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Crime

Residential Security

Review some common-sense and relatively inexpensive methods of securing your residence from intrusion by clicking on this link.  Residential Security Precautions

Critters

Vibrio - Small Creature...Deadly Punch

Warning!  Scraping barnacles off your boat can be dangerous to your health, as can handling crabs, sharp edges of crab pots or scraping your shins on a dock.  Vibrio or vibrio vulnificus for scientific purists is a particularly nasty germ that inhabits the waters of the Chesapeake.  It can be passed to humans through eating raw shellfish, or through an open wound and exposure to it can result in the loss of a limb or death.  According to the Center for Disease Control, the fatality rate if it gets into your bloodstream is approximately 50 percent.  At least two Mallard Bay residents have had brushes with it, one of whom spent four days in the hospital as a result.

If you do experience an open wound, particularly one that has been contaminated with river mud, wash it immediately with hydrogen peroxide and, if during the next 24 hours, you experience swelling and pain, go immediately to a hospital emergency room, preferably one like Rappahannock Hospital in Kilmarnock, where they are familiar with the infection.

Copperhead Snakes

On the evening of August 28, 2008, a guest of a Mallard Bay resident killed a copperhead snake on the road opposite 14 Bufflehead Court and killed two more on Saturday, August 30 on the property at 283 Canvasback Lane.  Speculation is that a logging operation in the vicinity drove the snakes in our direction.

Another Mallard Bay resident killed two copperheads the year before on her waterfront property on Canvasback Lane.

According to copperhead-snake.com, which contains a thorough description and photos of the snakes, their habitats, behavior and threat to humans and pets,  "Copperhead snakes are pit vipers or crotalids; poisonous snakes that are named for the two heat sensing pits used to locate prey that are positioned between the eyes and the nostrils."  The accompanying photo came from that website.

Joggers and people walking their dogs at night should be on the lookout.

Severe Weather

Property owners are encouraged to think seriously about how they will deal with the next severe storm.  General guidance is available from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management website.  It will give you, among other things, information on preparing a Disaster Supply Kit and a checklist of things to consider in an emergency.

You should print out the page you’re reading now as well as any other sources you find useful and keep them in your Disaster Supply Kit.  Do it NOW as you will probably not have internet service during a storm.  

Know the Difference

A Hurricane WATCH means hurricane conditions are possible in the watch area, usually within 36 hours.

A Hurricane WARNING means hurricane conditions are expected in the warning area, usually within 24 hours.

Specific Guidance for Mallard Bay Property Owners

If local authorities order evacuation, do so.  Your life is worth far more than any property you leave behind.

If no evacuation has been ordered, and you plan to sit out the storm in Mallard Bay:

Contact Property Manager Dolf Wais or Sam McKinney and advise them of your plans.  They will maintain a list of people actually on site during a storm and serve as points of contact for information.  This list is very important as it will enable them to:

Avoid wasting time attempting to contact people who are not in Mallard Bay.

Know for whom they and rescue personnel should look in the event of a catastrophe.

Know who is here in the event they need to request assistance.

Be prepared for requests from Dolf and Sam to assist in securing property of neighbors who are not on-site.

If you have a boat in the water, consider removing it.

Keep cell phones charged.

Insure your house is equipped with at least one wired telephone instrument.  Even if there is an electrical power failure, this phone is powered from the telephone line and might continue to function.

Keep Dolf and Sam advised of conditions including water levels, downed trees and electric lines, damage to buildings and medical emergencies.

Monitor local radio stations.  Service will depend on availability of electrical power to the transmitter.

101.7 - Bay FM, Kilmarnock

104.9 – WIGO, White Stone

105.5 – WRAR, Tappahannock - In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Isabel, this was the only local station on the air.

88.9 – WCVE, PBS Heathsville

If you plan NOT to be resident during the storm:

Contact Dolf Wais or Sam McKinney with requests for assistance in securing your house or boat.

After the storm, contact Dolf or Sam for information on damage.

During and after the storm the Mallard Bay web page will provide up-to-date information if possible, but don’t count on it.  Internet connectivity is usually an early casualty of rain and wind.

Useful Link

Virginia Department of Emergency Management

Power Outage

Northern Neck Electric Cooperative published the following article in the October 2008 issue of "Cooperative Living" Magazine.  It's worth reading and keeping at hand in the likely event of a power failure.

Northern Neck Electric Cooperative’s mission is to provide safe, reliable, electric service to our members. Severe weather and catastrophic events can disable the electric distribution system, interrupting the delivery of electricity to your home. Prepare now for an unexpected power outage.

Advance Preparation

Keep alternative sources of light on hand such as flashlights and batteries. 

Have at least one telephone that does not depend on electricity to operate (most cordless phones will not work without electricity).

Stock your pantry with non-perishable food items that do not need to be cooked and a manually operated can opener.

Make sure to have a supply of water on hand for drinking, cooking or flushing toilets. The general rule is one gallon of water per person per day.

Rotate your emergency supplies every six months to keep them fresh.

Keep bandages, disinfectant, and necessary medications on hand.

Have a portable radio with a fresh supply of batteries.

If Your Power Does Go Out

First check the fuse box or circuit breaker panel in your home to deter­mine if there is a problem in your home's electrical system.

If the problem is outside your house, call NNECs outage line 24 hours a day at 866-663-2688 to report the power outage.

Downed Power Line Safety

Weather and automobile accidents are the main causes of downed power lines. Stay away and warn others to stay clear of downed power lines. Downed power lines do not have to spark, arc, dance or move, or hum to be dangerous - the line can carry an electric current strong enough to cause serious injury or even death.

If you see a downed power line, move away from the line and anything touch­ing it. Call NNEC at 866-663-2688.

The proper method to move away from the downed line is to shuffle away in small steps, keeping your feet together and on the ground at all times.

If someone is in direct or indirect con­tact with the downed line, do not touch the person. Call 911.

Do not try to move a downed line or anything in contact with the line by using another object such as a broom or a stick.

Do not drive over downed power lines.

If you are in an automobile that is in contact with a downed line, stay in the vehicle.  Honk your horn for help but tell others to stay away from the vehicle. Call 911 if you have a cell phone, or have a passerby call.

Life-Support Members

If you or someone in your home uses life-support equipment that requires electricity to operate, please let NNEC know. A letter from your physician is required. NNEC keeps a list of all members who depend on electricity for life support. Have a back-up plan by identifying a loca­tion with emergency power capabilities. You may choose to relocate to a relative's or friend's house with electric power.

Generator Safety

Many customer-members have installed emergency standby generators to provide back-up power during outages. A properly installed generator can provide hours of comfort while NNEC line crews work to restore power. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns that potential hazards from using generators are: (1) carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning from the toxic engine exhaust; and (2) electrocution from improperly connecting the generator to your home's electrical wiring system.  An improperly installed generator can cause damage to your home or injury or death to a family member or an NNEC employee working to restore your electric service.  If not properly connected, the generator could energize the lines the NNEC crews are repairing. Avoid injury or death to your family, friends, and the employees of NNEC by following these guidelines:

To Avoid Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning

Never use a generator inside your home or in attached garages.

Only operate the generator outdoors in a dry area away from air intakes to the home. Set the generator on a firm, level surface.

To Avoid Electrocution

Always read and follow the guidelines in your generator's operation manual. Know everything about operating your generator such as how to 

For portable generators, plug individual appliances that have their own outdoor­rated power cords directly to the recep­tacle outlet of the generator. If you use an extension cord, use an outdoor-rated extension cord having the sufficient wire gauge to handle the electrical load.

DO NOT plug the generator into any of your home's wall outlets or receptacles - this could backfeed power into NNECs power system and energize the transformer serving your house. This poses an electrocution hazard for NNEC line crews and your neighbors, who may not know the lines are energized.

Never modify a generator in any way.

Do not operate more appliances and equipment than the output rating of the generator.

Always turn off a a portable generator before filling it with gasoline.

Never store gasoline in the home.  Gasoline, kerosene and other flammable liquids should be stored outside of  living areas in properly labeled, non-glass safety containers.

Flammable liquids should not be stored in a garage if a fuel-burning appliance is in the garage.  The vapor from gasoline can travel invisibly along theshut the generator off quickly in case of an emergency. ground and be ignited by pilot lights or arcs caused by activating electric switches.

If connecting the generator into the house wiring is necessary, have a qualified electrician install a transfer switch.

 

 

                                    This page was last updated:  Wednesday, April 15, 2009