Mexico Prepares for the Worst With Hurricane Jova

Several beach/resort cities in Mexico, such as Barra de Navidad are bracing themselves and preparing their communities to expect the worst from Hurricane Jova. In this particular article, it discusses the different routes of preparedness and safety precautions different people are taking. Residents and tourists alike were advised to head inland, as Jova is predicted to collide with "tourist resorts and flood-prone mountain villages." While some immediately headed for shelter in cities like Jaluco, several decided to try and ride it out. Most residents in this region are migrant farmworkers and understood they must seek shelter elsewhere, as their houses were not sturdy enough to withstand such weather and protect their families. However, some tourists decided to stay, saying they have been through comparable weather in the past.

The hurricane is said to have maximum sustained winds up to 100 mph, and is predicted to Barra de Navidad and Puerto Vallarta around midnight this evening.

For more, http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/10/11/ap/business/main20118714.shtml
Photo: http://travel.usatoday.com/cruises/post/2011/10/hurricane-jova-mexico-puerto-vallarta/552417/1

Is DC Ready for Any Disaster?

Several federal agencies and officials are planning to simulate a full scale natural disaster today at RFK Stadium in Washington D.C. The will be testing their mobile command vehicles, mobile morgue, de-con units, mega-shelter operations, and several other things.

Millicent West, Director of D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, says that D.C. still have several things to work on but that it is most important for people to know their own role in the case of an emergency. For that reason, D.C. is working hard to educate the public on what is expected of them in an emergency situation. She states, "We want to make sure that everybody understands that sometimes evacuation is not the first course of action." 


http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/dc/dc-to-simulate-full-scale-natural-disaster-at-rfk-stadium-092711

Joplin Tornado Assessment Offers Advice for Disaster Preparedness

The National Weather Service recently released a disaster assessment report on the May 22nd tornado in Joplin, MO. It acknowledges the things done correctly, and offers some advice for better preparedness in the future. One of the most important things the National Weather Service had to offer was to better improve warning communications to better convey a sense of urgency so that citizens can understand they must act immediately. They also made several suggestions for updating technology such as GPS systems, and alert systems such as sending warnings by text message.

This photo shows only a portion of the damage done in Joplin, MO 

For more on this story, http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2011/20110920_joplin.html