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Plan and prepare for this incredible experience! Being prepared is easy if you have a plan. Two top considerations are: PACK YOUR PATIENCE AND FILL YOUR TANK!
- Plan for and pack your vehicle with the needs of everyone travelling with you. Update your vehicle’s emergency kit. Understand that your travel home may be impacted by heavy traffic or a detour to another destination (museum, park…). Plan ahead with extra medication, batteries, blankets, change of clothing, chargers, snacks and water. Plan for the need of young children and pets. If a member has special medical needs be sure to account for that in the planning efforts.
- Have a family communication plan when attending any large gathering, to ensure you know where to meet up if you get separated from friends or family. Make sure children have identification with your contact number with them in case you are separated.
- Pre-plan your route. Know your destination in advance and where you plan to safely park. Do not pull off the side of a roadway to view the eclipse. Do not park on privately owned land unless arrangements have been made with the owner of the property. Paper travel maps are a great item to have.
- Monitor the weather forecast prior to traveling. Download the FEMA App to receive weather alerts for areas you’ll be visiting.
- Bring plenty of sunscreen, mosquito repellant, rain gear; the weather may change quickly.
- Never leave children or pets alone in closed vehicles. Plan for your children and pets during your trip.
- Understand cell service may have disruptions due to high volumes of usage.
Visit www.ready.gov for more safety tips, and for help creating a family communication plan. For more on how to view the eclipse safely, refer to this Health Alert issued by Tompkins County Whole Health.
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Spring weather can be unpredictable. When severe weather hits unexpectedly, the risk of injury and weather-related death increases, so planning makes sense. Thunderstorms cause most of the severe spring weather. They can bring lightning, tornadoes, and flooding. Whenever warm, moist air collides with cool, dry air, thunderstorms can occur.
Find more spring weather safety information from the National Weather Service here.
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The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation reminds residents that the annual statewide ban on residential brush burning is in effect through May 14th. Since 2009, DEC has enforced the annual brush burning ban to help prevent wildfires. Learn more here.
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 NYS Annual Burn Ban is in effect through May 14th.
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We are incredibly proud of the work of our emergency services dispatchers! Here's what one local resident had to say when he experienced a medical emergency at his home: "My wife found me unresponsive, and when she called 911, the dispatcher calmly guided her through life-saving measures, instructing her to start CPR. This instruction was enough to help my wife through her panic and assist me. If it were not for the dispatcher's instruction, I could have died. As a retired law enforcement officer, I was for many years a part of the life-saving efforts of my community. Being on the receiving end gives me a whole new appreciation for the work you all continue to do."
The Tompkins County Emergency Communications Center
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Tompkins County's new Rapid Medical Response program is expected to "go live" in April. The EMS program will utilize three vehicles and 10 Paramedics or EMT's to respond to 911 calls in underserved areas of the County. The team is led by EMS Program Manager Joe Milliman and includes Derric Ashley-Vanduser, Kimberly Beckley, Joe Doeing, Kaitlin Gorton, Michael Howell, Chris Jordan, Dan Leonard, Tristan Warner, and Ellen Woods. |
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Residents are encouraged to participate in two preparedness training opportunities in May. The National Weather Service Binghamton Office will lead a Basic SKYWARN spotter course on Wednesday, May 8th at 6:30pm at the Department of Emergency Response (92 Brown Rd, Ithaca). The class offers an overview of different types of severe weather, what to report, and how to report it. Register here. |
On Thursday, May 16th the Tompkins County Public Library in Ithaca will host a Citizen Preparedness Corps training. The course provides an introduction to responding to a natural or human-caused disaster, including how to properly develop family emergency plans and stock up on emergency supplies. The class is free to attend, but pre-registration is required. |
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This email newsletter is not an emergency notification system. To sign up for emergency alerts based on your location, visit the link below:
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