Author: torabdos

nemo/18/they,them torabdos on tumblr if it still there lmao

Helping with Hurricane Harvey

apanoplyofsong:

If you haven’t heard, the biggest hurricane to hit the US coast in over a decade is about to make landfall in Texas. Harvey is a category 4 with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph and is incredibly slow moving with an abnormal path (both very bad things with hurricanes), expected to dump a possible 40 inches of rain in areas. 

To compare: Corpus Christi, the city it is making landfall near, has an average annual rainfall of ~32 inches and Houston, also expected to be inundated with over 30 inches of rain in places, has an average annual rainfall 45 inches.

This is happening in a weekend. And then it’s going to remain over the region.
So what are the avenues through which you can help? I’m sure more will be apparent in the coming days, but here’s a few places to start:

  • Donate to the Red Cross–already mounting relief efforts; a reliable go-to in disaster relief. You can also text HARVEY to 90999 to make a $10 donation. (Monetary donations are often more helpful than materials until the area can be accessed and needs assessed.)
  • Donate to Direct Relief–Direct Relief is in contact with Community Health Centers and offers Emergency Health Kits, which contain key medicines and supplies often requested after major disasters. There is an option to direct your donation to support Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.
  • Donate to Austin Pets Alive–Austin Pets Alive! is working with shelters in direct line of the storm to transport as many animals as possible to their (safe, inland) shelter, but needs help to care for this influx.
  • Driscoll’s Children Hospital in Corpus Christi, directly in the path of Harvey, cares for children from 31 counties of the region, including a pediatric and neonatal ICU. They have evacuated patients, but will probably need help in rebuilding and outreach, so consider keeping them in mind as things develop.

In Harvey’s path?

(also just a petty governmental note that the National Hurricane Center is without an official director as we encounter this natural disaster okay go help people bye!)

jackiebeulah:

rodham:

HURRICANE HARVEY IS NOW A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE.

fellow texans: this is serious. if you’re in an area where you were told to evacuate, YOU NEED TO EVACUATE.

Here are some resources from the Texas Democrats website:

Please only call 911 for immediate medical, fire or police emergencies.

Call 311 to report flooding or debris in streets.

  • Resources for Hurricane Harvey

  • Visit Hurricanes.govfor the latest on the storm.
  • Visit www.ready.gov or www.listo.gov (español) for tips on how to prepare for and stay safe during hurricanes and flooding.
  • Visit the FEMA Social Hub for updates from official emergency management social media accounts.
  • Download the FEMA Mobile App
    to receive alerts from the National Weather Service, get safety and
    survival tips, customize your emergency checklist, find your local
    shelter, and upload your disaster photos to help first responders.
  • Report debris or flooding

  • Call 311 from your phone to report debris or flooding
  • Power outages

  • Stay away from downed power lines
  • Report downed power lines by calling 311
  • Food safety after power outages

  • http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/refridg_food.html
  • Your food should be safe as long as power is out no more than 4 hours
  • Keep the door closed as much as possible
  • Discard any perishable food (such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and
    leftovers) that have been above 40 degrees F for over 2 hours
  • Social Media Accounts

  • Legal hotline

  • The State Bar of Texas has established a legal hotline at 1 (800)
    504-7030 to help people find answers to basic legal questions and
    connect them with local legal aid providers.
  • Monetary donations and volunteering

I’d advise creating a Twitter account if you don’t already have one, and following these accounts as well:

Some tips for those staying home to weather the storm [note: not everyone can afford to leave, or has anywhere to go to escape the storm. not everyone who stays lacks common sense, they just don’t have the funds, the transportation [disabled, no car, etc.], or family + friends to go anywhere else]:

  • Take a shower now, then fill your tub with water. You might need that water later to flush your toilet.
  • Make sure you’ve got an axe or something like it, because if you live in a low-lying area and the flood waters get into your house, you might end up needing to bust a hole in your roof to get out.
  • DO NOT SWIM IN FLOOD WATER. Flood waters carry sewage, diseases, toxins, and things like water moccasins, brown recluse spiders, floating ant beds, and more. It is not a pool.
  • Make sure you have extra batteries to power all of the things. Radios, flashlights, etc.
  • Make sure all of your devices are charged, and purchase charger packs if possible. There’s a high chance that we all lose power, and it could be out for weeks. Make sure your devices are able to last you for as long as possible.
  • Make sure you’ve filled your gas tank.
  • If you live in a low-lying area, make sure all important things like legal documents, photographs, and electronics are up high. If you live in a two story, go ahead and put them up there.
  • Don’t wait to evacuate until the last minute. If they say you need to leave, then LEAVE. If they haven’t, decide RIGHT NOW whether to stay or not. You don’t want to be caught out in the streets when they start to flood. Because they WILL flood.
  • A lot of hurricane/tropical storm/flash flood-related deaths happen after the storm has passed. People try to venture out into the waters and end up drowning. Make sure you have everything you need so you don’t have to leave your house for a few days. It will NOT be safe.
  • Check out this twitter thread and #StormTips for more tips:

BREAKING NEWS: just got up to a category 4 and winds now are at 130 mph. PLEASE BE SAFE EVERYBODY!!