Term Paper on "Tornadoes From the Viewpoint of an Emergency"

Term Paper 5 pages (1395 words) Sources: 4 Style: APA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

tornadoes from the viewpoint of an Emergency management director. The writer explores the forces of a tornado, the type of damage that they do and the steps that can be taken to warn communities of their possible arrival.

Out of all the natural disasters that can occur, tornadoes are often considered the most damaging and the most dangerous. While earthquakes are unpredictable, they have not developed a history in the United States of frequent occurrence or many deaths. Hurricanes, with the exception of Katrina usually provide enough advanced warning that the emergency management coordinators can provide notice to evacuate. Tornadoes, however, often strike with little or no warning and they can come in "swarms" during optimum weather conditions (Gugliotta, 2003).

Tornadoes are a nightmare for emergency management teams that must try to predict them, warn those who are in the possible path but be careful not to cry wolf to often lest people stop believing the warnings. As an emergency management director it is important to understand the damage a tornado can do, the steps that can be taken to assess that damage and the ways that the tornadoes can be pre-empted and warned.

DAMAGES

The events surrounding a tornado as well as the tornado itself can do significant damage to structures, vehicles and people that are it the path of the storm (Gugliotta, 2003). Storms that are capable of producing a tornado are also able to produce high winds and sheer winds that can do damage to trees by uprooting them, houses by ripping off the roofs, vehicles by overturning them and power by knocking down wires. In addition to the high winds and sheer winds the storm that is capable of producing a tornado often produces hail in sizes from peas to softballs. Hail can be extremely damaging as it dents ve3hicles or injures people who are outside when it arrives. One of the most lethal effects of a tornado producing storm is the lightening. Lightening strikes can and do arrive in the thousands when a tornado producing storm approaches. Lightening creates damage in two ways. When there is a direct strike it can create killing amounts of electricity. When it hits a structure or tree it can also spark a fire and the fire can do a significant amount of damage.

When a storm approaches that produces a tornado the tornado is one of the most damaging natural weather events known to man (Stuever, 2003). Tornadoes have been known to rip houses off of their foundation and throw them across the street., Tornado winds are so strong that people who have been in the path of one reported that their ears popped as the pressure changes occurred when the tornado came.

ASSESSMENT

In recent history damage assessments have improved for the purpose of studying the tornadoes. When a tornado comes through an area the emergency management team immediately begins to compile data about the tornado and one of the elements that they use to measure the tornado forces and assign it an F. category is the damage that it left in its wake.

Once the tornado passes the emergency management team goes to the site of the tornado touch down and follows its path until they find the most damaged areas. Within those areas they begin to measure wind force and other elements by viewing and taking data about the actual structure damage that is left behind. Walls being down are studied to see which way they collapsed. Staircases that remained are studied to see what wind damage they sustained and from which direction. All of the elements of the damage are calculated to help place an F. category rating on the tornado.

The width of the tornado can be measured through the use of computer and radar technology. This also helps to determine the category the emergency management team wants to place the tornado in.

WARNING THE PUBLIC

The technological ability of warning the public about tornadoes has grown significantly in recent years. At one point in history there were no warning systems. Eventually there were tornado sirens that would sound off if someone was told there was a tornado and… READ MORE

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