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Preparation is key to surviving...Natural Disasters

  • Published
  • By Tarsha Storey
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  He awoke in the early morning hours of Sept. 21, 1989, to find his apartment facing Hurricane Hugo’s fury. The wind was howling as horizontal rain tried to seep through the cracks of the rattling doors. In the morning, debris from power lines, trees, houses and more lay everywhere in the aftermath of the storm. 

There was debris all over the place. Signs and marquees were gone. There were trees and power lines down all over the place, said Tech. Sgt. Randolph Schmidt, 20th Civil Engineer Squadron plans and operations NCO in charge. 

Even though Hugo devastated South Carolina more than 15 years ago, on Sept. 7, 2004, a tornado -- spawned from Hurricane Frances -- touched down at Shaw causing $300, 000 in damages according to Chris Aamold, Civil Engineer Squadron deputy commander. 

One year later, on August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina came ashore in the Gulf of Mexico, causing devastation in the coastal regions of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Katrina was one of the strongest storms to hit the United States in the past 100 years, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

Throughout each storm, Sgt. Schmidt said disaster preparation was the key. During Hugo, he said many people were not expecting the storm to be that devastating; and they did not prepare. 

“Evacuation plans are important. During Katrina, a lot of lives could have been saved if they would have had an evacuation plan,” Sgt. Schmidt said. 

In the event of a hurricane, there are many things you can do to prepare, said Senior Airman Amber Pfarr, 20th CES plans and operations technician. 

“A disaster supply kit can help you in the event of any storm. Prepare an evacuation plan — where are you going? Where are you staying? How will you get there? If you stay behind, make sure you have enough supplies to last 30 days. If told to evacuate, (once at the evacuation location) call and check in with Air Force Personnel Center at (800) 435-9941,” Airman Pfarr said. 

In the event of a hurricane, spouses and family members with a deployed, remote or TDY sponsor should contact their sponsor’s squadron to check in. If the member is deployed, the American Red Cross can be called at (800) 733-2767 to help families get in contact with their sponsor. 

For more information, call the 20th CES Readiness Flight at (803) 895-0109.