What is the difference between a watch and a warning?

      The U.S. National Weather Service issues watches and warnings for a variety of hazards when they may be imminent. A watch (such as a tornado watch or a flood watch) means that such a hazardous event is likely to occur or is predicted to occur. A warning is more serious. It means that a hazard is already occurring or is imminent. Warnings are usually broadcast on television and radio stations via the Emergency Alert System (formerly known as the Emergency Broadcast System).

      How should we prepare for disaster?

      Disasters can and do happen everywhere. You should prepare for disaster by having a disaster supply kit with supplies for you and everyone in your family available at home and work, as well as a minikit in your automobile. It should include food, water, first-aid equipment, sturdy shoes, an AM/FM radio (with batteries kept outside of the radio), a flashlight (with batteries kept outside of the flashlight), vital medication (especially prescription medication), blankets, cash (if the power and computers are down, credit and ATM cards won’t work), games and toys for children, and any other essentials. Contact your local chapter of the Red Cross for more information about disaster preparedness.

      Should we use candles after a disaster or power outage?

      Many deaths and a great deal of property damage have been caused by fires resulting from people using candles following a disaster. People leave candles burning as a source of light, but these can fall over and start fires. It is strongly advised that people not use candles when the power goes out. There are many flashlights and battery-operated lanterns that are available commercially and should be part of your disaster supply kit. Most cell phones have flashlights as part of the rear-camera light, too.

       What’s the difference between the old Emergency Broadcast System and the Emergency Alert System?

      The Emergency Broadcast System (EBS), created in 1964 to warn the country of a national emergency such as nuclear attack, became the Emergency Alert Service (EAS) in 1997. The old EBS system relied on one primary radio station in each region to receive an emergency message and then broadcast it to the public and other media outlets. The new system, which also includes cable television, operates via computer and can be automatically and immediately broadcast to the public. It also allows additional local governmental agencies the opportunity to broadcast emergency messages. Future plans for the EAS include radios and televisions that will automatically turn on when an alert is announced.

      What is the leading cause of disaster-related deaths in the United States?

      Lightning is the leading cause of disaster-related deaths in America. From 1940 to 1981, about 7,700 people died from lightning strikes, 5,300 from tornadoes, 4,500 from floods, and 2,000 from hurricanes. So, it’s best to avoid open spaces, elevated groundwater, tall, metal objects, and metal fences during an electrical storm. In an analysis of eight years of data from 2006 to 2013 by experts at the National Weather Service of the NOAA, fishermen accounted for three times the number of deaths from lightning strikes than golfers. About 261 people were killed by lightning during this period, roughly three per year.

      What is the best way to help after a disaster?

      Disaster relief agencies such as the Red Cross are in vital need of money after a disaster to purchase necessary items for victims or provide financial support to them. Go online or call your local chapter of the Red Cross to find out how to help. Donating food or clothing is burdensome on the agencies in the immediate aftermath of a disaster, as personnel are not available to sort, clean, or distribute donated goods.

      How did a map help stop the spread of cholera?

      During an 1854 cholera outbreak in London, a physician named John Snow mapped the distribution of cholera deaths. His map showed that there was a high concentration of deaths in an area surrounding one specific water pump (water had to be hand-pumped and carried in buckets at the time). When the handle was taken off of the water pump, the number of cholera deaths plummeted. When it was determined that cholera could be spread through water, future epidemics were curbed. This was the beginning of medical geography.

      What are incidence maps?

      Researchers at such institutions as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) use incidence maps, which plot where and how people have been infected or exposed to such potentially harmful viruses as influenza, Ebola virus, West Nile virus, and HIV in order to understand the rate of transmission as related to geography. An incidence map may help scientists figure out the origin of a disease and where and how quickly it is spreading. Global incidence maps are of increasing importance in the fight against potentially harmful biological disasters.

      How does medical geography help control the spread of diseases?

      Medical geographers and epidemiologists (scientists who study diseases and epidemics) use mapping to monitor the spread of diseases and locate the source of a disease. For example, by mapping a group of inordinately high numbers of cancer patients in a city, we may find that all live close to a factory that has been releasing cancer-causing toxins into the groundwater. By identifying the source and spread of a disease, the disease can often be combated. Organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention use maps to describe the outbreak of such diseases