August 2023
**Apologies for this month's newsletter being late. The summer is moving quicker than I expected and the newsletter was pushed back. Again, my apologies**
Jason Elmore, Deputy Communications Director & Chief Agency Spokesperson
 While the Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, what we consider the peak hurricane season occurs between mid August through October. The peak hurricane season, while an unofficial time period, is when the bulk of the tropical activity and the most intense storms typically occur. The climatological peak of the hurricane season occurs on September 10. Seasonal forecasts earlier this year predicted a slightly below average hurricane season due to the developing El Nino which tends to disrupt tropical activity, but more recent updates to those forecasts suggest an above average season, primarily due to the record high sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic. As we enter into the most active part of the hurricane season, we would like to remind everyone regardless of how active or inactive a hurricane season is, we are at risk every year of being impacted by a hurricane due to our coastal location. It is recommended that everyone familiarize themselves with some of the information from the National Weather Service and National Hurricane Center that will help you understand the risk from a particular storm. You should be familiar with the watches and warnings that are issued by the National Hurricane Center (Figure 1 below). Tropical Storm, Hurricane, and Storm Surge Watches may be issued 48 hours in advance of the arrival of tropical storm winds when there is a possibility of one of those threats. Tropical Storm, Hurricane, or Storm Surge Warnings may be issued 36 hours in advance of the arrival of tropical storm winds when tropical storm or hurricane conditions are expected, or there is a danger of life-threatening inundation from rising water. Hurricane and Storm Surge warnings should be taken very seriously, as these are among the strongest messages to the public that emphasize the threat of the storm. Virginia has not been under a hurricane warning since 2011 (Hurricane Irene). The National Hurricane Center has various graphics they use on their public facing website (www.nhc.noaa.gov) that provides a good visual picture of the status and forecast of all active storms. One of the most confusing of those graphics is the track forecast cone (Figure 2 below). The purpose of the cone is to communicate the potential forecast error of the storm, and represents the probable track of the storm, based on average historical track errors. The cone represents 2/3 of the average forecast error for the past 5 years at forecast points of 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 96, and 120 hours. In other words, the cone represents where the center of the storm will track 2/3 of the time. The cone doesn’t represent the wind fields, potential areas of impact, or anything else, just the probable track location. The cone is also the same size at each forecast point for all storms this hurricane season, however they may look different due to the forward speed of the storm, as those forecast points may vary from one storm to another based on the distance between them. Please keep these important points in mind this year as we enter the peak of this year’s hurricane season.
Figure 1
 Figure 2
Source: Extreme Heat and Heat-Related Illnesses - Newsroom (virginia.gov)
As we enter another month of summer in Virginia, expect temperatures to remain in the upper 90s and even 100s! While the “barbecue weather” heat makes for amazing pool days, make sure you and your loved ones are staying safe from the effects of extreme heat!
Those who are disproportionately affected by the heat, such as infants and children, other adults, outdoor workers, individuals with chronic medical conditions, low-income households and athletes should take extra precautions to watch for the following symptoms:
Dehydration— Dehydration is caused by the excessive loss of water and salts from the body due to illness or from prolonged exposure to heat. Severe dehydration can become a life-threatening condition if not treated.
Heat Cramps— Heat cramps are painful, involuntary muscle spasms that usually occur during heavy physical activity in hot environments. Muscles most often affected include those of your calves, arms, abdominal wall and back. If you are suffering from heat cramps, rest for several hours and drink clear juice or an electrolyte-containing sports drink.
Heat Exhaustion— Heat exhaustion occurs when the body loses too much water and salt from sweating during hot temperatures. The elderly, people who work outside and people with high blood pressure are most at risk of heat exhaustion. Continued exposure may lead to heat stroke, which is life-threatening.
Heat Stroke— Heat stroke is caused by prolonged exposure to high temperatures or by doing physical activity in hot weather. Sweating has usually stopped and your body temperature becomes too high; body temperatures can reach as high as 106 degrees in 15 minutes. Heat stroke is a life-threatening condition and you should seek immediate medical attention if you or someone you know is suffering from heat stroke.
Here are some tips to avoid heat-related illness during the summer:
Drink water. When the temperature rises, it is important to drink plenty of water. Drinks that contain caffeine, large amounts of sugar or alcohol should be avoided because they can cause you to become dehydrated.
Keep cool indoors. On hot days, prevent illness by keeping cool indoors. If your home is not air conditioned, try to spend the hottest hours of the day in a cool public place such as a library, movie theater, or store.
Dress for the heat. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing. Light colors will reflect away some of the sun’s energy. It is also a good idea to wear hats or to use an umbrella. Always apply sunscreen to exposed skin.
Limit physical activity. Avoid excessive physical exertion in hot temperatures, especially in the middle of the day. If you must work outdoors, stay hydrated by drinking 2-4 glasses of water each hour and take frequent breaks in a cool place. Even a few hours in an air-conditioned environment reduces the danger of heat-related illness.
Do not keep children or pets in cars. Temperatures inside a car with windows up can reach over 150 degrees quickly, resulting in heat stroke and death.
Check on your neighbors. Although anyone can suffer heat-related illness, some people are at greater risk than others. People aged 65 or older are particularly susceptible to heat-related illnesses and complications that can result during periods of high temperatures and humidity.
Source: Community Engagement and Volunteer Management for Emergency Preparedness and Response - RHIhub Toolkit (ruralhealthinfo.org)
When emergencies happen in rural communities, especially disasters that are severe or prolonged, the demands on local response agencies and healthcare facilities can quickly consume available resources. Disasters have complex effects, and effective management of large-scale emergencies becomes more important than ever to ensure that residents, communities, and all others involved are prepared to respond to challenges including resource limitation, access to higher levels of care, communication issues, low population density, and geography. For these reasons, it is often necessary to have volunteer support to build the needed capacity for first responders and expand the resources available to local communities. Volunteer support can be embedded in various stages of emergency management:
Planning: During the planning phase, rural communities should focus on community engagement in personal preparedness and developing plans and procedures for community members who may wish to volunteer in response to an emergency and disaster. By educating community members how to personally prepare for an emergency through exercises such as developing a personal preparedness plan, rural communities can help their members understand the importance of emergency preparedness. In addition, members of rural communities may also wish to volunteer to support a jurisdictional response to an emergency, and developing a plan to organize and manage volunteers becomes critical as the community should identify the types and number of volunteers needed to address specific types of public health emergencies. Once the community has outlined expectations for its volunteers, the establishment of response plans can provide the management team with guidance on the process for identifying and recruiting volunteers, training and credentialing expectations, and supervising and evaluating.
(Visit the link for further information on recruiting and training volunteers!)
Response: During the response phase of an emergency, a rural community’s ability to organize and manage volunteers is vital to ensuring the safety of those affected by a disaster. By having a designated individual that serves as a volunteer manager, the process of identifying and engaging volunteers, organizations, and deployment can be streamlined to ensure that gaps are addressed. This effort is supported by FEMA’s standard process for providing volunteer support and coordination during an emergency. Upon receiving a disaster declaration, a Voluntary Agency Liaison from FEMA will communicate with the state government to examine gaps and work local organizations to address unmet needs. In prior instances, Voluntary Agency Liaison’s and rural communities alike have found it important to establish a long-term recovery group consisting of representatives from multiple sectors, including community members, to establish bylaws and formalize agreement. This process also ensures that volunteers are dedicated to support recovery efforts within the community.
Recovery: In the recovery phase, volunteer organizations can continue to support efforts by ensuring that the immediate needs of the community are met through provision of food, shelter, and other resources. After an emergency response, volunteers should undergo a formal check-out process to document their physical and mental health status and ensure that they are connected to care and support as needed. Volunteer organizations may continue to conduct periodic assessments of volunteer responders to monitor any long-term medical needs. Following demobilization of volunteers, evaluating the volunteer management process and identifying areas for improvement should be a standard part of the after-action review process.
Source: POLITICO Pro | Article | FEMA: Urban drainage ‘not built to handle’ climate flooding | When flooding is a normal part of life in Hampton Roads, so are the damages – Daily Press
In much of the United States, urban flooding is occurring and is a growing source of significant economic loss, social disruption, and housing inequality. As mentioned in a study conducted by the Center for Disaster Resilience, extensive suburban development creates higher flood flows into urban areas, aging and frequently undersized infrastructure in older sections of communities, an inability to maintain existing drainage systems, increases in intense rainfall events, and uncoordinated watershed management all contribute to these increases in urban flooding. These conditions are worsened by the growing number of rainfall events that produce intense precipitation, which will continue to result in urban flooding unless steps are taken to mitigate their impacts. This stance is also supported by FEMA’s analysis of urban drainage systems, concluding that many urban areas can’t handle intense rainfalls and that cities face a growing danger as climate change intensifies urban flash flooding.
Combatting the impact of these events is no easy feat. Due to the unique hydrological, physical, and social compositions of these communities, mitigating of urban flooding must be developed locally to account for the characteristics specific to these vulnerable communities. While addressing the technical and political challenges to mitigation pose difficulties and the impacts are not generally well known by the public, governments (at all levels) should communicate risks to those in urban flood-prone areas. Many residents living in areas affected by urban flooding are also not aware of steps they can take to significantly reduce their property’s vulnerability, as such information is not easily accessible. But have no fear, VDEM is here! (with some tips for navigating flood-prone zones):
- If you see a puddle of water, don’t go through it! Or if you do end up in one, do not let off the gas.
- Prepare for heavy rain to avoid costly damages; for example: if parking availability is an issue before a rainstorm hits, move your vehicle to higher ground.
- If you must drive, be patient and wait to travel after the downpour.
- Learn the area in which floods occur as there are ways around! Don’t take the unnecessary chances. When in doubt, wait it out!
Source: Threatened by Climate Change, Virginia Military Bases Join Conservation Partnership | Williamsburg Yorktown Daily (wydaily.com)
- A few years ago, Pentagon officials found that more than two-thirds of all the military’s mission-critical installations are threatened by climate change- including all of those in Hampton Roads.
- Flooding tied to sea level rise and sinking land is a primary concern, along with the threat of extreme heat and potential drought.
- As a result, bases in Hampton Roads and throughout the state are now part of the Virginia Security Corridor, a new partnership to fight those threats.
- This partnership is part of a larger program that was developed to maintain and create space, as the Department of Defense (DOD) owns about 28 million acres of land, which are assets for training and military exercises, but also have significant ecological and social value as forested or marshy areas around military bases can help lessen flood risk by absorbing excess water.
- The federal programs’ goal is “to operate at the intersection of military readiness, outdoor recreation, and climate adaptation”, as stated by Zack Greenberg, an officer with the programs’ nonprofit partners.
- In a statement given by Gov. Youngkin, the partnership “seeks to prevent encroachment on military missions, increase working lands, build resilience against climate-induced hazards, conserve key habitats, benefit water quality, and protect threatened species”.
- The program also presents advantages and funding opportunities for environmental projects. For instance, in eastern North Carolina, the Marina Corps is working to install living shorelines at some of its facilities. Other efforts include buying land for conservation from private owners and reducing flooding on key roads around military bases, as the DOD has identified over 200 miles of roadway in Hampton Roads.
Long-term preservation of these roads is critical for not only the military, but also for access to basic community services such as hospitals, utilities, and schools to name a few.
Source: World Humanitarian Day | United Nations | 6 Ways To Celebrate World Humanitarian Day (2023) (goodgoodgood.co)
World Humanitarian Day is an observance held annually on August 19, highlighting the positive impact of humanitarian work across the globe. Adopted through a resolution at the United Nations General Assembly in 2009 in remembrance of the 22 humanitarians killed in Iraq, this day is meant for the appreciation of the thousands of volunteers and professionals who deliver urgent health care, shelter, food, water, protection, and other resources to people affected by disasters. In honor of active humanitarians, and humanitarians who have lost their lives in the line of duty, this holiday is an opportunity to celebrate and recognize this important work. As an agency that is actively working to support our community prepare for, and recover from crisis, the significance of this day is one that connects our work, to our global partners who share the same mission in advocating for the survival, well-being, and dignity of people affected by disasters.
Regardless of the disaster, disease, or injustice impacting a community, there are always people who are stepping up to make a difference in the lives of others. And that sacrificial level of leadership and servitude is worth celebrating.
Here are a few ideas for activities to celebrate World Humanitarian Day:
- Learn the history of World Humanitarian Day.
World Humanitarian Day was created in honor of the August 19th bombing of the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, Iraq, which killed 22 people, including humanitarian Sergio Vieira de Mello. The United Nations General Assembly designated this day as World Humanitarian Day in 2009.
- Read about the lives of notable humanitarians.
Many humanitarians throughout history have shared their wisdom with the next generation of world changers – and a great way to get started learning from them is through opening our minds and letting them inspire us to act. Take some time this month to learn about the journeys of these individuals and their contributions to making our world a better place.
- Donate to humanitarian organizations.
Countless incredible humanitarian organizations are doing important work every day. You can support their ongoing efforts (and hundreds of individual humanitarians as a result) by donating to them in honor of World Humanitarian Day as they work to tackle global challenges such as world hunger, maternal health, natural disasters, poverty, access to education, climate change, and inequality to name a few.
Here are a few recommendations to get you started:
- Partners in Health
- International Rescue Committee (and other refugee nonprofits)
- World Central Kitchen
- Mercy Corps
4. Be a humanitarian in your own backyard!
You don’t have to travel across the world to be a humanitarian. You can make a difference wherever you are. The keys to being a good humanitarian are to always listen to the people you’re serving above all else, focus on giving more than you receive from the experience, and persevere in your work even when things get tough. Explore these articles on how to give back to your community and how to make a difference in the world!
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