CAPE COD EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS HANDBOOK:
A Guide to Natural Disasters

The information in this handbook is a compilation of reference material from a variety of existing sources. It is modeled after the 2003 All Hazards Guide from Collier County, Florida. With permission much of the text herein is taken directly from that publication, though tailored to the risks and environment of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Specific references to materials other than Collier County's guide are provided throughout this handbook. Available in several ways:

1. Cape Cod Emergency Preparedness Handbook - the entire 36-page illustrated handbook (PDF file format; approximate file size is 7.8MB)

2. Map of Storm Shelters on Cape Cod - color map sized to print on an 11x17-inch sheet (landscape; PDF file format; approximate file size is 1.5MB) - updated 5/31/06

3. Cape Cod Emergency Preparedness Handbook - By Section:
(All sections are in PDF file format; approximate file sizes are indicated in parentheses.)

• Front Cover (72K)
• Table of Contents (64K)
• Hurricanes (400K)
• Planning for People with Special Needs (228K)
• Disaster Supply Kit (76K)
• Floods (220K)
• Nor'easters and Winter Storms (3MB)
• Tornadoes (176K)
• Storm Shelters on Cape Cod (1.5MB)
• Thunderstorms and Lightning (112K)
• Heat Waves (132K)
• Wildfires (372K)
• Preparing Your Boat for a Storm (176K)
• Protecting Pets in the Event of a Disaster (128K)
• Driving in a Disaster (148K)
• Power Outages (108K)
• Generator Safety (156K)
• Understand Your Stormwater Drainage System (128K)
• Hazardous Household Products (260K)
• Tracking a Hurricane - Atlantic Basin Hurricane Tracking Chart (76K)
• Important Contacts (48K)
• Back Cover (76K)

A reader seeking additional information and the original sources are encouraged to contact the Cape Cod Chapter of the American Red Cross at (508) 775-1540, their local emergency manager, or their local police or fire department. For a listing of American Red Cross general disaster preparedness materials see: www.redcross.org/pubs/dspubs/genprep.html; www.capecodredcross.org

We also encourage readers to visit the following web sites to search for additional information about risks and preparedness: www.fema.gov; www.noaa.gov

This Guide focuses on risk and preparation for natural disasters. We also take the opportunity to provide information on household hazardous products. In today's political climate, terrorism is certainly an issue on everyone's mind. If you seek information about preparedness in the face of a terrorist threat, please visit www.ready.gov.

Funding:
See the back cover for a list of groups who collaborated to produce this handbook.

The Cape Cod Commission funded this publication through its Project Impact Cape Cod program grant. Project Impact is a national program funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and established to empower communities to address disaster resistance and hazard mitigation at the regional and local levels. Through Project Impact FEMA challenged the nation to undertake actions to protect families, businesses, and communities by reducing the effects of natural disasters. For more information on Project Impact Cape Cod visit www.capecodcommission.org/projectimpact, or call the Commission at (508) 362-3828.

Cover Photos:
Front Cover, clockwise: S. Albers, Jim O'Connell, NOAA, NOAA.
Back Cover, clockwise: S. Teper, Jim O'Connell, Jim O'Connell, unknown.