02 March 2021

Belated Lessons Learned from a Disaster

A derecho in northern Wisconsin hit a community in 2019. The linked article is a review of plans and the aftermath. Commentary: Lessons Learned From Disaster Response - The Daily Yonder

They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Here are some lessons learned from one area's natural disaster to help your rural community be better prepared - and maybe duck a few blows.

Plans and contact information must be kept up to date. Communication may be via means you are not used to using. Information is hard to come by, power will be out, even The Red Cross will have trouble getting relief to an area.

Anyway, click thru. It is mostly from the point of view of a rural municipality, but there are some things for the population to consider, and you can probably come up with how you would respond.

The basic message for the population: you might be on your own for a few days, or more. Be prepared.

‡ derecho - definition courtesy of the National Weather Service:

A derecho (pronounced similar to "deh-REY-cho") is a widespread, long-lived wind storm that is associated with a band of rapidly moving showers or thunderstorms. Although a derecho can produce destruction similar to the strength of tornadoes, the damage typically is directed in one direction along a relatively straight swath. As a result, the term "straight-line wind damage" sometimes is used to describe derecho damage. By definition, if the wind damage swath extends more than 240 miles (about 400 kilometers) and includes wind gusts of at least 58 mph (93 km/h) or greater along most of its length, then the event may be classified as a derecho.

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