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This Citizen Corps News Digest is provided by FEMA's Individual & Community Preparedness Division to highlight community preparedness and resilience resources and activities recently announced by federal agencies and Citizen Corps partners. |
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DHS -FEMA Updates
Be heard…Email comments or suggestions to us at cert@dhs.gov
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With the summer months upon us, now is the time to learn about the dangers of heatstroke and being trapped in a hot car. Learn how the temperature outside may affect the temperature inside your vehicle.
Heatstroke is dangerous and can be deadly. Never leave children, pets, or older adults unattended in a parked car.
Use the following life saving tips from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to remind yourself and others to check the back seat before walking away from a vehicle. Children mistakenly being left in hot vehicles make up many of the tragedies reported each year.
- Look Before You Lock. Get into the routine of always checking the back seat of your vehicle before you lock it and walk away.
- A Gentle Reminder. Keep a stuffed animal or other memento in your child's car seat when it is empty, and move it to the front seat as a visual reminder when your child is in the back seat. Alternatively, place your phone, briefcase, or purse in the back seat when traveling with your child.
- A Routine Check . If someone else is driving your child, or you alter your daily routine, always check to make sure your child has arrived safely.
- A Key to Safety. You know to keep your vehicle locked, but also keep your keys out of reach; nearly 3 in 10 heatstroke deaths happen when an unattended child gains access to a vehicle.
Learn more extreme heat preparedness at www.ready.gov/heat . If you would like to help spread the word about extreme heat safety, visit the Extreme Heat Social Media Toolkit for resources. Download the FEMA App for heat advisories and safety tips. |
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Age matters when it comes to your smoke alarms. If your alarm is ten years old, or older, it is time for a replacement.
Properly installed and maintained smoke alarms play a vital role in saving lives and reducing fire-related injuries. Consider these U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) statistics:
- Three out of five home fire deaths result from fires in properties without working smoke alarms .
- More than one-third (38 percent) of home fire deaths result from fires in which no smoke alarms are present.
- The risk of dying in a home fire is cut in half in homes with working smoke alarms.
Plan ahead. Protect yourself and your loved ones in case of a fire. The USFA recommends the following:
- Install smoke alarms on every level of your home.
- Set up smoke alarms inside and outside of all sleeping areas.
- If an individual is deaf or hard of hearing, use a smoke alarm with a bed shaker or strobe light.
- Test your smoke alarms at least once a month.
- Replace the entire smoke alarm every 10 years.
- Ensure all members of your household know the sound or alert of the alarm.
For additional information on fire protection, visit the USFA website. |
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Beat the heat during the summer months and take steps to prepare for extreme heat. Summertime heatwaves often cause power outages that can affect your neighborhood.
Learning to prepare for power outages this summer is easy and the Ready Campaign offers the following tips:
- Make sure you have alternative charging methods for your phone or any device that requires power.
- Learn about the emergency plans in your area and visit your State's website to locate the closest cooling center.
- Build or restock your emergency preparedness kit , and include food, water, prescription medicines, flashlight, batteries, hearing aid batteries, cash, copies of important financial documents, and first aid supplies.
- Be prepared to stay cool if the power is off for a long time by going to a movie theater, shopping mall, or library that has air conditioning.
For more information on these and other tips regarding preparing for power outages this summer, visit www.ready.gov/power-outages . |
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The Atlantic hurricane season began on June 1, and there is no better time to get ready than now. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) encourages residents and businesses across the nation to prepare by understanding their risk, planning together for the entire family, and downloading the FEMA App.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center seasonal outlook for 2017 states that the Atlantic could see an above-normal hurricane season this year. The full seasonal forecast is linked at www.noaa.gov/media-release/above-normal-atlantic-hurricane-season-is-most-likely-year .
Both hurricanes and tropical systems have the potential to cause serious damage to coastal and inland areas. Their hazards could come in many forms including storm surge, heavy rainfall, coastal and inland flooding, high winds, and tornadoes.
“The time to prepare for hurricanes and tropical storms is now, before a threat even exists,” said FEMA Acting Administrator Robert J. Fenton, Jr. “We want people who live in coastal and nearby inland areas to know where they can get reliable information; prepare their home and workplace ahead of time; know if they live in an evacuation zone and be familiar with evacuation routes. Knowing what to do and practicing your plan now can make the difference between life and death if a hurricane or tropical storm does strike.”
There is a lot of information available to help individuals and communities prepare:
- Know Your Risk : Residents should learn what types of natural disasters are common in their state . NOAA's historical hurricane tracks tool provides information on the severity and frequency of past hurricanes.
- Learn Your Flood Risk : Flooding is the nation's most frequent and costly natural disaster. Go to FloodSmart.gov and learn how to protect your home or business. Purchase a flood insurance policy if you do not already have one.
- Make A Plan : Residents should speak with their family today about how they will communicate with each other during a significant weather event when they may not be together, or during an evacuation order.
- Download the FEMA App : The FEMA App contains important information on what to do before, during, and after a hurricane. The App also allows users to receive weather alerts from NOAA's National Weather Service, includes lifesaving safety tips, and provides access to disaster resources should survivors need them. The App is available in the Apple App store or the Google Play store , and is also available in Spanish .
- Know your evacuation zone : Evacuation zones are areas that may be impacted by hurricane flooding. Many communities designate evacuation zones and routes to get citizens to safety. This information is typically found on the websites of state, county, or town emergency management offices. If a hurricane threatens a community and local officials say it's time to evacuate, residents should evacuate immediately. Do not wait for the next forecast.
While much attention is often given to the Atlantic hurricane season, there are tropical systems that can affect many other areas around the nation. To learn more about hurricane seasons in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, visit www.hurricanes.gov . To learn more on how to prepare before, during, and after a hurricane, visit www.ready.gov .
Additional tips and resources:
If you have any questions, please contact FEMA's Intergovernmental Affairs Division at (202) 646-3444 or at FEMA-IGA@fema.dhs.gov .
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The Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and members of the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters along with other partners offer resources to assist faith-based and community organizations with their efforts to prepare for all types of hazards, whether natural or human-caused. This webinar will highlight federal resources and partners to help community and faith leaders improve the safety and security of their facilities.
Title: Resources, Partners and Tips to Help Keep Your Office, House of Worship, or Community Center Safe
Date: Tuesday, June 13
Time: 2 – 3:30 p.m. EDT
How to Join the Webinar:
We hope to that you will be able to join us on June 13!
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Disclaimer: The reader recognizes that the federal government provides links and informational data on various disaster preparedness resources and events and does not endorse any non-federal events, entities, organizations, services or products. Please let us know about other events and services for individual and community preparedness that could be included in future newsletters by contacting: citizencorps@dhs.gov
About FEMA
FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate's activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.
The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications. |
