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![FEMA app](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/USDHSFEMA/2016/08/970967/996774/know-before-you-go-fema-app-medium_crop.jpg)
Severe weather can strike anywhere at any time.
The
FEMA app is an essential tool to help you weather the storm,
nationwide! Receive weather alerts from the National Weather Service for up to
five different locations anywhere in the U.S.
The FEMA app has several features including safety
tips to help you learn what to do before, during, and after emergencies. You can
also prepare ahead of time with an emergency kit checklist and safety
reminders.
Nearly half a million Americans already have
the FEMA app. Are you one of them? If not, download the FEMA app for free on your
Apple or Android device today! Encourage family, friends, and colleagues to do the
same. You can use the FEMA App Social Media Toolkit to share messages,
graphics, and videos across your networks.
The FEMA app is also available in English and
Spanish.
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![college students sitting outside](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/USDHSFEMA/2016/08/970846/996697/students_crop.jpg)
Going to
college can be an exciting time for students and their parents, but it also
brings an increased level of student responsibility while at school. According
to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA),
there were 85 fatal fires in dormitories, Greek housing, and off-campus housing
from January 2000 to May 2015. These fires resulted in 118 fatalities.
Whether
on- or off- campus, it’s important for students and parents to understand fire
risks and life-saving preventive actions. There are several specific causes for
fires in college housing including cooking, candles, smoking, and overloaded
power strips.
Be fire
safe! The USFA encourages students to follow these tips, including:
- Keep your cooking area clean and free of
anything that can burn;
- Use flameless candles;
- Check for cigarette butts, especially under cushions, after a party.
- Use surge protectors or power strips that
have internal overload protection; and
- Have a fire escape
plan with two ways out of every room if you live off-campus.
Parents
can also help promote off-campus fire safety through the “See it Before You Sign It” campaign from the National Fire Protection
Association. This campaign encourages parents to help their loved ones choose
secure, fire safe housing in apartments or homes that are off-campus.
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![Heat stroke infographic](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/USDHSFEMA/2016/08/970854/996677/heat-stroke_crop.jpg)
According to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), heat stroke occurs when the body is unable to
regulate its temperature. The body's temperature rises rapidly, sweating
mechanism fails, and the body is unable to cool down.
Do you know the signs of heat stroke?
While warning signs may vary, symptoms may include:
- An
extremely high body temperature (above 103 degrees Fahrenheit);
- Red,
hot, and dry skin (no sweating);
- Rapid,
strong pulse; and
-
Dizziness.
According
to the CDC, if someone experiences signs of a heat stroke, have someone else
call for immediate medical assistance while you begin cooling the person by:
- Getting
him or her to a shady area; and/or
-
Immersing
the person in a tub of cool water, placing him or her in a cool shower, or spraying
the person with cool water from a garden hose.
Be
sure to monitor the person’s body temperature, and continue cooling efforts
until the body temperature drops to 101-102 degrees Fahrenheit. If emergency
medical personnel are delayed, call the hospital emergency room for further
instructions. Don’t give the victim fluids to drink.
If emergency treatment isn’t provided, heat
stroke can cause death or permanent disability. To learn more
about this and other heat-related illnesses, visit the CDC website.
For
questions about extreme heat safety, check out the CDC’s list of FAQs.
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Have you
heard? The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has a campaign to help
youth prepare for wildfires. According to the NFPA, more than eight million
students across the U.S. live in a community at risk for wildfire.
Youth
can play an important role in helping minimize these risks. The “Take Action” campaign has resources and projects for young adults to prepare
themselves, their families, and their neighbors with wildfire planning and
evacuation. There’s
even information about preparing pets,
too!
Get
in-the-know about wildfires! Watch NFPA’s Wildfire Facts video to learn more about this hazard. Be sure to share on your
social media channels.
You can also visit America’s PrepareAthon! for
additional wildfire
preparedness resources, including the How to Prepare
for a Wildfire guide and the Prepare Your Organization for a Wildfire playbook.
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 citizencorps@fema.dhs.gov.
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