The TLTO Guide fo Disaster Preparedness
I Don't Care If You Hate It! (I don't expect you to memorize this or check it in a disaster, but sometimes in times of stress we remember a kernel of knowledge.)
Hi Bestie!!
We're two months into hurricane season. Crack open a beer and strap in. Some of these disasters are easier to plan for than others, but you should always have a Go Bag and a plan. (Only one of us does! It's not me.)
Before we wade through the imaginary floodwaters of disaster I need to grab you by the lapels and make sure you use your generator outside. If you use it inside you'll die.
We've already talked about smoke, so we'll skip that this week, except to remind you of a few things:
Wear a mask.
Your air filter needs to be cleaned often.
Your air filter probably needs to be replaced.
Replace your filter after a significant event. (Take a look at Craigslist and Freecycle! I ended up with two filters of the wrong size from NextDoor! If it's the size you need you can have them.)
If you see a red light on your machine's display, do something about it.
A Yellowstone geyser in 2018.
We talked a little bit about earthquakes, too. (If you're inside, stay there, if you're outside, stay there.) I recently learned there was a series of earthquakes before the eruption of Mt. St. Helen's and it's wild to me that people continued to just…hang out. If there were days of earthquakes and a volcano up the street I'd batten the hatches and leave. I do not trust Mayor Adams and Governor Hochul to be truthful about the situation! (We know more than we did in the 1980s, this is not an assignation against then-Governor Dixy Lee Ray.) The closest volcano to New York City (and most of you) is in Yellowstone National Park. (For the West Coast, there are volcanoes in Oregon, Washington, and California; Lassen Volcanic Field last erupted in 1917.)
The internet has some fascination with Yellowstone Supervolcano. The field is mostly in Wyoming, but like the rest of the park, stretches into Idaho and Montana. Three volcanic cycles over two million years included some of the largest eruptions in history. Today it's the world's largest hydrothermal system and the world's largest concentration of geysers. If the Yellowstone Supervolcano erupted it would spread ash across most of the country. The Southern tips of Texas and Miami would be the only areas outside of the zone. To paraphrase my mom 20 years ago, you might as well open the window and breathe in. It's unlikely the volcano would erupt soon, if ever, and if it did, we'd have sufficient warning.
Am I remiss to acknowledge that the Internet loves the Zone of Death, too? A slender section of Yellowstone National Park, the southwest corner where Wyoming and Idaho meet, is allegedly not under the government's jurisdiction. If you wanted to commit a heinous crime, you "could" commit it there. I would not advocate for that and you would not do it! You can read the Wikipedia entry for more info. As far as I can tell, no one has taken advantage of the "loophole" to commit a felony, though a man did shoot an elk in 2005. (I would call hunting in a National Park heinous. A judge ruled he could be tried in Wyoming; he took a plea deal.) The area is not easily accessible and none of the park's roads go through it. There are so many other dangers when you enjoy the backcountry of Yellowstone!
Per Wikipedia's List of volcanoes in the United States, there is a conical hill (or several) that erupted as recently as 35 million years ago in Virginia. The state's highest point, Mount Rogers, is home to 100 wild ponies and is a retired volcano. New Jersey's Rutan Hill is a volcano formed by another volcano… before New Jersey was land. (Lake Erie has ice volcanoes, They do not erupt. You should not climb.)
In the event these dormant volcanoes awaken you should follow local orders. If advised to evacuate get the hell out as soon as you can. If advised to shelter, stay inside and cover ventilation openings, windows, and doors. Don't drive in ash (but if you do, keep the windows up and A/C off), and don't climb on the roof to remove it. Try to be anywhere but downwind from the volcano and stay away from river valleys downstream. Stay inside until authorities say it's safe to leave.
Advice for wildfires is similar. Leave early and don't assume you can outrun a wildfire. Recommended prevention includes handling loose shingles on the roof and dead vegetation near your home — and having two evacuation routes in mind.
If you take shelter inside, turn off your home's propane and seal windows and sources of ventilation. Turn off the central air and any fans you have. Wet the roof with a hose (goodness, be careful up there) and carry your fully-charged cellphone around the home on your person. Close all doors, move upholstered furniture away from the walls, and find the most interior hallway in the home to hang out.
Speaking of phones, is everyone charging their phone overnight? I wake up with so much guilt when I don't. For personal reasons, I'm asking you to charge your phone overnight. (I don't care if it's next to your pillow.) For the same reasons, I'm reminding you to keep a backup battery charged, too.
For hurricanes, which are more prevalent in New York City than wildfires, you should Know Your Zone. I don't think your bag needs to be as extreme as this one. You want bottled water, snacks, prescriptions, a spare pair of glasses or contact lenses, a toothbrush and toothpaste, and food and medication for your pets.
My bag should probably have a bottle of ibuprofen, a bottle of allergy medicine, sanitary pads, granola bars, a charged backup battery, USB cables, and bottled water. (You know that as a classic Millennial, I'll be leaving with water in my hand.) I used to be better about restocking my bag. I'm zoneless, which might contribute to my laissez-faire attitude.
When a hurricane is forecasted, you should leave as soon as you can, if directed. A hurricane is when it's most important to Know Your Zone (and if your neighborhood floods). You should also plan an escape route well in advance. This is something else I don't have, partially because I'm close to the highest point in the borough and in an old building. If you choose to hunker down, take solace in knowing that birds do, too. (What are we supposed to do in these new keyless buildings if the electricity goes out?)
During Hurricane Sandy, my downstairs roommate insisted we had to crack all the windows due to air pressure. I argued and lost, and had to clean a lot of leaves out of the living room. You don't have to do this! It's better to close your windows.
It's up to you if you want to fill your tub with water. I'm torn, because I'm used to treating a hurricane like a scary blizzard. I'd like to use my tub to relax, instead. But if you have concerns about outages, it's good to have water to use to flush the toilet. It's not a bad idea to buy bottled water, especially if your water source is supplied by electricity.
If you do lose electricity, keep the freezer and refrigerator doors closed so you can keep your perishables fresh.
There are two consequences to hurricanes and the first one is flooding. Flooding, with or without an act of god, is why I refuse to live on the first floor. (Nearly every basement apartment in the city is illegal.) Much like Knowing Your Zone, the city would like you to know if you're in a flood plain or not. The city also thinks you should get insurance, to which I say: Good luck, loser! I've always had renter's insurance and I don't think it's ever covered flooding. It's getting less and less likely that you'll be covered since there are so many floods now.
In the event of a flood, get to higher ground. If you're outside, don't walk through the water (for one thing, it's gross, for another, you might come into contact with live wires). If you have to, try not to walk through moving water. I know you're tall, but the current will take you away. If you have to cross, "use a stick to check the firmness of the ground in front of you." If you're driving, do not drive through the water! Turn around, don't drown!!
Never swim to safety. Always seek higher ground, and if you are inside, go higher and wait for a rescue.
The city also reminds residents not to use plumbing (the sink, the shower) during a flood, which is also true during a storm. I've only recently learned that you can get electrocuted! It's made these stormy nights a real bummer, besties.
The other consequence of hurricanes is riptides. I don't care how tall you are, it's not about height! The city has seen some gnarly riptides this summer due to hurricanes south of us. Hurricane Ernesto closed city beaches last weekend. (Though for most city beaches, we should probably avoid swimming because of the sewage system. The Rockaways are on a different system and fine, when it comes to fecal matter. You can always check water quality through the city's website.
When you go for a swim you should always swim in view of the lifeguards. You should also know the flag system. In short, don't swim between red flags: red flags indicate strong surf and currents. (At city beaches the parks department will make you get out.) Double red flags are a signal that the beach is closed. Yellow flags are meant to exercise caution. Purple flags are to alert swimmers to hazardous wildlife in the water (like jellyfish).
A current is a channel of moving water flowing away from shore. You can't see with your eyes where a current is or gauge how strong it is. Some signs are easier to spot from afar: A gap of darker, calmer water between breaking waves, a channel of choppy water, and a difference in water color. (You can see this from the Q Train going over the bridge to Manhattan! Sometimes you can see where the ocean meets the estuary, too.)
Anyone can get pulled by a strong current (or a weak one, when you're trying to make nice at the Sunday Swim). Currents are in all bodies of water and you should assume there are currents at the beach, even when everyone is bobbing along in the Rockaways without a care in the world.
If you get pulled by the current, don't panic. Swim parallel to the short and the current will spit you out. If you find that you're unable to do that, make a scene so the lifeguards can help. (Easier said than done, I know, because when people are drowning, they don't make noise.) If you see someone struggling, get a lifeguard. Don't drown yourself.
I have no segue for tornadoes. Tornadoes are not common for us, seeing as we are spread across both coasts, but they have occurred in New York City before.
Preparing for a tornado is difficult because they're sudden. The best thing you can do is pick a place to take shelter in your apartment. The best shelter is in the basement or underground. That isn't always an option, but the hallway on the lowest floor, under a sturdy piece of furniture, or a small interior room is best. "Put as many walls as possible between you and the outside." Avoid windows, get out of vehicles, and beware of flying debris and wide-span roofs.
The city doesn't mention the tornado siren in the Midwest. I worry New Yorkers would assume it was the synagogue and not a tornado. I worry New Yorkers would miss a tornado, which they largely did in 2010. I took shelter in my crappy apartment and my roommates all came home and had no idea. Typical.
You can know the signs in advance. From NYC's site:
Learn tornado danger signs:
An approaching cloud of debris can mark the location of a tornado even if a funnel is not visible.
Before a tornado hits, the wind may die down and the air may become very still.
Tornadoes generally occur near the trailing edge of a thunderstorm. It is not uncommon to see clear, sunlit skies behind a tornado.
I’m not going to think about this one too hard.
After the back-to-back hurricanes, in 2011 and 2012, I found myself on edge for winter storms. The first winter storms I encountered when I moved to Brooklyn were mishandled. The streets weren’t plowed, the mayor was on vacation, and people died. (For our sanity I won’t link to that story.) I inadvertently got into a fight with a regular when I mentioned sanitation's unofficial strike. He blew up and said the streets were plowed. Here’s a photo proving he's wrong:
So what do we do with a blizzard? Tie a rope to the barn, of course. New York City winters "which often bring extreme cold, heavy snow, ice, sleet, and freezing rain, can pose serious hazards." This seems true for a lot of the country, it's not as if Baltimore is exempt simply because it has beautiful salt boxes.
You will not be surprised to learn the best steps involve preparation. Winterize your go bag with a blanket and socks. (Your car should have these materials, too, and hard candy in case you get stuck. The city page has solid advice for preparing your car for winter regardless of where you live, provided it doesn’t get so cold you plug it in at night.) Your kit at home should include enough supplies to stay inside for seven days. I know that this sounds ridiculous for New Yorkers, especially those of us who have had to work in service in every winter condition. If you provide your own fuel at home, make sure you have enough in advance in the storm, as you might see delays in the delivery of oil at home. (I'm a renter and have no control over any of that.) Charge your devices, check your batteries, and check your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. (You check those twice a year when we change the clocks, right?)
For the blizzard itself, stay inside! If you must go outside, wear layers and keep your clothing dry. Protect the tips of your ears, nose, and fingers from the elements. If your clothes do get wet, do not drape them over a space heater to dry.
New Yorkers are urged to use public transit if they're outside in a blizzard. This is good advice if the MTA hasn't closed. I've been in more than one storm where the buses and trains stopped running midday without warning and I had to take a cab home. Drivers should travel slowly. If you get stuck, stay where you are, unless safety is 100 yards away or less, as it's easy to get disoriented. (That's what the rope is for!) If you keep your car running, remember to keep the exhaust pipe clear so you don't die of carbon monoxide poisoning. If you're on the subway and it breaks down, hopefully, the heat stays on. If you're on a bus in whiteout conditions, hopefully, the driver knows what they're doing. (Have I ever been more scared? No.)
If your pipes freeze, open a faucet to release vapor. You can point a hair dryer at the pipes but do NOT direct an open flame to it. If your pipes or meter burst, call 311. If you lose heat, wear layers, don’t forget to eat, and call 311. If you lose power, call your provider. (It's probably ConEd.)
If your living situation requires snow removal: limber up before you go outside. Cover your mouth to protect your lungs. Stay dry, maintain awareness of your surroundings (don't cover fire hydrants or manhole covers), and take your time. People often injure themselves by removing snow! I used to shovel the stoop at my old house, and I found doing a shot at Butter & Scotch helped get the job done, but this is not recommended. (Alcohol and caffeine worsen hypothermia.) I cried a lot less though, so I understand if you feel this way, too.
As you head into winter and prepare your home for the worst season of the year, make sure you have plenty of warm socks. The best way to get through all of these disasters is through snacks and fruit pajamas.
Lastly, wash your bottle after each use. If you drank all the water in it, wash it before you refill it, and wash the cap, too! Please, clean your hairbrush after you use it!
Related: The Washington Post says Costco's emergency food supply is not good.
Simply because we've talked about them before, Spirit Lake is slowly growing a petrified forest. Trees that landed in the lake from the 1980 Mt. St. Helen's eruption and still had their roots eventually turned upright, became waterlogged, and sank to the bottom of the lake. This will help us understand prehistoric petrified forests! There is a timeline where I studied oceanography and ended up in the Pacific Northwest. Get me into the submersible at Crater Lake! (Please don't, this timeline version of me feels anxious about the pressure and the dark.)
Kind of jazzed about the Bed-Stuy goldfish
I saw a video from Rush Tok of a sorority in pajama sets and I will not be deterred. I wrote this in the workspace of my bestie's building using my personal hotspot while dreaming of watching Anne of Green Gables, dressed in fruit jamas, and drinking a DIPA. For me it's not Getting Ready, it's winding down before the sun does.
There was talk last month about rounding it out with a fruit hair clip. (The talk was at Beacon's Closet while admiring a dragonfruit hair clip.) I have one that looks like a pair of cherries.
Yes, I watch the highlights of Rush Tok every year. If you think, "I plan to sit out a blizzard in a soft pajama set," Old Navy has this women's pair covered in roses. I find that I’ve found several themes I’d like to see. Blue crabs! Orioles baseball! Old Bay! The Nightmare Before Christmas (which I have, gifted, as a long-sleeve fleece situation).
I love state fair season. You can get rhubarb crisp lip balm in Minnesota! If I won the lottery one of the signs would be me jetting off to the Minnesota State Fair. I'd like to go to a baseball game while I'm there. We’d go to a WNBA game too, of course, and we'd go to a show at First Avenue, peruse Birchbark Books, and we'd listen to The Current in the rental car.
I saw The Bikeriders and it was boring. It has a great cast too: Tom Hardy (doing a voice), Michael Shannon, Boyd Holbrook, and Damon Herriman. Jodie Comer (and her accent) are great, but what a snooze fest.
I saw Jackpot and liked that but Self-Reliance is better. (Streaming on Hulu.) Parts were filmed in La Cita Bar, which I walked past once and immediately regretted not pilling up. NEXT TIME, LA CITA!
I've also seen the lackluster Drive-Away Dolls, Lisa Frankenstein, and astoundingly perfect Didi.
St. Vitus is not reopening. I bought merch. Has the guy who shut it down been run out of town yet? I can grab a pitchfork.
I have been yelling about Iceland's ice cream culture this summer and I have proof of it. Reminder: you haven't eaten enough ice cream this year and should eat some more.
Always your friend,
Katherine
Sources (MLA 9)
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Aswad, Jem. "Saint Vitus Bar, Brooklyn's Heavy Metal Mecca, Closes Greenpoint Location Permanently." Variety, Variety, 19 Aug. 2024, variety.com/2024/music/news/st-vitus-bar-brooklyn-heavy-metal-closes-greenpoint-location-permanently-1236110323/.
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Sneaking this into the very end: my days of feeling out to sea in the Arctic Circle may be coming to an end. Things may continue to be aflame for the rest of the year, but it brought me comfort to know I wasn't alone. Thanks for waving back from land; you mean so much to me.