Got an Opinion? We Need it!

Johnson County Emergency Management & Homeland Security is working on a new video project in conjunction with National Preparedness Month (September). We need community volunteers to be interviewed about what it is like to be prepared for emergencies in Johnson County. If you are interested in helping or want to know more, email us at npm@jocogov.org!

Got Any Feedback?

We are in the process of building our Annual Report for 2010. We are excited about gathering together all the accomplishments, programs, and unique activities that Johnson County Emergency Management & Homeland Security has participated in these past twelve months.

But what were missing is You! We would love to have your opinion and feedback about our Emergency Management program. Everything we do is found on our website at www.jocoem.org. You can leave comments here, tweet us, or leave us a message at Facebook.

Flash Flooding -- Understanding the Risk

The flash flooding that swept through Arkansas several days ago, taking the lives of at least 19 people and leaving others missing, are a reminder of a little-known fact: Flash floods are the No. 1 cause of weather-related deaths in the United States, according to the National Weather Service.

Two key factors that lead to flash flooding are the intensity of the rainfall and its duration. For this reason, most flash flooding is caused by slow-moving thunderstorms, thunderstorms that move repeatedly over the same area, or heavy rains from hurricanes.

Intense rainfall led to the Arkansas flash flooding, causing the Caddo and Little Missouri rivers to rise quickly overnight, sometimes faster than 8 feet (2.4 meters) per hour, according to news reports.

The water doesn’t always come from rain. A dam or levee failure, or a sudden release of water held by an ice jam can also unleash a flash flood. The topography of the region, the soil conditions, and ground cover also play significant roles.

The force of a flash flood can roll boulders, rip trees out of the ground, and destroy buildings and bridges.

Most flood-related deaths occur in automobiles, so the National Weather Service advises that people do not attempt to cross water-covered bridges and avoid dips in the road or low-water crossings. Trying to cross even a small stream can be dangerous, because waters can rise rapidly.

On average, U.S. flooding kills about 150 people a year — more than any other single weather hazard, including tornadoes and hurricanes, according to the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). Most flood deaths are from flash floods, however, and about half of those are because people try to cross swollen streams or flooded roads.

Victims often underestimate the power of water when driving into flooded areas, UCAR scientists note, adding that it takes only 18 inches (46 centimeters) of water to float a typical vehicle. It only takes 2 feet (60 cm) of flowing water to sweep most vehicles downstream, and nearly half of all flood fatalities are auto-related, according to NOAA.

Flooding deaths have risen in recent decades, and the U.S. Congress's Office of Technology Assessment says that "despite recent efforts, vulnerability to flood damages is likely to continue to grow" as populations in flood-prone regions steadily increase.

Flash floods can occur along rivers, on coastlines, in urban areas and dry creek beds. River floods generally happen when river basins fill too quickly and water pours over the banks. Coastal flooding is common when tropical storms or hurricanes drive ocean water inland, or when tsunamis send water surging onto shore.

You can always visit www.jocoem.org to learn more about flood preparedness.

Source: MSNBC

Tabletop Exercise in Mission

The City of Mission (KS) invited Johnson County Emergency Management & Homeland Security to conduct a tabletop exercise with their elected officials to help them better understand their roles and responsibilities. The session went very well and a new video has been posted that documents the activities. You can view the video by visiting the Johnson County YouTube Channel or by clicking here.

KS GOVERNOR PROCLAIMS LIGHTNING SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK JUNE 20-26

Summer is the peak season for lightning, one of weather's most deadly occurrences. On average over the past 50 years, at least one Kansan has died from a lightning each year. In response to this, Gov. Mark Parkinson will sign a proclamation on June 17 declaring June 20-26, 2010, as Lightning Safety Awareness Week.

Between the years of 1959 and 2009, 64 people have been killed in Kansas and hundreds injured.

"We often don't consider lightning as a big threat, but it is deadly," said Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting, director of Kansas Emergency Management, Kansas Homeland Security and the adjutant general. "The truth is that if you can see the flash, even if you don't hear the thunder, you're at risk of being struck by lightning."

Each year, more than 400 people in the United States are struck by lightning while working outside, at sports events, on the beach, out at the lake, mowing the lawn or during other outdoor activities. On average, 59 people are killed each year by lightning in the United States and several hundred more left with permanent disabilities. In 2009 there were 34 lightning related fatalities in the U.S., one of which was in Kansas.

The Kansas Division of Emergency Management, National Weather Service and American Red Cross have joined forces to create the Lightning Safety Awareness Campaign. These groups provide the information below and tips to help people stay safe when lightning strikes.

There are hundreds of people that are struck by lightning each year across the country, but survive. The effects after surviving a lightning strike are often long-term or permanent. The symptoms of survivors include memory loss, attention deficits, sleep disorders, numbness, dizziness, stiffness in joints, irritability, fatigue, weakness, muscle spasms, seizures, depression and inability to sit for long periods of time.

Many deaths from lightning occur because people wait too long before seeking shelter. If you can hear thunder, lightning is close enough that it could strike your location at any moment, and often strikes as far away as 10 miles from any rainfall. Every flash of lightning is dangerous, even the first, because lightning can travel sideways from the storm. Even when the sky looks blue and clear, be cautious. At least 10 percent of lightning occurs without visible clouds overhead in the sky. Look for dark cloud bases and increasing winds, and head to safety before the first flash of lightning.

The most dangerous place to be in the event of a storm is outside. You want to first seek shelter in a sturdy, closed building that contains a mechanism for conducting the electrical current from the point of contact to the ground. Avoid sheds, picnic shelters, baseball dugouts, bleachers, open carports, garages and covered patios, which are not safe from lightning strikes. If no enclosed building is accessible, get inside a hard-topped all-metal vehicle.

If you can't get to a sturdy shelter, crouch down low in an open area. Stay at least twice as far away from trees as they are tall. Since water is an excellent conductor of electricity, avoid standing in or near puddles. Also, remember to avoid holding anything that will conduct or even attract lightning, such as golf clubs, fishing poles or tennis racquets.

For more information about lightning safety awareness, visit the National Weather Service's web page on lightning safety.

Thanks to the Leawood Lions Club

The Leawood Lions Club hosted Adam Crowe, Assistant Director of Community Preparedness, at their meeting last night. Adam presented to the group on severe weather while Johnson County was under a tornado watch and much of Leawood was impacted by flash flooding. Talk about timing! Much thanks to the Leawood Lion Club for all their hard work and the hospitality.

Severe Weather Can Happen Anytime, Anywhere...

Unfortunately, tornadoes struck several states in the upper Midwest over the weekend causing significant damage and several deaths. The National Weather Service confirmed Sunday that one of the tornado was an F2, with winds between 113 and 157 mph. Video reports of the damage can be viewed by clicking here.

Tornadoes and other kinds of severe weather can happen anytime and anywhere. Johnson County's "severe weather season" typically runs March thru July, but does not eliminate the possibility of severe weather such as tornadoes from striking any time during the year.

One of the most important things individuals and families can do is to maintain good awareness of the weather risk through NOAA Weather Radios and personal notification systems. It is also important to understand how the outdoor warning sirens work in Johnson County. For instance, did you know that the sirens are only sounded for a tornado warning or that there is no "all clear" sounding? For more information, click here.

Always be prepared to help continue to make Johnson County -- A Community Prepared!

National CPR/AED Awareness Week -- June 1-7

In December of 2007, Congress declared the first week of June each year as National CPR/AED Awareness Week. This week (June 1-7) will mark National CPR and AED Awareness Week with the goal of encourage states, cities and towns to establish organized programs that provide CPR and AED trainings and increase public access to AEDs.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of CPR, the combination of mouth-to-mouth breathing and chest compressions. According to American Heart Association, training more people to perform CPR increases a victim’s chance of survival by enabling more possible bystanders to handle an emergency. Less than one-third of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims receive CPR from a bystander. Without immediate CPR, the chance of surviving out-of-hospital cardiac arrest drops up to 10 percent for each minute that passes without defibrillation. Skilled emergency personnel treat about 300,000 victims of out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest in the United States, but more than 92 percent of people who suffer cardiac arrest outside the hospital die from it.

Groups like the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross has stepped up to the challenge reach as many people nationwide as possible during this one week with the vital knowledge and skills to respond to a life-threatening situation with confidence.

Locally, the Overland Park Fire Department is offering CPR/AED training. Click here for more information.

Johnson County Emergency Management & Homeland Security reminds its citizens that individual and family preparedness includes basic health and medical support such as CPR and AED usage.