Past Tips
October is a great time to check your home’s potential fire hazards. Because of our ongoing commitment to your family’s safety, we will be posting a daily reminder on how you and your family can "Be Red Cross Ready." While many of us have taken steps to become more informed or built a kit, these reminders will help you and your family take additional steps that can increase your ability to respond and recover quicker should a disaster or other emergency impact you. Now is a great time to update your supplies kit, prepare for the upcoming flu season and winter. Please check back daily.
Saturday, October 31st Tip of the Day
Home Health Care Providers have a special role within disaster preparedness planning. These caregivers have the responsibility to prepare for themselves and those who are dependent upon them. The Department of Homeland Security offers special advice for these people. Preparedness Planning for Home Health Care Providers
Friday, October 30th Tip of the Day
People need blood. It’s a simple fact that even kids know. So why don’t more people donate their blood? And who can give blood? And does it hurt? Read up on the Red Cross Blood Program here and consider saving a couple lives with just one donation. Click Here
Thursday, October 29th Tip of the Day
The 2009 Influenza season is predicted to be pretty severe. There are many ways to minimize your risk of catching the bug. Come see our Red Cross ways to keep healthy! Click Here
Wednesday, October 28th Tip of the Day
Believe it or not, your potted plants can be a fire hazard! Some potting soil contains fertilizer that acts as an oxidizing agent; as it breaks down, it may generate heat, then fire. The larger danger comes with mixing potting soil and cigarettes. Discarding a cigarette in a potted plant can lead to a fire, even hours later. But there’s no need to throw out your posies-just keep them well-watered and don’t use them as ashtrays! Take a look at this news article about thousands of dollars worth of damage done by potted plant fires. http://www.cleveland.com/sunstar/news/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1239282422100230.xml&coll=4
Tuesday, October 27th Tip of the Day
Halloween is just a few days away! You’ve got the candy, the costumes and the pumpkins but do you have the tips to keep your ghouls and goblins safe? Have a look at the Red Cross’ “Lucky 13” tips for ways to keep your crew Halloween safe!
Lucky Tips Here
Monday, October 26th Tip of the Day
As the weather starts to cool, 1/3 of Americans turn to their fireplaces and wood stoves to keep warm. These can be efficient ways of heating your house but come with some dangers. Before you build that roaring fire this fall, check out these tips from the U.S. Fire Administration. http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/citizens/all_citizens/home_fire_prev/heating/fireplace.shtm
Sunday, October 25th Tip of the Day
How do you safely extinguish different types of fires? Fire extinguishers are categorized by the type of fire they will put out. Type A extinguishers to stop wood, paper and fabric fires. Type B’s are used to extinguish grease, oil, gasoline, petroleum and other flammable liquid fires. Type C’s are used to extinguish electrical fires. Or use a Type ABC for extinguishing all three types of fires. Fire Extinguisher 101 can teach you more. http://www.fire-extinguisher101.com/index.html
Saturday, October 24th Tip of the Day
Storing flammable items safely is important-especially because they can SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUST! We checked it out with our local fire marshal who said that items like rags soaked with oil or cleaning supplies need to dry in a well-ventilated room, and then be washed. Never keep flammable liquids or stacks of newspapers in a room with pilot light or close to hot light bulbs. As materials break down, they can generate heat which may lead to a fire in your home. For more information, click the link. http://www.safety.com/articles/garage-fire-prevention.html
Friday, October 23rd Tip of the Day
Safety is everyone’s business-so don’t forget to include the kids in your emergency preparedness planning. The National Fire Protection Association’s Sparky the Fire Dog offers a bunch of fun and interactive games for kids here http://www.nfpa.org/itemDetail.asp?categoryID=1803&itemID=42601&URL=Safety%20Information/For%20kids
Thursday, October 22nd Tip of the Day
If you or someone close to you has a disability or a special need, you may have to take additional steps to protect yourself and your family in an emergency. FEMA offers a guide here to keep your special need loved ones safe. You can also stop by Disability.gov for further information about personal preparedness.
http://www.fema.gov/plan/prepare/specialplans.shtm
Wednesday, October 21st Tip of the Day
PECO offers the public its safety tips to guard against electrical shocks. Check out the link to for ways to stay safe. http://www.peco.com/pecores/safety/home_energy_safety_tips.htm
Tuesday, October 20th Tip of the Day
Check out this Disaster preparedness quiz for pets from The Humane Society of the United States. In just a couple of minutes you can find out if you are prepared to evacuate safely with your pets/horses/livestock. The HSUS can even help you get your furry friends prepared if you didn’t do well on the quiz! http://www.hsus.org/hsus_field/hsus_disaster_center/resources/disaster_preparedness_quiz.html
Monday, October 19th Tip of the Day
We don’t relish it but it’s that time of year to put the grill away (get it?! Relish?!). The biggest problem is what to do with the more combustible parts of your grill. For gas grills, remember to store the propane tanks outside. Storing them inside can lead to an explosion of built up gases. Store unused charcoal in a cool, dry place because damp coal can ignite itself; use a metal pail/garbage can with tight lid and place in open space where heat can escape if self-ignition should occur. For a video on how to dismantle your grill for the winter, click here. http://www.monkeysee.com/play/1620-grilling-how-to-prepare-your-grill-for-winter
Sunday, October 18th Tip of the Day
Make emergency preparedness fun for family and friends by sending them a “Sparky Card”! These e-cards are funny and will remind those you love to get prepared now for emergencies. Safety is more fun when shared! http://www.sparkycards.org/
Saturday, October 17th Tip of the Day
During times of emergencies, people are prone to experience stress. Take care of your emotional health during and after a disaster. Click on the check list to see what symptoms you may experience and how to cope. http://www.redcross.org/www-files/Documents/pdf/Preparedness/checklists/EmotionalHealth.pdf
Friday, October 16th Tip of the Day
During large scale disasters, emergency officials may tell you to “Shelter-in-place”. Here’s how to do it: Stay calm and close and lock all windows, doors and fireplace dampers. Turn off all heating and cooling systems to keep air out. If instructed, seal doors and windows with plastic sheeting, wet rags or towels. Tune into local radio or TV stations for more information. For a diagram to help you shelter-in-place, click the link.
http://www.ready.gov/america/makeaplan/stayingput.html
Thursday, October 15th Tip of the Day
Be safe – even on vacation. There are an estimated 3,900 hotel fires in the United States each year. Ask your hotel what fire precautions they have in place and don’t forget to read the evacuation map on your hotel room door. http://www.onebag.com/popups/hotel-fires.pdf
Wednesday, October 14th Tip of the Day:
A possible Nor’easter may hit the northeast this week so get prepared now! Nor’easters can bring nuisance conditions like rain, cold, wind and snow but also dangerous conditions like flooding. Read up on Nor’easters at the link and contact your local American Red Cross for ways to prepare. http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Nor'easter
Tuesday, October 13th Tip of the Day
Each year, over 200 people die from carbon monoxide produced in the home by fuel burning appliances, including furnaces, stoves, hot water heaters and portable heaters. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless and toxic gas. Because it’s impossible to see, taste, or smell, Carbon monoxide can kill before you are aware it’s in your home. Ensure proper maintenance of these appliances with routine inspections. For more information http://www.firesafety.gov/citizens/co2/index.shtm
Monday, October 12th Tip of the Day
Is your garage stuffed with dangers? Homeowners usually store a lot of hazardous items like gasoline, oil, fertilizers, antifreeze, charcoal, pool cleaners and other chemicals in their garages. Sound like you? The Home Safety Council provides a garage full of information and a free safety checklist here. http://www.garagesafety.info/
Sunday, October 11th Tip of the Day
Extension cords are pretty handy but can start a fire if misused. Invest in the heavier gauge cords rather than “bargain” ones. Running cords under rugs or near heaters, using frayed cords and overloading cords are responsible for thousands of house fires each year. The link has more to help you choose the right extension cord for your needs. Extension Cord Safety
Saturday, October 10th Tip of the Day
We keep trying to make it easier for your family to get prepared! Click the link below to download a free Emergency Contact Card. This card will help everyone in your house to react to an emergency. Don’t wait until there’s a disaster to plan with your family. Start today! Red Cross Emergency Contact Card
Friday, October 9th Tip of the Day
At the Red Cross, we want to keep every member of your family safe, including your pets. We offer Pet First Aid classes and as you’ll read in the link, this course can actually help to save your furry friends’ lives! Red Cross Pet First Aid
Thursday, October 8th Tip of the Day
We always urge people to know what dangers are in their homes and communities. Bucks County has all the usual natural hazards like flooding, cold weather and winds but we also have over 200 facilities in Bucks County which store hazardous materials which may pose a threat to the public if accidentally released. Want to know more? Click the link for Bucks County Hazmat information and ways you can be prepared. Bucks Hazmat
Wednesday, October 7th Tip of the Day
Road emergencies are the worst! Build an emergency preparedness kit to keep in your vehicle. Find out more at Road Kit
Tuesday, October 6th Tip of the Day
For a lot of teens and tweens, babysitting is their first real job. The American Red Cross offers Babysitting courses at many chapters. The class teaches kids how to handle emergencies, care for children, write resumes and more. To learn more about this class, visit the Red Cross link. Red Cross Babysitters Course
Monday, October 5th Tip of the Day
Practice the “sleeve sneeze”! Since this flu season may be severe, use good hygiene to stay well. One of the best things you can do to stop the spread of germs is sneezing or coughing into a tissue. If you don’t have a tissue, use your sleeve. We’ll tell your mom its okay. For more, check out this funny video we found called “Why Don’t We Do it in Our Sleeves?” http://www.coughsafe.com/.
Sunday, October 4th Tip of the Day
Parents know that there are so many dangers in the world. Teach small children ways to stay safe with McGruff the Crime Dog! McGruff offers a Child Id Kit with tips, tricks and games to keep kids safe. Check it out here: http://www.mcgruff-safe-kids.com/
Saturday, October 3rd Tip of the Day
The Department of Homeland Security has released a short video titled “Recognizing the 8 Signs of Terrorism”. Learn how you can be prepared here: Recognizing the 8 Signs of Terrorism
Friday, October 2nd Tip of the Day
Ready.gov now offers military families advice on preparing for disasters. Military Family Preparedness offers military families stationed at home and abroad valuable tips for staying safe. Check it out here and share with military families you know. Military Family Preparedness
Thursday, October 1st Tip of the Day
Is your child’s school ready to handle disasters? What if flooding, fire or other disaster affected a school? Would your children be safe? FEMA offers tips for parents and teachers here: http://www.fema.gov/kids/schdizr.htm |
