstorm Sandy and Hurricane Katrina to Typhoon Haiyan and Nepal Earthquakes, we have been involved in helping suffering families make it through their hard times by meeting their physical, emotional and spiritual needs. Threats may be physical, emotional, or financial. It is important to plan accordingly for all emergencies to reduce risk and limit damage. The most important component of family and home emergency planning is communication. The whole household needs to be involved in the planning process so that in the event of an emergency, each individual is able to respond quickly and appropriately.

National Geographic Hurricane Facts - Hurricanes are giant, spiraling tropical storms that can pack wind speeds of over 160 miles (257 kilometers) an hour and unleash more than 2.4 trillion gallons (9 trillion liters) of rain a day. These same tropical storms are known as cyclones in the northern Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal, and as typhoons in the western Pacific Ocean.

Weather Wiz Kids Hurricanes - A hurricane is a huge storm! It can be up to 600 miles across and have strong winds spiraling inward and upward at speeds of 75 to 200 mph. Each hurricane usually lasts for over a week, moving 10-20 miles per hour over the open ocean.

Weather Bug Hurricane Tracking Map - Interactive tracking map.

USGS Hurricane Information - Hurricanes bring destructive winds, storm surge, torrential rain, flooding, and tornadoes. A single storm can wreak havoc on coastal and inland communities and on natural areas over thousands of square miles. In 2005, Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma demonstrated the devastation that hurricanes can inflict and the importance of hurricane hazards research and preparedness.

Weather Underground - Active Tropical Storm Advisories

United Way Hurricane Resource Center - Helpful information on how to get ready for hurricane season.

(NEW) Top 5 Ways Active Construction Sites Should Prepare for Hurricane Season

U.S. Government Hurricane Links
NOAA Hurricane Hunters (Aircraft Operations Center)
NOAA Hurricane Preparedness
Air Force Hurricane Hunters (USAF 53rd WRS)
IWIN Tropical Page (Full advisory list)
NWS Marine Fax Charts (Many charts - .TIF format)
NOAA Coastal Services Center's interactive historical hurricane atlas
NOAA National Climate Data Center's historical hurricane data
FEMA's Ready.gov (Disaster preparation)
National Flood Insurance Program
Miami National Weather Service
Tropical Prediction Center (TPC)
US Coast Guard Storm Center

Local Government Hurricane Links
State of Florida Catastrophic Storm Risk Management Center
Miami-Dade County Emergency Management website
Broward County Emergency Management Agency website
Monroe County Department of Emergency Management website
Palm Beach County Division of Emergency Management website
Virginia Emergency Management
SW Florida Regional Planning Council (planning PDF)

University Hurricane Links
CIMSS Tropical Weather Pages (University of Wisconsin)
University of Wisconsin's WXP model output
FSU Explores! (All recon reports and information)
SUNY Brockport Hurricane Page (Search tool for text products)
Miami University [Ohio] (Advisories, discussion, satellite loops, recon info , model data, etc.)
U-Hawaii (Forecast maps for Central Pacific)
Colorado State (Dr. William Gray's seasonal forecasts)
Texas A&M University
University of North Carolina Press Hurricane books
University of North Carolina Press "Faces from the Flood : Hurricane Floyd Remembered"

Private Hurricane Links
(listing here does NOT imply U.S.Government endorsement)
HWind Scientific (hurricane wind field resource)
The Hurricane Hunters Association (a private organization)
Best of the Web : Hurricanes
USA Today's Guide to hurricane information
Southern Aviation Resources Tropical Weather
Hurricane City
Weather Underground (Everything)
Consumer Watch's hurricane safety page
Life Insurance's natural disaster safety page
Weatherman 911
Golden Triangle (Advisories, discussions, images, links, TX info)
Mike Welch's Hurricane Warning Page
Terrapin Associates (JAVA animated storm tracking)
Tampa Bay Online (Local info and advisories)
The Caribbean Hurricane Page (News and info from the Caribbean)
GRADS Tropical Page (Tropical analysis graphics)
Univ. of Dundee's Stormpulse (Interactive graphics of HURDAT)
Central Florida Hurricane Center (News on current storms and conditions)
Millennium Weather (TRANTECH model)
FUNET (Hurricane aircraft decoding info)
UNISYS Weather's Hurricane Page
INFOPLEASE's Hurricane Page
Adriansweather.com : Tracking the Eye of the Storm
Adjusters International (public adjusters and disaster recovery consultants)
TropicalWeather.Net offers interpretation and insight on tropical weather forecasts
Environmental Science Degree (Careers in Environmental Sciences resource site)

Home Preparation Tips for Weather - Angie's List (Thank you Peyton for your suggestion)

Hurricane Preparedness Links
USA Today's Hurricane Safety Guide
Fox 13 Tampa Bay - Hurricane page
Hurricane Preparedness Tips for Special Needs People
Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
Orlando Sentinel
Healthy Eating in an Emergency
Insurance Quotes' Homeowner's Hurricane Safety Guide
Bounce Energy's Hurricane Preparedness Guide
Polygon Group (UK) Flooding Prep Guide
Direct Line (UK) Minimise Flood Damage Guide

Kid's Weather Links
NOAA's weather research site for Kids
NCAR's interactive Hurricane Strike
Surfing the Net with Kids : Hurricanes
Miami Museum of Science's Hurricane site for Kids
Shade Comfort Kid's Guide to Hurricanes and Hazardous Weather
Univ. of Rhode Island's Hurricanes: Science and Society
FEMA's Ready.gov site for Kids
Enviornment Canada's Hurricane Center site for Kids
Study Web
Hotlist: Weather Science
Australian hurricane links
Hooda Math
Math Resources
Environmental Science educational resources
Kid's Guide to Tornadoes
State of Play's Guide to Staying safe outdoors in severe weather

Image Resources Links
Fotosearch hurricanes stock photos
Canstock stock photos (hurricanes)
GoGraph stock photos
Barewalls images
FreeArt images

Additional Links
CDC Guide to Extreme Heat
Disaster Preparedness at Home: Filter Out the Damage
Disaster Prep & Self Storage - What You Need to Know
PA DMV Emergency Driving Tips
Emergency Preparedness for Seniors & the Disabled
Humane Society - Protect Your Pets
Disaster Safety for Renters
Ready for Anything: First Aid for Pets
How to Drive Safely Before, During and After a Storm
Disaster Recovery: Getting the Most from Your Homeowners Insurance
Disaster Safety for Construction Sites
How to Talk End of Life and Emergency with Your Family
Organize and Prepare for Disasters
Emergency Preparedness for Seniors
Disaster First Aid and Health Safety

Additional Resources