By Dave Halloran
Like the folk song, “Goodnight Irene,” Hurricane Irene has left many tales of woe in its path of destruction. Emergency Managers frequently use these as examples and cautionary tales, and this is another plea to readers to prepare their homes and neighborhoods for a disaster such as an earthquake.
What is different this time is that I am asking readers to look at a blog from Woodstock, Vermont. The editor of the Woodstock Early Bird blog woodstockearlyworm has been chronicling events in the small town in central Vermont since the onset of the storm. The blog has ended up being a primary source of local news and information for those in the area. Woodstock residents have suffered damaging flooding, hazmat incidents, loss of their public water supply, power outages, road damage leaving areas completely isolated and more.
It’s not just stories of damage, now there are cleanup parties and community suppers as residents pull together to bounce back from the flooding. Just like islanders, Vermonters are a hardy bunch.
So yes, this is a cautionary tale and a plea. Take some time to review your own preparedness. We can learn from the experience and story of this small town in Vermont.
If you are starting from square one, here is your first step: store one gallon of water for each person and pet in your household per day for one week (7 gallons per person and pet).
See the San Juan County and Town of Friday Harbor Department of Emergency Management website for more preparedness information at sanjuandem.net/prepare or call 370-0587 for assistance and information in preparing your family and neighborhood. Preparedness is a cornerstone of building a disaster resistant community – and yes, it’s the island way!
Dave Halloran is Assistant Director of the San County/Friday Harbor Dept. of Emergency Management
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Aloha Dave,
Thanks for posting this. We Orcasians should be prepared as much as possible; and potentially have water, food, and other supplies stored for “several” weeks.
In “Orcas, Gem of the San Juans,” Splitstone discussed how if the sea level rose, roads may be under water. So, in this day/age, it’s good for everyone to be prepared so we may help ourselves and each other.
Namaste