Wednesday, May 28, 2003
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Wednesday, May 28, 2003 |
Oxendine announces hurricane campaignInsurance Commissioner John Oxendine last week unveiled "Turn Around, Don't Drown," a new public-awareness campaign designed to warn citizens about the life-threatening dangers of inland flooding caused by hurricanes, tropical storms and torrential rains. Developed as a cooperative effort between the National Weather Service and the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes, the kickoff of the campaign coincided with National Hurricane Awareness Week, May 18-24. Hurricane season begins June 1 and runs through Nov. 30, with September the peak month. "Even considering all the destruction caused by high winds, inland flooding is the most dangerous and deadly problem caused by hurricanes," Oxendine said. "For example, of the 56 deaths caused by Hurricane Floyd in 1999, all but six were the result of inland flooding. In fact, the leading cause of all weather-related fatalities in the U.S. is flooding. "That's why we urge people not to try to walk or even drive through flooded areas," Oxendine said. "Turn around, don't drown." According to the National Weather Service, most deaths from inland flooding occur not as a result of people being overtaken by rising water, but because they walk or drive into flooded areas. The power and speed of the water, not the depth, makes inland flooding dangerous. It takes only six inches of rushing water to knock a person off their feet, and just two feet of rushing water can carry away most vehicles. Detailed safety information about preparing for and dealing with weather-related disasters is available online at the Commissioner's Office Web site, www.gainsurance.org, as well as FLASH and the National Weather Service Southern Region Web sites, www.flash.org and www.srh.weather.gov.
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