Threats and Hazards

THIRA or the Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment process is what states and the U.S. federal government performs to identify and prioritize risks to their constituents from threats and hazards. A threat is an adverse action, a hazard is the adverse impact. Hurricanes are a threat and storm surge flooding is a hazard.

Product/Process Disasters

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One of the three major categories of disaster types. The other two being Natural/Human-made and Fictitious.

This also aligns with a conversation about the definition of a threat versus a hazard. We view threats as the “thing” causing the potential adverse impact (the “hazard”). So a series of days of heavy rainfall generates flash flooding, which makes your street flooded where you can’t get in or out of your home. Hurricanes can generate flash flooding and so can dam breeches.

Product/Process Disasters – which by the way, we call Disasters, when others may say incidents, crises, emergencies, etc.

Someday we hope there will be clearer definitions for the severity of the incident to delineate between an emergency and a catastrophe – and also elimination of the phrase “natural disaster“.

UNDRR

These are those incidents which are generally self-contained within your organization or maybe involves your supply chain with third-party vendors. Bottom line, is that the rest of the public is not (yet!) impacted in the same way as you are – but these disasters can also be the start of something worse – they can cascade into other types of disasters or magnify/amplify other disasters out there.

Examples of Product/Process Disasters

A recall of a product is certainly a Product/Process disaster for the company. In many cases, it may be manageable and not have a significant impact on revenue, goodwill, staffing, etc. of that company. Recalls and other Product/Process disasters can have life safety impacts, such as food recalls, which require crisis communications and other emergency management actions by the firm, partners, governments, etc.

Product Tampering may be a Product/Process disaster: if it occurs within the production or processing of the product. On the other hand, post-production (i.e. retail sales points and other sites) product tampering is a human-made disaster (and a criminal one, too). The 1982 Tylenol murders were initially thought to be a Product/Process disaster, then turned out to be external product tampering, and eventually led to massive Product/Process changes for the pharmaceutical industry.

Even governments themselves have processes which can be suspect, thwarted, error-prone, delayed, manipulated, etc. and become Product/Process disasters. The U.S. Election process comes to mind, especially presidential elections. Emergency Management principles (such as life safety concerns being paramount, incident stabilization, and property/asset protection) should be utilized by governments to preserve their election integrity.

Product/Process Disaster can originate from and generate other disasters

Everything is connected somewhere and some how. We mentioned supply chain issues as being a possible catalyst for your organization’s Product/Process disaster. This can be everything from a traffic jam to a potential work stoppage at a major carrier to a worldwide pandemic. Your Product/Process disaster can be one of the dominoes tipped over by someone else’s disaster of any kind (think cyber-attack at a major U.S. pipeline) or even worse, a Natural Disaster causes a Product/Process disaster at your organization, which causes a Human-Made disaster in the rest of the nation.

What to do about Product/Process Disasters

The key to Product/Process Disasters is to defend against them the same way you would any other disasters. By taking an All-Hazards, All-Threats approach to Product/Process Disasters the same way as you would for Natural/Human-Made and Fictitious Disasters, your disaster management team (i.e. crisis team, risk management team, etc.) will have the ‘muscle memory’ of following the same pathways and checklists for all disaster types. Yes, the “response” is very different for a recall than it is for a tornado, but reframing management’s priorities (and their crisis communications to the public and their own workforce) from revenue or other mandates to ones where life safety is now the guiding priority (sometimes at the cost of lost revenue, lost prestige, etc.) is what Emergency Management is all about.

[Ad] Barton Dunant can help any organization view Product-Process Disasters in a holistic way, along with the other disaster types. We help organizations build crisis action plans, which cover all of the workforce actions needed on an all-hazards, all-threats basis.

References:

Kalaitzandonakes, M., Ellison, B., & Coppess, J. (2023). Coping with the 2022 infant formula shortage. Preventive medicine reports, 32, 102123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2023.102123

Severin, P. N., & Jacobson, P. A. (2020). Types of Disasters. Nursing Management of Pediatric Disaster, 85–197. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-43428-1_5

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ornamental picture of home with a pool

Smarter Water Watcher (TM)

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Please note: Barton Dunant assumes no liability or responsibility for any use of this program. These are simply recommendations we are making, which are in line with established safety and security protocols and procedures issued by governmental and non-governmental organizations. Smarter Water Watcher is a trademark of York Drive, LLC and used with permission.

Following These Pool Safety Tips Can Help Save a Life

Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death in children ages 1 through 4, and new data released by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) shows that more than 375 children drown in pools and spas each year. Children younger than 5 years old account for 75 percent of these drownings, 56 percent of which are attributed to a gap in adult supervision. Most child drownings (71 percent) happen at home.

In response to these numbers, CPSC’s Pool Safely campaign is sharing simple water safety steps that families can take to prevent drownings, especially while many families are spending more time around backyard and portable pools this season.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Pool Safely campaign urges parents and caregivers to follow the Pool Safely simple safety steps to prevent more drownings:
Never leave a child unattended in or near water, and always designate an adult Water Watcher. This person should not be reading, texting, using a smartphone or be otherwise distracted. In addition to pools and spas, this warning includes bathtubs, buckets, decorative ponds, and fountains.
If you own a pool or spa, be sure to install layers of protection, including a four-sided fence with a self-closing, self-latching gate.
Learn how to perform CPR on children and adults. Many communities offer online CPR training.
Learn how to swim and teach your child how to swim.
Keep children away from pool drains, pipes and other openings to avoid entrapments.
Ensure any pool and spa you use has drain covers that comply with federal safety standards and if you do not know, ask your pool service provider about safer drain covers.

Families can visit poolsafely.gov for additional water safety tips to prepare for a summer that is safer and more fun.

Water Safety Tips (Pools, Lakes, Rivers, Streams, etc.)

In places with bodies of water – and where there are no lifeguards – the responsibility for life safety falls on the responsible adults. Here are some tips:

  1. Make sure all of the safety features which came with the above-ground pool or were part of the installation of an in-ground pool are in place. Don’t skip any steps, parts or signage which should be displayed. Make sure you are meeting local ordinances for fences, pool safety equipment, etc. Additionally, add warning signs in other languages, if appropriate.
  2. Become an expert on the safe storage and use of pool cleaning chemicals, especially where they need to be stored away from children and pets;  and in secure locations with proper ventilation. Opening chlorine packages in confined spaces can cut off the oxygen in the air and quickly become a choking hazard.
  3. Make the commitment to always have a “Smarter Water Watcher” when there are kids near or in the water. And while having a certified life guard is better, every water site (pool, lake, river, etc.) needs someone whose only job is to watch the water for hazard and threats, including accidental drowning.

While not new technology, make sure your pool is equipped with a water movement alarm: one that meets or exceeds the ASTM F2208-08 standards.

The American Red Cross offers a free online water safety course designed for parents and caregivers.   

As part of the Smarter Water Watcher program noted above, we are not saying don’t have a cell phone by the water – especially in case of emergencies – we are saying someone has to give up the usual distraction of their cell phone and other smart devices, to watch the water instead. Another tip is to provide the address of the home on a laminated card near the pool – which could be where the cell phone is left – so that in a panic, whomever is making the call to 911 has the address correctly (including cross-streets, back-alley access, etc.). A guest at your pool party who is the designated Smarter Water Watcher will probably not know all of that important information, when it is needed the most.

Build your own Smarter Water Watcher Kit!

It doesn’t take much – just a whistle on a break-away lanyard and a way to laminate a placard. We are building out versions of this placard – and YouTube training – in different languages.

Barton Dunant is looking for a sponsor or two (or twelve) who can create and distribute actual Smarter Water Watcher kits to give away for free to anyone who asks. If this is something your organization is interested in learning more about, please contact us directly.
Michael Prasad, CEM
President, York Drive, LLC (d/b/a Barton Dunant).
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SLOSH – Sea, Lake and Overland Surges

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from the National Hurricane Center and the Central Pacific Hurricane Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/surge/

Contents

Introduction

Along the coast, storm surge is often the greatest threat to life and property from a hurricane. In the past, large death tolls have resulted from the rise of the ocean associated with many of the major hurricanes that have made landfall. Hurricane Katrina (2005) is a prime example of the damage and devastation that can be caused by surge. At least 1500 persons lost their lives during Katrina and many of those deaths occurred directly, or indirectly, as a result of storm surge.

Storm Surge vs. Storm Tide

Storm surge is an abnormal rise of water generated by a storm, over and above the predicted astronomical tides. Storm surge should not be confused with storm tide, which is defined as the water level rise due to the combination of storm surge and the astronomical tide. This rise in water level can cause extreme flooding in coastal areas particularly when storm surge coincides with normal high tide, resulting in storm tides reaching up to 20 feet or more in some cases.

Storm Surge vs. Storm Tide

Factors Impacting Surge

Storm surge is produced by water being pushed toward the shore by the force of the winds moving cyclonically around the storm. The impact on surge of the low pressure associated with intense storms is minimal in comparison to the water being forced toward the shore by the wind.

Wind and Pressure Components of Hurricane Storm Surge

The maximum potential storm surge for a particular location depends on a number of different factors. Storm surge is a very complex phenomenon because it is sensitive to the slightest changes in storm intensity, forward speed, size (radius of maximum winds-RMW), angle of approach to the coast, central pressure (minimal contribution in comparison to the wind), and the shape and characteristics of coastal features such as bays and estuaries.

Other factors which can impact storm surge are the width and slope of the continental shelf. A shallow slope will potentially produce a greater storm surge than a steep shelf. For example, a Category 4 storm hitting the Louisiana coastline, which has a very wide and shallow continental shelf, may produce a 20-foot storm surge, while the same hurricane in a place like Miami Beach, Florida, where the continental shelf drops off very quickly, might see an 8 or 9-foot surge. More information regarding storm surge impacts and their associated generalizations can be found in the FAQ section.

Adding to the destructive power of surge, battering waves may increase damage to buildings directly along the coast. Water weighs approximately 1,700 pounds per cubic yard; extended pounding by frequent waves can demolish any structure not specifically designed to withstand such forces. The two elements work together to increase the impact on land because the surge makes it possible for waves to extend inland.

Although elevated, this house in North Carolina could not withstand the 15 ft (4.5 m) of storm surge that came with Hurricane Floyd (1999)

Additionally, currents created by tides combine with the waves to severely erode beaches and coastal highways. Buildings that survive hurricane winds can be damaged if their foundations are undermined and weakened by erosion.

Beachfront road and boardwalk damaged by Hurricane Jeanne (2004)

In confined harbors, the combination of storm tides, waves, and currents can also severely damage marinas and boats. In estuaries and bayous, salt water intrusion endangers the public health, kills vegetation, and can send animals – such as snakes and alligators – fleeing from flooded areas.

Damaged boats in a marina

Notable Surge Events

  • Ike 2008 (SLOSH Historical Run)

    Hurricane Ike made landfall near the north end of Galveston Island as a Category 2 hurricane. Storm surges of 15-20 feet above normal tide levels occurred along the Bolivar Peninsula of Texas and in much of the Galveston Bay area. Property damage from Ike is estimated at $24.9 billion. More…
  • Katrina 2005 (SLOSH Historical Run)

    Katrina was one of the most devastating hurricanes in the history of the United States. It produced catastrophic damage – estimated at $75 billion in the New Orleans area and along the Mississippi coast – and is the costliest U. S. hurricane on record. Storm surge flooding of 25 to 28 feet above normal tide levels was associated with Katrina. More…
  • Dennis 2005 (SLOSH Historical Run)

    Dennis affected much of Florida, and its effects extended well inland over portions of the southeastern United States with the maximum amount rainfall of 12.80 inches occuring near Camden, Alabama. Storm surge flooding of 7-9 ft produced considerable storm surge-related damage near St. Marks, Florida, well to the east of the landfall location. The damage associated with Dennis in the United States is estimated at $2.23 billion. More…
  • Isabel 2003 (SLOSH Historical Run)

    Isabel was the worst hurricane to affect the Chesapeake Bay region since 1933. Storm surge values of more than 8 feet flooded rivers that flowed into the bay across Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and Washington, D.C. Isabel was the most intense hurricane of the 2003 season and directly resulted in 17 deaths and more than $3 billion in damages. More…
  • Opal 1995 (SLOSH Historical Run)

    Hurricane Opal made landfall near Pensacola Beach, Florida as a Category 3 hurricane. The storm caused extensive storm surge damage from Pensacola Beach to Mexico Beach (a span of 120 miles) with a maximum storm tide of 24 feet, recorded near Fort Walton Beach. Damage estimates for Opal were near $3 billion. More…
  • Hugo 1989 (SLOSH Historical Run)

    Hugo impacted the southeastern United States, including South Carolina cities Charleston and Myrtle Beach. Hugo was responsible for 60 deaths and $7 billion in damages, with the highest storm surge estimated at 19.8 feet at Romain Retreat, South Carolina. More…
  • Camille 1969 (SLOSH Historical Run)

    Camille was a Category 5 hurricane, the most powerful on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale with maximum winds of more than 155 mph and storm surge flooding of 24 feet that devastated the Mississippi coast. The final death count for the U.S. is listed at 256. This includes 143 on the Gulf coast and another 113 from the Virginia floods. More…
  • Audrey 1957 (SLOSH Historical Run)

    There were 390 deaths associated with Audrey as the result of a storm surge in excess of 12 feet, which inundated the flat coast of southwestern Louisiana as far as 25 miles inland in some places. More…
  • New England 1938 (SLOSH Historical Run)

    The Long Island Express was a fast-moving Category 3 hurricane that struck Long Island and New England with little warning on September 21. A storm surge of 10 to 12 ft inundated the coasts of Rhode Island, Connecticut, southeastern Massachusetts, and Long Island, NY, especially in Narragansett Bay and Buzzards Bay. Six hundred people died due to the storm. More…
  • Galveston 1900 (SLOSH Historical Run)

    At least 8,000 people died when hurricane storm tides (the surge plus the astronomical tide) of 8-15 feet inundated most of the island city of Galveston, TX and adjacent areas on the mainland. More…

Surge Vulnerability Facts

  • From 1990-2008, population density increased by 32% in Gulf coastal counties, 17% in Atlantic coastal counties, and 16% in Hawaii (U.S. Census Bureau 2010)
  • Much of the United States’ densely populated Atlantic and Gulf Coast coastlines lie less than 10 feet above mean sea level
  • Over half of the Nation’s economic productivity is located within coastal zones
  • 72% of ports, 27% of major roads, and 9% of rail lines within the Gulf Coast region are at or below 4 ft elevation (CCSP, SAP 4-7)
  • A storm surge of 23 ft has the ability to inundate 67% of interstates, 57% of arterials, almost half of rail miles, 29 airports, and virtually all ports in the Gulf Coast area (CCSP SAP 4-7)
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