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According to recent information from FEMA, Matthew is a major hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale with sustained
winds near 145 miles per hour (MPH) and while some fluctuations in intensity
are possible during the next couple of days, this storm is expected to remain a
powerful hurricane. According to the National Hurricane Center, the current forecast
models for impact to the United States vary greatly from direct landfall to
remaining offshore along the East Coast.
The How to Prepare for a Hurricane guide from
America’s PrepareAthon! outlines step you can take today to protect
yourself and your property before a hurricane hits, including:
- Know
your community’s local hurricane evacuation plan and identify several
escape routes from your location in case roads are blocked;
- If you
plan to evacuate by car, keep your car fueled and in good condition and be
sure to keep emergency supplies and a change of clothes in your vehicle;
- If you
will need to use public transportation, contact your local government
emergency management agency to ask how an evacuation will work, how you
will get current information during an evacuation, and the location of
staging areas;
- Stay
away from water, shorelines, areas that are prone to flooding, and low
land areas that may be dry but prone to flash flooding;
- Listen
to alerts and warnings and be prepared to get to high ground immediately
if there is a flash flood;
- Never
walk or drive through floodwaters: Turn Around, Don’t Drown!;
- If you
are not in an evacuation zone or flood area, know where to shelter for high winds and be prepared with
sufficient supplies to remain on high ground until flooding in nearby
areas subsides;
- Waterproof
your home’s basement and elevate critical utilities such as electrical
panels and heating systems; and
- If
it’s safe to do, plan to bring inside or anchor any items that might be
blown away and become projectiles in high winds. Anchor outdoor grills, fuel
tanks, and other items that are not safe to bring inside.
To learn more about preparing for hurricanes, check out “When the Waves Swell†from America’s PrepareAthon! and
download the FEMA mobile app which will give you real-time weather
updates and alerts. Be sure to share with family, friends, and neighbors.
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October 9-15, 2016 is Fire Prevention Week. This
year’s theme is “Don’t Wait – Check the Date! Replace smoke alarms every 10
years.†According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), it’s important to
remember that smoke alarms do not last forever. Check the manufacture date on
the back of your alarms. If it is older than 10 years, replace the alarm
because the sensors become less sensitive.
Take the time during Fire Prevention Week to test
your smoke alarms. Make sure you have an alarm on every level of your home,
inside and outside each sleeping area, and in the basement.
Sit down
with everyone in your home and discuss your home fire escape plan. As you make
this plan, consider the following questions:
- Does everyone know two ways out of each room,
in case one way is blocked by fire?
- Can everyone get themselves out alone?
- Does anyone in your home need assistance to
get out quickly? If so, who will help them?
- Do you have a meeting place outside your home?
Once you have developed a home fire escape
plan, practice it to be sure everyone can get out safely!
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At 10:20 a.m.
on October 20, 2016, millions of
people will practice Drop,
Cover, and Hold On
during
Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills held worldwide. Many people and organizations
will also practice other aspects of their emergency plans.
Last year, more than 43 million people participated
in ShakeOut. Most held their drills
on International ShakeOut Day, the third Thursday of October each year. Visit ShakeOut.org to learn more
and register your participation
today!
What you do now determines how well you can survive
and recover later. Watch this video
from America’s PrepareAthon! to learn more about earthquake safety.
You can also support ShakeOut on social media
by participating in their Thunderclap on October 20 at 10:00 a.m. EDT. To join
in, go to the ShakeOut Thunderclap and
agree to post a one-time message on Facebook, Twitter, or Tumblr promoting the
earthquake drill.
According
to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), influenza
(also known as the flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by flu
viruses. While seasonal flu viruses can be detected year-round in the United
States, flu viruses are most common during the fall and winter. The exact
timing and duration of flu seasons can vary, but influenza activity often
begins to increase in October.
People who have the flu often experience
some or all of these symptoms:
- Cough;
- Sore
throat;
- Runny
or stuffy nose;
- Muscle
or body aches;
- Headaches;
- Fatigue;
or
- Fever
(It’s important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever.)
Having the flu can make you miss work,
school, or spend time in the hospital. The CDC recommends the following preventive measures to stay healthy this flu season,
including:
-
Get a flu
vaccine. The
CDC recommends getting a flu vaccine as the first and most important step in
protecting against flu viruses. Everyone 6 months of age or older should get a
flu vaccine by the end of October, if possible. Vaccination of high-risk persons is especially important to decrease their risk of
severe flu illness; and
-
Take daily
actions to stop the spread of germs. If you are sick with flu-like illness,
the CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is
gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. Cover your nose and
mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Wash your hands often with soap
and water.
Help
family and friends stay flu safe this season, too! Share important health
messages with them using these interactive CDC e-cards.
October
is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, which raises
awareness about cybersecurity. This annual campaign is designed to engage and
educate public and private sector partners through events and initiatives,
provide them with tools and resources needed to stay safe online, and increase
the resiliency of the Nation in the event of a cyber incident.
Each
week has a theme:
- Week
1 (October 3 –7): Every Day Steps Towards Online Safety with
Stop.Think.Connect.
- Week
2 (October 10 – 14): Cyber from the Break Room to the Board Room
- Week
3 (October 17 – 21): Recognizing and Combatting Cybercrime
-
Week
4 (October 24 – 28): Our Continuously Connected Lives: What’s Your ‘App’-titude?
- Week
5 (October 31): Building Resilience in Critical Infrastructure
Visit
the Resource page to find more information and how you can get
involved.
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 [email protected].
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