According to the Facts + Statistics: Hurricanes (iii.org), there have been approximately 250 Hurricane Related deaths in the last 5 years.
Hurricane Hazards
While hurricanes pose the greatest threat to life and property, tropical storms and depressions also can be devastating. The primary hazards from tropical cyclones (which include tropical depressions, tropical storms, and hurricanes) are storm-surge flooding, inland flooding from heavy rains, destructive winds, tornadoes, and high surf and rip currents.
- Storm surge is the abnormal rise of water generated by a storm’s winds. This hazard is historically the leading cause of hurricane-related deaths in the United States. Storm surge and large battering waves can result in large loss of life and cause massive destruction along the coast.
- Storm surge can travel several miles inland, especially along bays, rivers, and creeks.
- Flooding from heavy rains is the second leading cause of fatalities from landfalling tropical cyclones. Widespread torrential rains associated with these storms often cause flooding hundreds of miles inland. This flooding can persist for several days after a storm has dissipated.
- Winds from a hurricane can destroy buildings and manufactured homes. Signs, roofing material, and other items left outside can become flying missiles during hurricanes.
- Tornadoes can accompany landfalling tropical cyclones. These tornadoes typically occur in rain bands well away from the center of the storm.
- Dangerous waves produced by a tropical cyclone’s strong winds can pose a significant hazard to coastal residents and mariners. These waves can cause deadly rip currents, significant beach erosion, and damage to structures along the coastline, even when the storm is more than 1,000 miles offshore. (US Department of Commerce & NOAA, 2020)
CUST-O-FAB Hurricane Preparedness Procedure
CUST-O-FAB has a Hurricane Preparedness Procedure / Plan to provide all levels of supervision with a guide to what precautions and actions are required if one of our sites becomes the target or near target of a hurricane-force storm.
It is the intent of this procedure to minimize the risk to personnel and damage to property that might result from the high winds, high water, and heavy rain associated with tropical storms and hurricanes. We accomplish this by starting Pre-Hurricane site preparations on May 15th and keeping them in place until December 1st. This Pre-Hurricane preparation makes it possible to complete each of our Threat Levels tasks in a timely manner. CUST-O-FAB has three key Threat Levels:
- POTENTIAL HURRICANE ALERT – 700 MILE – TROPICAL STORM / HURRICANE ADVISORY ALERT
- HURRICANE WATCH ALERT – 100 miles out
- HURRICANE WARNING ALERT – 24 hours from land fall, will contain more preparations to minimize the risk to personnel and damage to property if a hurricane make land fall near a CUST-O-FAB site.
Employee Training and Expectation are completely outlined in Our COF Hurricane Preparedness Procedure / Plan which is reviewed annually during the month of May with all employees at each site.
Useful Links for Hurricane Preparedness:
https://www.weather.gov/safety/hurricane
https://www.weather.gov/wrn/hurricane-preparedness
Facts Statistics: Hurricanes. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-hurricanes
US Department of Commerce, & Noaa. (2020, April 30). Hurricane Safety Tips and Resources. Retrieved from https://www.weather.gov/safety/hurricane