Severe Winter Weather

Mitigation and Preparedness for Central Ohio

JOSHUA H. MATTHEWS
BENEDICTINE UNIVERSITY
LARRY CAUSBY

Joshua H Matthews, Department of Public Health, Benedictine University.

Correspondences concerning this paper can be sent to Joshua Matthews at 1356 Bunker

Hill Blvd, Columbus Ohio 43220.

Contact: Matthews.josh@gmail.com
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Abstract

Mitigation and preparedness are critical aspects of emergency and disaster management. Through

sustainable and carefully prepared mitigation plans and procedures the goal is to ultimately minimize

long-term risks to both person and property. By setting various components of preparation for the worst

the ideal is that many hazards will be minimized and even avoided entirely. While such precautions can

be taken during such incidents, it is widely accepted to be much more effective as a preemptive action of

avoidance than as a response to. Central Ohio and Franklin County vulnerable face many perils each

winter between conditions, weather, and exposure. The solution is to incorporate education, preparation,

and emergency kit readiness for during most critical times. Ultimately, replacing the mindset of reacting

to it happening to preparing for when it does happen.

Keywords Mitigation, Ohio, Preparedness, Winter

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Severe Winter Weather

Mitigation and Preparedness for Central Ohio

Mitigation and preparedness are critical aspects of emergency and disaster management.

Through sustainable and carefully prepared mitigation plans and procedures the goal is to

ultimately minimize long-term risks to both person and property. By setting various components

of preparation for the worst the ideal is that many hazards will be minimized and even avoided

entirely. While such precautions can be taken during such incidents, it is widely accepted to be

much more effective as a preemptive action of avoidance than as a response to.

When considering mitigating any disaster you first must consider the community in

which you are trying to protect. Retrofitting is a wonderful design, but what if it is in a low

economy region and unable to afford home improvements? Assuming the community is poor the

county is likely similar which means there would not likely be assistance there. Should the state

be expected to afford such, and if not, the government? Retrofitting in many cases is not the

solution as many areas make it not cost effective. The solution is to incorporate education,

preparation, and emergency kit readiness for during most critical times. Ultimately, replacing the

mindset of reacting to it happening to preparing for when it does happen. By increasing self-

sufficiency and the ability to respond to what is certain to happen it decreases the emergency

response resulting from being ill prepared.

Type of disaster/hazard

Severe winter weather is terribly misunderstood by most and in many cases it conjures

images of blizzards. While blizzards certainly are an aspect of severe winter weather, and have

pulverized Franklin County, there are many other aspects of the hazard to be aware of. Heavy
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snowfall can come in many forms, all with their own unique dangers. Wet snow with a ratio

ranging from 6:1 to 12:1 can weigh 10/lbs. or more per square foot. This is exceptionally

dangerous to many man-made structures which can often fail under the weight. As the

accumulated snow melts the associated acids can also be harmful to marine life. Lastly, and less

of a concern to Franklin County- though more so to outside of that, is threat of avalanche and

avalanche winds. During severe winter weather visibility can many times be dangerously limited

for motor vehicle drivers and combined with ice on the roads create dangerous conditions.

Exposure can result in frostbite and hypothermia and strong winds can not only down power

lines, but freeze pipes and lines, as well as damage plants and structures. Ice storms and hail can

also cause power lines, cripple roadways, structural damage, cause gas leaks, and have even been

known to cause concussions in people and be lethal to farm animals and destroy crops.

Even after the passing severe winter weather the danger of flooding in particular is a major

concern in Franklin County, as is much of the country, and are the biggest threat regionally-

often a result from severe winter weather. The many threats as a result of being a culture so

dependent on power is how commonly during the winter we are left vulnerable after a power

outage which is often a yearly event. While not everything is avoidable or able to be prepared to

deal with, in many cases are vastly less concerning with preparation.

Background and Previous Issues Surrounding the Disaster/Emergency

The worst experience Franklin County has experienced was The Great Blizzard of 1978

which had at least 51 casualties, was likened to a nuclear attack in severity and impact by

overseeing Major General of the National Guard, and struck six states by the time it dissipated.

Between 2010 and 2014 estimated insurance losses alone as a result of severe winter storms is at

$271.9 million. Major incidents more recently include the polar vortex of 2014, the snow and
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then rain of 2011, Groundhog Day Blizzard of 2011, the winter storm series of 2010, winter

winds and hail storms of 2009, the winter storm of 2005, the holiday storm of 2004, the winter

storm of 2003, the winter storm of 1999, the Blizzard of 96, Winter Freeze of 94, blizzard of

1993.

Of the typically related incidents that occur as a result of severe winter weather Franklin

County is vulnerable to driving conditions, power outages and structure damage, and flooding. In

many cases the casualties and damages are the result of panic and not being prepared, despite an

almost yearly event. When conditions begin to get dangerous there is always a mad dash to

gather resources such as foods and required items. In a panic combined with poor visibility and

road conditions many vehicular-based hazards would simply be avoided were they a level of

preparation to avoid the oncoming panic. Historically, this is evidence to support the value of

increased awareness and education, as well assistance in creating a home emergency kit for

severe winter weather.

Geographical region/area

Central Ohio endures a lot of harsh winters enough to rate extreme winter weather as the

third greatest natural hazard. Almost yearly the county sees winter storms which cripple many

aspects regionally from school closings, driving conditions, snow and ice, extreme cold, and

various levels of emergency that can prohibit driving. Not only are blizzards and snow a hazard,

but the many after effects as a result of the winter storms including mudslides and flooding

which is the highest rank natural hazard to not only the county but state as well. Flooding is a

major concern in Ohio, as is much of the country, and are the biggest threat regionally- often a

result from winter storms. Franklin County has hot and dry summers and cold and dry winters.

Even more of value to awareness and home emergency kit implementation is that just as
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frequently as Franklin County suffers from a winter power loss, it also is forced to endure

summer power losses. By default, being able to safety mitigate a power loss is of as much value

no matter the season or hazard. It is within hardiness zone 6a from the USDA. Columbus, which

is at the heart of the state, is ranked as the eighth largest city in the nation.

Demographics

With a population over a million Franklin County has wide range of ethnicities making

up its demographics with Spanish, African, African-American, Italian, Middle Eastern, and many

others to various degrees. Franklin County is rated second in the nation for its Somalian

population, though is a predominantly white county. Franklin County has 38 airports, 424

buildings, 23 canals, 109 cemeteries, 900 churches of various faiths, 14 dams, a lake, 3 mines,

277 parks, 20 reservoirs, and 436 schools in which to consider in regards to mitigating potential

threats, as well as utilizing as potential resources. Many of these have the potential to be critical

components during a severe winter weather hazard as educational centers, high traffic venues to

raise and promote awareness, or shelters in worst case scenarios.

Roles of the public, private, or non-profit organizations

In the case of extreme winter weather many organizations from public, private, and non-

profit become involved. The goal behind increasing awareness and education and implementing

emergency kits is to lessen the need and emergency placed on these organizations. While they

are certainly potent backups, the more self-reliant our communities become the less critical we

hope these organizations become during the incidents.

In the past, such as The Great Blizzard, declared disasters resulted in federal

organizations such as AmeriCorps, Army, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA),

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and National Guard. More typically Franklin County experiences extreme winter weather and

winter storms that are manageable by local assistance and mobilization of resources, if not

manageable individually if educated on how to be prepared. The American Red Cross often

offers relief to be an asset during and after a winter storm. Catholic and Methodist faiths in

particular have a strong presence in disaster relief in Franklin County in the form of offering

food and shelter to those in need. Emergency disaster and response related organizations of

private, public, or non-profit have always been critical in the early stages of extreme winter

weather and include fire, police, medical, and rescue. Organizations such as Habitat for

Humanity, local chapters of skilled tradesmen, and similar skilled peoples offer many services to

aid in city providers and have been utilized in the past as power outages have occurred. Many

homeless shelters and food banks have been of great worth as the vulnerable are even more at

risk as well as the shelters and banks can offer room for those in need. Clothing related

organizations such as the Salvation Army and Goodwill have been important as winter attire can

be in very high demand. Clinics have been important to take strain off of emergency rooms

which can overflow during hazards and disasters. The flaw behind what historically happens is

that instead a level of preparation on how to mitigate the hazards of severe winter weather

Franklin County erupts in emergency as the community at whole relies almost entirely on

organizations (of any kind) to save them. This is a completely unacceptable use of these

resources in all but the most needed situations as many of these are entirely avoidable.

While some level of critical aid of a more responsive and relief-based nature is often

unavoidable, by using many organizations to increase awareness and education and offering

instruction on how to create and utilize emergency kits there can be less focus on noncritical

need. Removing the mindset that someone will provide a solution and installing one of sell-
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sufficiency and resilience it will create a far better perspective on what is truly important to

utilize resources on. The current landscape is almost entirely focused on blaming organizations

for not being able to help everyone and lacking in accountability. Awareness and the ability to

respond safety can help to remove much of that.

Volunteer roles and Their Impacts in Assisting During the Event (past/future)

During severe winter weather, even despite the best levels of awareness and education or

the ability to mitigate the impact of, there will always be the critical need for volunteer aid. As

with organizations, historically volunteers have been used in the same manner as response and

relief. While in the case of volunteers to police, fire, and emergency medical this might be

appropriate where they make a bulk of the force up, but by and large it is a waste of potential.

Volunteers can serve many uses during the event. Those with the ability and resource can aid

greatly in snow removal, stranded vehicle removal, and in the case of power outages patrolling to

search for emergency situations. On an almost yearly biases Franklin County reports avoidable

death and injury. It is important to prioritize reducing and removing this statistic.

Types of Resources Necessary

In the efforts to increased awareness and education and promote emergency kits in homes

and businesses the resources would be far more minor mitigating as opposed to responding.

Resources would be required to promote awareness and class or education meeting to offer

teaching on what makes up an emergency kit and how to use it properly. Donations could be

accepted of particularly needed items for the kit, literature on how to create it, or even stickers to

remind of its location. Furthermore, donations could even create many of the emergency kits

entirely. Resources would be concentrating on preparing Franklin County on how to handle the
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severe winter weather, associated power outages, and like conditions. Teaching CPR and First

Aid could be handled by volunteers. Creating buddy systems between neighbors or

neighborhoods could be handled within communities by volunteers in a block watch mindset.

All of these things relieve stress and pressure from organizations that could be better utilized in

other ways. Important resources to mitigating and preparedness of extreme winter weather are

anticipating weather, efficient and quick mobilization of response teams to both preemptive

actions such as salting and county wide warnings or plowing, offering resources during the

incident, and relief should it be needed following the extreme winter weather. This is made

possible by utilizing the many organizations so that none are overwhelmed and overburdened.

Community stakeholder involvement

Stakeholders are another resource to assisting during hazardous weather so their

involvement is key and includes much of the community due to it impacting and effecting

everyone in the county. Stakeholders should be urged to volunteer, check on vulnerable

neighbors and families, and offer skills much as the community they are a part of. In identifying

stakeholders almost no one is without use during severe winter weather to some degree. In

volunteering to offer skills city teams and departments can be assisted and in turn, the burdens

placed upon them lessened. Medical, utility-based, environmental, emergency- related, and

hospitality are all examples of skilled peoples that could greatly impact the community by

offering aid and assistance.

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Types of NGOs that are going to be involved

There are many other faith-based Ohio supporters that regularly fund community

betterment in Franklin County. American Electric Power (AEP) is out of Gahanna, a suburb

within Franklin County and awards many causes- specifically those relating to basic human

service in the areas of hunger, housing, health, and safety. Cardinal Health out of Dublin, another

suburb of Franklin County, issues various awards to community improvement focused around

healthcare, wellness, and community. Battelle Memorial Columbus based research and

innovation oriented company that funds a number of projects geared around civic development

and health and human services. Grange Insurance Programs is an insurance company locally that

issues revolving funding to emergency services, food, shelter, and disaster relief and would be an

excellent resource. Honda of America has a plant in Marysville outlying Franklin County and

supports many projects and programs to its neighboring community yearly focusing on social

needs. JPMorgan Chase & Co. also out of Columbus issues revolving funding cycles to counties

in the State of Ohio focusing on challenged neighborhoods, community development, education,

and arts & culture.

These resources could all be pooled into raising awareness and education, as well as

implementing emergency medical kits as it is largely in line with their missions. By using

donations and charitable contribution with more emphasis on mitigation it will create an

environment of self-efficacy that will in time outweigh relief. The shift ultimately steers away

from a Band-Aid fix and more towards teach a man to fish.

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Political figure support

All parties will be approached and expected to assist in the development of this program

as it supports those able to vote and everyone benefits from helping the community. However, it

is expected to pursue Democratic aid as the party has longer standing tradition in social aid and

service. As the Governor of Ohio and presidential candidate, John R. Kasich will play a pivotal

role in supporting the program. With Kasichs focus on communities and emphasis on faith-

based groups it stands to reason that he will be a strong supporter in protecting the vulnerable of

Franklin County. Bright Ideas is a project Kasich supports that is geared towards helping the

communitys non-profits, with a mission of peer-to-peer learning. This aligns perfectly with the

mission of this project and his support would be highly likely, which potentially could reach the

presidential level. Utilizing Kasichs support as an arrowhead to create momentum would likely

begin a ripple effect in which others would begin to support in Franklin County. With a focus on

garnering attention of political figures support, emphasis would be on first gathering the support

of the communities and businesses. Through the support of the communities and people that vote

the political figures would likely want to be a part of that by supporting what is important to the

voters.

Length of project completion

The length of this project is intend to be both maintained ongoing, but implemented

quickly. Initially the concentration is to raise awareness and support the need for the program by

demonstrating why it is important. In this stage classes can be offered to educate and raise

community awareness at schools and colleges. The initial focus on youth groups is geared

around influencing children and young adults is far easier than hard-wired adult that have already

been set in a way of thinking. Through the interest in youth the parents and adults will begin to
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be made aware of needs for mitigation. The adults can be initially contacted through community

workshops given in public and more private settings on awareness and education and emergency

kit creation. Through free items, discounts, or other beneficial routes the adults can be persuaded

to invest and volunteer. The focus will begin to shift to both the danger of not being prepared,

but also to the benefit by being prepared. Perhaps with the backing of organizations discounts or

breaks of some form can be offered as incentive. Pursuing volunteers and donors will be an

ongoing process and reassessed every yearly. Should the assessment find areas lacking the board

has the power to make minor changes within the five year periods without voting. Every five

years the program will be updated and resubmitted to governing bodies to possibly FEMA

should the state make it a priority. Ideally, the program will be self-sustaining upon reaching the

five-year mark through donations, grants, and volunteer efforts.

Pitfalls and barriers to the project completion

Barriers of note are obtaining licenses required, space available, and the initial startup

overhead required. Other pitfalls could be disdain for such a program in certain parts of town,

and lack of interest in volunteering. Another barrier of note is competing organizations levying

for the same resources. To avoid these barriers, the extreme winter weather program will seek to

partner with many of these organizations. These partnerships will be beneficial for all as they

will lessen the burden placed on them during such times.

Type of funding necessary to complete the project

Funding types will include monetary and non-monetary donations in order to both offer

education classes, promote awareness, as well as create emergency kits. Volunteer hours are

necessary. Professionals of many kinds will be required to keep the program running. Donation
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of a non-monetary form can range from air time to broadcast awareness to locations usable for

classes, to discounts given for taking part in the program.

Sustainability of the Project

This project is very sustainable and by the end of its fifth year is expected to be fully self-

sustainable. There are many Franklin County programs and projects dedicated to the vulnerable

and this requires that they work together to stream-line what is in place. With a concentration on

empowerment, especially with a viable link to hazards outside of the primary focus, there is

value to not only sustaining the project, but increasing its span.

Communications during this type of event of your choice (radios, frequencies, etc.)

The whole community can receive news and weather alerts. Awareness and education

offerings at various times throughout the year can prepare the community for winter and how to

both prepare for it and safety endure it. Franklin County offers sirens that can be critical,

especially when other methods are down. Short range frequencies will be important to separate

channels of communication, especially with workers and responders. Social media offers

multiple options that are high traffic to disperse information and alerts to a large audience, as

well as even gather support from outside of the focus audience.

Future implications of the disaster/emergency/incident

The current trend is an increase in vulnerable including homeless and squatters in

Franklin County. While this is not expected to change, this program can alleviate some of the

vulnerability associated with extreme winter weather. This programs success opens doors for

similar and more specific programs to aid in the vulnerable such as seeking employments, self-
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reliance, and life skills. Those who take part in the program can volunteer and learn skills that

can apply on the job as well as to better the vulnerable. By increasing the mitigation of the

community to severe winter weather it offers not only self-sufficiency, but also frees up

organizations to concentrate on those whom cant help themselves.

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References
Americas Preparathon (2016). Winter storm. Retrieved from
https://community.fema.gov/hazard/winter-storm/be-smart

Department of Homeland Security (2016). Winter storms & extreme cold. Retrieved from
https://www.ready.gov/winter-weather

Franklin County Emergency Management and Homeland Security (2012). Franklin County
natural hazards mitigation plan. Retrieved from
http://fcemhs.org/Portals/0/Planning/Documents/Franklin_Plan_FINAL%202012.pdf

Illinois Emergency Management Agency (2016). Winter storms. Retrieved from

http://www.illinois.gov/ready/hazards/pages/winterstorms.aspx

New York City Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan (2009, March). Winter storm hazard analysis for
New York City. Retrieved from
http://www.nyc.gov/html/oem/downloads/pdf/hazard_mitigation/section_3l_winter_weat
her_hazard_analysis.pdf

Ohio Department of Health (2016 February 16). Winter storm in Ohio. Retrieved from
https://www.odh.ohio.gov/en/features/odhfeatures/Extreme%20Cold.aspx

Ohio Emergency Management Agency (2011, January). State of Ohio hazard mitigation plan
2011. Retrieved from http://ema.ohio.gov/Mitigation_OhioPlan.aspx

Southeast Missouri Regional Planning Commission (2013). Hazard mitigation strategy.

Retrieved from http://www.nwrpc.com/DocumentCenter/View/736

State of Ohio (2014, May). State of Ohio hazard mitigation plan. Retrieved from
http://ohiosharpp.ema.state.oh.us/OhioSHARPP/Documents/OhioMitigationPlan/2014/E
x%20Summary.pdf

United States Department of Labor (2016). Winter weather. Retrieved from

https://www.osha.gov/dts/weather/winter_weather/hazards_precautions.html