August 2010

Last month, Tropical Storm Bonnie passed over Florida and moved over areas of the Louisiana coast, bringing wind and rain. Fortunately, no major flooding or damage was reported, as the storm quickly passed through South Florida and then deteriorated into a tropical depression. This week, a pattern of storm activity in the southeastern Caribbean may form into a tropical depression or storm, according to the National Hurricane Center. This weather pattern, which may be called Colin if it forms into a storm, will need to be closely monitored during the next 48 hours, when meteorologists expect it to become more organized.

We have been fortunate in the first couple of months of the hurricane season. Few storms have formed during a season that was otherwise expected to be busy. We may begin to see more activity, however, as we head into the season’s peak months of August through October. This summer, record high temperatures have also been recorded in as many as 14 countries, including high temperatures last Thursday that surpassed 100°F in Moscow, Russia, for the first time in recorded history. Heat waves and high temperatures around the globe increase the probability of tropical cyclone activity, since heat creates favorable conditions for storms to form.

As we head into one of the hottest months of the year, it’s important not only to stay cool, but also to remember that most of the storm season is still ahead. Please read below for tips on how to stay prepared this hurricane season. This issue of Ryder Storm Watch looks at electrical hazards – some of the greatest hazards of severe weather.

Preparing for the Approaching Storm

Downed power lines after storms, charged pools of standing water, or even electrical equipment mishandled during storm preparations can pose a serious danger. When a hurricane or tropical storm approaches, there are several steps you can take to reduce the risk of electrical hazards. Here are some important electrical-related tips to help you stay safe:

• Before lowering a TV antenna or satellite disk, make sure to turn off and unplug the TV, and avoid power lines.
• Turn off all swimming pool pumps and filters, and wrap them in waterproof materials. Do not drain your pool.
• Turn off and unplug any unnecessary electrical equipment, including sensitive electronics, or turn off your main breaker.
• Never attempt to trim any vegetation near power lines. Only specially-trained line clearing professionals should work around power lines. (Electric lines are usually located at the top of the pole, farthest from the ground. Cable TV and telephone lines run closer to the ground, below power lines.)

During a Power Outage

During a power outage, it’s important to follow some basic safety precautions to avoid injury. The following are some key tips to keep in mind:

• Assume all cables and wires are energized and stay away.
• Keep away from flooded and debris-laden areas that may be hiding downed lines.
• Run your portable generator outside your house or building.
• Connect appliances or equipment directly to the electrical generator.
• Before you call to report an outage, check all circuit breakers or fuses to determine if your service outage might be a household problem.
• Visually inspect the area outside your home near the meter. If the meter or any of the piping and wires on the wall of your home or office is gone or look damaged, call an electrician.
• If you have significant water damage in your home, call a licensed electrician for advice.

Reporting Downed Power Lines or Unsafe Equipment

• Call FPL at 1-800-4OUTAGE to report a downed power line if you feel the situation presents a clear and imminent danger to you or others. You can also call 911.
• Right after a storm, the utility company will know if large power lines have been damaged and which customers are without power. However, if your neighborhood gets power back after a storm – but you’re still without power – call 1-800-4-OUTAGE to report your situation.

Lightning Safety Tips

Lightning displays can be beautiful reminders of Mother Nature’s power, but they can also be fatal if not taken seriously. The National Lightning Safety Institute offers this safety slogan to remember: "If you can see it, flee it; if you can hear it, clear it."

1. When you first see lightning or hear thunder, seek shelter in a building or a vehicle. Lightning often precedes rain, so don't wait for the rain to begin before suspending activities.
2. If outdoors, avoid water, high ground, and open spaces. Also avoid all metal objects including electrical wires, fences, machinery, motors, power tools, etc. Unsafe places include underneath canopies, small picnic or rain shelters, or near trees.
3. If indoors, avoid water, stay away from doors and windows, and do not use the telephone. Take off head sets. Turn off, unplug, and stay away from appliances, computers, power tools, and TV sets. Lightning may strike exterior electric and phone lines, inducing shocks to inside equipment.
4. Injured persons do not carry an electrical charge and can be handled safely. Apply First Aid procedures to a lightning victim if you are qualified to do so. Call 911 or send for help immediately.

Remember the resources Ryder has made available to you during a storm:

The Emergency Broadcast Network (1-888-RYDER-911) provides employees with a pre-recorded status report on emergency conditions in a disaster area.

The Ryder Employee Help Desk (1-800-88-RYDER) will assist employees who request emergency services due to disaster. Services include, but are not limited to, cash or loans, food, clothing, counseling, temporary shelter, and transportation.

Did you know…?

Are there hurricanes on other planets?
Have you ever wondered whether there are hurricanes on other planets? According to Robert A. Black, an expert cited on the National Hurricane Center’s website, there are no other planets known to have warm water oceans from which true water cloud hurricanes can form. However, many astronomers and planetary meteorologists believe gas giant planets such as Jupiter and Saturn exhibits such storms. The principal candidate is the famous Great Red Spot (GRS) on Jupiter, and the numerous whorls that surround it, where ammonia takes the place of water. The GRS exhibits an anticyclonic circulation at its top, just as tropical cyclones do at the top of the troposphere.

2010 Archived Issues
June, July