Fireworks are Fire Hazards!
Independence Day is right around the corner! Many people celebrate the holiday with friends and family by going to a parade, having a BBQ or seeing some fireworks! But just because this holiday is a celebration of our freedom doesn't mean that we are completely free from heat and fireworks hazards!
Keep in mind that, while fireworks can be beautiful and exciting, they can also pose a risk if handled incorrectly. Start your firework education here with this quiz to see how versed you are in handling fireworks. Next, study the following safety tips to ensure your holiday remains a happy and jubilant occasion:
- Observe local laws and use good common sense;
- Use fireworks OUTDOORS in a clear area AWAY from buildings and vehicles;
- Wear safety glasses whenever using fireworks; and
- Always have water nearby if you are shooting fireworks.
Additionally, don't forget that Independence Day occurs during the hottest time of year, so make sure you stay hydrated and keep out of the sun during times when the heat is most intense! For heat hazard prevention tips, visit http://www.ready.gov/heat and for more information on fireworks safety visit http://fireworkssafety.org/?p=329 .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Summer Brings Change
Now that summer is here and the kids are out of school, it's a great time to update your family communication plan . When disaster strikes, the first thing on your to-do list will be connecting with your family. Keeping your family safe is always the number one priority.
Schools may be changing, or daycare may become a factor during the summer. A possible change in job location or possibly even moving means that updating your family communication plan is a must.
In the event of a disaster, make sure you've updated information like:
- Out-of-Town Contacts;
- Neighborhood Contacts and Meeting Place;
- Work and School Information, including evacuation sites; and
- Personal information, including important medical information.
Make sure that the information for your out-of-state safe point is still accurate. If you have moved, or your out-of-state point contact has moved, this information may need updating. In a disaster situation, he/she can communicate to others that you and your family are safe. Add this person to your cell phone contacts as “ICE” (in case of emergency).
Subscribe to disaster warnings, updates, and alert notifications from America's PrepareAthon! to help ensure that you and your family are ready for disasters well ahead of time.
Once you have updated your communication plan, go over it again with your family. Even if it hasn't changed, it never hurts to practice and be even more prepared for a disaster.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Boy Scouts Accomplish Preparedness!
Boy Scouts of America's (BSA) Camp Naish has been hard at work helping the scouts earn their Emergency Preparedness Merit Badges! Close to 400 Scouts, scoutmasters and parents were lively and interactive during a recent FEMA Region VII presentation.
The Kansas campers were introduced to the preparedness objectives of America's PrepareAthon! as well as shown the ropes on how to properly perform and plan tornado drills. With the recently constructed FEMA-rated tornado shelters in place at Camp Naish, it was imperative that all the campers knew how to make proper use of them!
But it wasn't just hard work and tornado drills, lots of fun was had by all. The FEMA Region VII presentation activities included:
- BSA/Department of Homeland Security Emergency Preparedness Awards;
- Introduction to teen Community Emergency Response Training (CERT);
- Summary of America's PrepareAthon!; and
- Tornado drill exercises.
Parents, scouts and scoutmasters alike were all attentive throughout the presentations. Camp staff plans to further preparedness by incorporating the programs into their merit badge classes!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Take Action, Learn More
Have you finished reading through the America's PrepareAthon ‘ How to Prepare ' guides? Are you looking for the next step in furthering your emergency preparedness education and disaster management training? The solution you're looking for is the Independent Study Program from the FEMA Emergency Management Institute.
The Independent Study Program offers an extensive variety of FREE online training including several that can increase your education and awareness on the same topics you've been learning about through America's PrepareAthon!: tornado, wildfire, hurricane and flooding hazards. Training options include:
It's never too late to become a major asset to your community. Take the next step in preparing yourself, your family and your community and check out all of your Independent Study Program training options on the FEMA Emergency Management Institute website!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dates for Your Calendar!
|
