SPEED-RELATED HAZARDS
Airplane Crash: damage or destruction of flying craft as a result of airborne collision or failure to take off or to land safely. The problem is injury or death of the passengers and crew. Reduce the possibility of a crash with proper preventive maintenance and observance of air safety rules. If at all possible, avoid flying when the weather conditions are critical. In the area of airports, use an airborne radio to check with the control tower. Clear your flight plan and confirm your location and altitude. Visually observe for the approach of other aircrafts. Do not make any turns, course corrections, or altitude changes across known flight patterns. Crash preparation is essentially the same as for Airplane Crash Over Water in Wet section, except you will not need a life jacket or dinghy if you crash over land
Avalanche: the fall of a mass of snow or ice down a slope. When a snowpacked steep hillside is above you, you could be in danger. Cold temperatures, sustained high winds, storms, a high rate of snowfall, crystal-type snow, steep slopes, and lack of vegetative ground cover all increase the hazard. Loose snow avalanches start in a small area and grow in size. Slab avalanches include a large area where the snow slides all at once. Both types are hazardous, but the latter is most hazardous because it can swallow you in seconds. Once an avalanche stops movement, enough pressure is released to quick-freeze the top with you underneath. Avoidance of the danger is the only realistic prevention. Stay off of north facing slopes in mid winter, and stay off of south facing slopes in spring. When in a suspect avalanche area, throw snowballs, ice, or rocks to attempt to precipitate an avalanche while you are outside the danger area. Tread lightly and quietly if you must walk across a potential avalanche zone. Tie brightly colored clothing or a scarf around your waist. Ideally, you will have a ball of red colored cord in your pack. Unroll about 100 feet of cord and tie it to your belt. Plan an avenue of escape if an avalanche starts. Be prepared to abandon skis, poles, and ice axe on an immediate basis. Dive and grab a bush or anything that will help prevent your downhill slide. The only possible variation is for an avalanche with slabs of compact ice. If it is not moving too fast, jump on one, hold on with an ice axe, and slide downhill ahead of the main force. If caught in the slide, use a swimming action to fight your way toward the surface. Do not panic. Use your senses to judge the speed of the avalanche. As it slows down, make a giant effort to push your way out. Follow the light to determine which way is up and out. If you do not make it, get your hands in front of your face and dig to form an air pocket. You can survive for several hours by just keeping the snow away from your nose and mouth. Keep calm to reduce consumption of available oxygen. Scream six times in one minute and then repeat after every 10 minutes of silence. The objective is to help guide the rescue party to your location. Pray for rescue.
Bad Parachute: defective or collapsed umbrella or canopy-shaped apparatus designed to reduce speed of a body descending through the air. Parachutes are mostly made from nylon, and are commonly used by military and sport clubs, as well as providing a means of escape from a disabled aircraft. But, they may fail to open for various reasons. Another danger is that improper deployment of the canopy can prevent the parachute from slowing the descent. Jumps from under 500 feet are very dangerous because there is not enough height for the chute to open. Winds are a hazard because they add sideways speed to the speed of the fall. Landing on rough ground can add sprains and broken bones. If possible, select when and where you jump carefully. Know your equipment and PIF (roll-type) landing techniques. Do not jump without a reserve chute. If you are forced to deploy your reserve, get rid of your main chute to prevent tangling. A properly deployed chute will slow your descent to about 15 feet per second. When your parachute fails, aim for water, a snowdrift, haystack, or soft-spot to break your fall. Except for water, you should execute a PIF when you hit. Over water, release your parachute harness 20 feet above the surface and dive feet first.
Boat Crash: collision of lightweight small motor-powered floating crafts used for racing, pleasure, or waterskiing. Problems and solutions are essentially the same as for a Car Crash. Also, see Capsizal for solutions when the victim is thrown into the water. The main difference is that the crash may also cause the victim to be thrown into the water while in an unconscious state. Immediate rescue and artificial respiration are usually required. Act to prevent this by observing the rules of right-of-way and avoiding high traffic areas. Know the limitations of your boat. Do not take any unnecessary risks. Most boat crashes are the result of foolishness. Wear life vests!
Broken Dam: breach of any barrier designed to obstruct or control the flow of water. The hazard is greatly increased by faulty construction, poor engineering, extra heavy rains, earthquakes, and faultline activity. In the case of earth dams, a breach may occur rapidly unleashing a giant wall of water moving over the downstream flood plain and adjoining areas. Prevention is accomplished by advance warning and rapid evacuation of the areas under the threat. Seismic warning devices planted in the dam provide most advanced warning that the structure is no longer stable. A siren system activated by a float switch below the dam is another option. Even without a siren, you can hear the rumble of the advancing water and you can escape by acting quickly. See the Flood section for additional solutions.
Car Crash: to suffer damages or destruction as the result of an automobile striking another vehicle or an object. The problem is potential injury or death to a passenger. This is because the impact will stop the car in a few feet even at high speeds, but the passengers continue to travel at pre-accident speeds. Thus, the second collision is the passengers hitting the windshield, dash, frame, steering column, or seats or being thrown out of the vehicle. The driver should grip the steering wheel strongly and steer to the last second to achieve the minimum possible impact. The passengers should turn stomach down with one side held directly against the dash or the seat in front. Arms should be held tightly over head, knees pulled toward stomach, and elbows tucked flat against side. The driver should do this at the last second. Bracing with arms and legs locked stiff will not stop the crash of human bodies. Use of seat belts, and other safety devices, will help prevent injury.
Earthquake: a vibration or sudden undulation of a portion of the earth’s crust caused by faulting (fracture or slip) of the rock plates that surround the molten and semi-molten core of magma that forms the earth’s center. The disturbance from an earthquake can cause giant tidal waves called tsunamis. These will be discussed under the Tidal Wave section. Earthquakes are heralded by a deep rumbling or rushing sound followed by violent motions of the ground. The ground may crack open, but the earth will almost never swallow you. Most injuries occur just outside doorways or close to outer walls of a building. When inside, beware of falling objects to include mirrors, pictures, glass, plaster, walls, bricks, and so on. Get under a bed, a heavy table, or a desk. Stay under an inner doorway or against an inside wall if you have no other choice. Only attempt to evacuate buildings with poor lateral bracing. In this type of building the walls can fall outward allowing the roof or upper floors to fall down. When you are outside, stay away from buildings, walls, trees, poles, and electrical wires. Keep in the open. If you are in a moving car, stop as quickly as safety will allow. Do not get out of your car. Do not seek shelter under a bridge or overpass. Avoid lakes and reservoirs, and the valleys below. Earthquakes can cause the water in these structures to surge from one end to the other in a dangerous oscillation known as seiching.
After the earthquake, beware of broken bridges and highways. Stay out of damaged buildings. Do not go sightseeing. Assist the injured. Look for broken water, gas, and electrical lines. The latter two help start fires, while broken water lines impede fire fighting. Fires raging out of control can do more damage than the earthquake. Shut off gas and electricity quickly to limit damage from fire. Use a battery powered radio to get emergency instructions. Telephone lines may be down, and C.B. radios will be needed for coordination of the emergency effort. Flush no toilets until the sewage lines are checked to see if they are intact. Be prepared for additional earthquake shocks. Use your stockpile of water, food, and essential supplies to sur-vive until the emergency condition is over.
Falling Elevator: failure of a movable platform that carries passengers or freight up and down, usually inside a building. Incidents are rare but can occur due to fire, earthquake, sabotage, or incidents causing mechanical systems to break. Prevention is to avoid elevators when there are any other dangers to a building. If you are caught in a falling elevator, do not lie flat on the bottom of the elevator. Use anything available to build a pad under you. Find a handhold to lift yourself off the floor or jump up and down while falling.
Flash Flood: a sudden rushing flood caused by heavy rainfall. The solutions are essentially the same as those under the Flood section. The difference is that the sequence of events occur very rapidly under the conditions of the flash flood. Be alert - the flash flood is a master of surprise. Know the flood plain, the annual flood season, the highest flood level and elevations, and where you are in relation to same. If possible, stay out of all flood plains during periods of very wet weather.
Hail: lumps or pellets of ice that fall from the sky during a storm, called hailstones. Seek shelter as large hailstones can do you bodily harm. The greatest hazard is the destruction of crops. Hail over a wide area once during the growing season could destroy much of our food supply. The solution is to have a year’s supply of food stored in your home.
Hurricane: a cyclone often covering a wide area and originating over tropical seas during the hot, humid time of the year. In some parts of the world it is also known as a typhoon. Wind velocity exceeds 74 mph. The core of the hurricane has a calm center or eye from 7 to 20 miles in diameter. Around the core, the winds can move at speeds up to 200 mph. In the northern hemisphere, they spin in a counterclockwise direction. Vice versa in the southern.
Floods and tornadoes are often spawned by a hurricane that moves inland. See the sections with these titles for appropriate solutions. Water is a hurricane’s most destructive force and it can do considerable damage when it hits a coastline. This is because of the deadly wind-driven water swells from the sea. The reduced atmospheric pressure in the storm center may draw the ocean surface upwards to heights reaching 50 feet. When the storm reaches the continental shelf, mean water levels ahead of the storm can rise 15 feet or more. A storm surge occurs when this water sweeps over low-lying coastal areas. It can undermine highways and railroads. It destroys bridges, docks, buildings, crops, cars, boats, trees, and anything in its path. If you are not warned by radio or other warning systems, the lead wind and large ocean swells will tell you that a hurricane is coming. Estimate when the cyclone will hit, and plan your remaining time wisely. Moor boats, board up windows, secure outdoor objects, prepare to leave low-lying areas, and abandon all mobile homes regardless of location. Seek substantial shelter away from the coast and on high ground. But before you depart, plan your evacuation. Fill your car with gas from the emergency reserve that you have stored underground in safe containers. Pack the water, food, supplies, and tools that you will need. Attempt to sit out the hurricane only if your house is sturdy and located on high ground. Beware of the temporary calm that occurs when the eye passes over. The second part of the hurricane will follow within a few minutes to an hour. Follow appropriate actions on the Disaster Checklist to help recover when the storm is over.
Landslide: a mass of rocks or earth that slips down the side of a slope because the weight of the mass becomes too heavy for its support. Landslides can be caused by the action of water, waves, wind, or man. Earthquakes, cracking of rocks, and collapse of overhanging materials are also causes of landslides. Buildings and roads can add to the weight of mass on any slope. Construction of the latter may reduce the amount of available support. Brush fires can kill hillside vegetation thus speeding erosion of earth and creating a mudslide. Observe soil conditions and be alert to the addition of weight, or reduction of support, on any slope. Notice what freezing and thawing, and the flow of water does to a hillside. When you have a choice, do not build (or camp) on or below a slope lacking a good growth of natural vegetation. Always avoid ravines, cliffs, and slopes showing evidence of any of the above indicated danger signs. If you must build on a slope, the project should be carefully engineered. There is only one method a person can use to survive a landslide, and that is to run out of its path. When you see or hear it coming, run laterally across the slope at a slight down-hill angle.
Motorcycle Crash: any potentially damaging incident involving a two-wheeled vehicle heavier than a bicycle and propelled by an engine. The problem is injury or death to the ride(s) as a result of human crash following the motocycle crash or the loss of the motorcycle. The victim is usually propelled through the air like a human torpedo, and the head is often the first part of the body to impact. Always wear a helmet. When no helmet is worn, the result is frequently death. Observe the rules of the road. Be a conservative and defensive driver. If the crash cannot be prevented, turn or slide sideways to avoid a direct hit. Get rid of your bike immediately. Upon impact, roll-up tight in a tumbling type position. Make yourseIf a human ball, and stay that way until you stop rolling. Keep your head down into your knees, hands on lower legs, and elbows tight to your side. You have heard this before, because this is a life saving position.
Skid: the act of slipping and sliding because of loss of traction as in the case of a car on ice. Do not panic. Do not hit the brakes. Turn your front wheels in the direction of the skid. Give yourseIf plenty of stopping room. Pump the brakes gently to stop. Turn at a wide angle to avoid starting a slide. Do not overcorrect to try to stop the skid; you could start a worse skid in the opposite direction. Drive slowly and steadily to prevent skids. Brake on straight sections of the road, not on curves. Be gentle at the wheel.
Tidal Waves: destructive coastal waves upwards of 100 feet high and higher, that smash into land with great destructive power. Most are caused by earthquakes whose epicenters are under or near the ocean. The resulting series of waves (vertically displaced columns of ocean water) are collectively called a tsunami. In addition to tsunamis, there are other tidal waves caused by unknown generating mechanisms. Almost all tidal waves are heralded by a noticeable rise or fall of coastal water.
An earthquake in the immediate area is a natural tsunami warning. When either of these situations occur, you should leave the coast on an immediate basis. Do not stand on the beach watching for a tidal wave because it will be too late to escape when you see it. This is because the waves can travel across open ocean at about 600 miles per hour. At mid-ocean any wave may only be two feet high. As these high speed waves hit shallow coastal waters, they are slowed to about 40 miles per hour while their energy is converted to wave height. Seek high ground. Stay out of low-lying coastal areas until the entire series of waves has ended. A small tidal wave may soon be followed by a much larger one. The third or fourth wave is usually the largest. Wait several hours before returning to the coast. Beware of additional earthquake shocks causing another tsunami.
Tornado: a whirling wind of exceptional violence accompanied by a pendulous funnel-shaped cloud that can cause a path of great destruction. The average path is an eighth of a mile wide. A tornado over water is known as a waterspout. A tornado descends from a cumulonimbus or thunderstorm cloud system and can obtain winds of over 300 miles per hour. As the tornado touches down, the partial vacuum in the center of the vortex causes an explosive pressure difference between the inside and outside of a building. Walls may collapse and topple outward, and debris is driven through the air at great speed. Anything picked up by the tornado becomes a flying missile. Know the tornado warning system in your area. A tornado watch generally means that tornadoes are expected. A tornado warning means that one has actually been sighted. Be on the alert when a thunderstorm is approaching during warm humid weather. In open country, move at right angles to the tornado’s path. Watch the direction of funnel movement. Abandon your car if you cannot escape the tornado’s path. Lie flat in the nearest ditch or ravine. Get out of any building with a wide or freespan roof. A basement is the safest place. If there is no basement in your house take cover on the lowest floor, in a closet or bathroom or under sturdy furniture located in an interior hall or interior room. Most shopping centers, schools, and factories will have a designated shelter area. Follow the signs or instructions of authorities. In an office building, go to an interior hallway on the lowest floor. Open the leeward windows of any building to help equalize atmospheric pressure differences caused by the tornado. Do not stay in a mobile home or mobile home park. Take cover in a ditch, ravine, or culvert if a community storm shelter is not available. Listen to the radio, T.V., or NOAA weather radio for a tornado watch or tornado warning bulletins. Also, listen for tornado sirens or the actual approach of a tornado. The tornado will sound like a giant train. Take cover on an immediate basis when you hear this sound.
Train Crash: a railroad train derails or has impact with another train causing damage or destruction. Again, the hazard is potential injury or death to the passengers. The frequency of occurance is much greater in some parts of the world, especially developing areas. The bump or grind of the train will give you a few seconds warning before the crash. Quickly get flat on the floor with your feet facing the direction of movement. Lie face down with one arm under your head and the other over the back of the neck. Brace your feet against anything solid, but keep knees slightly bent. Also keep your knees bent to cushion a sliding impact. When you cannot lie down, turn your back toward the direction of movement. Brace your back against a wall or seat. Pull your knees to your stomach. Cushion the back of your head with a coat or blanket, and clasp your hands behind your neck. Help prevent potential crashes by telling the train conductor about any problems with track or train. Assist with the signaling effort if the train is forced to stop. This will keep another train from running into you. At night, swing a light of any color from side to side in front and back of the train. During the day, use a red flag or red signal light to do the same, or raise both hands vertically above the head.
Wind Storm: air in motion naturally at a very high rate of speed. Strong winds may occur as part of a storm system such as a blizzard, tornado, and hurricane. See the problems and solutions under each of these sections. Wind and windstorms are caused by the uneven heating of the earth’s atmosphere by the sun’s energy. The terrain, condition of the surface, vegetation, and man-made objects can cause variations in the problems caused by high winds. They can whip up great ocean waves or blow away soil so crops cannot grow. Velocities can be greatly increased as the wind is compressed through mountain passes. Sand storms are caused by winds blowing across the desert. Be aware of what could happen in your area. Seek solid protective shelter if and when required. Do not stay in the open. Do stay away from anything that could be easily blown over. A basement under a strong building is an excellent shelter. An inside room in a structurally sound house will offer good protection. If outside, lie face down in a ditch, ground depression, or behind a hill.
Know the conditions and dangers associated with various local winds such as those outlined hereafter.
Chinook - a warm dry wind that blows down the slopes of the Rocky Mountains in winter and early spring. It can melt snow at the foot of the mountains and increase the possibility of avalanche on slopes.
Foehn - chinooktype winds that blow down the slopes of the Alps.
Harmattan - cool dry wind that develops over the Sahara Desert. It often carries large quantities of dust and causes turbulence hazardous to passing aircraft.
Mistral - swift, dry, cold northerly wind blowing down the western Alps out over the Mediterranean. It can cause extensive frost damage to plants in southern France.
Monsoon - a wind that blows regularly in definite seasons. Summer monsoons are usually accompanied by rains whereas winter monsoons are dry. Tropical monsoons can cause strong winds and very heavy rains. Monsoons of various types occur over several parts of the world.
Norther - a cold winter wind that sweeps over the southern U.S. and the GuIf of Mexico. It may destroy crops or cause storms hazardous to shipping.
Simoom - a dry hot wind that blows over the Sahara and Arabian Deserts causing great clouds of sand and dust. Men and animals suffer heatstroke when exposed to a simoom.
Thunderstorm - very strong winds caused by a meeting of warm and cold air masses. These disturbances of the atmosphere occur over many areas of the world, and they also include thunder, lightning, and heavy rains.
Whirlwind - a circular whirling column of air caused by the rising of an overheated layer of air near the earth’s surface. It picks up dust and sand over land. Over water, it can produce a waterspout that is much smaller than the waterspout created by a tornado over water.
