Prepare for Flash Flooding

Flash floods happen quickly; it is important to recognize whether or not you live in an area prone to flash flooding and how you can prepare in advance. According to the National Weather Service, the causes of flash flooding include heavy rain, ice or debris jams, and levee or dam failure. These floods exhibit a rapid rise of water over low-lying areas. In some cases, flooding may even occur away from where heavy rain initially fell. Follow these tips from Ready.gov to make sure you, your family, and your home are prepared for a flash flood: Know your flood risk. Make a flood emergency plan. Consider buying flood insurance. Familiarize yourself with local emergency plans. Know where to go and how to get there should you need to get to higher ground, the highest level of a building, or to evacuate. Stay tuned to your phone alerts, TV, or radio for weather updates, emergency instructions, or evacuation orders. For more flood safety information, download Prepareathon’s How to Prepare for a Flood guide.

Is the “Invisible Killer” in Your Home? #OKfire

Carbon monoxide (CO) is the “invisible killer” because it is a colorless, odorless, and poisonous gas. According to the U.S. Fire Administration(USFA), more than 150 people in the United States die every year from accidental nonfire-related CO poisoning from household products, like generators. Other products include faulty, improperly-used or incorrectly-vented, fuel-burning appliances such as furnaces, stoves, water heaters, and fireplaces. Breathe easy this winter and avoid CO poisoning with these USFA tips: Install and maintain CO alarms in a central location outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of your home to provide an early warning of CO. Use portable generators outdoors in well-ventilated areas away from all doors, windows, and vents. Make sure vents for the dryer, furnace, stove, and fireplace are clear of snow and other debris. Learn the symptoms of CO poisoning and other CO safety information on the USFA Carbon Monoxide Safety page.

Stay Safe: Wildfires Can Happen Anywhere, Anytime #OKfire

With several active wildfires affecting the Western United States, it is important to know how to stay safe with information and resources from Prepareathon™. Wildfires can happen anywhere in the country and at any time of year. If you see a wildfire approaching, call 911 to report the fire. Do not assume that someone else reported it and follow these tips from Prepareathon’s How to Prepare for a Wildfire Guide: Stay informed with local alerts and warnings, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Wireless Emergency Alerts, or a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Weather Radio. Remove flammable items, such as firewood piles and portable propane tanks, within 30 feet of all structures. Remove dry or dead vegetation from up to 100 feet around your home. Learn and practice evacuation routes from your home or business to a safe area. Add these routes to your family emergency communication plan. The best action to protect yourself and your family is to evacuate early.  If ordered to evacuate: Leave immediately. Help firefighters, if there is time before you leave. Some of the things to help include closing up the house and leaving lights on for visibility, as well as moving flammable materials to the center of the home, away from windows. You can also leave hoses connected to a water source, so they are available for the fire department. Text SHELTER and your ZIP code (e.g., SHELTER 20472) to 43362 (4FEMA) to find the nearest shelter in your area. Follow local media for more information on shelters. If trapped in your home: Call 9-1-1 and provide your location, if possible. Please be aware that during a major event such as a wildfire, emergency services may be overwhelmed, and a response may be delayed or impossible. Turn on the lights to increase the visibility of your home in heavy smoke. Keep doors, windows, vents, and fire screens closed. Keep your doors unlocked. Move flammable materials (e.g., curtains, furniture) away from windows and sliding glass doors. Fill sinks and tubs with water to assist in dousing small smoldering fires, which may pop up. Stay inside, away from outside walls and windows. For more information on wildfire safety, review Prepareathon’s How to Prepare for a Wildfire guide, or watch the When the Fire Starts video. You can also read about California’s use of FEMA’s Wireless Emergency Alerts during the recent wildfires.

Prepare to Apply for a Wildfire Community Preparedness Day Award #OKfire

Protect your community from wildfire. Apply for a $500 Wildfire Community Preparedness Day grant through the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Wildfire Community Preparedness Day, Saturday, May 5, 2018,  encourages communities to work together to address their wildfire risk. From January 8 through March 2, 2018, NFPA welcomes applications for one of 150 funding awards. Develop a plan now to work with with partners and identify wildfire risks in your community. NFPA’s Firewise USA site has resources you can use to understand your risk. To view past projects, visit the 2017 Success Stories. For more information on wildfire preparedness, visit the U.S. Fire Administration’s Wildfire page.