Keep your costumes, decorations, and treats safe for a Happy Halloween.

Follow these tips from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission  and the U.S Fire Administration :

• Look for flame-resistant costumes with bright colors or trimmed with reflective tape to make them more visible to drivers.
• Carry brightly colored trick-or-treat bags or bags decorated with reflective tape. 
• Use flameless candles or glow sticks for jack-o'-lanterns and other decorations.
• Decorations like cornstalks and crepe paper catch fire easily. Keep exits clear of these items.
• Make sure children's masks include eyeholes big enough to see through to avoid injury and nose holes for proper breathing.

Find additional information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Halloween Safety page. 

The fourth week of  National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM), October 23-27, encourages students and job seekers to explore cybersecurity careers. You can get started now with the resources below.

• CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service Program : Provides scholarships for college students in cyber-related fields. In exchange, students commit to work for the government.
• National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies :  Provides a list of cybersecurity training in the U.S. 
• The Federal Virtual Training Environment  ): Provides free, on-demand access to cybersecurity training for federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial government employees and veterans.
• Middle and High school cybersecurity curricula : Provides free cybersecurity curricula and workshops for middle and high school teachers across the country.

To learn more about cybersecurity education and career development, visit  www.dhs.gov/topic/cybersecurity-education-career-development . To learn more about cybersecurity careers at DHS, visit  www.dhs.gov/homeland-security-careers/dhs-cybersecurity .

Wildfires  have hit the Western United States recently and may continue, so prepare yourself and your family.

Wildfires can occur anywhere, any time of the year. They destroy homes, businesses, and natural resources. Review the Prepareathon ™  How to Prepare for a Wildfire Guide to begin preparing for a wildfire.

• Watch the Federal Emergency Management Agency's wildfire video – When the Fire Starts .
• Determine if your insurance policy includes enough coverage for your property.
• 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.

For more information, visit Ready.gov or the U. S. Fire Administration's Wildfire Page: https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/outreach/wildfire.html .

Even though tsunamis do not happen often, it remains important to prepare if you live, work, or plan to visit a coastal area.

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), a tsunami is one of the most powerful and destructive natural forces. It consists of a series of waves that move outward in all directions and can travel across entire oceans. Large earthquakes below or near the ocean floor cause most tsunamis, but landslides, volcanic activity, certain types of weather, and near earth objects (e.g., asteroids, comets) can also cause tsunamis.

Follow these NWS tips to prepare for a tsunami:

• Learn about your risk with tsunami hazard or evacuation zones , past tsunami data , or contact your local NWS Weather Forecast Office .
• Find multiple ways to receive warnings, including a NOAA Weather Radio , and local alerts and warnings . Also, verify with your service provider that mobile devices receive wireless emergency alerts .
• Make an emergency plan that includes family communication .
• Map out evacuation routes to safe places on high ground or inland. The community may have evacuation routes and meeting places. Find out if the community is TsunamiReady .
• Put together a disaster supplies kit with items you and your family ( including pets ) may need in an emergency. Prepare kits for work and cars, too.

For more information, visit the NWS Tsunami Safety page and the Ready.gov Tsunamis page.

On Tuesday, October 31 at 2 p.m. ET, join the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for a webinar to honor the preparedness efforts of the 2017 FEMA Individual and Community Preparedness (ICP) Award winners and learn about their programs.

FEMA will host the webinar with the awardees to generate conversation, share ideas, insights, and experiences. Winners will provide models of preparedness programs to help others take similar actions in their community.

The FEMA ICP Awards highlight innovative local practices and achievements of individuals, communities, and organizations throughout the country that made outstanding contributions to prepare their community. 

A list of the FEMA ICP Awards recipients and the honorable mentions for each category is available at www.ready.gov/awards .

How to Join the Webinar:

• Please register for the event https://icpd.adobeconnect.com/awards20171/event/registration.html using the Adobe Connect registration web link.
• Be sure to test your Adobe Connect connection prior to the meeting.
• This webinar will offer captioning.

We hope that you will be able to join us on October 31!