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Extreme Heat and Summer Safety
As communities continue their phased re-openings in light of COVID-19, please continue to follow the safety guidelines to prevent the spread, and don’t forget to prepare for the extreme heat that summer can bring, too.
Remember:
- Extreme heat events can happen anywhere and may occur quickly and without warning.
- Older adults, children, and sick or overweight individuals are disproportionately affected by extreme heat events.
- Humidity increases the feeling of heat as measured by a heat index.
- Exposing yourself to the sun or temperatures higher than 77 degrees Fahrenheit does not protect you from COVID-19.
- Never leave children, adults, or pets in a closed car.
The following tips below can help you beat the heat:
- Stay cool indoors by using air conditioning, if possible.
- Contact your non-emergency hotline for assistance finding a cooling center. While at cooling centers, be sure to maintain social distancing, avoid gathering in groups, and wear a cloth face covering to slow the spread of COVID-19.
- During extreme heat events, choose a cloth face covering that has breathable fabric, such as cotton, instead of polyester.
- Avoid strenuous and high-energy activities.
- If you’re outside, find shade. Wear a hat wide enough to protect your face.
- Wear loose, lightweight, and light-colored clothing.
- Check on family members and neighbors by phone or text to maintain social distancing and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
- Know the signs of heat-related illness like heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke.
- Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated. If you or someone you care for is on a special diet, ask a doctor how best to accommodate it.
- Do not use electric fans when the temperature outside is more than 95 degrees. Using fans could increase the risk of heat-related illness. Fans create air flow and a false sense of comfort, but do not reduce body temperature.
Finally, if you are traveling, be sure to research what local rules are in place to slow the spread of COVID-19. They may affect your plans. To learn more about how to protect yourself from extreme heat, check out FEMA’s Extreme Heat Information Sheet.
We hope you enjoy your summer while staying healthy and safe!
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CERT Volunteers of All Ages Assist During the Pandemic
As of late June, Clay County, West Virginia, had 10 COVID-19 cases: eight recovered, and one death among its 9,000 residents.
The county’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Executive Director, Aiden Taylor, notes his team’s prevention work for ensuring these numbers are not higher. They helped coordinate making and donating more than 1,000 face coverings. The team also set up a hotline for seniors to call if they need food, have questions, or need someone to check on their well-being.
Taylor founded the Clay County CERT in 2019 and has been busy training and directing the team’s 15 members and dozens of community volunteers ever since. Read more...
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Community Organizations Prepare for Hurricanes During COVID-19
This year’s hurricane season promises to be an active one, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). With the Nation still under COVID-19 guidance, people may need to adjust their emergency planning. This is something that has not gone unnoticed by many community-based organizations (CBOs) across the United States.
NOAA predicts a 60 percent chance of an above-normal hurricane season, with 13 to 19 named storms. Six to 10 of these storms will be hurricanes, with three to six becoming major events. FEMA has offered new guidance to both emergency workers and residents on planning for hurricanes.
Residents need to have enough food, water, and other supplies for every member of the family to last at least 72 hours. In addition, FEMA recommends adding two cloth face coverings per family member, and cleaning items, like soap, hand sanitizer, and disinfecting wipes, to an emergency kit. After a hurricane, access to these supplies may be limited. Read more...
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Help Protect Your Family Members: Develop an Emergency Plan
According to the 2019 National Household Survey (NHS), 51 percent of respondents with one child made an emergency plan. Those who did not have children or who had two or more children weren’t as likely to make an emergency plan. If a disaster strikes, there is a chance that members of your family may be in different locations. To protect your family before a disaster occurs, take time to develop a plan with those in your household. To learn more, check out the 2019 NHS results here.
Webinar — Language Access Resources Webinar
Please join FEMA Region II on Tuesday, July 14, 2020, from noon to 1:00 p.m. ET for a webinar about language diversity in the United States and the importance of providing clear strategic messages in the areas of preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation. In addition, the Office of Equal Rights will cover the legal framework of implementing Limited English Proficiency during a disaster. To register, click here.
Webinar—Hurricane Readiness for Emergency Managers (English and Spanish)
Please join FEMA Region II for a webinar on hurricane readiness and preparedness for emergency managers. This session will provide a brief overview of hurricane hazards, forecast products, and resources for hurricane planning and response. These webinars are available in English and Spanish:
- English: Wednesday, July 29, 2020, from 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. ET. To register, click here.
- Spanish: Wednesday, August 5, 2020, from 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. ET. To register, click here.
The Continuous Improvement Process: How Your Organization Can Document Lessons Learned From COVID-19
On Thursday, June 4, 2020, FEMA Region II held a webinar where guest speakers from FEMA discussed the Continuous Improvement Process. Speakers highlighted how to prepare for and facilitate an After-Action Review. Click here to view the recorded session.
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Webinar — Community Assets Mapping
Join FEMA Region II on Wednesday, July 8, 2020, from noon to 1:00 p.m. ET and hear from Keith Adams. Adams is the executive director of New Jersey Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NJVOAD). He will discuss how to identify community assets and resources that can be used to meet community needs and to strengthen the community. To register, please click here.
Webinar — Cyber Security and Other Scams Targeting Small Businesses (English and Spanish)
Often, after a disaster, small businesses become targets for fraudulent scams claiming to provide assistance. Please join FEMA Region II and hear the Federal Trade Commission discuss the types of scams to avoid and how to avoid them. These webinars are available in English and Spanish:
- English: Wednesday, July 22, 2020, from Noon to 1:00 p.m. ET. To register, click here.
- Spanish: Thursday, July 23, 2020, from Noon to 1:00 p.m. ET To register, click here.
Animal Emergency Preparedness: Physical and Psychological Planning for Your Pet During Natural Disasters
On Wednesday, June 3, 2020, FEMA Region II held a webinar about planning and caring for your pets during emergencies. Lindsay Mehrkam, Director of the Human-Animal Wellness Collaboratory, discussed how you can prepare your pets for disasters. Click here to view the recorded session.
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Summer Fun for Kids in the Era of COVID-19
While many kids have finished virtual classes and assignments for this school year, COVID-19 may be changing their summer plans. With many camps and other typical summer activities either canceled or altered, you may be looking for new things to keep your kids busy. You would love to pile them in the car and take them to the mall, beach, or amusement park. But your family may be practicing social distancing, so those options may not be right for you. Good news — FEMA has free resources and activities with which you can engage your kids this summer!
Now is the perfect time to sit down with your kids and teach them about the potential hazards which may affect where you live. FEMA has developed games and other activities you can play with your kids and help them learn what to do before, during, and after a disaster or emergency. These games can be found at www.ready.gov/kids. Read more...
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Income Tax Deadline
Please note this friendly and final reminder that the deadline for filing federal taxes is July 15, 2020. Individual taxpayers who need additional time to file beyond the July 15 deadline can request a filing extension by filing Form 4868 through their tax professional, through their tax software, or by using the Free File program on the Internal Revenue Service website.
Coping with a Changing Financial Picture
As COVID-19 continues to affect many people across the country, financial assistance organizations have stepped up to provide help where it’s needed. Finding employment, paying bills, and buying necessities have become challenging for many, as people find themselves in different situations as a result of the pandemic.
When one woman suddenly found herself unable to rely on her income to pay her mortgage, her lender referred her to GreenPath Financial Wellness. GreenPath is a national nonprofit group that provides financial counseling and education through offices in more than 50 locations across the country.
“We helped her to understand the implications of the relief options and look at her total financial picture to better manage her credit payments and other obligations. This guidance reduced her uncertainty and gave her a path forward to obtain the best mortgage relief options,” said Jeremy Lark, senior manager of client services at GreenPath. Read more...
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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
FEMA-prepare@fema.dhs.gov.
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