Emergency Operations Plan

Local Hazards

All communities are subject to natural and man-made disasters and should take steps to identify and plan for those incidents that are most likely to occur. In the past, the main threats to the Town of Strasburg have been weather related. It is recommended that citizens prepare a family disaster plan based on the identified threats, they should keep enough supplies to last at least three days. Citizens need to realize that government services are often interrupted during major disasters. As a result they should be prepared to survive without these services for a minimum of three days.

While actual occurrences are rare, the main hazards identified as possible threats to the Town of Strasburg are:

Winter storms, especially ice storms/freezing rain—Major problems include power outages and hazardous streets due to ice buildup.
Straight line winds and tornadoes—Hazards include down trees and electric lines, structural damage to buildings, blowing objects and debris blocking the streets.
Transportation crashes/accidents—Like most communities Strasburg has major highways and rail services passing within the Town of Strasburg resulting in accidents that can cause highways to be blocked and possibly shut down for an amount of time.
Thunderstorms—Lightning and flooding of low areas are possible during these events.

Family Disaster Planning

Information relating to family disaster planning can be obtained from Virginia Department of Emergency Management and Federal Emergency Management Agency. It is recommended that families prepare disaster kits which include the following supplies:

A three-day supply of water and food that will not spoil
One change, footwear, blanket or sleeping bag per person
A first aid kit that includes the family’s medications
Emergency tools including a battery-powered radio, flashlight and extra batteries
Sanitation supplies
Special items for infant, elderly or disabled family members
Emergency contact numbers