Getting Ready for School and Emergencies

Ready GA is urging parents to get ready for school...and emergencies. Here are some tips from their blog...

As summer is quickly winding down, parents, teachers and students are making checklists and rounding up all of their necessary items for going back-to-school. But back-to-school preparation should involve more than just new clothes, textbooks and classroom supplies. Now is also the perfect time to update Ready kits, discuss emergency preparedness with children and add school emergency information to family communications plans.

• When shopping for school supplies, pick up items for your Ready kit as well. Use the supply checklist on the Ready Georgia mobile app to keep track of which items you need to stock.
• Mark your calendar for a family evacuation drill. It’s easy to put off this important emergency preparedness step indefinitely, but setting a reminder on your phone or putting it on the family calendar will help make sure you get it done.
• Your family may not be together when a disaster strikes, so it’s important to make a plan to reconnect. Fill out an emergency contact card and put it in your child’s backpack. The family communications plan template on the Ready Georgia website includes wallet cards you can use for this purpose.

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July 31st is National Heat Stroke Prevention Day

Don’t think heatstroke could happen to your child? It only takes a few minutes for a car to heat up and become deadly to a child. See how it happens in this video.

Top Tips

Reduce the number of deaths from heatstroke by remembering to ACT.

A: Avoid heatstroke-related injury and death by never leaving your child alone in a car, not even for a minute. And make sure to keep your car locked when you’re not in it so kids don’t get in on their own.

C: Create reminders by putting something in the back of your car next to your child such as a briefcase, a purse or a cell phone that is needed at your final destination. This is especially important if you’re not following your normal routine.

T: Take action. If you see a child alone in a car, call 911. Emergency personnel want you to call. They are trained to respond to these situations. One call could save a life.

Learn More

Learn more about heatstroke and other areas of safety in and around cars, including car seat safety, booster seat safety and seat belt safety; driveway safety; how to avoid getting trapped in the trunk; and how to prepare teens and preteens for driving before they get behind the wheel.

Metro Atlanta Events for August 2014

August 9th - 17th: Downtown Restaurant Week

August 14th: Brad Paisley: Country Nation World Tour at Aaron's Amphitheatre at Lakewood

August 15th & 16th: Atlanta BBQ Festival at Atlantic Station

August 17th: Mary Poppins Sing Along at the Fox Theatre Atlanta

August 16th & 17th: Piedmont Park Arts Festival

August 23rd & 24th: Grant Park Summer Shade Festival

August 29th - 31st: Sky High Hot Air Balloon Festival at Callaway Gardens

August 28th: Aerosmith: Let Rock Rule at Philips Arena

SLEEP...How to Get Enough.

“… Sufficient sleep is not a luxury—it is a necessity—and should be thought of as a vital sign of good health.” - Wayne H. Giles, MD, MS, Director, Division of Population Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

No doubt about it, sleep is important. It effects our health, our relationships and nearly everything we do.

So how can you get a good night's rest? Here are some tips from the CDC...

• Go to bed at the same time each night, and rise at the same time each morning.
• Sleep in a quiet, dark, and relaxing environment, which is neither too hot nor too cold.
• Make your bed comfortable and use it only for sleeping and not for other activities, such as reading, watching TV, or listening to music.
• Remove all TVs, computers, and other "gadgets" from the bedroom.
• Avoid large meals before bedtime.

Playground Safety Tips

Here are some great tips about playground safety from SafeKids.org:

Falls are the most common type of playground injury, accounting for more than 75 percent of all playground-related injuries. Lack of or improper supervision is associated with approximately 45 percent of playground-related injuries.

• Actively supervise children on playgrounds.
• Take your kids to playgrounds with shock-absorbing surfaces such as rubber, synthetic turf, sand, pea gravel, wood chips or mulch. If your child falls, the landing will be more cushioned than on asphalt, concrete, grass or dirt.
• Dress appropriately for the playground. Remove necklaces, purses, scarves or clothing with drawstrings that can get caught on equipment and pose a strangulation hazard.
• Teach children that pushing, shoving or crowding while on the playground can be dangerous.

READ MORE SAFETY TIPS

Beat the Summer Heat

Stay indoors as much as possible and limit exposure to the sun.

Stay on the lowest floor out of the sunshine if air conditioning is not available.

Spend more time in air-conditioned places.

Eat well-balanced, light, and regular meals.

Drink plenty of water.

Limit intake of alcoholic beverages.

Check on family, friends, and neighbors who do not have air conditioning and who spend much of their time alone.

Never leave children or pets alone in closed vehicles.

Avoid strenuous work during the warmest part of the day.

Know the Symptoms of Heat Exhaustion

Heat exhaustion is the body's response to an excessive loss of the water and salt, usually through excessive sweating. Workers most prone to heat exhaustion are those that are elderly, have high blood pressure, and those working in a hot environment.

Symptoms

Symptoms of heat exhaustion include:

• Heavy sweating
• Extreme weakness or fatigue
• Dizziness, confusion
• Nausea
• Clammy, moist skin
• Pale or flushed complexion
• Muscle cramps
• Slightly elevated body temperature
• Fast and shallow breathing

First Aid

Treat someone suffering from heat exhaustion with the following:

• Have them rest in a cool, shaded or air-conditioned area.
• Have them drink plenty of water or other cool, nonalcoholic beverages.
• Have them take a cool shower, bath, or sponge bath.

Metro Atlanta Events for July 2014

July 4th: Peachtree Road Race

July 5th - 6th: Atlanta Food Festival in Marietta

July 12th: Atlanta Street Food Festival in Piedmont Park

July 13th: Tim McGraw: Sundown Heaven Town Tour 2014 at Aaron's Amphitheatre at Lakewood

July 18th: KISS and Def Leppard at Aaron's Amphitheatre at Lakewood

July 18th - 26th: Georgia Mountain Fair in Hiawassee

July 25th & 26th: Luke Bryan: That's My Kind of Night Tour at Aaron's Amphitheatre at Lakewood

Do Not Leave Children in Cars

A WARNING FROM THE CDC: Do Not Leave Children in Cars

Even in cool temperatures, cars can heat up to dangerous temperatures very quickly. Even with the windows cracked open, interior temperatures can rise almost 20 degrees Fahrenheit within the first 10 minutes. Anyone left inside is at risk for serious heat-related illnesses or even death. Children who are left unattended in parked cars are at greatest risk for heat stroke, and possibly death. When traveling with children, remember to do the following:

• Never leave infants, children or pets in a parked car, even if the windows are cracked open.
• To remind yourself that a child is in the car, keep a stuffed animal in the car seat. When the child is buckled in, place the stuffed animal in the front with the driver.
• When leaving your car, check to be sure everyone is out of the car. Do not overlook any children who have fallen asleep in the car.

READ MORE HOT WEATHER TIPS FROM THE CDC

Helping Your Pets After a Disaster

Here is a great article from Fema.gov on how to help your pets after a disaster...

Following a disaster, familiar scents and landmarks may be altered. Pets may become confused and lost, so it is critical to maintain close contact with and leash pets when they go outside. Also, snakes and other potentially dangerous animals displaced by the disaster may have migrated into the area (especially after flooding). In addition, downed power lines can also be a hazard for people and their pets.

Similar to children and adults, disaster-related stress may change a pet’s behavior. Normally quiet and friendly pets may become aggressive or defensive. Watch your animals closely, and be cautious around other animals – even pets you know. If you evacuate, take your pets with you!

If you are unable to take your pets with you, place them in a fenced yard with access to shelter, food and water. Contact local emergency management for information regarding availability of emergency shelters for pets.

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