Disaster Manual

West Virginia Disaster and Emergency Management Resource Manual (PDF Files)

This disaster and emergency management resource manual was developed by the West Virginia University Extension Service to provide timely, factual and useful information on disaster mitigation, response and recovery topics in a format that is both concise and easy to use. Following an introductory section, the next section provides basic information on family disaster preparedness – information that is relevant to all types of disaster and emergency situations. This is followed by a series of sections that are focused specifically on different types of disasters. By design, disasters that are most prevalent in West Virginia, such as floods and winter storms, are featured. On the other hand, certain types of disaster events that have limited consequences in West Virginia, such as hurricanes and earthquakes, are not included. The final sections are devoted to disaster recovery activities in the home and on property impacted by a disaster.

Prefacing each of these sections is a brief summary of the scope and nature of disaster risks in West Virginia from a historical perspective. This information is abstracted from the West Virginia State Hazard Mitigation Plan that was completed in 2004. This is followed by a series of fact sheets on specific measures to be taken before, during and after a disaster event.

The material presented is based on disaster-related resource materials from multiple sources. In most cases the material is adapted or modified from the original source, yet in some cases the original source is used in its entirety. In both cases the source of the resource material is cited. The two major contributors are the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) and its member universities. A primary purpose of EDEN is to facilitate the sharing of resource materials among member universities in advancement of extension disaster education programming.

The development of this manual was a collaborative effort of the Community Resource Economic Development and the Communication units of the WVU Extension Service. Peter Marshall provided the leadership with research and technical assistance from Steven Turner and Melinda Marple. Joyce Bower edited the material. The development of this manual was funded in part with Special Needs Project Funding from the Extension Service-United States Department of Agriculture.

The following documents are in pdf files. You may need to download a free adobe reader at www.adobe.com to open these files.

Table of Contents	3.12 Flooded Soils	8.2 Introduction to House and Building Fires	12.1 Evacuation Procedures	14.1 Clearing Disaster Debris
1.1 Introduction	3.13 Safety Rules for Farm Cleanup	8.3 House and Building Fires - How to Protect Your Property	12.2 Food Safety During a Power Outage	14.2 Repairing Flooded Lawns
1.2 Key Disaster Resource Agencies	3.14 Flooded Farm Vehicles and Equipment	8.4 Preparation for a Potential House or Building Fire	12.3 Disaster Safety - Downed Power Lines	14.3 Storm-damaged Trees
2.1 Disaster Preparedness Steps	3.15 Weed Management after a Flood	8.5 How to Prevent a House or Building Fire	12.4 Fire Safety After a Disaster	14.4 Storm-damaged Shrubs and Ornamentals
2.2 Creating a Family Disaster Plan	4.1 Thunderstorms and Lightning	8.6 Helping Children During a House or Building Fire	12.5 Flood Safety Tips	15.1 Should You Buy Flood Insurance
2.3 Preparing a Family Disaster Supply Kit	4.2 Introduction to Thunderstorms	8.7 During and After a Home or Building Fire	12.6 How to Protect Yourself When Cleaning up After a Flood	15.2 Flood Insurance Rate Maps
2.4 Preparing a Disaster Evacuation Supply Kit	4.3 Thunderstorms and Management Measures	8.8 Fire Prevention and Safety on the Farm	12.7 Molds in the Home	15.3 Floodplain Management
2.5 Preparing Your Children For Disasters	4.4 What to Tell Children About Thunderstorms and Lightning	9.1 Hazardous Materials	12.8 Caring for Your Pets During a Disaster	15.4 Before You Call for Federal Disaster Relief
2.6 Making Special Provisions for the Elderly and People with Disabilities	4.5 Standby Electric Generators	9.2 Introduction to Major Hazardous Materials Accidents	12.9 Pest Control Following a Disaster	15.5 Filing a Flood Insurance Claim
2.7 Including Pets in Your Disaster Plan	5.1 Tornados	9.3 Major Hazardsous Materials Accident Management Measures	12.10 Safe Drinking Water	15.6 Choosing a Contractor
2.8 Buying Insurance and Conducting Household Inventory	5.2 Introduction to Tornados	9.4 Hazardous Material Accidents in the Home	12.11 Cooking When the Power Goes Off	15.7 Beware of Fraud in Disaster Areas
2.9 Protecting Important Papers and Records	5.3 Tornado Management Measures	9.5 Hazardous Materials Storage Concerns on the Farm	12.12 Food Safety After a Flood	15.8 Disasters and Federal Taxes
2.10 Finding Hazards in Your Home	5.4 Inspecting Farm Buildings for Wind Damage	10.1 Extreme Heat	12.13 Emotional Reactions to Disasters	15.9 Home Insurance Tips After a Disaster
2.11 Buying a NOAA Radio	6.1 Winter Storms	10.2 Introduction to Extreme Heat	12.14 Helping Children Cope with a Disaster	Index
3.1 Floods and Flash Floods	6.2 Introduction to Winter Storms	10.3 Extreme Heat Management Measures	12.15 Post-disaster Stress - When to Seek Outside Help
3.2 Introduction to Floods and Flash Floods	6.3 Preparing for a Winter Storm	10.4 Extreme Heat Disorders	13.1 Drying Out Before Rebuilding
3.3 Flood and Flash Flood Disaster Management Measures	6.4 During a Winter Storm	11.1 Terrorism	13.2 Disaster Cleaning Products
3.4 If Your Basement is Flooded	6.5 During a Winter Storm - Confined to Your Home	11.2 Nuclear Accidents	13.3 Cleaning Up Flood-damaged Walls
3.5 Damage to Flooded Structures	6.6 During a Winter Storm - Winter Driving	11.3 Introduction to Terrorism	13.4 Cleaning Flooded Wood Floors and Woodwork
3.6 Floodproofing Your Home	6.7 Winter Storms and Agricultural Producers	11.4 Terrorism Management Measures	13.5 Cleaning Up Flood-damaged Carpet
3.7 Floodproofing Measures	6.8 Winter Power Failure on the Farm	11.5 Radiation	13.6 Sanitize Cooking and Eating Utensils After a Flood
3.8 Floods and Agriculture	7.1 Landslides	11.6 Dirty Bombs	13.7 Disaster Cleanup- Clothes, Bedding and Household Textiles
3.9 Pesticide Storage Concerns	7.2 Introduction to Landslides and Mudslides	11.7 Nuclear Blast	13.8 Drying Flood-damaged Books and Family Papers
3.10 Salvaging Wet Feed and Grain	7.3 Landslide and Mudflow Management Measures	11.8 Anthrax Facts	13.9 Cleaning Up Electrical Systems and Appliances
3.11 Maintaining Livestock Health After a Flood	8.1 Wildfires	11.9 Radiological Accidents and Agricultural Producers	13.10 Cleaning Flooded Heating Systems