FLORIDA DISASTERSTORNADOS & HURRICANES

Where can you see Tornados ?Tornados have be observed on every

continent except Antarctica . However the vast majority will occur in Tornado Alley Region of the United States.

Tornado Alley is from Texas – North Dakota and east from Kansas – Ohio.

They also occur in Asia, South America, Southern Africa, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

May 20, 2013 Moore Oklahoma

Moore Oklahoma was hit by an EF5 tornado 2 miles wide with winds speed of 295 mph.

24 people were killed including 10 children at Briarwood Elementary school. 350 people were injured.

WHAT IS A TORNADO?A tornado is a violent whirlwind that usually

develops in association with a severe thunderstorm.

The winds in a tornado can exceed the wind speed measured in the most intense hurricane.

Wind speeds in an intense tornado can exceed 200 miles per hour.

These violent winds are what make tornadoes so deadly. They can uproot trees, down power lines and over turn cars and trucks.

It is the wind-thrown debris that poses such a serious hazard to people in the path of a tornado.

When is Tornado Season?Tornados in Florida can form in a variety of ways,

and in all seasons.

. Spring season (February – May ) These can be more powerful and deadly, because they are formed from Super Cell Thunder Storms ahead of a cold front .

Summer season (June-September.) The typically occur along the sea breeze boundary collisions

Fujita Tornado Damage ScaleEFO ---60-85 mph Tree branches down. Chimneys damaged,

small trees uprooted.EF1 ---86-110 mphPeels up roof, mobile homes overturned, cars

can be blown off the road.EF2---111-135 mphLarge trees snapped, roofs torn off frame

houses. Light-object projectiles.

EF3--136-165 mphSevere damage, wall torn off well constructed

homes. Most trees will be uprooted. Heavy cars lifted off the ground.

EF4—166-200 mphWell constructed house leveled. Cars thrown

and large projectiles generated.

EF5— 200 + mph Strong frame houses disintegrated Auto-sized

projectiles fly through the air at 100 mph.

Tornado Watch

A Watch: means tornados are possible in your area, remain alert for approaching storms

A Warning: means a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar.

To know the difference between Tornado Watch and Tornado Warning.

When a tornado watch is issued the driver should be looking for a sudden change in weather condition. Appearance of violent wind, rain and hail or funnel shaped cloud.

When a warning is issued near or in your area the driver is to promptly to seek shelter for the students. The office will give instructions over the radio.

If the warning is announced while en route a driver is to go to a pre-identified shelter or building (school) closest to their current location depending on the immediacy of the tornado threat.

Again the office will give you instructions.

What to do is your are caught in the direct path of a Tornado

Do not attempt to out run the tornadoRadio and advise the office of you location & route

number.

Do not remain in the bus. Stop and evacuate the passengers. Move away from the bus and go to the side of the road without power lines, utility poles or trees. Instruct students to lie flat, face first toward the ground and protect their heads. If there is a ditch then get in it.

Do not use bridge under passes for a shelter. This offers very little protection from flying debris.

After the Tornado PassesAccount for all passengers, check for injuries,

and provide first aid if needed. Contact the office as soon as you are able and tell us what you need.

Before leaving a shelter or the area if out in the open. Check the sky to see if there may be another tornado following the same path. Contact the office. Be alert for downed power lines, ruptured gas lines damage to trees, buildings roads and bridges.

In case of EmergencyEvery driver carries an up to date roster of

students.Every driver must keep their route sheet up

to date. This will help in locating your bus.This is also why explaining all the emergency

exits is so important on you bus drills.On your bus drill you should also let the

students know where the fire extinguisher is and the location of the first aid kit.

You should also explain the operation of the Two-way radio and how to turn off the bus engine.

Responsibility of School Bus driverTo be familiar with areas on your route in the

event you are asked to seek shelter.

To have pre-determine shelter options (buildings, businesses, schools homes) that might be along you bus route.

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HURRICANESName for Huracan

Carib God of Evil

WHAT ARE HURRICANES ?

Hurricanes are giant, spiraling tropical storms that can pack wind speeds of over 160 miles per hour.

They are capable of dropping more than 2.4 trillion gallons of rain a day.

These same tropical storms are know as Cyclones in the Indian Ocean and Typhoons in the Pacific Ocean.

Hurricanes begin as tropical disturbances in warm ocean waters with temperatures of at least 80 degrees.

These low pressure systems are fed by energy from the warm seas.

Hurricanes spin around a low-pressure center known as the “eye” which is very calm.

The eye is surrounded by a circular “eye wall” that holds the storm’s strongest winds and rain.

If a storm achieves wind speeds of 38 miles per hour is becomes known as a Tropical Depression.

A tropical depression becomes a Tropical Storm when the sustained wind speed tops 39 miles per hour. At that point it is given a name.

When the storms sustained wind speeds reach 74 miles per hour it becomes a Hurricane.

These storms bring destruction ashore in many different ways. When a hurricane makes landfall it often produces a devastation storm surge that can reach 20 feet high and extend nearly 100 miles inland.

Ninety percent of all hurricane deaths result from the storm surge.

A hurricanes high winds may spawn tornadoes, they produce torrential rains that can cause further damage by creating floods and landslides.

SAFFIER-SIMPSON Hurricane Wind ScaleCategory 1 74-95 sustained winds

Category 2 96-110

Category 3 111-129

Category 4 130-156

Category 5 157 or higher

School Board Hurricane PlanLEVEL III- Monitoring-Evacuation

Possible

Storm indentified with probability of landfall.

BCOEM alerts school board 72 hours before arrival of 40 mph sustained winds.

Employees make personal plans.Employees & volunteers supporting Plan

fill out Daily Activity Report. This is at the schools.

Level II - Partial Activation- Evacuation Expected

Storm with probability of landfall in Brevard County.

BOCEM alerts School Board 48 Hours before arrival of 40 mph sustained winds.

Voluntary evacuation of County beginsSuperintendent closes schools and activates

Level II Action Plan 36-24 hours before arrival of 40-mph sustained winds.

Special Needs shelters open 30 hours before arrival of 40mph winds.

Employees with responsibilities under Plan report to workstations and secure property.

Level 1 – Full Activation-Evacuation Ordered

Severe storm high probability of landfall in Brevard.

BCOEM alerts School Board 24 hours before arrival of 40 mph sustained winds.

BCOEM issues evacuation order and implements emergency procedures.

Superintendent activates Level 1 Action Plan.

Shelters open in sequence and at times directed by the BCOEM and ARC.

BCOEM would request that Transportation furnish necessary vehicles and personnel to evacuate disabled and ambulatory persons.

TermsBCOEM- Brevard County Office of Emergency Management.

ARC – American Red Cross.

FDEM- Florida Division of Emergency Management

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