September is National Preparedness Month

X Flooding is a temporary overflowing of water onto land that is normally dry. Flooding may happen with only a few inches of water, or it may cover a house to the rooftop. There are many possible causes of floods including heavy rain, coastal storms and storm surge, waterway overflow from being blocked with debris, or overflow of levees, dams, or waste water systems. Flooding can occur slowly over many days or happen very quickly with little or no warning, called flash floods. 

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/floods

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Wildfire

• Regularly clean the roof and gutters.
• Maintain an area approximately 30’ away from you home that is free of anything that will burn, such as wood piles, dried leaves, newspapers and other brush.
• Connect garden hoses long enough to reach any area of the home and fill garbage cans, tubs, or other large containers with water.
• Review your homeowner's insurance policy and also prepare/update a list of your home's contents.

 

Fire Weather

• Turn on your TV/radio. You’ll get the latest weather updates and emergency instructions.
• Know where to go. If you are ordered to evacuate, know the route to take and have plan of where you will go. Check-in with your friends and family.
• Keep your car fueled, in good condition, and stocked with emergency supplies and a change of clothes.

Drought

Conserve water

Take shorter showers.

• Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving.
• Run the washer less frequently and only when you have a full load.
• Water your lawn less frequently and do so when the temperature is cooler in the early morning or late evening.
• When you run the tap to heat or cool water, keep a pitcher to store the water and use it to water plants.
• Avoid washing your car.

Practice fire prevention

• Don't set off fireworks when conditions are dry.
• Deposit cigarette butts in the proper receptacle to avoid starting a
• Pour water over camp fires and backyard fire pits to ensure they are completely out before leaving them unattended.

Follow directions from local officials. If there are restrictions on water usage, be sure to heed them.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/wildfires and https://www.ready.gov/drought 

 

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Typhoons/Hurricanes are massive storm systems that form over the water and move toward land. Threats from typhoons/hurricanes include high winds, heavy rainfall, storm surge, coastal and inland flooding, and rip currents. 

“Hurricanes” form in the Atlantic Northeast Pacific region and “Typhoons” form in the Northwest Pacific Region. These large storms are call cyclones in other parts of the world. 

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes. 

X Hazardous materials come in the form of explosives, flammable and combustible substances, poisons and radioactive materials. Hazards can occur during production, storage, transportation, use, or disposal. You and your community are at risk if a chemical is used unsafely or released in harmful amounts in the environement where you live, work or play. 

Visit our page, specific to Rad/Nuc, WMD and HazMat Preparedness

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Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Definition of Terrorism

Under Section 2 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002:

The term ‘‘terrorism’’ means any activity that— (A) involves an act that— (i) is dangerous to human life or potentially destructive of critical infrastructure or key resources; and (ii) is a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State or other subdivision of the United States; and (B) appears to be intended— (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping.

To learn more, visit https://www.dhs.gov/topic/preventing-terrorism and https://www.dhs.gov/national-terrorism-advisory-system

X Tsunamis, also known as seismic waves (mistakenly called “tidal waves”), are a series of enormous waves created by an underwater disturbance such as an earthquake, landslide, volcanic eruption, or meteorite. Earthquake-induced movement of the ocean floor most often generate tsunamis. If a major earthquake or landslide occurs close to shore, the first wave in a series could reach the beach in a few minutes, even before a warning is issued.

 To learn more, visit our Tsunami Page and https://www.ready.gov/tsunamis.