Posts Tagged ‘summer’

White Pines are no match for severe storms

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

White pines are easy prey for storms.

With all these intense storms that are occuring in 2010 in our area, it might be a good time to take a good look at your large trees.

Trees are down all over the area – particularly white pines. The faster the growing tree, the softer the wood. Evergreens are more prone to failure due to excessive snowfall or storms according to Wayne Knoll, City Forester of Rockville, MD.

White pines really aren’t suitable for most residential neighborhoods – they can grow 75 to 100 feet by 25 feet in diameter and there isn’t enough room for the tree structure and your house on the same lot. After 3-4 years they can grow up to 4 feet a year. That once-pretty screen you planted between the yards can turn into a giant, brittle, flyswatter (see image) that can fall on a home, car, take down live wires, or cause bodily harm. The big white pine has a crown structure that lends itself to big, broken branches. The Norway spruce, the amount of surface on those needles collect ice and snow and become extremely heavy and also a very popular one, the Norway maple which have such big, thick crowns they present themselves as a target for winds, ice, rain and snow – and lightning.

The root system of a tree goes out well beyond what we call the drip line, where those last branches are dripping water. It’s sort of a myth that the roots end there. Any damage that occurs to those roots, especially the root fibrils at the end of the roots is going to have an impact in the crown several years later. This can happen with housing construction, addition of sidewalks, driveways – they all can cause damage down the line.Check with a Certified arborist to assess your trees and advise you before construction.Be aware of any dead and dying branches. Look for any branches that have been pruned in the past, some of the pruning may’ve been done improperly. You also want to be looking for any fungus that may be growing and weakening your tree. Make sure you’ve checked trees that have been trimmed because of power lines, trees with leaves that fall early or the leaves turn brown and brittle.

Consumer Awareness Note: If you do have a downed tree do not fall prey to “lumberjacks”.They are tree cutters who swarm into storm areas from out of town and start knocking on doors. They are uncertified, uninsured, and unlicensed in our areas  - it’s against the law. They want to perform the most dangerous of tree care services during times of storm-stress to make a quick buck – with no protection for you. State Departments of Natural Resources have been very busy canvassing neighborhoods and ticketing these characters.

Just in case you need some help, here’s a storm update…

Another powerful storm rolled into the metro area today bringing down trees, power lines, flooding roads and Metro stations.

It became black as night , then the lightning started – “At one point we had over 800 lightning strikes,” says ABC 7 Meteorologist Chris Naille.

ABC 7 Chief Meteorologist Doug Hill says weather trackers reported the rain coming down at a rate of 4 to 5 inches an hour. The storms include half-inch to three-quarter inch hail. The storm is still pounding Southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore. ”I think we could do this all over again this afternoon,” Hill says.

At 8:24 a.m. Pepco reported 103,009 customers without electricity.

Again: here’s the numbers to call if you need to contact your power company. Print these out while you can!

If you need to contact your electricity company here are the numbers and may we suggest you print these out for late if your power goes out in the future:

Update:

After so many complaints about outages that lasted days during recent storms, Pepco has come out with a five-year plan to increase its reliability.

No. 1 on Pepco’s reliability plan will be the tree trimming. In addition to regular tree trimming of older trees, which will increase the space between overhead wires and existing trees, Pepco will work with communities to remove trees that are dead, in poor health or that would hurt the distribution system if they fell.

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Earthquake hits Washington, DC Area

Friday, July 16th, 2010

Update: Tuesday, August 23, 2011 at 01:51 PM—

A rare, powerful 5.8-magnitude earthquake rattled the eastern third of the United States on Tuesday afternoon, damaging older buildings, shutting down much of the nation’s capital and unnerving tens of millions of people from New England to the Carolinas and was the strongest East Cost Tremor in 67 years. It was cause when a fault ruptured near the small town of Mineral, VA.

Not much damage but Capstones, known as finials, fell from three spires on Washington National Cathedral, and cracks appeared in the flying buttresses on the older east side. “Please pray for the Cathedral as there has been some damage,” the cathedral said in its official Twitter feed.

An inspection turned up cracks “at the very, very top” of the Washington Monument, said National Park Service spokesman Bill Line. The 555-foot-tall stone obelisk will remain closed and “could be closed for an indefinite period of time.”…

My labrador slept through it (so much for animal warnings), a tabletop picture toppled but that was it for my own house. Older homes had some chimneys topple and cracks.

If you’re wondering if your insurance company will cover earthquake damage, it is not covered in most standard policies. Good thing they’re rare here.

See post-earthquake tips below from last year….

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Friday, July 16, 2010 at 05:04:47 AM—
An earthquake measuring 3.6 hit the Washington, DC area at around 5:04 am this morning. A smaller aftershock was felt around 10 minutes later. The epicenter was reported 15 km (10 miles) NW of Rockville, Maryland. This was the largest earthquake ever recorded within 30 miles of Washington, DC. The previous record within that time period was a 2.6 magnitude temblor in 1990.

Welcome Home Washington felt the quake in Bethesda, MD, as did residents in No.Virginia. Unlike states like California where earthquakes are common, this was the first earthquake many long time residents in the Washington Metro area have felt. It was enough to rattle the furniture and there was definite rumbling coming from below. WHW immediately thought it was an earthquake because having lived in the DC area our whole lives had never experienced anything like that before. We did consider the possibility of underground blasting for Metro or a gas explosion because of the way it felt  it was coming up -unlike a thunderclap, plane, or above-ground explosion.

Police in Washington and in nearby Montgomery County, Md., said there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

On the U.S. Geological Survey’s website, people as far away as Pennsylvania and West Virginia reported feeling the quake.

In Case You Never Knew: from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
What to Do During an Earthquake
Be aware that some earthquakes are actually foreshocks and a larger earthquake might occur. Minimize your movements to a few steps to a nearby safe place and if you are indoors, stay there until the shaking has stopped and you are sure exiting is safe.
If indoors
  • DROP to the ground; take COVER by getting under a sturdy table or other piece of furniture; and HOLD ON until the shaking stops. If there isn’t a table or desk near you, cover your face and head with your arms and crouch in an inside corner of the building.
  • Stay away from glass, windows, outside doors and walls, and anything that could fall, such as lighting fixtures or furniture.
  • Stay in bed if you are there when the earthquake strikes. Hold on and protect your head with a pillow, unless you are under a heavy light fixture that could fall. In that case, move to the nearest safe place.
  • Use a doorway for shelter only if it is in close proximity to you and if you know it is a strongly supported, loadbearing doorway.
  • Stay inside until the shaking stops and it is safe to go outside. Research has shown that most injuries occur when people inside buildings attempt to move to a different location inside the building or try to leave.
  • Be aware that the electricity may go out or the sprinkler systems or fire alarms may turn on.
  • DO NOT use the elevators.
If outdoors
  • Stay there.
  • Move away from buildings, streetlights, and utility wires.
  • Once in the open, stay there until the shaking stops. The greatest danger exists directly outside buildings, at exits and alongside exterior walls. Many of the 120 fatalities from the 1933 Long Beach earthquake occurred when people ran outside of buildings only to be killed by falling debris from collapsing walls. Ground movement during an earthquake is seldom the direct cause of death or injury. Most earthquake-related casualties result from collapsing walls, flying glass, and falling objects.
If in a moving vehicle
  • Stop as quickly as safety permits and stay in the vehicle. Avoid stopping near or under buildings, trees, overpasses, and utility wires.
  • Proceed cautiously once the earthquake has stopped. Avoid roads, bridges, or ramps that might have been damaged by the earthquake
If trapped under debris

  • Do not light a match.
  • Do not move about or kick up dust.
  • Cover your mouth with a handkerchief or clothing.
  • Tap on a pipe or wall so rescuers can locate you. Use a whistle if one is available. Shout only as a last resort. Shouting can cause you to inhale dangerous amounts of dust.
What to Do After an Earthquake
Expect aftershocks. These secondary shockwaves are usually less violent than the main quake but can be strong enough to do additional damage to weakened structures and can occur in the first hours, days, weeks, or even months after the quake.
  • Listen to a battery-operated radio or television. Listen for the latest emergency information.
  • Use the telephone only for emergency calls
  • Open cabinets cautiously. Beware of objects that can fall off shelves.
  • Stay away from damaged areas. Stay away unless your assistance has been specifically requested by police, fire, or relief organizations. Return home only when authorities say it is safe.
  • Be aware of possible tsunamis if you live in coastal areas. These are also known as seismic sea waves (mistakenly called “tidal waves”). When local authorities issue a tsunami warning, assume that a series of dangerous waves is on the way. Stay away from the beach.
  • Help injured or trapped persons. Remember to help your neighbors who may require special assistance such as infants, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Give first aid where appropriate. Do not move seriously injured persons unless they are in immediate danger of further injury. Call for help.
  • Clean up spilled medicines, bleaches, gasoline or other flammable liquids immediately.
  • Leave the area if you smell gas or fumes from other chemicals.
  • Inspect the entire length of chimneys for damage. Unnoticed damage could lead to a fire.
  • Inspect utilities.
  • Check for gas leaks. If you smell gas or hear blowing or hissing noise, open a window and quickly leave the building. Turn off the gas at the outside main valve if you can and call the gas company from a neighbor’s home. If you turn off the gas for any reason, it must be turned back on by a professional.
  • Look for electrical system damage. If you see sparks or broken or frayed wires, or if you smell hot insulation, turn off the electricity at the main fuse box or circuit breaker. If you have to step in water to get to the fuse box or circuit breaker, call an electrician first for advice.
  • Check for sewage and water lines damage. If you suspect sewage lines are damaged, avoid using the toilets and call a plumber. If water pipes are damaged, contact the water company and avoid using water from the tap. You can obtain safe water by melting ice cubes.

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Dog Days of Summer are Here

Saturday, June 26th, 2010
Dog Days of Summer

Dog Days of Summer

Record breaking heat of 100° has been hitting the Washington DC Metro area this week. Here are some tips to stay cool in the heat – and what to do if someone gets overheated:

  • Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing;
  • Wear a hat to shield yourself from the sun;
  • Use sunscreen;
  • Drink lots of water. Remember that caffeinated beverages can increase the rate of water loss in your body, increasing your risk of heat exhaustion or stroke;
  • Hang out in the air conditioning or shade;
  • Don’t leave children or pets in the car.

Too much time in the hot weather can make you sick. Here’s what the American Red Cross offers up as advice to recognize and treat heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Signs of Heat Exhaustion

  • Normal body temperature;
  • May have cool, moist, pale or flushed skin;
  • Heavy sweating;
  • Headache;
  • Nausea or vomiting;
  • Dizziness;
  • Exhaustion.

What to do about heat exhaustion:

  • Get the person out of the heat and into a cooler place.
  • Apply cool, wet cloths.
  • Give a half glass of cool water every 15 minutes.

Signs of Heat Stroke

  • Body temperature as high as 105 degrees;
  • Skin that’s red and hot;
  • Changes in consciousness;
  • Rapid, weak pulse;
  • Rapid, shallow breathing.

What to do about heat stroke:

  • Help is needed fast.
  • Move the person to a cooler place.
  • Quickly cool the body.
  • Watch for signals of breathing problems.

Home Improvement Remodelers have an especially bad time if they’re working outside, on the roof, or in your attic. They know enough to bring their own hydration but make sure you have these tips handy if someone is having a hard time with the heat wave.

Be Cool! Stay Cool!

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