It’s hurricane season: What you need to know
2018-06-14
Last hurricane season was particularly traumatic for Houston and the surrounding areas, and the reality is that many of us are still not back to a baseline of normalcy. There are still displaced families, houses that are unlivable and a multitude of other issues associated from Hurricane Harvey’s record rainfall still to be reckoned with. And while there are no crystal balls available to peek into the future, the best way to ensure the Johnson Space Center community is for ready for anything Mother Nature has in store this year is to be prepared. And yes … that means we all must maintain a high level of preparedness for the entire duration of the season—not just when the forecast portends of a disturbance forming.
“For many, Harvey lingers on as JSC team members go about rebuilding and restructuring lives in the aftermath of that storm,” said Joel Walker, director of the Center Operations Directorate. “We can use the lessons learned from Harvey’s devastating impact in tailoring personal plans for our families and work as a hurricane—or severe rain event—approaches the coast.”
Now is the time to get ready (if you haven’t already).
Coping with the unimaginable
There are different unimaginable scenarios that can elicit feelings of hopelessness and despair. Harvey was one such event that this community hopes is never replicated. However, if you are struggling, take a look at the “Coping with the Unimaginable: Building Resilience and Hope in Trying Times” presentation (viewable internally only) by Johnson’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP). As we head into this new hurricane season, it’s a good refresher to have.
If you need someone to talk to or additional support, the EAP can be reached at 281-483-6130.
There’s a website/Twitter account for that
This site, http://jscsos.com/, is the go-to resource for all center status and emergency operations information. If you’d rather have the updates come to you, JSC SOS is on Twitter, and you can have those tweets sent to your phone via text. To sign up, text “follow JSCSOS” to 40404.
Or, find out the center’s status the old-school way. The Emergency Information Line is 1-877-283-1947.
NASA’s Emergency Notification and Accountability System
NASA uses the Emergency Notification and Accountability System (ENS) to contact employees regarding emergencies. The ENS can send messages via phone, email and/or text. To ensure you receive notifications after the center closes, you need to record your home phone, your personal cell phone and your home email address in your emergency contact profile.
Civil Servants: Your emergency contact profile is stored in Employee Express. Log in and click on the “Emergency Contact Information” link under the “Miscellaneous” section to record or update your information. (Be sure to click the save button at the bottom of the page and click “Yes” to confirm your changes!)
Contractors: To change your emergency contact information, log into https://id.nasa.gov/ and go to “Personal.” Click on “Edit” (a smartcard or RSA login is required) and make the necessary updates. (Be sure to click the “Save” button to save your changes!)
If you do not have smartcard login capability, you may not be able to see your emergency contact data. See your site security officer or the person who requested your NASA badge for assistance updating your information.
Should I stay or should I go?
A lot of what drives preparedness is figuring out ahead of time what you will do when a storm looms in the Gulf of Mexico. Do you live by the coast? Is your house able to withstand ferocious wind speeds? Do you have kids? Pets?
The Houston-Galveston Area Council has an evacuation map that should clarify what you should do if you’re on the fence. And, if your area is under a mandatory evacuation from local authorities, heed the warning. Just go.
Houston-area evacuation map. Graphic courtesy of HGAC.
I’m going to go.
Let us just say—great idea.
But, now that you’re going to get out, you need a personal plan of action. Also helpful—a list of items that would be good to grab-and-go during an evacuation. Find out more with Johnson’s Hurricane Brochure, which contains resources relevant to your individual situation (such as road closures and water levels).
I’m going to stay.
Maybe your situation lends itself to staying versus the complication of evacuating. Again, the Hurricane Brochure can help. It has a list of items every family should have as part of a comprehensive disaster preparedness kit, as well as numbers and websites to have on hand for after the storm. Stock up now. Things like bottled water and kitty litter will be as valuable as gold the days before a storm makes landfall.
Pro tip: Every time you go to the grocery store, pick up a few extra items, like non-perishable foods, batteries and bottled water, so that you don’t have to be in a panic to obtain what is most sought after as a storm threatens.
But what about my job?
Johnson’s senior leaders would be the first to say that what matters most is the safety of you and your family. However, many people—especially those who have evacuated and have access to electricity and a stellar Wi-Fi connection—can work remotely if a hurricane disrupts life as we usually know it. Click for “work from anywhere” toolkits from the Information Resources Directorate that address how to set up a remote workstation and telework securely. Not on-site? Click here instead.
Pro tip: It’s beneficial to get your remote work situation locked down before a storm approaches. Test your capabilities well in advance of having to use them.
Was this all TL;DR? Save this article to your bookmarks or remember this one thing: http://jscsos.com/
Catherine Ragin Williams
NASA Johnson Space Center
“For many, Harvey lingers on as JSC team members go about rebuilding and restructuring lives in the aftermath of that storm,” said Joel Walker, director of the Center Operations Directorate. “We can use the lessons learned from Harvey’s devastating impact in tailoring personal plans for our families and work as a hurricane—or severe rain event—approaches the coast.”
Now is the time to get ready (if you haven’t already).
Coping with the unimaginable
There are different unimaginable scenarios that can elicit feelings of hopelessness and despair. Harvey was one such event that this community hopes is never replicated. However, if you are struggling, take a look at the “Coping with the Unimaginable: Building Resilience and Hope in Trying Times” presentation (viewable internally only) by Johnson’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP). As we head into this new hurricane season, it’s a good refresher to have.
If you need someone to talk to or additional support, the EAP can be reached at 281-483-6130.
There’s a website/Twitter account for that
This site, http://jscsos.com/, is the go-to resource for all center status and emergency operations information. If you’d rather have the updates come to you, JSC SOS is on Twitter, and you can have those tweets sent to your phone via text. To sign up, text “follow JSCSOS” to 40404.
Or, find out the center’s status the old-school way. The Emergency Information Line is 1-877-283-1947.
NASA’s Emergency Notification and Accountability System
NASA uses the Emergency Notification and Accountability System (ENS) to contact employees regarding emergencies. The ENS can send messages via phone, email and/or text. To ensure you receive notifications after the center closes, you need to record your home phone, your personal cell phone and your home email address in your emergency contact profile.
Civil Servants: Your emergency contact profile is stored in Employee Express. Log in and click on the “Emergency Contact Information” link under the “Miscellaneous” section to record or update your information. (Be sure to click the save button at the bottom of the page and click “Yes” to confirm your changes!)
Contractors: To change your emergency contact information, log into https://id.nasa.gov/ and go to “Personal.” Click on “Edit” (a smartcard or RSA login is required) and make the necessary updates. (Be sure to click the “Save” button to save your changes!)
If you do not have smartcard login capability, you may not be able to see your emergency contact data. See your site security officer or the person who requested your NASA badge for assistance updating your information.
Should I stay or should I go?
A lot of what drives preparedness is figuring out ahead of time what you will do when a storm looms in the Gulf of Mexico. Do you live by the coast? Is your house able to withstand ferocious wind speeds? Do you have kids? Pets?
The Houston-Galveston Area Council has an evacuation map that should clarify what you should do if you’re on the fence. And, if your area is under a mandatory evacuation from local authorities, heed the warning. Just go.
Houston-area evacuation map. Graphic courtesy of HGAC.
I’m going to go.
Let us just say—great idea.
But, now that you’re going to get out, you need a personal plan of action. Also helpful—a list of items that would be good to grab-and-go during an evacuation. Find out more with Johnson’s Hurricane Brochure, which contains resources relevant to your individual situation (such as road closures and water levels).
I’m going to stay.
Maybe your situation lends itself to staying versus the complication of evacuating. Again, the Hurricane Brochure can help. It has a list of items every family should have as part of a comprehensive disaster preparedness kit, as well as numbers and websites to have on hand for after the storm. Stock up now. Things like bottled water and kitty litter will be as valuable as gold the days before a storm makes landfall.
Pro tip: Every time you go to the grocery store, pick up a few extra items, like non-perishable foods, batteries and bottled water, so that you don’t have to be in a panic to obtain what is most sought after as a storm threatens.
But what about my job?
Johnson’s senior leaders would be the first to say that what matters most is the safety of you and your family. However, many people—especially those who have evacuated and have access to electricity and a stellar Wi-Fi connection—can work remotely if a hurricane disrupts life as we usually know it. Click for “work from anywhere” toolkits from the Information Resources Directorate that address how to set up a remote workstation and telework securely. Not on-site? Click here instead.
Pro tip: It’s beneficial to get your remote work situation locked down before a storm approaches. Test your capabilities well in advance of having to use them.
Was this all TL;DR? Save this article to your bookmarks or remember this one thing: http://jscsos.com/
Catherine Ragin Williams
NASA Johnson Space Center
Hurricane Harvey as observed by the Expedition 52 crew aboard the International Space Station. Image Credit: NASA
Heavy rains pummel Johnson Space Center during Harvey's massive rainfall event.