You may say, “Pete, you are a day late and a dollar short,” but I thought that I would write about tropical systems that occasionally visit us in Central Virginia. The rains of Hurricane Isaias are falling, as I write this. While serving as a firefighter, I always wanted to be on duty when a weather event was occurring. I cannot remember all of the named storms that I worked through, but the most memorable were Fran and Isabel. Both of these were 30-call days, running every type of call that you can imagine. As I watched the path of Isaias on The Weather Channel, I was reminded of the night of Isabel, when we were trapped by fallen and falling trees on Lewis Road. I was thinking about a firefighter who just retired on Friday, and wouldn’t you know it, I ran into him at Lowe’s today. The conversation did not go far before he said, “I know exactly what you were thinking about.” My point is that there were some days that we will never forget, and in November, I will have stopped riding fire trucks 10 years ago.
As I have told you before, tropical systems present the following:
A wind event
A rain event
A tornadic event
A combination of two or more of the first three
I heard a weather professional say that the difference between a tropical storm and a hurricane is a 1 MPH difference in the wind. The wind and rain from Isabel caused us the greatest problems. For the folks on B-shift a number of years ago, it was Gaston, (pronounced gas-stone,) a torrential rain event due to the storm stalling over Central Virginia. Tropical systems bring much needed rain to a drought-stricken area, but large amounts of rain swell creeks and rivers far beyond their borders. High wind events are those where sustained winds and high wind gust cause trees to fall and power lines to come down. Some weather events have caused power to be out for two weeks or more. To those finding themselves in the eastern quadrant of a landfalling tropical system, the chance of tornadoes is much higher.
To prepare to ride out these storms, you must realize that most preparation must occur before the storm hits. Putting away the things that will become flying missiles must happen pre-storm. If you live near a creek or river, you must be prepared for flash flooding. If you are driving and come upon a flooded roadway, do not attempt to drive through the water. Take it from me. When I was in the Coast Guard I lost a car on Highway 12, on the Outer Banks as I was driving back during a winter storm. One of the hardest things to prepare for is when the greatest impacts of the storm comes at night. It sounds as if Isaias will arrive in the wee hours of the morning. For those of you who lose power during a tropical system, you must beware of the dangers of using generators that are fueled by gasoline or propane. The greatest danger is the carbon monoxide that is put off by the generator. It is imperative that a portable generator must be placed outside of the living spaces, allowing the best ventilation. Another thing: if you are cooking and the power goes off, be sure to cut the burners off on your stove top.
Another danger of a tropical system is the period after the storm. Downed trees and power lines have hurt or killed many people. Some of the worst calls that I responded to as a firefighter/paramedic were after a tropical weather system. It is important to use extreme care and caution when cleaning up after a storm. Be careful to treat all fallen power lines as energized. To the chain saw userwho normally does not use a chain saw, be very intentional with everything that you do.
Weather will always be a part of our lives. How you respond pre-storm, during the storm, and post-storm will determine your ability to safely navigate these weather systems. Staying home, unless you absolutely have to go out, should be your normal practice. First responders have enough to do without you adding to their problems, especially if yours could have been avoided by simply staying home. Do everything possible to protect and prepare your family for an impending storm. Your task is to come through the event with no one in your home being injured. I just spent time praying for the place where my family loves to vacation. Tornado warnings have been issued for North Carolina’s Bald Head Island, Oak Island, Boiling Spring Lakes and Southport. The folks who live on the coast have to always be ready for landfalling tropical systems. We, in Central Virginia, must never forget that we live on the East Coast. The Coast Guard slogan was “semper paratus,” always prepared. Hope we are ready!
