Table of Contents
Foreword: Mental Rehearsal Is Fundamental for Performance Success ix
Introduction xiii
Part I Preparedness 1
1 Preparedness 3
Storing and Packing 4
The Home Emergency Kit 5
Water 5
Storing Potable Water 5
Securing Nonpotable Water 7
The NYC Water Supply 9
Provisions 11
Light and Other Necessities 15
The Go Bag 16
Forms and Documents for the Home Emergency Kit and Go Bag 18
Considerations for Car Owners 19
2 Flooding and Evacuation Zones 24
3 Types of Disasters 37
FEMA Disaster Declarations for New York 37
Hurricanes 42
A Note on Hurricane Sandy 43
Floods 48
Thunderstorms and Lightning 49
Tornadoes 50
Severe Winter Storms 52
Extreme Heat 54
4 Disaster Planning and When It's Not Just You Who Needs to Survive 57
Creating a Disaster Plan 58
Emergency Meeting Locations 59
Keep Contact and Utilize Technology 60
Children and Infants 62
Elderly or Infirmed 63
Business Owners 64
Neighbors 65
Visitors, Renters, and Guests 66
Pets 67
Out-of-Town Relatives and Friends Who Are Part of Your Plan, and How to Be a Good Emergency Contact for Someone Else 69
Citizen Action Groups: CERT and Citizens Corps 70
5 Situations You Might Find Yourself in When Disaster Hits 73
Home: Flushing-Yes, Flushing 75
Cooking 76
School: Dorms and Urban and Suburban Campuses 77
Office 78
On the Street: On Foot, on Sidewalks, or in Public Parks 79
On the Go: Subway or Above-Ground Train (NYC Local, Inter-Borough Commuter, and Suburb Commuter) 80
On the Go: Terrorist Attack or Explosion 83
High-Rise Buildings: Terrorist Attack or Explosion 84
Terrorism: Suspicious Packages 85
Part II Responding to Disaster 91
6 Official Disaster Responses by Country, State, and City 93
National Emergency Declarations 93
The Governor of New York State 94
The Mayor of New York City 94
Army Corps of Engineers 95
National Guard 96
7 "How-To" Survival Skills 97
Trapped in a High-Rise Building 98
How to Use a Fire Extinguisher 98
How to Survive Extreme Winter Weather 100
How to Survive Extreme Heat 101
How to Evacuate Safely 103
Traffic, Tunnels, and Bridges 104
Driving in Flooded Conditions 104
Fist Aid Basics 105
Managing Household Burns 106
Allergic Reactions 107
The Heimlich Maneuver 108
CPR: Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation 109
What You Need to Know about Flood Insurance 111
Coverage 111
Flood Insurance Maps 114
What Flood Map Updates Mean for the City 126
Part III 129
The Built Environment 129
8 The Built Environment 131
"A Stronger, More Resilient New York" Infrastructure, the Built Environment, and You 131
The Coastline 132
Buildings 136
Transportation 138
New York's Wastewater System 140
Critical Network: Hunts Point Food Distribution Center 142
Solid Waste 148
Final Remarks 151
Glossary 153
Acknowledgments 159
About the Contributors 161
Bibliography 163
Map Data Sources 167
Resources 171
