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August 23, 2024
Disaster Drills Are Only One Way to Be Prepared
This School Year
CHICAGO – As students head back into classrooms across Illinois, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security (IEMA-OHS) is encouraging families to think about all the ways your children can be prepared. Each year, schools must deal with severe weather, transportation problems, digital safety, and even violence.
“The Safe2Help initiative reflects our commitment to fostering a culture of safety and vigilance across the state, ensuring every student has the opportunity to thrive in a secure environment. Safe2HelpIL is an essential tool in our ongoing efforts to protect and support the wellbeing of Illinois students and communities.,” said Homeland Security Advisor to Governor JB Pritzker and IEMA-OHS Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau.
“School-age children in Illinois have Safe2HelpIL as a tool to help keep them safe,” explained Deputy Homeland Security Advisor to Governor Pritzker and IEMA-OHS Deputy Director of the Office of Homeland Security Claire Moravec. “This program, included in hundreds of schools in the State, helps children who experience bullying, mental health struggles, or those who see their peers may be struggling and have nowhere to turn. My hope is that Safe2HelpIL ends the culture of
silence and stigma surrounding these important issues for our students.”
Students can confidentially reach out to Safe2Help several ways:
• Call 1-844-4SAFEIL (723345)
• Text SAFE2 (72332)
• Online at https://app.safe22helpil.com/
• Email
• Download the Safe2HelpIL app (Android or iOS).
Since its 2021 inception, over 3,000 incidents have been reported. The program saw an approximate 10 percent increase in bullying/harassment reports from 2022 to 2023 and increases in reports of cyberbullying during the summer months.
For other adverse events, weather alerts on cell phones, communication plans with family members, and drills at school are all helpful if students are at school during a tornado or other damaging weather event. Parents should find out the cell phone policy for their children’s schools because that would change how students get information.
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July 1, 2024
More Heat on the Way, So Stay Cool
SPRINGFIELD – Heat and humidity started early this summer and the long hot days makes it more important that you stay cool. July is National Extreme Heat Safety Month and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security (IEMA-OHS) has some easy tips to keep you cool all summer long.
“Across the U.S. in 2023, we have seen more than 2,300 deaths attributed to heat related illness,” said IEMA-OHS Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau. “Illinois has already experienced several days of extreme heat with more on the way.”
Extreme heat is defined as two to three days of heat and humidity with successive 90+ degree days. Urban areas are more at risk. Take these steps to prevent heat-related illnesses:
• Hydrate with water, not caffeinated or alcoholic beverages
• Wear light-colored, loose-fitting, and lightweight clothing
• Avoid strenuous activity during mid-day
• Indoors, use awnings or curtains to deflect the sun
• Fans will move air around, but does not lower your temperature
• Use air conditioning inside your home or visit a store or local mall
• Know your local cooling centers in Illinois
• Never leave children or pets in a vehicle
• Get trained in first aid to help those with heat illness
• Check on neighbors and elderly who may be more vulnerable to extreme heat
• Learn the differences between a heat watch vs heat warning (NWS)
These tips will keep you stay safe and help others too. More tips on extreme heat safety can be found here: https://ready.illinois.gov/hazards/extremetempshot.html
Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security (IEMA-OHS):
Ready.Illinois.gov
IEMA Social Media: X/Twitter | Meta/Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube
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Spare Your Pets from Tragedy by Embarking on Emergency Preparedness
- Non-perishable food and favorite pet treats
- Water and water bowls
- Waste bags, cat litter and pan
- Blanket/bedding and favorite pet toys Leashes, harnesses, or carriers Pet medications and a first-aid kit
- Copies of medical records including vaccination records and pet identification.
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Your Upcoming trip Could Put You in the Path of a Hurricane or Other Severe Weather
SPRINGFIELD –With many families poised for spring and summer travel, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security (IEMA-OHS) is helping get travelers ready for hurricane/severe weather season by enhanced preparedness efforts including hurricane preparedness.
“Our State Climatologist and National Weather Service Meteorologists have all forecasted an increasing number of intense natural disasters like hurricanes and severe weather,” said IEMA-OHS Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau. “So before your big family vacation, find the time to prepare for severe weather as it could save your life.”
With hurricane season spanning from June 1 – November 30, there are several practical ways that Illinoisans can better prepare and plan for hurricanes/severe weather while traveling. Depending on your travel destination(s), the following steps are helpful to consider:
• Update emergency plans and enhance your preparedness kit supplies
• Subscribe to your vacation destination’s emergency alerts
• Familiarize yourself with multiple evacuation zones for all travel locations
• Keep your cell phone charged for weather warnings & localized emergency alerts
• Know your hurricane risks including inland locations
• Share your location with family members so they know where you are
• Frequently check the weather, news, and traffic going to, and at your destination
• Check FEMA’s website for more hurricane preparedness tips
Everyone depends on our cell phones for sending and receiving information. But during an emergency, cell phones have the ability to receive location based timely tornado warnings and/or severe flash flood warnings from the National Weather Service.
Many of these recommendations are helpful for all disasters and plans can be modified in cases of flooding, tornadoes, fires, or other emergencies.
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Severe Weather Preparedness week is March 4-8, 2024!
The Champaign County Emergency Management Agency (CCEMA) is urging residents to prepare for severe weather as part of Severe Weather Preparedness week, March 4-8, 2024. Illinois had the most tornadoes of any U.S. state last year with 121. These storms resulted in four fatalities, 54 injuries and caused millions of dollars in property damage. While people cannot stop severe thunderstorms, lightning, or tornadoes from happening, there are steps that everyone can take to minimize the impacts of severe weather on our lives and our families. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the following precautions can be taken to prepare for severe weather:
1. STAY INFORMED. Monitor a weather alert radio, local radio and TV broadcasts, websites, or weather apps on computers and smart phones. DON'T just rely on one method - especially storm sirens - which are NOT designed to be heard indoors by everyone. Have multiple ways to receive information.
2. HAVE AN EMERGENCY PLAN. A plan is essential to keeping yourself and those around you safe. Designate places to go to seek safe shelter from a tornado or severe thunderstorm. Pick two places to meet in case you are separated from your family or co-workers. While traveling or when away from home, know the names of the locations you are visiting - especially county and city names.
3. HAVE AN EMERGENCY SUPPLY KIT. Some storms have the power to cause power outages that can last for several days. Having an emergency supply kit on-hand will help you cope with the outage while crews work to restore services. A basic emergency supply kit includes: • Bottled water • Non-perishable food • Flashlights and extra batteries • Extra clothing and blankets • An extra set of keys and cash • Medications and a first aid kit • Personal hygiene items • Pet supplies • A weather alert radio or portable AM/FM radio
4. PREPARE YOUR HOME FOR AN EMERGENCY. Spend time before an emergency to ensure that you and your home are ready to withstand a storm. This preparation looks like: • Training. Learn how to use a fire extinguisher, how to administer CPR, and how to turn off the electricity, gas, and water supplies in your home. • Inspection. Inspect your home for potential hazards such as weakened trees or limbs, cracked windows, or worn roofing. • Storm proofing. When you build a new structure or renovate an existing one, there are ways to prevent wind damage to roofs, upper floors, and garages. Consider reinforcement of structural elements, such as rafters, trusses, walls, and doors.
Additionally, this year, CCEMA has updated the protocols for warning sirens in the C-U Metro area, which includes the Cities of Champaign, Urbana, the University of Illinois, and the Village of Savoy. Sirens will now be activated for thunderstorm warnings including the term “destructive” in their NWS description. The term destructive warning was used for the storms that left considerable damage to the community on June 29, 2023. The criteria for a threat of destructive damage include hail measuring at least 2.75-inch diameter (baseball-sized) and/or winds meeting or exceeding 80 miles per hour. Warnings with this tag will also automatically activate a Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) on smartphones within the warned area. Other areas in the county that have updated their siren protocols include the Villages of Fisher, Tolono, Sidney and Pesotum.
The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and the NWS have developed a Severe Weather Preparedness Guide which provides information about tornadoes, severe storms, lightning, and flooding, along with recommended actions to take before, during, and after each of these weather events. It is available on the Ready Illinois website at ready.Illinois.gov. The NWS, Lincoln also has Severe Weather Safety information available online at weather.gov/ilx/.
For local weather safety information, follow Champaign County EMA on Facebook (facebook.com/ChampaignEMA) and Twitter/X (twitter.com/ChampCoEMA).
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