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This Digest is provided by FEMA's Individual & Community Preparedness Division to highlight community preparedness and resilience resources, an important part of FEMA's mission to help people before, during, and after disasters. We're building a culture of preparedness together. |
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Individual and Community Preparedness Newsletter
Be heard…Email comments or suggestions to us at FEMA-prepare@fema.dhs.gov
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July 2019:
Summer Safety and Savings, Youth Preparedness Projects, CERTs & Ham Radio
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In This Issue: Ready Tips
CERT & Communities
Children & Disasters
Financial Preparedness
Important Dates
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Ready Tips Campfire, Fireworks, and Summer Safety
Summer is here! That means more days spent swimming, boating, grilling, sitting by campfires, and watching fireworks. It's important to enjoy all that summer has to offer while staying safe and healthy at the same time. We've compiled tips to keep in mind as you start to make summer plans.
Campfire Safety Tips
- Check with your local fire department to make sure you are permitted to arrange a campfire.
- Make sure your campfire is at least 25 feet away in all directions from any structures/objects.
- Don't set up a campfire on windy/dry days—this will decrease risk of a fire getting out of control.
- Keep a hose, bucket of water, or a shovel and dirt/sand nearby to put out a fire.
- If you catch fire, stop, drop, and roll until the fire is out.
- If you are burned, treat it immediately with cool water and cover with a clean, dry cloth. Learn when medical attention is needed and seek it if so.
Fireworks Safety Tips
- Experts recommend staying away from consumer fireworks. Go see a public fireworks show and leave the lighting to the professionals. To learn more about how they keep you safe, attend the Enjoying the Rocket's Red Glare Safely webinar on July 11.
- Watch children closely where fireworks are used.
But don't let the summer fun—or safety—end there! Click on the following links for more information on cooking, campfires, fireworks, and marina and boat safety.
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Keeping Lines of Communication Open—CERTS & Ham Radio
CERT members know that communication during an emergency is vital. Don Lewis of the Alexandria Radio Club in Virginia wants CERTs around the country to know how amateur radios can help.
Amateur radios, also known as ham radios, are useful tools. Lewis, who is trained in CERT, explained at a recent “Amateur Radio Field Day” that ham radios are more powerful than regular radios. They aren't incredibly expensive, and they have a wide range of uses. Read more...
Be Ready Business (Utah)
Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) provide many important services. For example, CBOs can be foodbanks, shelters, and daycare centers. They may also be other small and medium-sized businesses. CBOs support individuals and communities during “blue sky” days. They also play a role in disasters. Many CBOs can provide lifelines to their communities.
This month, we are highlighting Be Ready Utah's Be Ready Business. Be Ready Business helps small and medium-sized businesses prepare for emergencies. This helps them continue to provide essential services to their customers.
Be Ready Business provides a variety of services including:
- Seminars with subject matter experts
- Networking and recognition opportunities
- Business continuity trainings
- Business continuity planning development and support
- Outreach communication
- Newsletter and information pieces
- Tips through regular emails
- Facebook and Twitter posts and alerts
To find out more information about this community preparedness program, visit: https://www.utah.gov/beready/.
Correction
Our June Newsletter article about the 2019 "California for All CERT and Listos Preparedness Conference” contained an erroneous link. The link to Listos is https://listos.awareandprepare.us/aap. We regret the error.
Share Your Stories
If you have a story, event, or resource you would like to share, let us know at FEMA-prepare@fema.dhs.gov.
Register Your Event
Register your event today www.ready.gov/prepare. Whether you are hosting a Prepareathon, CERT training, or other preparedness event, be counted, get access to resources, and share with others!
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Children & Disasters
Youth Preparedness Council Members Reflect on Project Accomplishments
Introduction to Youth Preparedness Council Projects
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Youth Preparedness Council (YPC) brings together young leaders interested in disaster preparedness. They are also dedicated to their communities. YPC members meet with FEMA staff, share preparedness information, and complete preparedness projects. On July 16-17, 2019, the YPC members will attend the YPC Summit in Washington, DC. This event provides a chance to reflect on accomplishments and prepare for next year.
Over the past year, three teams of YPC members completed national-level preparedness projects. Each team focused on one of FEMA's critical missions. These include citizen responder programs, youth preparedness education, and financial preparedness. The YPC members worked together to manage the projects from start to finish. They also promoted the project's successes to the public. Read more...
Youth Preparedness Toolkit
Summer is a great time to get families talking about preparedness! The Youth Preparedness Toolkit can help families in your community feel ready. It has safety and preparedness messages you can share on your social media channels. You can either copy these messages or customize them to reach your audience.
Some key messages of the Youth Preparedness Toolkit include:
- Help families get familiar with emergency plans in their school or childcare buildings.
- Remind them to practice evacuation plans and procedures with their children.
- Teach them how and when to call important phone numbers such as 911.
For more information on the Youth Preparedness Toolkit, click here.
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Financial Preparedness
Don't Let Your Wallet Overheat!
As temperatures rise, so can utility bills. To avoid heat emergencies, it's important to keep your home at a comfortable temperature. This is especially important if you have very young or older family members, as they can be more vulnerable to extreme heat.
However, while keeping your family safe is vital, it can also be expensive to keep everyone cool. Read more...
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Important Dates
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