Be Ready for the Next Winter Storm with a Family Emergency Communication Plan #OKice

The holidays offer a great time to develop an emergency communication plan with your family. Knowing how to stay in touch with them in the event of a storm will give you peace of mind. Check out the Prepareathon™ Winter Storm page with free tools, tips, and resources to help you prepare. Planning starts with these three steps: Collect – Create a paper copy of the contact information for your family. Also, include other important contacts, such as medical facilities, doctors, schools, or service providers. Share – Make sure everyone carries a copy. If you complete your Family Emergency Communication Plan online at ready.gov/make-a-plan, you can print it onto a wallet-sized card. You should also post a copy in a central location in your home, such as your refrigerator or family bulletin board. Practice – Have regular household meetings to review and practice your plan.  Watch this video to learn more about preparing for a winter storm. You can also download the Federal Emergency Management Agency's How to Prepare for a Winter Storm Guide.

FEMA’s Winter Preparedness Guide #OKice

With winter in full swing, prepare for storms of ice, snow, and bitter cold. This year, the Federal Emergency Management Agency released an updated How to Prepare for a Winter Storm Guide. The guide includes a preparedness checklist, tips to stay healthy and warm, and a winter weather check for your car. There are also actions to protect your home and reduce property damage. Share how to prepare for, stay safe during, and recover from a winter storm on your website or social media account. Download the guide today: How to Prepare for a Winter Storm Guide Visit the Prepareathon™ website for more winter preparedness resources.

The ABCs of Back to School Preparedness

With school bells ringing across the Nation, it is time for parents and guardians to get familiar with the emergency plan at your child’s school or daycare. Much like individuals and families, schools and daycare providers should all have site-specific emergency plans. If you are a parent or guardian, it is important to make sure your child’s school or daycare has a plan to ensure his or her safety during an emergency.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) outline steps as easy as ABC to keep your child safe at school or daycare:  Ask how you will reunite with your child in an emergency or evacuation. Bring extra medication, special foods, or supplies that your child might need. Complete a backpack contact information card. If your child has an access or functional need, be sure to meet with a school official to discuss plans for how the school will provide for his or her safety. For more information about emergency preparedness for parents, educators, and kids, visit www.ready.gov/kids. Parents, guardians, and teachers can also use the Children and Youth Preparedness Social Media Toolkit to share safety messages on their social media networks.

Stay Safe While Enjoying Fireworks #OKfire

The Fourth of July is approaching, and that means barbeques and fireworks! Many people love seeing the bright colors fly through the night air, but it is important to keep in mind that fireworks are explosives, and only professionals should handle them. A study by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) shows that more than 200 people, on average, go to the emergency room every day with fireworks-related injuries in July close to the Independence Day holiday. Follow these tips to prevent injury from fireworks: Attend fireworks displays and leave the lighting to the professionals. Do not try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not fully ignited. Keep sparklers away from children. They can burn at temperatures about 2,000 degrees - hot enough to melt some metals. For more information on fireworks safety, check out the CPSC Fireworks page.

Create a Pet Emergency Kit

National Pet Preparedness Month is in full swing and with summer heating up and hurricane season underway, there is no better time to learn how to keep your pets safe in the event of severe weather. Prepare your pets now for hurricanes, extreme heat, and other hazards by creating a pet emergency kit. Get started by following these tips from the Ready Campaign: Food: Keep at least three days of food in an airtight, waterproof container. First aid kit: Talk to your veterinarian about what is most appropriate for your pet’s emergency medical needs. Most kits should include cotton bandage rolls, bandage tape and scissors; antibiotic ointment; flea and tick prevention supplies; latex gloves; isopropyl alcohol; and saline solution. Include a pet first aid reference book as well. Collar with ID tag, harness or leash: Your pet should wear a collar with a vaccinations tag and identification at all times. Include a backup leash, collar and ID tag in your pet’s emergency supply kit. Familiar items: Put favorite toys, treats, or bedding in your kit. Familiar items can help reduce stress for your pet. Your pets cannot prepare for an emergency, but you can. Find additional information for preparing your pets in the Pet Owners Fact Sheet.

Travel Safely this Summer

Are you ready for your summer vacation? Whether planning a road trip or traveling abroad, stay prepared for emergencies with information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Department of State, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Ready Campaign, and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Please consider the following tips: Create a Communication Plan to stay in contact with friends and family. Download the FEMA App. Review the Travelers’ Health information from the CDC. Before driving, click through the NHTSA’s Summer Driving Tips. If traveling abroad, use the Traveler’s Checklist from the State Department. When flying, follow the TSA's Airport Security Tips. To learn more about emergency preparedness, visit www.ready.gov.

Prepare for Severe Summer Weather

Summer brings warm weather, beach days, and fun in the sun, but you should prepare for possible severe weather. This includes extreme heat, hurricanes, lightning, and wildfires. Prepare your family for summer weather hazards while at home or traveling with information from the National Weather Service and the Ready Campaign. Learn how to prepare and respond to the hazards most common during the summer by clicking any of the links below: Extreme Heat Floods Hurricanes Lightning Rip Currents/Beach Hazards Wildfires Find additional flood, hurricane, tornado, and wildfire preparedness information on the Prepareathon website.

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.