View of the Week (II): On Being Prepared

As communities throughout the United States are faced with WildFires, this courtesy of FEMA is critical to embrace:

APRIL 24, 2017

Prepare for Wildfire Season with Free Tools and Resources In the Path of a Tornado Volunteer to Prepare Your Community Important Dates to Remember

Prepare for Wildfire Season with Free Tools and Resources You can participate in Wildfire Community Preparedness Day, Saturday, May 6, by organizing an event to clear dried leaves and other flammable debris from your neighborhood.   Helpful tools and tips are available from the National Fire Protection Association to develop a 2017 Wildfire Community Preparedness Day activity for your community, or organization. Before starting a project, it is important to review the safety tips and safety gear, which includes properly stacking firewood and wearing safety goggles. The Preparedness Day customizable flyer  provides an opportunity to add local event information. Download the flyer, fill in your project details and start distributing today! Use this news release template to announce your community’s participation in Wildfire Community Preparedness Day. The Wildfire Community Preparedness Day logo may be used to promote local campaign efforts. Download the logo. Use the hashtag #WildfirePrepDay and share your project on Twitter. Promote involvement in your community by using these suggested pre-written Twitter and Facebook posts on your social media pages. Add the Wildfire Community Preparedness web banner to your site or event’s landing page. To learn more, visit the U.S. Fire Administration Wildfire Safety page or download the Prepareathon How to Prepare for a Wildfire guide. back to top In the Path of a Tornado This spring, learn how to prepare and react should a tornado watch or warning be issued for your area.   This April, there have been tornadoes in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington D.C. and Wisconsin. Do you know if your neighborhood is at risk for tornadoes? The tips to stay safe in a tornado are simple and easy to practice. Whether you find yourself in a building, in a vehicle or outside during a storm, Ready.gov provides the following specific actions to stay safe. In apartments, houses, small buildings or high-rises:  Go to a pre-designated area or safe room designed and built to Federal Emergency Management Agency P-361 criteria or tornado storm shelter built to ICC 500 criteria. If a safe room is not available or you are unable to move there safely, take shelter in a basement, storm cellar, or to the center of a small interior room on the lowest level (closet, interior hallway) away from corners, windows, doors, and outside walls. In a high-rise building, go to a small interior room or hallway on the lowest floor possible. In a mobile home or office: Leave immediately and go to a pre-identified location such as the lowest floor of a sturdy, nearby building or a storm shelter. Mobile homes, even if tied down, offer little protection from tornadoes. Outside with no shelter   Immediately get into a vehicle, buckle your seat belt, and try to drive to the closest sturdy shelter. Never try to outrun a tornado in urban or congested areas. Take cover in a stationary vehicle. Put the seat belt on and cover your head with your arms and a blanket, coat or another cushion if possible. Lie in an area noticeably lower than the level of the roadway and cover your head. Do not get under an overpass or bridge. For more information, visit the Ready.gov Tornadoes page and download the Prepareathon How to Prepare for a Tornado guide. back to top Volunteer to Prepare Your Community Volunteering in your community is a rewarding experience for both yourself and those you are assisting.  April 23-29, is National Volunteer Week. You can find volunteer opportunities or start your own project. Serve.gov offers resources to help you organize a group and be a positive addition to a community-based organization, or, if such an organization does not exist, to be a well-organized independently-run group that fills a gap in the community. Get started by reviewing these tips: Identify Local Partners Build A Team Set Goals Serve Your Community Celebrate Success Then, share your project and what you learn by telling your story at Serve.gov or on social media with the hashtag #iServe.