10 Ratschläge zur Katastrophensicherheit, die Sie ignorieren sollten

Bringt dich die drohende Katastrophe dazu, nervös Lebensmittel und Munition zu horten? Nun, die gute Nachricht ist, dass ein wenig Vorbereitung viel dazu beitragen kann, Ihre Nerven zu beruhigen, wenn der große Schlag zuschlägt. Denken Sie darüber nach: Wenn Sie einen guten Plan haben, sind Sie und Ihr Eigentum viel wahrscheinlicher sicher. Wenn sich auch viele andere Leute vorbereiten, könnte das die Auswirkungen einer Katastrophe erheblich verringern und sie für alle weniger beängstigend machen. Vorbereitung ist also gut – oder doch nicht?

OK, bevor Sie in Ihren unterirdischen Bunker klettern, lassen Sie es mich erklären. Es gibt viele großartige Ratschläge zum Katastrophenschutz, die Sie unbedingt beachten sollten ( FEMA 's Ready.gov ist ein großartiger Ort, um anzufangen). Aber einige Überlebenstipps, auch solche, die vernünftig klingen, sollten am besten ignoriert werden. Das könnten Ammenmärchen sein, die sich über Jahrhunderte ihren Weg in den Bereich des Allgemeinwissens gebahnt haben. Oder sie könnten die Idee von Wissenschaftlern sein, die es im Nachhinein nach jahrzehntelangen Katastrophen bereuen würden, sie überhaupt jemals vorgeschlagen zu haben.

In jedem Fall ist es gut zu wissen, welche Ratschläge unwirksam (oder sogar schädlich) sein könnten, damit Sie sicher sein können, das Beste für Sie und Ihre Familie zu tun, wenn eine Katastrophe eintritt. Legen Sie also die Packung mit dehydrierten Lebensmitteln ab und klicken Sie sich durch unsere Liste mit Ratschlägen zur Katastrophensicherheit, die Sie ignorieren sollten.

1. Die Gummireifen Ihres Autos schützen Sie vor Blitzschlag
2. Öffnen Sie während eines Tornados ein Fenster, um den Druck auszugleichen
3. Kleben Sie ein großes "X" auf Ihr Fenster, um Schäden durch Hurrikanwinde zu reduzieren
4. Im Falle eines Erdbebens stellen Sie sich in die nächste Tür
5. Um einer Epidemie vorzubeugen, unterbrechen Sie Reisen in betroffene Länder
6. "Duck and Cover", um sich vor der nuklearen Vernichtung zu schützen
7. Die Versicherung deckt alle Schäden an Ihrem Haus und Ihrem Besitz ab
8. Geld nützt nichts, wenn es eine Katastrophe gibt
9. Im Falle einer Zombie-Apokalypse solltest du besser mächtige Waffen haben
10. Wenn Ihr Flugzeug abstürzt, gibt es nichts zu tun als zu beten

Wenn Sie in einem Luxussportwagen über die Autobahn fahren, bemerken Sie eine bedrohliche Wolke mit gelegentlichem Blitzschlag vor sich. Es sollte Ihnen gut gehen, da Sie auf erstklassigen Gummireifen sitzen, oder? Nicht unbedingt.

Autos bieten einen ziemlich guten Blitzschutz, aber das liegt nicht an den Gummireifen . Dies ist einem Prinzip zu verdanken, das als Faraday-Effekt bezeichnet wird . Sehen Sie, wenn ein Blitz in etwas wie einen dicken Kupferdraht oder ein hohles Rohr einschlägt, trägt die äußere Oberfläche den größten Teil des Stroms. Wenn ein Auto getroffen wird, bewegt sich der Strom über das Metalldach und die Seitenwände und schleudert den Bolzen um Sie herum und in den Boden. So bieten Fahrzeuge ohne eine solche Metalleinhausung, wie Cabrios, Motorräder und Fahrräder keinen Blitzschutz, selbst wenn sie Gummireifen haben. Diese Tatsache wurde 2014 auf tragische Weise demonstriert, als die Liste der 26 tödlichen Blitze einen Motorradfahrer enthielt [Quellen: National Lightning Safety Institute , National Weather Service].

Was sollten Sie also tun, wenn Sie während eines Gewitters in Ihrem Auto erwischt werden? Das National Lightning Safety Institute empfiehlt, anzuhalten und die Hände in den Schoß zu legen, bis der Sturm vorbei ist, da Dinge wie Tür- und Fenstergriffe, Radioskalen, Schalthebel und Lenkräder Strom von außen nach innen übertragen können (ein weiterer Blitztoter im Jahr 2014 war ein Mann das Schließen der Autofenster). Autos können immer noch durch einen Streik beschädigt werden, aber hoffentlich beschränkt sich der Schaden auf verbrannte Farbe oder ein durchgebranntes elektrisches System.

Katastrophenschutzratschläge sind nicht immer endgültig. Was für eine Generation schlau erscheint, kann für die nächste dumm erscheinen. Nehmen Sie den ganzen Vorschlag „Fenster öffnen während Tornados“.

Alles begann, als einige sehr intelligente Leute zu erklären versuchten, warum Tornados die Dächer von Häusern abrissen und oft Wände nach außen sprengten. Die gängige Theorie war, dass, wenn der extreme Tiefdruck in der Mitte eines Twisters ein Haus verschlingt, der höhere Druck im Inneren dazu führen würde, dass es von innen explodiert. Daher würde das Öffnen eines Fensters oder einer Tür diesen Druck ausgleichen und das Haus vor dem Platzen bewahren.

Ein Tornado von 1979 in Wichita Falls, Texas, stellte diesen Rat jedoch auf den Kopf. Ein Forscherteam, das die Verwüstung untersuchte, stellte fest, dass Häuser mit Sturmtüren und Fensterläden viel besser abschneiden als solche mit offenen Fenstern. Es war der Wind , der in die Häuser eindrang, nicht der Druck, der das Dach anhob und die Wände flachdrückte.

Aside from the faulty premise, it turns out that running around and opening windows during a tornado isn't a good idea for another reason. Flying debris is responsible for most twister-related injuries, so standing next to an opening that could potentially blast you with shards of glass and other projectiles isn't a great plan. The best advice, according to the Storm Prediction Center, is to head to an interior room on the lowest level of your house — and stay away from windows!

You see it on TV every time there's a hurricane threatening the coast: businesses and homes with giant duct-tape "X"s on their windows. But the truth is that damage from hurricane-force winds is the one problem duct tape CAN'T fix.

Hurricane preparedness brochures promoted window taping into the 1980s before experts realized that this technique might just do more harm than good. The idea was that tape could help brace windows against the effects of winds, or at the very least prevent them from shattering into a million tiny pieces. In reality, taping does nothing to strengthen windows. And sure, it might prevent tiny shards of flying glass, but it could also produce the one thing that is worse: giant shards of flying glass held together with tape!

Like many disproven disaster safety tips, this one has demonstrated remarkable resilience. A 2011 survey conducted during the buildup to Hurricane Irene found that 7 in 10 respondents taped their windows in preparation for a hurricane.

This misconception is so pervasive that the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes initiated a "Go Tapeless" campaign to warn people about the ineffectiveness and danger of window taping. Instead, they recommend installing impact-resistant windows or shutters. Even plywood works pretty well. Just not tape.

What could be more terrifying than the ground shaking beneath your feet? Probably the things that might then fall on your head! During an earthquake all kinds of objects can drop to the floor, including picture frames, bookcases and even the ceiling. So it makes sense that you should get under something sturdy. For a lot of folks, that place has always been a doorway, but this might not be the best idea.

Evidently, the doorway earned its reputation as an earthquake shelter thanks to a photograph showing a collapsed adobe home with a doorway standing defiantly above the rubble (though this "enduring" image is curiously difficult to track down). Perhaps doorways are the safest place in unreinforced adobe structures, but in modern homes they aren't necessarily any better than elsewhere in the house. They won't likely protect you from falling debris, and good luck staying upright!

So what do you do then? Earthquake safety experts are big fans of "drop, cover and hold on." When a tremor strikes, immediately drop to the floor and cover your head and neck with your arms. Don't move unless you fear falling objects. In that case, move away from exterior walls and try to crawl under a sturdy desk or table. Grab something secure and hold on until the shaking stops. Then, by all means use the doorway — to go outside and get away from damaged areas once it's safe to do so [source: Southern California Earthquake Center].

Hollywood loves a good epidemic (see "Outbreak" [1995], "The Crazies" [2010], "Contagion" [2011], etc.). They usually involve a highly contagious , fast-killing strain of some sort that forces the government to quarantine large numbers of people — healthy and sick — in an effort to stop a biological apocalypse.

In reality, experts rarely recommend such extreme measures, as demonstrated by the 2014-2015 Ebola outbreak in West Africa. While American politicians from both parties called for travel restrictions, health officials were busy explaining all the reasons why that was actually a bad idea.

For one, such restrictions really don't work. In 2009 several countries banned flights to and from Mexico in response to a swine flu outbreak, but a subsequent study found this just delayed the arrival of the virus by about three days.

Not only are travel restrictions largely ineffective, but they might even make things worse. Such limits would make it really hard to get doctors, nurses and supplies to the affected countries. They would also complicate contact tracing, in which health workers seek out and test those who have come in contact with infected individuals. People would likely cross borders anyway by avoiding airports or lying about where they came from, making it nearly impossible for officials to retrace their movements.

The best way to contain an outbreak? Stop it at the source. Not too exciting, but hey, we'll leave that to the movies.

I know what you're thinking. "Ridiculous. Everybody this side of the 1950s knows that's not going to do anything." But bear with me; there's more to it than you think.

First, a quick history lesson. At the close of World War II, the United States boasted the world's only nuclear arsenal. Then the Soviet Union successfully tested some weapons of their own in 1949. As you've probably heard, those countries didn't get along very well, so in response, the United States formed the Federal Civil Defense Administration in 1951.

As part of the agency's mission to educate the public about nuclear preparedness, the film "Duck and Cover" was born. It featured a turtle named Bert who helped show children how to duck under desks and cover their heads when they saw a bomb detonate.

Crazy, huh? Not completely. When the film came out in 1951, scientists figured the main dangers from a nuclear attack were the blast and the heat. They didn't fully understand the whole radiation thing yet. And the atomic bombs of the time, though devastating, were like firecrackers compared to the hydrogen bombs tested the next year. Given the circumstances, duck and cover made a certain amount of sense [source: Kelly].

Of course, these drills continued long after officials fully realized the effects of radiation and the power of the hydrogen bomb. But it was a scary time, and people needed to feel like they could do something — even if they might be vaporized doing it.

Have you ever read your homeowners insurance policy? Me neither. But you should probably break out the bifocals and scour the fine print, or a disaster could make you the proud owner of a costly pile of rubble.

While every policy is different, most standard policies cover losses from fire, lightning, tornadoes, windstorms, hail, explosions, smoke, vandalism and theft. Many will also reimburse you for damage caused by falling objects like tree limbs or even meteors.

This coverage accounts for a lot of potential threats, but it leaves out some big ones — namely floods and earthquakes. Insuring against these events requires additional policies and, of course, additional costs. If something did happen, though, boy, would you be glad to have them. Consider asking your agent about flood and earthquake insurance if you live in an area prone to such disasters.

Finally, it's important to understand that not all insurance is created equal. Here's one important distinction: Replacement cost coverage will reimburse you for what it actually costs to rebuild a house and replace its contents, while cash value coverage will compensate you only for the value of your property when it was damaged (minus deductibles). Also good to know: Many policies place caps on items like jewelry, computers, furs and firearms, so you might need to purchase additional coverage, called riders, to ensure those items are fully protected.

Make sure you have the proper insurance, or you might be up the river without a paddle — both literally and figuratively!

Do a quick Google search for "how to survive a disaster." There are recommendations about everything from food and water storage to weapons and communication. A favorite topic is money, with warnings about the instability of paper currency and the benefits of stockpiling gold or silver. While global economic collapse can't be completely ruled out, past experience has shown that it's highly unlikely. Even after the worst disasters, financial systems are usually back up in a matter of days or weeks.

A better plan would be to prepare for short-term interruptions. Financial experts recommend having a three-day supply of cash on hand for disasters. That way you'll be able to buy things if credit card systems are down and you don't have access to banks or ATMs . That sounds simple, but when was the last time you had enough cash for three days' worth of food, gas and lodging?

For the longer term, you'll want to have three to six months of living expenses somewhere easily accessible, like in a savings or money market account. As an extra precaution, you could put some of that money into a financial institution outside your region so it's less likely to be threatened by the same disaster. Still want silver and gold? OK, but just remember that the price fluctuates daily and unlike money in a bank, it's not insured if lost or stolen.

Plus, if worldwide disaster strikes, the main liquidity issue you'll be worried about is finding clean water to drink!

It's a dark and stormy night, and Michael Jackson's undead "Thriller" dancers are moonwalking their way toward your brain. How would you want to be armed for this disaster?

Popular culture has given many people the misconception that gruesomely powerful weapons like chainsaws and flamethrowers are the best zombie killers available. Not so, says Max Brooks, author of "The Zombie Survival Guide." Chainsaws are limited by their heavy weight, finite fuel supply, unsafe operation and zombie-attracting noise. Flamethrowers, assuming you could find one, are even heavier and run off of jellied gasoline. Where are you going to find jellied gasoline? Best leave this one for the movies.

As it turns out, the most practical weapons are a little less flashy. For close combat, try the trench spike, a short blade with a brass knuckle handle. It's perfect for braining zombies (stabbing them in the head) or at the very least knocking them down. Bolt- or lever-action rifles are a great choice for longer range strikes. The one-shot capacity makes users choose their shots wisely, saving a great deal of ammunition over showier automatic weapons. They are also easy to maintain, and bullets are widely available.

Is a zombie apocalypse likely or even possible? Probably not. But if it does happen, you're one step closer to becoming a one-man (or woman) zombie-killing machine.

You're on an airplane waiting to leave the gate. After settling into your cramped seat, you start a podcast only to be interrupted by a flight attendant holding up life vests and oxygen masks. "What's the point," you sigh to yourself. "If this plane goes down, then we're all dead anyway." You replace your earbuds and close your eyes.

But wait — maybe you should be paying a bit more attention. The survival rate in plane accidents is actually about 95.7 percent, meaning the odds are on your side, especially if you know what to do [source: NTSB].

Take Josh Peltz, a passenger on US Airways Flight 1549, which crashed into the Hudson River on Jan. 15, 2009. Seated in the exit row, Josh used the chaotic moments before impact to brush up on how to open the exit door. After hitting the water, he jumped into action, swiftly opening the door and preventing a pileup of people behind him [source: Northedge].

Aside from noting instructions printed on the plane and delivered by the flight attendant, there are other ways to improve your chances of survival. Try to sit within five rows of an emergency exit and keep your shoes on during takeoff and landing. This should help you escape quickly and safely: Most crash survivors evacuate in less than 90 seconds [source: Sherwood].

And if that doesn't make you feel better, remember: Your chance of dying in a plane crash is only 1 in 90 million! [source: Sherwood]

Originally Published: Jan 22, 2015

Author's Note: 10 Pieces of Disaster Safety Advice You Should Ignore

Writing this article led me to reflect on my own experience with disaster. When I was just 5 years old, my family and I huddled in the hallway as a tornado threatened our home in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Luckily, it hopped over us, but nearby neighborhoods were not so lucky. I remember obsessively watching the weather reports for years after this encounter. Certainly, my fear has diminished with age, thanks in no small part to a greater understanding of disasters and how to prepare for them. And yet, in researching this piece I learned even more comforting disaster safety advice. Now I know not to touch any metal on my car during a lightning storm, and not to seek shelter in a doorway for an earthquake. I don't know about you, but I'm feeling better already.

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