What Is a Hurricane?
Hurricanes are extreme weather events categorized by wind speeds of at least 74 mph. Both coastal and inland communities are at risk of being affected by the strong winds, heavy rains, and damaging flood waters associated with these intense oceanic storms.
TrapBag barriers are a durable form of hurricane protection. They mitigate damage by controlling and diverting flood waters and operating efficiently as a method of shoreline protection.
Dangers of Hurricanes
Hurricanes can be very harmful to the inhabitants, ecological environment, and infrastructure of the impacted area.
- Loss of life: While the number of hurricane-caused fatalities has decreased because of improved technology and hurricane flood barriers, in 2020, there were at least 47 deaths resulting from hurricanes.
- Flooding: Both the heavy rainfall and crashing waves associated with hurricanes can lead to damaging floods. In fact, 88% of U.S. hurricane- and tropical storm-related deaths are from water, not the intense winds.
- Property loss: The combination of extreme winds and huge amounts of crashing waves is incredibly destructive. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 saw insured property losses of over $86 billion.
- Electrical shock: Downed power lines are very common after a hurricane hits. Accidentally touching these wires can result in life-threatening electrical shock or cause a fire.
- Hazardous chemical spills: If not sufficiently contained prior to the hurricane event, chemical and oil spills can occur and contaminate the surrounding area, proving extremely difficult to clean up and causing serious harm to the soil, water, and ecosystem.
- Harmful debris: If effective barriers are not set up ahead of time, rapidly moving flood waters and extremely strong winds can carry all kinds of property-damaging debris across a city, during and after a hurricane.
- Increased risk of illness: The residents of a hurricane-affected area are at a higher chance of contracting disease. Contaminated flood water breeds and spreads bacteria, and mold is prone to growing due to the moist conditions.
Hurricane Preparedness Tips
If you live in an area that may be affected by hurricanes, planning for the event is integral to keeping you and your family as safe as possible.
- Create an emergency plan: Gather all your family members and establish a protocol on what to do if you become separated.
- Obtain supplies: In the event you are unable to leave your home for a few days due to the storm, stock up well in advance on medical supplies, water, and meals that do not require power to cook in the event of an outage.
- Identify evacuation routes: Law enforcement or other public authorities may recommend evacuating if it is determined that sheltering in place is unsafe. Having multiple ways to seek safety is crucial when these time-sensitive orders are given.
- Secure your home with protective equipment: Mitigating the damage done to your property will save you loads of time and money later. Hurricane window and door shutters protect against extreme winds and flying debris, while hurricane flood barriers like TrapBags can be placed around property and coastal areas to deflect, slow, or stop flood waters from entering.
- Consider flood and hurricane insurance: Feel more financially protected during hazardous weather events with insurance.
- Manage hazardous household wastes: Toxic chemicals like house cleaners and fertilizers can contribute to the contamination of flood water, endangering the local ecosystem. If you are able, take time to secure or properly dispose of substances that are at risk of spilling during hurricanes.
After a Hurricane
There are protocols in place to provide help to populations affected by hurricanes.
Hurricane Response
Hurricane relief consists of government-provided services and aid to populations affected by hurricanes. Many other organizations also help with hurricane response, including the RedCross and Direct Relief.
Hurricane response entails helping displaced people find shelter, food and clean water, and medical assistance. Certain teams will assess and begin cleaning up damage, while also working to divert dangerous flood waters that contain hazardous material and debris.
TrapBags As Hurricane Flood Barriers
TrapBag barriers are the superior option for temporary or permanent hurricane flood barriers, both during a hurricane and afterward in the rebuilding process.
When utilized as a water barrier or seawall alternative, TrapBags protect essential infrastructure, expensive commercial spaces, and cherished homes from hurricane-induced flooding. After a hurricane, TrapBags can work to channel flood waters in less damaging routes.
Benefits of TrapBag Barriers
- Durable and long lasting: Created from a high-strength textile, deployed TrapBags are made to last at least five years.
- Dependable: The accordion-style structure of TrapBags makes them leakproof. Because the individual cells are independently contained but also connected, they are extremely reliable, even if one is compromised.
- Rapidly deployable: Hurricanes can occur quickly. While we have incredible technology to improve the forecasting of these events, ensuring proper protection is placed prior to the storm is necessary.
- Versatile: While they work incredibly well for flood prevention and protection, TrapBags can also be used for erosion control, dune stabilization, mudslide protection, alternatives to seawall, infrastructure protection, and methods of spill control and stormwater containment.
- Easy to install: The key to combating flood waters is to be prepared in advance. TrapBags do not require heavy machinery to be installed, making them much easier than other flood control options.
- Require less fill than traditional methods: TrapBags not only work incredibly well, but also are a more cost-effective solution for flood barriers—they require 40% less fill than traditional sandbags.
TrapBag Levees
Levees are used to protect land from rising river levels. During hurricanes, overflowing water levels are inevitable. Entire temporary levees can be constructed from TrapBag barriers, or TrapBags can be added onto an existing levee to protect against increasing water levels.
TrapBag Dams
Dams can be instrumental in flood protection during a hurricane. Both small or large TrapBags can be stacked to create stable, damage-preventing, leakproof dams. TrapBags are also great for providing additional stabilization to existing dams.
TrapBag Stormwater Containment
Stormwater runoff happens when bodies of water are flooded because of excess rain, like in the event of a hurricane. If this flood water becomes contaminated and is able to enter waterways or be reabsorbed into the ground, it can be detrimental to the ecosystem. Stormwater containment basins made of TrapBags are a long-lasting solution to this harmful runoff.
Get TrapBags to Prepare for Hurricanes
Get a hurricane flood barrier you can trust. Contact us today to learn more, or order your TrapBag barriers now.
