The approach of the West Indian hurricane season serves as an annual reminder that it is incumbent upon all naval personnel in the Caribbean, Gulf, and southeastern seaboard areas to make adequate plans for material, communication, and personnel security in the event of a hurricane. Ships at sea may avoid approaching storms by diagnosing the path of hurricanes. Shore activities on the other hand must “stand and deliver.” Complete protection against the fury of a tropical hurricane is practically impossible. However, a greater degree of security may be expected as a result of proper preparation.
Prior to sounding a hurricane signal a definite decision must be made concerning the path of the approaching storm. Officers in the affected area acquire the habit of keeping one eye on the clouds and the other on the barometer. The daily radio weather broadcasts often displace these ocular determinants as the primary storm indicators. The U. S. Weather Bureau broadcasts information concerning approaching hurricanes and the Pan Air system has a highly trained crew of weather observers stationed along the hurricane belt. In addition to placing reliance upon these two forecasting agencies it behooves all officers in the affected area to be conversant with Bowditch’s description of tropical storms and current pertinent pilot charts. Nearly all ships passing through or near the West Indian area during the season of inclement weather send daily weather observations to the Weather Bureau at San Juan, Puerto Rico, and at Washington, at both of which places a weather forecast is compiled for the Caribbean and Gulf areas. In the event of an approaching hurricane such weather forecasts are broadcasted hourly by naval and commercial radio stations. In addition to dependence upon radio broadcasts most naval activities in the hurricane area have officers detailed to compile local weather maps from intercepted radio weather reports. Most naval radio operators are familiar with normally expected reports concerning barometer and wind conditions, so that upon the receipt of any suspicious information from either ships or other stations they can notify the proper authorities. Advance notice of approaching hurricanes may be received from six to twenty-four hours before arrival, yet, in the case of a near-by and newly formed disturbance, minutes alone may be most valuable in carrying out the “hurricane bill.”
Hurricane security drills should be held prior to the hurricane season and upon receipt of any weather disturbance information. Such drills should follow the provisions of the “hurricane bill,” for which the following suggestions are offered:
- Personnel restricted to station.
Provisions to be made for canceling all liberty upon receipt of hurricane warning. Personnel off station are recalled by special signal or by messenger.
- Personnel secure assigned buildings and quarters.
Upon sounding of hurricane signal all personnel should report to assigned posts for securing material. Upon completion of securing assigned station, report is to be made to designated officer for final inspection before releasing personnel to stations assigned during storm.
- Personnel secure equipment about grounds and station.
All rolling equipment such as trucks, graders, cement mixers, and automobiles are placed under cover and secured. Tools and other small equipment secured. Secure trash cans. Remove and stow fire-plug spanner wrenches. The greatest damage during a hurricane is generally caused by flying debris and it is of the utmost importance that all loose articles be secured within shops or garages. Secure all boats and material along docks.
- Notify local civilian authorities and police concerning storm warning.
- Test out all emergency communication apparatus.
In the hurricane belt all emergency radio equipment should be tested weekly as a matter of routine. Reserve batteries are to be put on charge immediately and kept on charge until failure of local power supply. Rig emergency antennae and guy masts. All receivers, transmitters, and motor generators should be covered with securely lashed tarpaulins. In case the m.g. sets are not at least six inches clear of the deck, the bases of such equipment should be firmly packed and stuffed with loose rags. Provide bucket and deck swab near each transmitter. It is surprising how much water can enter a concrete re-enforced building even though all windows and doors are securely barricaded and calked with loose rags around all small edges. During a tropical hurricane water even comes through solid concrete walls.
(6) Report by dispatch to Opnav and other circuit radio stations emergency procedure to be carried out during hurricane with respect to apparatus in use, frequencies of transmission and reception, and schedules of operations.
Prior to the actual arrival of the hurricane, line up all stations on the radio circuit at frequent intervals. Start emergency equipment idling as soon as local source of power begins to falter. Conserve emergency power during the hurricane, in spite of anticipations it may be most surprising how long regular power supply may be out and low quickly a gas engine operating within a seared building can overheat.
(7) Fill all reserve gasoline tanks.
Cover escape vents of all underground tanks with gauze or fine mesh screening. No opening however small is immune to the entrance of dirt and sand during a bad storm.
(8) Supply hurricane lanterns to all duty stations
Do not light lanterns until local power begins to fail. Have sufficient supply of oil lanterns and kitchen lamps on hand for use in quarters of personnel after hurricane. Prior to hurricane remove all overhead globe light fixtures as these fill with water and upon resumption of regular power supply may cause innumerable short circuits.
- Designate personnel to leave station for Purpose of obtaining reserve supply of food.
After a severe hurricane transportation facilities may be hampered to such an extent that days may pass before food can be obtained. Shops may be destroyed and sources of relief supplies may not become operative for long periods. During the hurricane season the cautious West Indian planter generally has a large reserve supply of dry stores well secured in his hurricane retreat.
- Fill reserve water supply system and provide reserve water drums near emergency power equipment.
At stations where water storage is in tower tanks these should be filled, as the additional weight may tend to keep the tower from being blown away. All personnel should be instructed to have all tubs and kitchen utensils filled with water before securing quarters for hurricane. Water supply systems generally fail altogether after a heavy tropical disturbance or they are greatly hampered by reason of ruptured water pipes in destroyed buildings with consequent loss of water pressure. Few stations have adequate facilities for distilling sufficient water for all personnel and the greatest economy must be effected subsequent to a hurricane until there is assurance that the regular water supply is reliable. It is rather distressing several days after a tropical hurricane to go about and search for water even to the extent of draining garden hose. Emergency gasoline engine equipment should have reserve drums of water available as the engines quickly overheat during extended operation and the water supply must be drained and changed frequently to allow for proper operation with cooled water. It is most advisable to foresee the eventuality of a water shortage and to prepare for it.
- Secure hurricane shutters on all buildings.
In connection with this provision of the “hurricane bill” it should be remembered that the mere presence of hurricane shutters on a building is no guarantee of its water-tight integrity. The force of the wind may be sufficient to tear away or to force in both hurricane shutters and metal retaining bars. Flying debris can demolish the strongest shutter as effectively as can shells of light caliber. Brackets for holding retaining bars should be secured by through bolts on wooden buildings and by the same type or by expansion bolts on concrete structures. Retaining bars should be both wedged and locked to both shutters and wall brackets. Other than the battleship type of armored water-tight door, human ingenuity has not yet designed a hurricane shutter which can withstand the full force of a tropical disturbance. Whether to secure hurricane shutters so that they shall be water- and air-tight or to allow for some air passage is a matter left to the decision of the personnel responsible for the building security. If directly in the path of a hurricane center, consideration should be given to the advisability of allowing some opening for an equalization of pressure in the building. The difference in pressure between the pre-hurricane pressure inside of a building and the low-hurricane pressure outside during the progress of the storm may be sufficient to cause the explosion of a building, which has occurred in several cases. On the other hand, too large an opening for the equalizing of pressure may allow the force of the wind to be so great inside of the building as to build up and carry away roof or walls. A large opening in the lee of the hurricane may likewise create a suction strong enough to cause the collapse of a structure.
- Secure office equipment.
All file cabinets should be locked and lashed after first removing all material from lower shelves or drawers. Cover and secure all mimeograph and typewriter equipment clear of decks. Remove overhead globe lighting fixtures. Cover desks with tarpaulins and lash securely.
(13) Secure household and personal effects.
All dining-room and living-room furniture should be assembled and piled close together as compactly as possible. Mattresses should be stacked on tables and over all a securely lashed tarpaulin placed. Remove all wall hangings and pictures. Stow all clothing in trunks, which should be placed clear of floors and covered with tarpaulins or heavy waterproof paper. Remove all rugs from floors and place them on chairs alongside of walls or close to other assembled furniture. Stow dry stores in ice box.
(14) Personnel not on duty report to designated hurricane retreats.
No personnel should be allowed to remain in wooden buildings. Such buildings may survive a strong hurricane, as many of them do, yet their construction is not adaptable for suitable dryness and the appearance of bulging and swaying walls along with heavy streams of water being forced through the sidings may influence personnel to abandon the buildings to seek refuge elsewhere with subsequent danger from flying debris out of doors. All personnel should remain in designated concrete re-enforced structures where a medical officer or pharmacist’s mate should be in attendance. Such refugees should be supplied beforehand with cots and provisions for making warm coffee. Personnel should not be allowed to venture outside during the hurricane because of the danger of flying material and the cutting effect of the rain. If in the direct path of the center of the storm, the greatest precaution should be taken in allowing personnel to leave their retreats during the lull of the passing storm center. The calm period of a hurricane center may be of only a few minutes’ duration or, if of large diameter, the hurricane may have a calm center of several hours’ duration. Such a long period of calm may give a sense of false security which may be most disastrous with the arrival of the later half and generally the most destructive part of the hurricane.
In compiling a “hurricane bill,” careful consideration should be given to past reports and records on file in connection with previous hurricanes; personnel available for carrying out provisions of the bill; status of station with reference to buildings and grounds; and condition of emergency communication apparatus. To these considerations should also be added the gift of visualizing with a most vivid imagination the worst of possibilities, bearing in mind that the force of a tropical hurricane can drive a blade of grass into a tree trunk and make well-constructed buildings disappear, leaving their concrete foundations as reminders of their former presence. Even after hours of careful intensive preparation, the freakish behavior of a hurricane may spare the weak and destroy the strongest buildings, and so it is most advisable that all security preparations be complete and thorough.
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Strategy is more necessary in peace for naval preparation than for land preparation. By nature, naval forces are more mobile than land forces as a result of the very different surfaces over which they respectively move. Naval forces can be projected to a required strategic position with a rapidity to which nothing on land compares. Therefore, to prevent surprise attacks against our shipping, our outlying possessions, or our coasts, our naval forces should be in readiness at all limes to make such enemy attacks unattractive.—Meyers, Strategy.