TO: ALL WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS AMATEURS
ALL NON-WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS AMATEURS
FROM: KEN HARRIS WA8LLM
WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED
WV ARES BULLETIN NR 09.27 DATE: July 5, 2009
SUBJECT: WHAT CLASSIFIES AS A DISASTER?
Just the mere term Disaster sounds devastating. Most people immediately think of a disaster as an earthquake, tornado, or major flood. Then they think, why should I practice and plan for a disaster when none of those may ever happen here. The answer to that remark is, there are other emergencies that classify as a disaster.
The American Red Cross lists as disasters: Floods, Fires, Transportation Wrecks, Explosions, Earthquakes, Forest Fires, Epidemics, Hurricanes, and Tornadoes. This could be a fire at an apartment complex, a localized flood that only effect a few homes, a train or plane accident, damage from a wind storm, or even an explosion which effects a number of people.
Each area has different possibilities for a disaster, but a disaster can happen anywhere. For this reason, RACES (Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service), ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service), and CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) members should learn, by reading these bulletins and participating in emergency drills and exercises.
The West Virginia ARES Bulletins are designed to pass on as much information about emergency preparedness and communications as possible. If you have an idea for a bulletin, let me know.
The answer to the question "What Classifies as a Disaster", any of the above, whether large or small, that threatens life or destroys property, can be classified as a disaster. Let's stay prepared for an emergency or "Disaster" in West Virginia and the surrounding states.
It's better to know it, and not need it, then to need it, and not know it.
Ken Harris WA8LLM
Wood County WV
WV ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
WV ARES District 3 Emergency Coordinator