Becky Gillette – Chuck Welch, a Grassy Knob resident who was recently deployed in Houston operating a shelter to help with disaster relief in the wake of flooding, said being prepared for a natural disaster or catastrophic fire means different things depending on severity.
With the 300 people staying at the shelter where Welch worked, most had little warning. Water started coming in during the middle of the night, and most left with only the clothes on their backs – nightclothes at that. Some didn’t even have shoes.
“They were forced out of their homes with little advance notice, and didn’t have the opportunity to bring much with them,” he said. “Their homes aren’t livable. Everything they own was water damaged. At this point, they have to start over. Some people even lost their vehicles since they were taken out by boats.”
Some experts recommend an emergency kit or “bug out bag.” Welch said what you need can depend on the type of disaster. In the case of the Houston flooding victims, they were taken to shelters where food, water and bedding were provided.
Most important to have in the emergency preparedness kit is medicines needed on a daily basis. Vital papers like driver’s licenses and birth certificates are good to have, or you can store copies online. If it is a widespread emergency where help might not be coming for days, Welch recommends having a five-day supply of food and water available, and having a full tank of gas is good thinking.
When Welch went through the 2009 ice storm, he and his wife, Karen, were without water and electricity for five-and-a-half days. Some things they did to prepare worked out well, like filling the bathtub with water to flush two toilets and storing water in pots and other containers for drinking and cooking. They had a woodstove for heat.
One thing they didn’t realize was how much soot all the candles they put out produced. Battery operated lights are a better alternative, and solar powered lights are now available that can be recharged without electricity. There are also solar cell phone chargers available.
With the Houston flooding, Welch saw an outpouring of support by volunteers, including those in church groups and veteran’s support organizations.
“What I saw in Houston is the massive mobilization of volunteers coming in bringing water and food to take care of these people and sharing their time to prepare food and do what it takes to run a shelter,” Welch said. “We had five hundred community volunteers show up the first day at the shelter where I worked. Volunteers actually brought supplies in; food, clothing, and cases of water. We got enough supplies from the community just driving up to the front door to take care of three hundred people for five or six days.”
Don’t expect the federal government to quickly respond. FEMA sometimes provides financial assistance in disasters, but it can take a long time.
Being prepared for a disaster can also mean having the right insurance. Are you covered by flood insurance? What about for earthquakes? Welch has seen people caught without adequate insurance to cover their losses.
“If you have insurance, know what you are covered for,” he said. “Review your insurance policy and make sure you understand what is covered.”
Welch said while there is potential in Arkansas for a major earthquake, very few people in the state carry earthquake coverage – even though it is not that expensive. He personally thinks it is a good idea to carry earthquake coverage and flood insurance if you are in a flood zone, and flood insurance is available.
If there were a major earthquake, roads can be disrupted and it could take days for outside help to arrive.
“With a massive event like a major earthquake where the whole area is devastated, basically you are on your own to scrounge and find what you can to survive,” Welch said. “Roads can be disrupted, and you are likely to have electricity knocked out and no water. You can improvise shelter, but make sure you have enough food and water to sustain yourself until helps comes to you.”
Tornadoes are more common in Arkansas than earthquakes, and preparing for those can include having a tornado shelter and knowing the safest place in your home or a nearby building to take shelter.
After a disaster, people can be shellshocked. “Amazingly, I have seen people who had a fire forget to call the insurance company,” Welch said. “It is the mental frame of mind they are in.”
With climate change contributing to more severe weather events such as torrential rains, being prepared for a disaster becomes increasingly necessary. In recent years, Carroll County has experienced a number of floods that previously would have only been expected every 100 years.
“It is obvious we are having hundred-year floods more frequently, so people have to get smart about where they live as far as water damage,” Welch said. “The Beaver Dam flood gates are being opened to higher levels than in the past. I think of a woman in the shelter in Houston who is partly disabled. By the time they got to her, she was standing in water up to her neck in her house. If that happened once, I wouldn’t go back.”
In the case of fire, Welch said the most important thing is to get out of the house quickly and avoid fumes as today’s fires have more toxic smoke and spread more rapidly than 30 years ago.
According to Climate Center, Arkansas is not prepared for extreme floods, droughts, heat waves and wildfires from our new climate. After the December 2015 UK floods leaving many cities near London with serious water damage, communities are planting trees to protect flooded areas. Tree roots hold soil in place and are natural barriers to slow down the flow and store water in the soil.
Instead of cutting our forests to make fluff for China, we need more trees to help with flooding and heat waves.
Arkansas needs to stop burning coal and gas at power plants. Rooftop solar panels and shared arrays are the best way to provide power where needed, at the right amount. Training teams of solar installers would create many permanent high paying jobs. Installing solar systems is labor intensive, requiring several people to carry the panels to the roof in a safe way. Local carpenters, electricians, roofers and other people can be trained.
Road repair, bridge repairs, sewer maintenance and other infrastructure needs upgrading to provide service during heavy storms or tornadoes.
Arkansas wants to give China millions of dollars to build a high-carbon, energy-intensive polluting old tech pulp mill. Let’s use these funds to create the jobs we need to be prepared for the next emergency.
Thank you, Becky for a great story!