In January, tornadoes bombarded the South , taking more than fifty lives — at least thirty of those in my native state of Tennessee. Stories of survival in this tragedy include a man who managed to protect himself by pulling a couch over his head, bank employees who sought protection in their bank vault, and a woman who huddled in her bathroom as the twister roared through her neighborhood.

The far-reaching path  of the tornado and its accompanying storms extended from Texas to Ohio and the damage was bluntly described by Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen when he said, "It looks like the Lord took a Brillo pad and scrubbed the ground." Tornado experts say this round of tornadoes is the worst they have witnessed  in about twenty-three years.

The swath of area  that tornadoes frequently go through every year is called Tornado Alley . But the untold story is that tornadoes don't just occur in Tornado Alley — they appear in some of the most unlikely places in the United States.

For instance, I had just gotten off the MAX  about a month ago, and as I headed to my son's school in Vancouver (across the Columbia River from Portland), I learned that a tornado  had come within a half mile of the school.

Here in the Pacific Northwest, earthquakes, flooding, and forest fires are the disasters we expect, not tornadoes. This small tornado had wind speeds of 90-110 mph, was 440 yards wide, and had a two mile path that touched down several times. Damage was not nearly as severe as in the South, because the Pacific Ocean and mountain terrain of the Pacific Northwest helped to limit the damage.

After hearing with relief that my kids were safe, I was interested in how often twisters went through Southwest Washington.

The last tornado that swept through Vancouver took place on April 5, 1972 , taking six lives and injuring 300. It ranks as the deadliest tornado in the state and was ranked the 7th worst weather-related event  of the 20th century in Washington State. It destroyed a grocery, a store, a bowling alley, and an elementary school, causing over five million dollars in damage. On the same day, tornadoes touched down near Spokane and in Stevens County, Washington.

All this stresses the fact that tornadoes can happen anytime, anywhere. As the year unfolds — and the traditional tornado season looms nearer — it's time to update your disaster plan, keeping in mind that tornadoes touch down  in unlikely places.

Posted by Steve at 10:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Found in At Home, At Work, Environment, Misc, Museums, Natural Disasters, Perspective, Prepare, Tornadoes, Wells Fargo Bank

Today is the 65th anniversary  of the attack on Pearl Harbor . That event is the general historical moment the U.S. entered the Second World War. That conflict created the recent, modern world with the U.S. in the driver's seat, a situation(with many, many caveats, of course) that has been altering for years. But the general historical moment when the world entered a new era will probably be the attack of September 11, 2001.

What have we got in those 60 years between historic events? Well, the U.S. went from World War to Cold War right away. The threat of complete destruction (by scientists arming soldiers) prompted the exploration of new territories—including outer space (soldiers driving new science). The expansion of technology got us to space and now we behold Mars , finally ready and willing to ="host our exploration">host our exploration.

Chuck Norris declares  the lesson of December 7, 1941—we are under constant attack and have to behave as such. That's a reasonable interpretation (with many, many caveats, of course) from a martial artist, where anticipation is the basis of response. But for all the weapons, there are many other kinds of explosions that affect ordinary people. Like the Milwaukee plant that abruptly blew up , or a freak tornado in London , of all places. With anticipation the basis of quick response, we are ready for explosions, attack or otherwise.

We individually can make our homes and our selves as tools against the big kablooey. Minnesotans were recently found the healthiest Americans , challenging the snobs who declare everyone between the coasts is grossly out of shape. Those least healthy? Louisianans, whose geography was recently, uh, totaled by natural disaster and hapless response. Collectively, we can monitor our use of the geography and try to find ways to achieve balance. The movie "Chinatown"  showed a corrupt elite in Los Angeles using public resources for private gain. Recently, L.A. is working to give back some of the water  they "stole" back when.

Treat yourself right as a way to keep your own health, of course—but also as a way to create a better social organism. A healthy, interconnected world. It might not usher in the epoch of peace and brotherhood, but it can sure postpone Armageddon .

Of course, there will be mistakes. You might have good intentions that fall a little short. But it's OK. We love ya for who you are, not what you ate for lunch! 

Posted by Charles at 11:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Found in At Home, Events, Katrina, Natural Disasters, Prepare, Remember, Tornadoes, Wells Fargo Bank

According to the news , they barely felt the 'quake in Japan on Wednesday (Thursday there—no, wait ...) before tsunami warnings got everyone to safety. Then, the tsunami traveled all the way from Asia to California and —WHAM!—struck Crescent City , wrecking docks and sinking a boat. One local said he was not aware of the tsunami until he heard about it from others. "We're only three blocks from the harbor," he said to the San Francisco Chronicle. "We didn't know it was coming."

Meanwhile, half a world away in North Carolina, a tornado upended Riegelwood  and killed eight people. "There was no warning. There was no time," one victim said in the AP report. "It just came out from nowhere."

I searched the National Weather Service for "warning system" and got a full page  of links to their procedures and policies.

So why are warnings not received? Is it fiscal trouble in counties? What's our weak link here?

Posted by Charles at 11:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Found in Earthquakes, Get Involved, Natural Disasters, Participate, Tornadoes, Tsunamis, Wells Fargo Bank

Today we celebrate the strength of ideas  and offer our own award nominations for Preparedness on a Personal Scale:

Any Preparedness inventions you’d like to nominate? Let us know!

Posted by Charles at 03:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Found in At Work, Earthquakes, Experts, Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Wells Fargo Bank

For me, tornadoes have a certain romanticism. I’m not sure if this stems from watching "The Wizard of Oz"  too many times or from my childhood, when the South Dakota storm sirens would blare and my mother would sweep me from my bed and head for the basement.

Just last weekend McCook County, which is about 45 miles from where I live, was hit by an early autumn twister. There was nothing romantic about it: South Dakota Emergency Management officials estimate that the tornado destroyed two homes, 10 grain bins, 20 farm buildings, five head of cattle, and plenty of farm equipment.

No one was seriously hurt.

Interestingly enough, eastern South Dakota’s historical tornado activity apparently is greater than the overall U.S. average. Eight years ago, the same area was struck by the most destructive tornado in the state’s history . It killed six people, injured 150, and caused $18 million in damages.

Given that history, I’m not surprised by the community’s response to this latest storm. McCook County residents seem to experience tornadoes more often than the average American, so they have the clean-up down to a science. Plus, South Dakotans—in general—are good neighbors.

Three days after the tornado, more than 100 volunteers arrived at the most devastated areas. They sorted through piles of debris—twisted metal, splintered wood. They corralled livestock, cleared fields, and built burn piles. They offered as much emotional support as they did physical labor. And Sioux Empire Red Cross  volunteers provided coffee, hot cocoa, and beef stew—stay-warm sustenance for a cold, hard day’s work.

McCook County isn’t back to normal, but it’s on its way.

Good neighbors, indeed.

Posted by Staci at 01:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Found in At Home, First-hand Accounts, Get Involved, Natural Disasters, Participate, Prepare, Remember, Tornadoes, Wells Fargo Bank

Severe weather hit southwestern Minnesota  yesterday—hail, winds and tornadoes . My colleagues in the Wells Fargo History Museum in Minneapolis report that the damage was outside the metro area, and no one they know was affected. Good news.

Above the storm clouds—some 4,583,000,000 miles, that is—Pluto is now looking for planetary work elsewhere after an unappreciated career  in our solar system . This has to be one of the greatest moments in the whole history of hubris . (And how!) We have people arguing about what the truth is about the universe, and we can't even agree on whether or not cars are melting the North Pole. I'm not sure if Pluto knows—or cares —it was laid off by scientists  and is not a planet anymore. If Pluto knows, it would have every right to give us the raspberry as it passes every few hundred years, or whatever.

Let's admit it, we're stuck in an intellectual rut. S.F. Chronicle columnist Mark Morford  writes as much today and has some suggestions as to how to push our tired minds in a new direction. I myself have a better suggestion. We do disaster preparedness as Zen .

Repetition of simple acts is relaxing to the mind and keeps a person centered. That's the gist of yoga, zen and boot camp. So my suggestion is: pick a weekend morning and check your preparedness kit and facilities every week. Do the same things in the same order, every time—check the water, the batteries, the canned goods, the seals on containers. Oil hinges, and clean floors and containers. The same way every time.

And have a mantra. I recommend humming Three Dog Night  tunes (you'll thank me for this, I'm certain) as you care for your preparedness. Who knows, it just might move world karma  toward a new paradigm.

Regardless, you'll sure be on top of an emergency when it happens. Which is better than worrying and arguing about planets, no?

Posted by Charles at 01:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Found in At Home, Get Involved, Prepare, Tornadoes, Wells Fargo Bank

The National Weather Service has a pretty benign set of warnings  today. Watch out for fires in the Northwest and in the Plains, it’s hot in central regions, and there are thunderstorms expected in many areas. All in all, just another day across our continent .

So why prepare?

The obvious is, well, obvious. You can save your own life by having the right implements and the right knowledge. The right tools and supplies  will get you through the days without access to food, water and shelter. First Aid  is critical if trauma happens and access to care is impeded because of disaster conditions. You prepare to get through The Big One.

Keep in mind, though, that preparation lasts longer than the event and its aftermath. Preparedness is an important feature in community response to crisis. When you are prepared, and prepared as a group, your community gets through it better and recovers faster.

New Orleans might never get back on track, or take a long time getting there, but it will be only because of physical changes to the place. Many people have returned after a long year away and those who have not returned are still part of that city. "Voices of Katrina" from the New Orleans Times-Picayune  displays letters of support and affection between neighbors far and wide. The spectrum runs from bittersweetness  to dogged persistence , but it’s all the same thing. A city getting its life back.

Posted by Charles at 12:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Found in At Home, At Work, Earthquakes, Events, Fires, Floods, Hurricanes, Natural Disasters, Prepare, Tornadoes, Tsunamis, Wells Fargo Bank