2010S4-INDIANRIVERHurr

2 INDIAN RIVER CountyHOMETOWN NEWS Friday, May 28, 2010HURRICANE GUIDE - 2010

3INDIAN RIVER CountyHOMETOWN NEWS

Friday, May 28, 2010 HURRICANE GUIDE - 2010

Message from the director of the Red Cross North Treasure Coast ChapterSave a life. Make a difference.

Empower someone to changethe lives of their friends and

neighbors by giving them valuableCPR, first-aid and water safetyskills. Help our youth become tomor-row’s leaders.

Each of these life-changing experi-ences is possible through the Ameri-can Red Cross.

Being prepared and making adifference is what this special tabloidproduced by Hometown News is allabout. Through the expert articlesand information in this publication,we have the ability to change a lifeand issue a call to action to accom-plish all of the items above.

Many of the articles about volun-teers and our response to any naturaldisasters will give you valuable

insight into thework of Ameri-can Red Cross.

We are hereto providedisasterservices,health andsafety training,and communi-cations withour servicemenand womenthroughout theyears, 365 days,and 24-hours-a-day. We would not beable to do our job without yourvaluable donation of time anddollars.

Frankly, many people are unawarethat the American Red Cross receives

no federal, state or local tax dollars.That is why it is critically importantthat each of you reading this publica-tion ask yourself, what have I done tohelp the Red Cross help my commu-nity, my friends and my neighbors?

Helping the Red Cross can be assimple as becoming a volunteer or asvaluable as becoming a donor. Howyou help is your preference. We onlyask that in these very trying econom-ic times that you help in some way.

The American public has been verygenerous in donating to Haiti reliefand we have honored the intent thatevery dollar raised has been or will beused to help the Haitian communityget back their life.

Please remember that while youhave already assisted the AmericanRed Cross, this chapter fully depends

upon your donations to our localchapter. This allows us to provideassistance to our community, providepreparedness presentations to thecommunity and train our volunteersto respond community disasters.

We also urge you to help yourselfand your family be better preparedfor hurricane season or any emer-gency by following some very simplesteps to be Red Cross ready:

• Make a kit. Purchase or make anemergency-preparedness kit, with atleast three days’ worth of essentialitems needed by each householdmember. Essential items includewater (1 gallon per person, per day),nonperishable food, a flashlight, abattery- or crank-operated radio,

See MESSAGE, 19

Sarah Ruweexecutive director

American Red Cross


The American Red Crosssays be prepared

With hurricane season 2010 upon us,the broadcasting airwaves and neighbor-hood talk might be filled with hurricaneterms you should know to make the bestplans and decisions for you and yourfamily.

Your American Red Cross stressespreparation is key to surviving and recov-ering from a tropical storm or hurricane.

A tropical storm is an organizedcyclone with low pressures and strongthunderstorms. Wind speeds arebetween 39-73 miles per hour. Whenwinds increase past 74 mph, the tropicalstorm turns into a hurricane.

A hurricane watch means a hurricanemay pose a threat to your area. During ahurricane watch make any last-minutepreparations, such as filling gas tanks,obtaining cash and making sure yourstorm shutters are secure.

If a hurricane watch turns into a hurri-cane warning, a hurricane is expected toimpact your area. Do not venture ontoroads when winds become strong.Remember, cars cannot be operatedsafely in high winds and water. Also,debris, fallen trees and live electric lines

may block roadways. Hurricanes are categorized by their

wind speed on a scale of 1 to 5. The scalegives an estimate of how much damageand flooding can be expected after thehurricane makes landfall.

A Category 1 hurricane is a minimalhurricane with winds between 74-95mph. No real damage is expected tostructurally safe buildings. However,there may be damage to mobile homesand shrubbery.

A hurricane with winds between 96-110 mph is a Category 2 hurricane. Therecan be some damage to roofing material,doors and windows. There can be consid-erable damage to shrubbery and treesmight be blown down. Mobile homes canalso suffer considerable damage, as wellas signs and piers.

Category 3 hurricanes are extensivehurricanes with winds between 111-130mph. There is expected damage to resi-dential buildings. Foliage can blow offshrubbery and trees, and trees may evenbe blown down. Mobile homes areexpected to be destroyed.

A Category 4 hurricane has windsbetween 131-155 mph. This is an extremehurricane where there can be roof struc-ture failures on residences and seriousdamage to doors and windows. Shrubs,trees and signs are blown down. Mobile

Important hurricaneseason words to know

HometownNewsOL.com

Published weekly by Hometown News, L.C., 1102 South U.S. 1, Fort Pierce, FL 34950Copyright © 2010, Hometown News , L.C.

Phone (772) 465-5656 • Fax (772) 465-5301Classified (800) 823-0466 • Rants & Raves (866) 465-5504

Circulation Inquiries: 1-866-913-6397 or [email protected]

Steven E. Erlanger Vernon D. Smith Tammy RaitsPublisher and C.O.O. Managing Partner Managing Editor

Voted Number 1 Community Newspaper in Americaby the Association of Free Community Papers.

See PREPARED, 15

For Hometown [email protected]



First pet,human emergencyshelter incounty

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Hunkeringdown with your pet during hurricane-force winds and rain can be done a littlecloser to home now.

Liberty Magnet School was recentlynamed the first pet-friendly hurricaneand emergency shelter in Indian RiverCounty.

The designation came as a result of a

File photoSamantha Blume, 14, of Vero Beach, sits and works with Travis during her Care Cadet training at the Humane Society ofVero Beach and Indian River County last June. Pet owners will be relieved to hear Liberty Magnet School is now an IndianRiver County pet-friendly hurricane shelter.

By Jessica [email protected]

See SHELTER, 6


TREASURE COAST — When dis-aster strikes, he’s one of the mosteagerly anticipated Red Cross vol-unteers to arrive on scene. No, he’snot Superman or Batman, but hedoes come bringing much neededfood in his red and white truckcalled an ERV.

Ken Chapin of Vero Beach is oneof the many disaster response vol-unteers with the American RedCross, whose job it is to providedisaster survivors with food, waterand cleaning supplies by drivinginto the affected areas in an emer-gency response vehicle, or ERV forshort.

“ERV drivers are the face of theRed Cross for a lot of people, a lotof times we’re the most visual partof the Red Cross,” said Mr. Chapin.

“I really like that about being adriver because I’m in direct con-tact with the people that need methe most,” he said.

This past year, Mr. Chapin andother Red Cross volunteersresponded to cries for help inflooded areas of Georgia and in

Florida from Haitian refugees.As Haitian-Americans poured

into the airports in Fort Pierce andSanford, Red Cross teams greetedthem and passed out “comfortkits” full of hygiene supplies.

Many of the refugees who flewinto Sanford were on their way toanother location, so they respond-ed with great gratitude for thesmall gift of deodorant, toothpasteand other items to help themfreshen up after a stressful experi-ence, Mr. Chapin said.

So far, Florida teams have notbeen called up to help with disas-ter relief in Nashville, Tenn., andsurrounding areas, but they arestanding by.

“We’ve let our chapter know thatwe are ready to go if needed,” Mr.Chapin said.

The ERVs are usually mobilefeeding units that go into a centrallocation in an affected neighbor-hood until enough power isrestored and people can figure outother ways to feed themselves.

“People are really happy that weare there because most of the

Photo courtesy of the American Red CrossA volunteer from the disaster relief team delivers supplies to a resident in need.

Drivers meet needs during critical hours

collaborative effort from the localHumane Society, the American Red CrossNorth Treasure Coast Chapter, IndianRiver Animal Control, Indian River CountyEmergency Management and the SchoolDistrict of Indian River County, said IlkaDaniel, director of outreach services forthe Humane Society.

“There are over 60,000 companion ani-mals in Indian River County,” Ms. Danielsaid.

The amount of space available to carefor companion animals during a disastersuch as a hurricane however, is drasticallysmaller, she said.

“Counting veterinarians, there are from1,000 to 2,000 places available. The onus ison the owners to do their prior planning,”Ms. Daniel said.

The safest place for a pet to be during anemergency is with family, so planningahead for a hurricane evacuation with apet is essential.

“What we saw with (Hurricane) Katrina,with the people and their animals beingseparated, it was heart wrenching. If youplan ahead, you can take your pet withyou,” Ms. Daniel said.

The new shelter can house about 180people and about 150 pets. It is designedfor people who do not have a place to bewith family or friends.

Qualifying applicants staying in theshelter would be families from a mandato-ry evacuation area, such as barrier islands,manufactured homes and flood zones.

Space is limited at the shelter, so pre-registration is necessary, Ms. Daniel said.

Applications are available on theHumane Society website.

“We are just so happy to have thisresource,” Ms. Daniel said.

Also this summer, the Humane Societywill offer disaster animal response trainingfor anyone from an animal care profes-sional to a concerned animal lover.

The training will be held June 11-13onsite at the Humane Society.

Topics include animal care and han-dling, animal rescue and transport, teamanimal disaster response, field safety,community animal needs, damageassessment, setting up emergency shel-ters and coordinating with governmentalagencies.

The course shows students how to assistanimals not only in hurricanes, butendangered by other events such as torna-dos, floods, fires, earthquakes and haz-ardous material spills.

The three days of classes are a mixture ofclassroom and hands-on instruction ofemergency animal relief.

An $80 registration fee includes lunch.Prior registration is required as space islimited.

For more information, call (772) 388-3331, or visit http://hsvb.org.

ShelterFrom page 5

See CRITICAL, 8

By Jessica [email protected]

“What we saw with (Hurricane) Katrina with the people and thieranimals being separated, it was heart wrenching.”

Ilka DanielDirector, outreach servicesIndian River County Humane Society

time, there is no power and theycannot cook for themselves,”said Mr. Chapin.

“(Lack of ) power really causes alot of the problems because everyeconomic level is affected by it.Disasters like hurricanes orfloods just don’t strike at trailerparks, they’re pretty indiscrimi-nate with who they affect,” hesaid.

In most cases, the Red Crossvolunteers distribute food pre-pared by the Southern Baptistdisaster relief teams in theirmobile kitchens.

“We work together with themto do huge bulk feeding,” said Mr.Chapin.

The food is then packed intothe ERV in cambros, sealed andinsulated containers, to hold thetemperature of the food.

In his most recent trip to Geor-gia in response to flooding, Mr.Chapin said snacks and waterwere what the people needed themost.

In addition to food, ERV driv-ers pack their vehicles withclean-up kits that include anunassembled broom, mop, scrubbrushes, soap, dust masks andmore.

“Pretty much we pack the kitsto have all the essentials to startcleaning up your house after it’sbeen damaged,” said Mr.Chapin.

Though they often are in themiddle of sad and difficult situa-tions, Mr. Chapin looks foropportunities to be light-heartedand bring a smile to the faces ofthe people he helps.

Stuffed animals helped bringsmiles to Haitian children await-ing adoption into their newAmerican families, Mr. Chapinsaid.

“That was a lot of fun,” he said.He also tries to lighten the

mood by cracking jokes with hisdriving partner, Butch Clinton.

“We have to have a sense ofhumor when we do this andwe’re just trying to make a badsituation as good as we can withour attitude,” he said.

During and after Hurricanes Francesand Jeanne in 2004 and Wilma in 2005,the hum of generators created a cacoph-ony but kept lights burning and air con-ditioners, fans and refrigerators running.

While the generators provided much-needed relief to so many, carbon monox-ide, a by-product of generator operation,killed several people statewide and sentdozens to area hospitals.

Since that time, thousands of genera-tors were sold, placing more people indanger of CO poisoning now more thanever before.

When combustion engines, such asgenerators, boats, lawnmowers or auto-mobiles are run in enclosed or even par-tially enclosed areas without sufficientventilation, the potential for CO poison-ing increases exponentially.

Care also must be taken with charcoalgrilles, as charcoal gives off high quanti-ties of CO when lit.

Places where generators and grills maybe used, such as garages, porches oreven outside, may present potential haz-ards if they are upwind of open windows.In these situations, CO gas can invadehomes or buildings and affect the occu-pants.

Carbon monoxide is a silent, odorlesskiller. With more people using genera-tors to be better prepared for hurricaneseason, everyone needs to be aware ofthe dangers and proper procedures theyshould follow to keep their lives andthose of their loved ones safe.

Many people with CO poisoning mis-take their symptoms for the flu or aremisdiagnosed, which sometimes resultsin tragic deaths. Because CO replacesoxygen in the blood, it can make peoplefeel sleepy. Or, if they are sleeping, it canprevent them from waking up.

Symptoms of CO poisoning include:headache, nausea, fatigue, flu-likesymptoms, impaired vision and coordi-


CriticalFrom page 6

Red Cross urges cautionwhen using a generatorFor Hometown [email protected]

See GENERATOR, 9

nation, confusion and a pink tone to theskin.

Did you know that most people, in theearly stages of CO poisoning, are inca-pable of rescuing themselves or evenrecognizing the problem due to the con-fusion it causes? Ultimately, brain dam-age or death may occur.

Don’t be a statistic. Simple precautions

could save your family from illness ordeath.

Only use generators and grills in well-ventilated locations. Do not operateyour car in a garage to charge the batteryor even the batteries of cell phones. Keepyour family and friends safe.

For more information, the AmericanRed Cross has fact sheets available on car-bon monoxide poisoning prevention andusing a generator when disaster strikes.Contact your local American Red Cross toobtain free copies.



Hurricane shelters inIndian River County

The following are a list of hurricane shelters in Indian River County:

• Fellsmere Elementary School, 50 N. Cypress St. Fellsmere.• Sebastian Elementary School, 400 County Road 512, Sebastian.• Sebastian River Middle School, 9400 County Road 512, Sebastian.• Glendale Elementary School, 4940 Eighth St., Vero Beach.• Oslo Middle School, 480 20th Ave. Southwest, Vero Beach.• Vero Beach High School Freshman Learning Center, 1507 19th St.,

Vero Beach.• Gifford Middle School, 4535 28th Court, Gifford• Highlands Elementary School, 500 20th St. Southwest, Vero Beach• Pelican Island Elementary School, 1355 Schumann Drive, Sebastian• Vero Beach High School, 1707 16th St., Vero Beach• Sebastian River High School, 9001 90th Avenue, Sebastian• Thompson Lifelong Learning Center, 1110 18th Street, Southwest,

Vero Beach• Liberty Magnet School, 6850 81st Street, Vero Beach, pet-friendly

shelter• Treasure Coast Elementary School 8955 85th St., Sebastian, special

needs.

Registration is required for the special needs shelters. Special needsforms are available from the Department of Emergency Services at (772)567-2154.

County emergencycontact numbers

In Indian River County, here are the emergency numbers you need tohave on hand in case of a disaster:

• Emergency Operations Center (772) 567-2154• North Treasure Coast Chapter of the Red Cross, Vero Beach office, (772)

562-2549• Sheriff (772) 569-6700• Building Department (772) 567-8000• Animal Control (772) 226-3485• Coast Guard (772) 464-6100• Police/Fire 911

GeneratorFrom page 8

10INDIAN RIVER CountyHOMETOWN NEWS Friday, May 28, 2010HURRICANE GUIDE - 2010



AlexBonnieColin

DanielleEarl

FionaGaston

HermineIgorJuliaKarlLisa

MatthewNicole

OttoPaula

RichardSharyTomas

VirginieWalter

Hurricane names for 2010

— National Hurricane Center


Friday, May 28, 2010HURRICANE GUIDE - 2010



If you live near the coast or in amanufactured home or recreationalvehicle, you will almost certainly beordered to evacuate when a storm

threatens. Listen to local news reportsand have your emergency suppliesand important papers packed and

ready to go. When the time comes,make sure your home is locked and

shuttered, and leave!

IF YOUHAVE TOLEAVE


Disasterteam training in June

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — TheHumane Society of Vero Beach andIndian River County will host a disas-ter animal response team workshop atits Adoption and Education CenterJune 11-13.

Taught by the Humane Society,DART training covers helping pets,farm animals and wildlife during adisaster. Individuals with limited ani-mal handling experience, as well asanimal welfare professionals, mayattend.

“This introductory course is meantfor anyone who wants to help ani-

Getting prepared to help

File photoThe American Red Cross volunteers play a vital role in helping the community during a natural disaster.


See TRAINING, 15

homes may be completely destroyed. A catastrophic hurricane is a Category

5 hurricane, which has winds greaterthan 155 mph. There is complete rooffailure on many residences and industri-al buildings and severe damage to win-

dows and doors. Some buildings caneven be blown over or away. Shrubs, treesand signs blow down.

Your local chapter of the American RedCross will issue specific information, pre-cautions and actions to take for tropicalstorms and hurricanes.

For more information, contact yourlocal American Red Cross chapter or visitwww.redcross.org.



mals. Attendees will receive the basicknowledge they’ll need to assist with ani-mal disaster response,” said JanetWinikoff, HSVB and Indian River Countydirector of education.

The workshop provides both classroomand hands-on instruction.

Topics include: animal care and han-dling, animal rescue and transport, teamanimal disaster response, field safety,community animal needs, damageassessment, setting up emergency shel-ters and coordinating with governmentalagencies.

Although Indian River County residentsare most familiar with hurricanes, thecourse shows students how they can

assist animals endangered by otherevents such as tornados, floods, fires,earthquakes and hazardous materialspills.

The training comes just as the countyannounced the opening of its first pet-friendly shelter this year, which may needthe help of volunteers with either hands-on animal experience or other skills.

“There are many roles responders canplay that don’t necessarily require inten-sive animal handling,” said Ilka Daniel,HSVB and IRC director of animal protec-tion services.

The cost for the DART workshop is $80and includes instruction, materials andlunch. Students who complete the classwill receive a certificate of DART trainingcompletion.

For more information, call (772) 388-3331, Ext. 18.

TrainingFrom page 14

Donation mail-in form I am making a gift of $____________

Fill in your name and address to ensure correct preparation of your receipt for tax puposes.

Name _____________________________________________________

Employer __________________________________________________

Address ___________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

City ______________________________________________________

State _____________________________________________________

ZIP or postal code _____________ Country _____________________

E-mail address _____________________________________________

Telephone number __________________________________________

Please make checks payable to: American Red Cross, 250617th Ave., Vero Beach, FL 32960

Thank you!

PreparedFrom page 4


Suggested supply list to prepare for storm

Here’s what you’ll need toweather a hurricane:

• Plywood boards and fasten-ers, or hurricane shutters

• Water: A gallon per person,per day, with a three-day mini-mum supply; freeze ahead oftime

• Nonperishable foods and amanual can opener, enough for atwo-week supply

• Beverages• Paper plates, paper cups,

plastic utensils• Emergency cooking equip-

ment• Ice chest filled with ice• Two weeks supply of all pre-

scription medications• Toiletries• Emergency cash supply• AM/FM weather radio• Battery-operated radio or tel-

evision• Pillows and blankets• Batteries• Matches• Cell phones/car chargers• Flashlights and battery-oper-

ated lanterns• Fire extinguisher• First-aid kit• Hammer (in case you need to

break through debris)• Paper towels, toilet tissue,

facial tissue, baby wipes, sani-tary napkins

• Bug spray• Resealable plastic bags• Plastic sheeting• Rope, tarpaulins and tape• Bleach or water purification

tablets• Raincoats, rain hats, umbrel-

las• Games, cards, puzzles, books,

Red Cross arms residentswith information for hurricane season

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — One ofthe goals of the American Red Cross isto educate the public on how to preparefor any disaster; for the area chapter,this means focusing on preparation forhurricane season.

Hurricane season starts June 1 andends Nov. 30, but staff and volunteers ofthe North Treasure Coast chapter of theAmerican Red Cross work on educatingresidents all year long.

“Community disaster education isnecessary to assist with helping peoplein times of disaster,” said Sharon Rayn-er, director of emergency services forthe area chapter.

“Each one of us is responsible andneeds to be responsible for ourselves in

times of disaster, especially in tougheconomic times when there are notenough volunteers or funds to take careof everyone at a moment’s notice. I can’tstress that enough.”

One way the Red Cross informs thepublic is through volunteers that serveas community disaster educators.

These volunteers, who serve theNorth Treasure Coast chapter, makepresentations at mobile home parks,senior facilities and anywhere in St.Lucie and Indian River counties inresponse to requests.

They also represent the organizationat any community event where it makessense for the chapter to participate, saidMs. Rayner.

While people can come to the Vero


See INFORMATION, 17See SUPPLIES, 19

Beach office of the Northern TreasureCoast chapter and pick up freebrochures or call and request them, Ms.Rayner listed a few pointers that every-one should know about preparing forhurricane season:

• Have at least 1 gallon of water perperson a day for a length of five days,stock up on food and if they can affordto do so, purchase a portable generator.

• If you leave your house, secure itand take certain items, such as medica-tions and any important papers. Theyshould also contact relatives or friendsand let them know where they aregoing.

“Basically, our education programsand brochures teach people to createtheir own evacuation plan,” she said.

Also, tips and information pertainingto hurricane preparation can be usedto prepare for any disaster.

However, despite their best efforts,some residents still do not heed theorganization’s advice.

“One of the things that tells us peoplearen’t prepared is, before the winds diedown, they’re calling us to bring themfood and water,” said Ms. Rayner,adding that people should always haveenough food and water to sustainthemselves for three to five days.

One reason people may not be pre-pared for or shrug off hurricane seasonis because they have become compla-cent, which is a concern for both theRed Cross and emergency manage-ment, said Ms. Rayner.

“When there aren’t storms, peopleforget what it was like to live throughthem,” she said.

The American Red Cross makesreferrals to those who have beenimpacted and are seeking assistanceafter disasters, but people can checkany of the Federal Emergency Manage-ment Agency’s sites before and duringhurricanes as well as the county’semergency site, http://indian-river.fl.us/government/ems/disaster.html, in addition to the Red Cross site,she said.

For more information, visit www.ntc-redcross.org, or call (772) 563-4764 (thechapter’s Vero Beach office).



InformationFrom page 16

Help on the way

Photo courtesy of the American Red CrossAmerican Red Cross Disaster Relief trucks line up to deliver supplies to those inneed.



magazines• Important papers kept in a

watertight container• Baby supplies, including for-

mula, bottles and diapers

• Pet food and supplies, such aslitter and pads

• Fill bathtub and containerswith water for sanitary use

• Fill vehicle’s gas tank

For more information on hurri-cane preparation, contact yourlocal American Red Cross.

SuppliesFrom page 16

extra batteries, a manual can opener,cash and important medications.

Make sure to store items in sturdy,sealable, easy-to-carry containers.

Remember to check your kit everysix months and replace expireditems.

• Make a plan. The American RedCross recommends creating andpracticing an evacuation and com-munications plan. Each person inyour household should know how toreach other members and where tomeet if you can’t go home.

As part of your communicationplan, choose an out-of-area relativeor friend as an emergency contactand make sure all your householdmembers know how to contact thisperson.

As part of your evacuation plan,choose two meeting places: one rightoutside of your home, in case youneed to escape in a hurry, such as inthe event of a home fire, and oneoutside your neighborhood, in case adisaster prevents you from returning

home.• Be informed. Find out what types

of disasters are likely to occur whereyou live, work and play, and how youwould receive information from localofficials in the event of a disaster.

Part of being informed is learningfirst aid, CPR and how to use an AED,so you have the skills to respond toan emergency when help is delayed.

To learn more and view CPR/AEDand first-aid demonstrations, contactyour local Red Cross chapter toregister for a class.

As you can see, the American RedCross takes your health and safetyvery seriously. When Americans thinkof a disaster of any magnitude, theyuniformly think of the Red Cross asthe agency ready to respond withhelp and assistance.

We want to continue that traditionright here in your community. Withyour help and continued support, theAmerican Red Cross will always bethere when help is needed most.

Contact your local American RedCross Chapter today to becomeinvolved in the noblest cause ofhelping save lives and empoweringour citizens to make a difference.

MessageFrom page 3

Keeping hydratedThe American RedCross delivered largesupplies of water toresidents after thehurricanes in 2004.

Photo courtesy of theAmerican Red Cross

2010S4-INDIANRIVERHurr

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