Get Ready

Tips for staying safe this tornado season

2013-05-24T14:51:00.000-04:00

As this week’s devastation in Oklahoma shows, tornadoes are among the most violent storms. The tornado that ripped through Moore, Okla., on May 20 left many residents injured and without homes and cost numerous lives.

Unfortunately, tornadoes can strike with little or no warning, destroying entire neighborhoods in just a few minutes. But there are some things you can do to improve your safety.

Know the signs. Tornadoes often happen during thunderstorms. You should look out for dark, greenish skies; large hail; a large, dark, low-lying cloud; a visible, rotating funnel; or a loud roar. Get to know your local warning system and keep a battery run radio ready to go. If there’s a tornado watch, listen for weather updates and be prepared to shelter. If there’s a tornado warning, it means a tornado has been sighted and you should act now to find shelter.
Prepare your home. Pick a safe room in your house that is most secure for your family and pets. Ideally, it should be underground or in the basement. If that’s not an option, then you should pick somewhere with no windows. Put together an emergency stockpile kit and store it somewhere easy to access in an emergency. And be sure to practice your drill.
Know where to go. If you're in a car, seek shelter in a sturdy building. If there is flying debris while you are driving, pull over and park. As a last resort, you can stay in your car with your seat belt on, lowering your head down below the windows and covering it with your hands and a blanket, if available. Another last resort option is to get out of your car, find a place that is noticeably lower than the level of the road and lie in it, covering your head with your hands. Your choice should be decided based on circumstances.

Check out our Get Ready tornado fact sheet for more information and get tips for preparing a safe room from Ready.gov.

‘Hey, where is everyone?’ Communicating with your family during disasters

2013-05-16T14:43:00.000-04:00

Have you ever planned an event with your friends or family? You decide where to meet and how to reach one another if someone is late or gets lost. You also pick someone to be in charge of transportation. Having plans in place ahead of time helps create a successful gathering.

Getting your family ready for an emergency is kind of like organizing a family activity. There are many similar things to think about: Do you have a plan if something goes wrong? Do you have supplies? Do you know where to meet or how to contact one another?

Chances are not all family members will be together when a disaster strikes, so it’s important to plan ahead. Talk to your family about what to do in advance of a disaster. This will help reduce fear and anxiety when things are tough.

Here are a few key tips for communicating with your family before and during disasters:

Meet with your family about why you need to prepare for disasters.
Talk about the types of disasters that are most likely to occur in your area.
Pick three places to meet based on each situation.
Develop a communications plan in case family members are separated from one another. Complete a contact card for each family member and place it in their wallet, purse, book bag or backpack.
Communicate with text messages during a disaster, as cell phone service may be out. Text messages often go through when a phone call might not.
Program your cell phone with your “ICE” contact, short for “in case of emergency.” Emergency workers will check for ICE contacts if something bad happens. If you have put a lock on your phone, you might want to think about putting a sticker with your ICE contact on the back of your phone.

Everybody’s needs are different, but we can each take important steps to prepare our families for disasters. And communication is key.

For more information on preparing families for disasters, check out American Red Cross’s Get a Kit. Make a Plan. Be Informed, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Develop a Family Disaster Plan and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Family Emergency Plan Template.

APHA’s Get Ready campaign also offers a fact sheet for parents in English and Spanish to help your family make a plan.

Help stamp out hunger in your community on May 11

2013-05-09T14:07:00.000-04:00

When your postal carrier drops by this Saturday, she or he will be ready to pick up more than just mail. Saturday, May 11, is the national Stamp Out Hunger food drive, during which postal carriers pick up food donations that are set out next to U.S. mailboxes.

Now in its 21st year, the Stamp Out Hunger food drive collected 70.5 million pounds of food in 2012. The event is organized by the National Association of Letter Carriers, with support from the U.S. Postal Service, Feeding America and other sponsors.

To take part, just leave a sturdy bag containing non-perishable, non-expired foods, such as canned vegetables, pasta, rice or cereal, next to your mailbox before your mail comes on Saturday. Carriers will bring the food to local food banks, pantries or shelters. If you’re not sure whether your postal carrier will be taking part in the food drive Saturday, contact your local post office.

Studies show that your donation will matter: As of 2009, more than 50 million Americans live in “food-insecure” homes, meaning that they don’t have enough food for themselves and their families. But making a donation to Stamp Out Hunger can do more than fill empty stomachs in your community. Food banks play an important role in community preparedness, because they are often where people turn to for assistance after a disaster or emergency.

If you can’t take part in Saturday’s food drive, you can hold your own event at another time of the year. APHA’s Get Ready campaign has a free how-to toolkit for making your community food drive a success.

For more information on the food drive, visit the Stamp Out Hunger event website or follow the food drive on Facebook or Twitter.

Mental health and emergencies: Being prepared and coping afterward

2013-05-08T14:06:00.000-04:00

Public health disasters don’t just affect the environment — they impact mental and emotional health, too. In observance of National Mental Health Awareness Month, the Get Ready Report podcast team spoke with Robert Motta, director of the Child and Family Trauma Institute at Hofstra University about mental health preparedness.

Motta and his students were involved in mental health response following Hurricane Sandy, which damaged communities in the Northeast U.S. in October, killed more than 100 people and left thousands of people homeless. Such emergencies can “have a dramatic impact on mental and emotional health,” Motta says.

After traumatic events, people may experience feelings of anger, guilt, grief and helplessness as well as dramatic mood swings. Such feelings can continue long after the disaster is over, developing into post traumatic stress disorder that can last for months or years.

And it’s not just adults that are affected. To help children cope with emergencies, Motta says parents should stay calm and optimistic and provide assurance that unpredictable things can happen.
“Parents can prepare themselves by realizing that children can be more influenced by their reactions than the actual event,” Motta told the Get Ready campaign.

Knowing you are prepared before an emergency happens can lessen stress during an emergency, says Motta. Instead of struggling to find out where to get help during an emergency, communities and residents can be ready ahead of time by organizing support groups and determining where emergency services such as shelters, food banks and call centers are available.

For more tips on mental health preparedness, listen to the podcast with Motta and read the transcript. For more information, download the Get Ready campaign’s mental health and disaster fact sheet.

Announcing the winners of our 2013 Get Ready Scholarship

2013-05-03T15:00:00.000-04:00

Six students at the high school, undergraduate and graduate level have been chosen to receive scholarships in APHA’s fifth annual Get Ready Scholarship competition.

The Get Ready Scholarship is designed to encourage high school and college students to focus on the importance of emergency preparedness. Students were asked to submit an essay on various topics, including flu prevention awareness, state-level emergency preparedness and improving flu vaccination rates among health workers.

Out of hundreds of essays, the following six were chosen as winners:

High school level:

Colin Maloney: Saint Ignatius High School, Cleveland, Ohio
Brittany Yopp: Isaac Bear Early College High School, Wilmington, N.C.

Undergraduate college level:

Ashlee Benge: Goucher College, Cedar Park, Texas
Makedah Johnson: University of Maryland, Silver Spring, Md.

Graduate college level:

Fabienne Lorenz: California State University-Northridge, Reseda, Calif.
Anjani Parikh: Virginia Commonwealth University, Glen Allen, Va.

“Through the scholarship program, we are thrilled to help educate these dedicated students about the importance of emergency preparedness and provide financial assistance that will allow them to further their education,” said Georges Benjamin, MD, executive director of APHA. “This year’s winners are among the best and brightest students in the country and will become exemplary public health leaders in their own communities one day. We join them in celebrating their hard work.”

Each student will receive a $500 scholarship and a one-year APHA student membership. Read excerpts from the winning essays on the Get Ready website.

Congratulations to our winners, and thank you to every student who submitted an essay!

National Infant Immunization Week: Keeping children healthy

2013-04-25T14:24:00.000-04:00

It’s National Infant Immunization Week! The observance, which runs April 20-27, promotes the benefits of immunizations and works to improve the health of children. While immunization is important for overall health, it also helps people be more prepared for emergencies.

“Immunization is a personal preparedness step that can promote day-to-day emergency readiness and build a stronger public health system,” Steve Krug, chairperson of the American Academy of Pediatrics Disaster Preparedness Advisory Council, told the Get Ready campaign.

Immunizations are among the most successful and cost-effective public health tools to protect children against preventable diseases and keep them healthy. Each year, immunization of babies prevents 14 million cases of disease.

“Not only do (immunizations) protect vaccinated individuals, but they also help protect entire communities by preventing and reducing the spread of infectious diseases, such as chickenpox, measles and the flu,” Krug said.

Fully immunized children are better protected from diseases such as the flu or whooping cough that spread more easily when people are in close contact with each other. To check if you or your children are up to date on vaccinations, check out these immunization schedules recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For more information on how vaccines help protect us from disease, download our fact sheet with general information on vaccines or our fact sheet on vaccinations for kids.

H7N9 influenza: What you should know now

2013-04-19T13:47:00.000-04:00

Dr. Michael Jhung,
medical officer for the influenza division,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

A new flu virus has recently emerged in China, putting health officials around the world, including those at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on alert. Today’s guest blog post by Dr. Michael Jhung, medical officer for the influenza division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, provides a status report of flu activity as of April 18, 2013, and tells you what you need to know about this novel virus that to date has led to 87 confirmed illnesses and 17 deaths.

Not long after a newsworthy 2012-2013 influenza season, flu is in the headlines again. On April 1, the World Health Organization first reported three human infections with a new influenza A (H7N9) virus in China. Since then, additional cases have been reported. Most of the people reportedly infected have had severe respiratory illness and, in some cases, have died.

Fortunately, there are currently no reported cases of H7N9 in the U.S. or anywhere outside of China. At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we are following this situation closely, coordinating with domestic and international partners, taking routine preparedness steps and sharing frequent updates.

Here are some things you should know about the current H7N9 situation:

It is still early in the response and there is a tremendous amount that we don’t know. Our information is likely to be updated and change frequently as we learn more about H7N9. To stay informed, please visit our H7N9 page.
There are no confirmed cases of human infection in the U.S., and there is currently no evidence that the virus can spread in a sustained way from person-to-person. Other than advice for travelers or people who are ill, CDC is not making any additional or special recommendations for U.S. public action specific to H7N9. Travelers should continue to visit CDC’s Travelers' Health page on H7N9 for CDC’s current travel recommendations.
After the first human infections with H7N9 were detected in China, Chinese authorities detected H7N9 viruses in poultry in the same area where human infections have occurred. China is investigating cases, their exposures and their contacts closely. Many of the humans infected with H7N9 are reported to have had contact with poultry. The current working assumption is that most human infections with H7N9 have resulted from exposure to infected birds or contaminated environments. The extent of the outbreak in poultry is still being assessed, but China has reportedly begun removing birds from live markets. Shanghai is currently taking extra precautions by closing down its live poultry markets for the time being.
On Thursday, April 11, CDC received the first H7N9 virus isolate from China. Since this H7N9 virus is new and has pandemic potential, we are using the virus isolate from China to develop a candidate vaccine virus that could be used to make a vaccine if one is needed.
CDC also is using the virus isolate from China to:

Develop a test kit for detecting H7N9 infections in humans.
Test for the presence of antibodies against the H7N9 virus in human blood samples. This will allow CDC to see if some people already have immunity against this virus.
Test to see whether existing antiviral drugs —i.e., Tamiflu and Relenza — will work to treat people who become ill from H7N9.

The investigation in China has not revealed any sustained — or ongoing — human-to-human spread of this virus, but non-sustained human-to-human spread of bird flu viruses has occurred in the past, most notably with H5N1. It’s likely that some limited human-to-human spread of H7N9 will occur. Sustained, community transmission is needed for a pandemic to start.

Visit cdc.gov for more information on human-to-human transmission.

About the author:
Michael Jhung, MD, MPH, MS, is a medical officer for the Surveillance and Outbreak Response Team in the Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Jhung received his Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from University of Michigan in 1989 and his Master of Science in Bioengineering from the University’s College of Engineering in 1994. He completed his doctorate of medicine from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in 2002, and his Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from University of Michigan’s School of Public Health in 2004.

Dr. Jhung began working with CDC’s Division for Healthcare Quality Promotion in 2005 as an Epidemic Intelligence Officer, where he conducted surveillance for healthcare-associated adverse events and rapidly responded to requests for assistance with investigation of health-care associated infections. Dr. Jhung graduated from the EIS program and joined Influenza Division’s Surveillance and Outbreak Response Team in 2009, where he has applied his expertise to responding to influenza outbreaks, providing scientific training of Fellows and staff, and contributing key findings to CDC’s pandemic preparedness plans.

Helping your neighbors in a disaster

2013-04-18T16:25:00.000-04:00

Are you prepared to help your neighbors during an emergency? According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, in 95 percent of emergencies, the victim or a bystander provides the first immediate assistance. Being ready and knowing how to react can make a big impact and even save lives, as this week’s attack in Boston showed.

Here are some quick tips for helping those in need during an emergency:

Neighbors helping neighbors in a flood.
Photo By DAVE SAVILLE/ FEMA News Photo

Start by making sure that you and your family are prepared. Keep your emergency kits stocked and in a safe, accessible place. Have a plan for where your family will meet and how to contact each other if phones or electricity are down. It will be hard to help others if you are too worried about yourself and your loved ones.
Get to know your neighbors. Learn more about them and spread the word about preparedness. Keep an eye out for those who will be able to assist you in helping those with disabilities, special needs or physical limitations. If there are caretakers or family who visit regularly, be sure to say hello to them as well. You could be a vital lifeline in the event they are not able to visit for several days.
Prepare for company. When creating your emergency kit, add some extras in case you need to take in your neighbors or your in-laws happen to be in town that weekend. That includes food, water, blankets and other necessities, such as toilet paper. Don’t forget entertainment, either. While adults might get by with a deck of cards, kids without TV may need something to stay occupied. Activities that don’t waste batteries and are suitable for groups will work best.
Get certified in CPR and first aid. According to the American Heart Association, 88 percent of cardiac arrests occur in the home, but less than a third of Americans are properly prepared to administer CPR. Check with your local American Red Cross chapter or volunteer center for CPR classes.
Volunteer with National Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster, Community Emergency Response Team, Red Cross or other organizations active in emergency response and preparedness. Such groups offer numerous free training opportunities ranging from CPR and basic preparedness to shelter management and urban search and rescue. Commitment levels can also vary based on skills and your availability.

See our fact sheets on building a stockpile, activities and information for kids, and preparedness tips for people with disabilities to learn more about how you can help your neighbors in a disaster.

Enter APHA’s Get Ready Pup-Preparedness Photo Contest

2013-04-12T13:13:00.000-04:00

Do you have a dog? Is she or he photogenic? (Need we ask?) Snap a photo of your dog and enter APHA’s Get Ready Pup-Preparedness Photo Contest! The contest is using dogs as a fun way to promote preparedness. The competition comes on the tails (pun intended!) of our successful 2012 cat photo contest.

From now until April 27, send us photos of your canine friends to enter the contest.

Take a look at the topics covered by the Get Ready campaign — such as having a plan or not, preparing for evacuation, or driving in a disaster— and figure out how to illustrate it with your dog. We will add witty captions and share your dog’s message about emergency preparedness with the world. The winning photos will go into our Get Ready calendar.

When you’re ready to send us your pics, visit the Get Ready website for FAQs, rules and other info on entering the contest.

And while you’re there, check out some of the cute doggie photos we’ve received so far!

Pledge to be a force of nature

2013-04-05T15:38:00.000-04:00

Are you a force of nature? The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration want to help you become one. That’s why they created National Severe Weather Preparedness Week. Held annually each spring, the week encourages people to help their family, friends and community prepare for severe weather.

While the week is over, the lessons it shares are good year-round. The campaign aims to get people to understand what to do before, during and after severe weather. There are three simple steps that anyone can do to get ready for weather events such as tornadoes, hurricanes and other dangerous storms:

Know your risk. Figure out which kinds of severe weather can happen where you live and work, so you can make a plan to get ready for these events.
Take the pledge. Be a force of nature by taking the Pledge to Prepare at Ready.gov.
Be an example. Once you take the pledge and start preparing, share your story with your family and friends. Tweet about it, write a Facebook post, make a YouTube video. By showing people that preparedness is something that anyone can do, you’ll inspire others to get ready, too!

We want to know how you plan to be a force of nature, so tell us what you do to prepare for severe weather in the comments below!

Flood safety awareness: What to do to get ready

2013-03-22T11:56:00.000-04:00

Photo by Liz Roll/FEMA

True or false? Floods only happen during hurricanes and in places close to sea level.

Answer: False. The truth is that floods can occur in unexpected places. According to the National Weather Service, flooding can occur in any state at any time of the year. That means you should be prepared for a flood emergency even if you don’t live close to the water.

Floods are serious business: They cause an average of $5 billion in damage annually and about 100 deaths. The majority of those deaths occur while driving, particularly during flash floods. Flash floods can be the most dangerous because they happen with little warning.

This is National Flood Safety Awareness Week, sponsored by the National Weather Service. The week is a great opportunity to make sure you and your family are ready for a flood emergency.

Here are some things you should keep in mind:

Do not try to cross flooded areas — the water may be deeper and moving more swiftly than it appears. If your car gets stuck in a flood, do not open the car door. Try to climb out through car windows, if possible.
Keep up to date on tetanus shots in case you are hurt during a flood. Adults need a tetanus booster shot every 10 years.
Store nonperishable food in waterproof containers in a high place. Stock one gallon of bottled water per day per person in your household, and plan on at least three days of supplies.
During post-flood cleanup, wear gloves and regularly wash hands in clean water — boiled, if from the tap — and soap.

Check out our Get Ready flood fact sheet so you’ll know what to do before, during and after a flood happens. Come high water, you’ll be ready!

Today’s the day: Remember to check your stocks!

2013-03-11T13:42:00.002-04:00

Did you remember to turn your clocks ahead for daylight saving time this weekend? We hope so!

There’s one more thing we want you to remember to do: Check your stocks. It’s easy to forget about your emergency supplies until a storm or power outage happens, but that’s no time to find you’re out of something important.

That’s why today is a perfect day to check your emergency stockpile. Make sure that you have flashlights, fresh batteries and a manual can opener. Check your canned food to make sure that nothing has expired. Have at least one gallon of water on hand for each person in your household for at least three days — and have extra for your pets!

If you don’t have an emergency stockpile, you can start today. We have great fact sheets with tips on stockpiling food and water, and advice on how to stockpile on a budget.

After you’ve taken care of your own stockpile, remind your loved ones to check their supplies, too. Send them an email, post it on Facebook, send out a tweet! A few minutes of preparedness today can make a big difference the next time an emergency happens!

Spread the word: It’s almost time to set your clocks and check your stocks!

2013-03-06T11:00:00.000-05:00

How often should you refresh your emergency supplies? At least every six months on any easy-to-remember date. That's the reasoning behind the Get Ready: Set Your Clocks, Check Your Stocks campaign: To remind people to refresh their emergency stockpile twice a year when they adjust their clocks for daylight saving time.

We've created a range of free materials to remind people to check their emergency preparedness stockpile — from logos and e-cards to sample tweets and a video.

And for those who don't have an emergency stockpile, we also have fact sheets about stockpiling food and water, as well as tips for stockpiling on a budget. If you run a health center or agency, library, business or other organization, you can even add your own logo to our fact sheets!

Check out the Set Your Clocks, Check Your Stocks materials on our website.
Don’t forget to spread the word!

Check out our new emergency preparedness cookbook, “Recipes for Disaster”

2013-03-01T16:43:00.000-05:00

Did you know that March is National Nutrition Month?

We know what you’re thinking: “What’s nutrition got to do with emergency preparedness?” Actually, it’s really smart to think about nutrition when you’re preparing for emergencies, because food is an important part of any emergency stockpile.

Last year, we held our Emergency Stockpile Recipe Contest to get people thinking about what they’d cook if the power went out. We got a lot of great recipes, which we announced on the blog in April.

Now, we’ve taken those recipes, along with recipes from our own staff, and created a free cookbook called “Recipes for Disaster." The cookbook also includes tips for stockpiling food and water, advice on putting together an emergency kit on a budget and even checklists so that you know what to pack.

You can download “Recipes for Disaster” here. We hope it makes it a little easier — and tastier — to get prepared!

Let us know your favorite recipe in the comments.

New video game helps kids get ready for disasters

2013-02-20T11:45:00.000-05:00

Are you a disaster hero? You can become one with a new game from the American College of Emergency Physicians.

Disaster Hero is an online game created to teach young people — and gamers of all ages! — about preparing for disasters. The game takes players through a series of challenges that will help them learn about preparing an emergency kit and making a disaster plan, as well as staying safe before, during and after four common natural disasters — hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and floods.

Screenshot from Disaster Hero

The game is free and is designed for students in first grade and older. Anyone with a computer and Internet connection can play — no sign-up is required. Players who create a free account can save their scores and design their own character.

Have you played the Disaster Hero game? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

This Valentine’s Day, show your loved ones you care — about emergency preparedness!

2013-02-13T11:48:00.000-05:00

When you love someone, you want to keep them safe, especially in an emergency situation such as a disaster.

Here at APHA’s Get Ready campaign, we think Valentine’s Day is a great time to think about preparing for emergencies. What’s more romantic than saying you care enough to prepare?

Tornado preparedness e-card from Get Ready.

On that note, we’ve created some free emergency preparedness-themed Valentine’s Day cards for you to send to your loved ones. With topics ranging from flu shots and hand-washing to stockpiling and pet preparedness, we’ve got something for everyone.

The cards are free, and you can email, tweet or post them to Facebook — or even print them out! Just visit our e-card page to see the options and pick your favorites.

What holiday should we celebrate next? Tell us in the comments!

Drop, cover and hold on: Tomorrow is the Great Central U.S. Shakeout!

2013-02-06T10:00:00.000-05:00

At 10:15 a.m. tomorrow, more than 2 million Americans in nine central U.S. states will drop to the ground and hold on. No, it’s not a new dance craze — Thursday, Feb. 7, is the Great Central U.S. Shakeout!

The shakeout is a chance to practice your earthquake preparedness drills. Millions of people take part in these drills every year. Even if you don’t live in an area where earthquakes frequently occur, it’s important to be prepared, as they can happen anywhere and anytime. (Just ask people who lived in central Virginia in 2011.)

If you’ve never run an emergency drill before, the shakeout website makes it easy — there are free toolkits for schools, offices and home on the organization’s resources page.

If you live in the central U.S., you can participate in tomorrow’s drill by signing up here. And if you live in another state, or even another country, don’t worry — there will be more Shakeout drills throughout the year!

Getting ready for earthquakes has never been so simple.

Let us know how your shakeout goes in the comments!

Get Ready Scholarship: Apply now!

2013-02-05T14:35:00.003-05:00

APHA is happy to announce that its Get Ready Scholarship is now open for submissions.

High school seniors as well as college undergraduates and graduate students are welcome to enter the contest. We will award two $500 scholarships for the best essays in each student category.

Sounds great, right? All you have to do is write a short essay answering one of three questions about preparedness. The contest is open until March 25 or until we receive 300 essays in each student category. That means one thing: Get your essays in now!

For more information, check out our Get Ready Scholarship page.

We’re looking forward to reading all of your great essays!

Get your mobile phone disaster-ready

2013-02-01T10:00:00.000-05:00

According to the American Red Cross, more Americans are using social media and apps during disasters. Mobile phone apps and social media tools such as Facebook and Twitter are now tied as the fourth most popular way to find information in an emergency, after TV, radio and the Internet.

Cellphones, smartphone apps and social media tools are especially useful during disasters when phone lines are down and power is out. That’s why the Federal Emergency Management Agency is focusing its 2013 Resolve to be Ready campaign on including these technologies in your emergency preparedness plans. Here are some ideas to help you get started.

Mobile phones: The following tips are useful for any type of cellphone:

Add “ICE” contacts to your phone. ICE, or in case of emergency, contacts will help first responders get in touch with your loved ones if an emergency happens. It’s a good idea to add a local ICE contact and one that lives out-of-state to your phone’s list of contacts.

Text — don’t call — when phones are busy. Phone lines are often busy during and after emergencies as many people try to contact loved ones, but oftentimes texts can get through. Make sure everyone in your family knows how to send text messages.

Find out if you can get Wireless Emergency Alerts on your phone. FEMA and many U.S. cellphone carriers have teamed up to create a system for Wireless Emergency Alerts. These are messages sent to your phone just like text messages, only they contain emergency information. These could be sent during disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes or terrorist attacks. You don’t need to sign up for these alerts — they are automatically sent to most cellphones. To check and see if you can receive these messages on your phone, visit the Wireless Emergency Alerts website.

Smart phones: Can you access the Internet or download apps on your phone? Here are some more ideas to use your phone to get ready:

Download emergency apps. If you have a smartphone, there are many apps you can download that can be very useful in an emergency. The American Red Cross has created apps to help people during earthquakes, hurricanes and wildfires. The organization also has a first aid app and an app to help you find a local shelter during a disaster. You can find more information about these apps (and get them for free!) on the Red Cross website.

Use social media to let friends and family know you’re safe. In a recent survey, Red Cross found that 76 percent of Americans use social media to check in with friends and family after an emergency. Posting a simple message such as “There was a tornado in my neighborhood — power is out but we are OK” on your Facebook or Twitter account can help let people know that you are safe.

Find local emergency information online. Check Facebook and Twitter to see if your local government, fire or police and local Red Cross chapters have set up accounts and follow them before an emergency happens. On a national level, you can also follow organizations such as FEMA, the American Red Cross, Ready.gov and other trusted sources. APHA’s list of national and regional emergency preparedness Twitter users is a good start. And don’t forget to follow @GetReady on Twitter!

Reminder: While these sources are great, if you are in a life-threatening situation, remember to always call 911 first.

Do you have any other tips for preparing with your mobile phone? Do you have another emergency app you think we should know about? Let us know in the comments!

Looking for an easy way to make a difference? Give blood!

2013-01-30T12:00:00.000-05:00

APHA Executive Director Dr. Benjamin
is all smiles after giving blood!

If you want to help your community be prepared for emergencies, there are lots of things you can do.

Getting ready at home is the first step, but often people want to do more. (Check out our recent post about volunteer opportunities.) If you don’t have time to volunteer, a great way to help out is to donate blood.

January is National Blood Donor Month. Donating blood is a good way to help your community. Just one donation — a pint — of blood can save the lives of three people. Every year, about 4.5 million people will need blood transfusions, so every drop counts!

The American Red Cross has information about where to find a blood drive near you. You can also find information about hosting a blood drive and check if you are eligible to donate.

2013 Get Ready Scholarship opens Feb. 4!

2013-01-24T09:26:00.000-05:00

Are you a high school, college or graduate student interested in emergency preparedness? Have we got a scholarship for you!

APHA’s Get Ready campaign is happy to announce that it is once again running its scholarship competition. Now in its fifth year, the essay contest will be open to high school seniors as well as full-time undergraduate and graduate college students.

Our essay questions this year focus on preparedness in schools, states and within the health work force. We start accepting entries on Monday, Feb. 4, but you can take a look at the essay topics now by visiting our scholarship page.

The scholarship contest will close on March 25, or when we receive 300 essays for each category. We receive hundreds of essays every year, which means that you should plan to write your essay early to be sure you get in.

The two best essays from each category will each win a $500 scholarship.

For complete rules, check the Get Ready Scholarship rules page.

To see a list of previous winners, and read parts of their essays, check out our Get Ready Scholarship past winners page.

We hope you’re ready to write, because we’re excited to read your creative essays!

Staying safe in big crowds: Seven quick tips

2013-01-19T16:27:00.001-05:00

Maybe you’re going to the presidential inauguration in Washington, D.C., this week, or perhaps you were lucky enough to score tickets to the Super Bowl in February.

Big events can be a lot of fun and a cause for celebration — but large crowds can also be scary if things go wrong. Here are some tips to help you stay safe:

Know what you’re in for. How many people are expected at the event? Will you have to go through security? Can you bring food and water with you? Will you need to take medication at the event? Planning for these issues ahead of time will help everything run smoothly during the event.
Check the weather. If you’re going to be outside in the cold, prepare with warm clothes, paying special attention to your hands and feet. Or for events in hot weather, remember sunblock, dress lightly and don’t forget to drink a lot of water!
Take a look around you. Once you get to the event, check out your surroundings. Take note of emergency exits, restrooms and the location of a medical tent or first aid station. If an emergency happens, head calmly to the nearest exit.
Pick a place to meet. If you’re with a group of people, pick a time and a place to meet, and be as specific as possible. Don’t rely on cellphones — if your battery dies or cellphone towers are overwhelmed, you’ll be glad you had a plan!
Protect yourself. Big crowds can also mean a bigger chance of getting sick. Make sure your vaccinations are up to date before you go to the event. Bring hand sanitizer if possible and wash your hands after touching surfaces such as door handles and railings. And if you are coughing or have a fever, do everyone else a favor and stay home.
Let someone know if you feel sick. If you start to feel dizzy, overheated or nauseous, ask for help immediately. Be sure to let people know if you have medical conditions or allergies. A friend or event official can make sure you get medical attention as soon as possible.
Be patient. With big crowds, you may have long waiting periods for security, bathrooms, food and even entering and exiting the event. Have patience with event staff and other people — they don’t like waiting in long lines, either!

Check out our fact sheet about event safety (PDF) for more advice.

And remember: Have fun, stay safe!

How to use the National Day of Service to help your community get ready

2013-01-18T10:00:00.000-05:00

Saturday, Jan. 19, is the fourth annual National Day of Service, a day for Americans to give back to their communities by volunteering for any cause that matters to them. The National Day of Service was created in 2009 to honor the work of Martin Luther King Jr.

If you haven’t decided how you’re going to serve your community, enter your ZIP code on the National Day of Service website to find events near you. Emergency preparedness-related events can be found under the “health” and “community resilience” categories.

If you don’t find a volunteer event near you, consider donating your time to an organization that is working to keep your community ready or to help it recover after an emergency.

The American Red Cross depends on volunteers to do a lot of its emergency relief work — 96 percent of its work is done by volunteers, in fact! Volunteers do everything from helping neighbors after a fire or natural disaster to working at blood drives. Check out our blog post about volunteering during a disaster to get an idea of what it’s like. For more information about volunteering for the Red Cross, visit the organization’s website.

If you want to help your community prepare for emergencies, consider joining a local Community Emergency Response Team. Volunteers receive training in basic emergency response skills, such as fire safety and search and rescue missions. To find a local chapter, enter your ZIP code on the Community Emergency Response Team website.

The Medical Reserve Corps is another way to get involved in your community. The corps has volunteer roles for nurses, doctors and other public health professionals, but also looks for people with different skills, such as communications and logistics. Corps volunteers meet regularly to practice emergency response drills and can be called to respond when a health or other emergency occurs nearby. Learn more about volunteering and look for a chapter near you via the Medical Reserve Corps website.

New podcast: Flu season update from CDC

2013-01-17T10:11:00.000-05:00

Dr. Jhung, MD, MPH, MS,
Medical Officer for the CDC

Have you noticed that a lot of people are talking about the flu right now? It’s on the news, and as more people come down with the flu this year, it’s on everyone’s minds, too.

More than 40 U.S. states are reporting widespread flu activity in what has turned out to be an early start to the 2012-2013 flu season. The Get Ready campaign spoke with Michael Jhung, a medical officer for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to get the scoop on this year’s flu season in the latest episode of our Get Ready Report podcast.

Jhung said that this year’s flu season is off to “quite an early start,” and that this year could turn out to be worse than last year’s flu season.

Why worry about the flu? Jhung reported that the flu kills anywhere between 3,000 and 49,000 people in the U.S. each year, and makes thousands more severely ill.

“Influenza puts several hundred thousand people into the hospital every year in the United States,” he said. “Even if you don’t end up in the hospital with influenza, it’s really a miserable experience to be pretty much incapacitated for the few days to week of influenza symptoms.”

If you’ve been lucky enough to avoid the flu so far this year, you can increase your chances of staying healthy by getting a flu shot. That’s right — it’s not too late!

“There is a lot of flu activity out there right now, and there is every reason to go out and get vaccinated if you haven’t been vaccinated already,” Jhung said.

If you are looking for the flu shot, check flushot.healthmap.org to find a location near you.

Jhung also explains during the podcast why some flu seasons are worse than others, and talked about how the CDC monitors flu every year. Plus, he has other useful tips for keeping yourself healthy after you’ve gotten your flu shot.

Check out the podcast for more helpful information about the flu. You can listen to the episode or read the full transcript. And don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast for free via iTunes!

Protect yourself from norovirus this winter

2013-01-10T16:24:00.000-05:00

Norovirus image courtesy CDC/ Charles D. Humphrey, PhD

Norovirus infections are on the rise in the U.S. and around the world right now.

Sometimes called stomach flu or “winter vomiting,” norovirus infections cause vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps. The sickness can last from one to three days.

Norovirus spreads when people come in contact with surfaces or eat food contaminated with bodily fluids from a sick person. The virus is very contagious, and an infected person can pass it on even before they start feeling sick and for up to three days after they feel better. The virus spreads quickly in places where people live or play closely together: day care centers, schools, nursing homes, hotels and cruise ships.

The norovirus is more active in cold weather, so cases usually peak during the colder months, but some officials are saying that cases are higher than ever this season. Outbreaks have been reported in California, Oregon, Georgia, Maine, West Virginia and on several cruise ships. More than 1 million people are thought to have been infected in the U.K. this winter — 72 percent more cases than last year.

The most common way that norovirus spreads is through food that has been handled by an infected person. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 50 percent of food-related illness each year is caused by norovirus contamination.

There is good news, though: Norovirus infection can be prevented! Here are some steps to take to save yourself from this yucky virus:

Wash your hands with soap and water. You should wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with hot, soapy water. This is especially important to do before and after you eat or prepare food, after using the restroom and when taking care of someone who is sick. We have great fact sheets to help hand-washers of all ages.
Don’t make food for other people if you are sick.
Wash fruits and vegetables well and cook seafood thoroughly.
If you or a loved one gets sick, make sure to wash clothes, sheets and towels in hot water.

We hope that these tips help you stay infection-free this winter!