Fire & Severe Weather Safety Better Safe...than sorry

WHAT TO KNOW AND WHAT TO DO FIRE WHAT TO KNOW AND WHAT TO DO

THE BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF FIRE To protect yourself, it is important to know the basic characteristics of fire. Fire spreads quickly! There is no time to gather valuables or make phone calls. It only takes 2 minutes for a fire to become life-threatening. It only takes 5 minutes for a residence to be engulfed in flames. Fire is hot! Heat & smoke from fire can be more dangerous than the flames Inhaling the hot air can sear your lungs Fire produces poisonous gases that make you disoriented and drowsy Asphyxiation is the leading cause of fire deaths, exceeding burns by 3-1. Fire is dark! Fire quickly produces black smoke and complete darkness. If you wake up to a fire, you may be blinded, disoriented and unable to find your way around the home you’ve lived in for years! ONLY WHEN YOU KNOW THE TRUE NATURE OF FIRE CAN WE PROTECT FAMILIES, CONSUMERS AND OURSELVES

FIRE SAFETY FOR YOUR HOME, AND THEIRS! Test windows and doors to ensure that you have a easy way out. If possible, find 2 ways out of every room Have smoke detectors on every floor and in every bedroom. Check batteries monthly. If it beeps without smoke, that’s an indicator that the battery needs changed Purchase Safety Ladders (if upstairs) and flashlights for each room. (see comments) Always sleep with your bedroom door closed. It will keep deadly smoke & heat out of your room. It also gives you more time to escape. Practice your escape route with everyone in the household. If they stay overnight, they should know the plan for escape. Practice feeling your way out of the house in the dark or with your eyes closed. Feel a door before opening. If it’s hot, get out another way. STOP….DROP….AND ROLL! Have a safe meeting place for the whole family. This way, you’ll know who’s safe and who may need help. Call 911 when you make it to safety. Seek medical help if needed, and don’t go into the home until the fire authorities says it’s safe. Your Consumer’s home: Test windows and doors to ensure that you have a easy way out. If they live in an apartment building, learn the plan of escape, and review it with your consumer. In these situations, you may need to assist your consumer out of their home. Stay calm, know what to do, and you will make it through. If your consumer lives in a home, check to see if they have smoke detectors on every floor and in every bedroom. If not, let them know. Check batteries regularly, and if they need to be changed, let the consumer know. Tell them it’s a good idea to sleep with their bedroom door closed (smoke can kill before fire!). If they like sleeping like that, make sure they have a plan in place for escape. STOP….DROP….AND ROLL! Have a safe meeting place. Call 911 when you make it to safety. Make sure your consumer(and yourself) gets immediate medical attention (if needed). Contact your Team Leader to make them aware. Collapsible ladders should be evaluated by a nationally recognized laboratory, like Underwriters Laboratory (UL) Windows and doors with security bars must have quick release devices to allow them to be opened immediately in an emergency. Make sure everyone in the family understands and practices how to properly operate and open locked or barred doors and windows. Also, teach children not to hide from firefighters. They’re there to help, not harm. Smoke alarms should be replaced at least every 8-10 years. Never disable a smoke alarm while cooking! Instead, open a window or door and press the “hush” button, wave a towel at the alarm to clear the air, or move the entire alarm several feet away from the location.

EXTREME HEAT

THE BASICS ON EXTREME HEAT HEAT KILLS BY PUSHING THE HUMAN BODY BEYOND IT’S LIMITS. IN EXTREME HEAT AND HIGH HUMIDITY, EVAPORATION IS SLOWED AND THE BODY MUST WORK EXTRA HARD TO MAINTAIN A NORMAL TEMPERATURE MOST HEAT DISORDERS OCCUR BECAUSE THE VICTIM HAS BEEN OVEREXPOSED TO HEAT OR HAS OVER-EXERCISED FOR HIS/HER AGE AND PHYSICAL CONDITION OLDER ADULTS, YOUNG CHILDREN AND THOSE WHO ARE SICK OR OVERWEIGHT ARE MORE LIKELY TO FALL VICTIM TO EXTREME HEAT CONDITIONS THAT MAY BRING ON HEAT RELATED ILLNESSES STAGNANT ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS AND POOR AIR QUALITY (see comments) Urban areas (the city) may be at greater risk to heat waves than those who live in rural areas (farmland) Asphalt and concrete store heat longer and gradually release heat at night,which can produce higher nighttime temps. HEAT WAVE - A HEAT WAVE IS AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF EXTREME HEAT, AND IS OFTEN ACCOMPANIED BY HIGH HUMIDITY. HEAT WAVES CAN BE DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING FOR PEOPLE WHO DON’T TAKE THE PROPER PRECAUTIONS Atmospheric conditions under which pollutants build up faster than the atmosphere can disperse them

PREPARATIONS FOR EXTREME HEAT Install window air conditioners snugly and insulate if necessary Check air conditioning ducts for proper insulation Install temporary window reflectors (between windows and drapes) to reflect heat back outside Weather strip doors and sills to keep cool air in Cover windows that receive morning or afternoon sun with drapes, shades or awnings. These can reduce the heat that enters a home by 80% Keep storm windows up all year Listen to local weather forecasts and stay aware of upcoming temperature changes HERE ARE SOME DEFINITIONS OF TERMS THAT YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF: HEAT WAVE - Prolonged period of excessive heat, often combined with excessive humidity HEAT CRAMPS - Muscular pains and spasms due to heavy exertion Heat cramps are often the first signal that the body is having trouble with the heat HEAT EXHAUSTION - Blood flow to the skin increases, causing blood flow to decrease to the vital organs. This results in a form of mild shock. If not treated, this condition will worsen. Body temperature will keep rising and you may suffer heat stroke HEAT STROKE - The body’s temperature control system that produces sweat to cool the body stops working. The body temperature can rise so high that brain damage and death may result if the body is not cooled quickly SUNSTROKE is another name for HEAT STROKE

PREPARATIONS FOR EXTREME HEAT….cont WHAT YOU SHOULD DO IF THE WEATHER IS EXTREMELY HOT: NEVER leave children or pets alone in closed vehicles Stay indoors as much as possible and limit exposure to the sun Stay on the lowest floor out of the sun if air conditioning is not available Postpone outdoor games and activities Spend the warmest part of the day in public buildings like libraries, schools, movie theaters, shopping malls and other community facilities Eat well-balanced, light and regular meals. Avoid using salt tablets unless directed to do so by a physician Drink plenty of water even if you don’t feel thirsty. Avoid drinks with caffeine. Limit intake of alcoholic beverages Dress in loose fitting, lightweight, and light-colored clothes that cover as much skin as possible. Avoid dark colors because they absorb the sun's rays Avoid strenuous work during the warmest part of the day. If it can’t be avoided, take frequent breaks.

THUNDERSTORMS & LIGHTNING

THE BASICS ON THUNDERSTORMS & LIGHTNING All thunderstorms are dangerous Every thunderstorm produces lightning. Lightning is one of the top 3 storm-related killers in the US Other associated dangers of thunderstorms include tornadoes, strong winds, hail and flash flooding Thunderstorms typically produce heavy rain for a brief period, anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour Warm, humid conditions are highly favorable for thunderstorm development Lightning often strikes outside of heavy rain and may occur as far as 10 miles away from the rainfall