If you are stuck/stranded in a vehicle do not tie a ribbon-like object to your antenna or car door to attract attention.
Both Champaign County Sheriff's Office and the Illinois State Police affix a ribbon-like banner to the antenna or car door handle to indicate that the vehicle has been checked by police.
Whether or not you should stay in your car or seek refuge depends upon many individual factors including weather, geography and the physical abilities of occupants.
If you do stay in your vehicle turn on your flashers, be sure your tail pipe exhaust is clear & monitor your fuel consumption.
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IEMA Encourages People to Resolve to be Prepared in 2015
Will Highlight Preparedness, Safety Topics Each Month
SPRINGFIELD – Each year, millions of people around the world welcome the start of a new year by making personal resolutions. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and local emergency management agencies throughout Illinois are encouraging people to ‘Resolve to be Ready’ for emergencies in 2015, and will offer year-long support to help people attain the goal of better preparedness for themselves, their families and their workplaces.
“While many of us make earnest resolutions aimed at improving some aspect of our lives, our resolve can wane just weeks into the new year,” said IEMA Director Jonathon Monken. “We’re going to provide continuing support throughout the year by offering information and tips to help people stick to their resolution. I encourage everyone to join us and ‘Resolve to be Ready’ in 2015.”
Monken said IEMA will focus on a different preparedness or safety topic each month in 2015, including earthquakes, severe weather, pets, school and campus, cyber security and more.
One of the first steps toward emergency preparedness is having an emergency supply kit stocked with basic survival items that are critical during an emergency, such as: • One gallon of water per person per day (a minimum of a three-day supply) • At least a three-day supply of non-perishable food • First-aid kit • Battery-operated radio, flashlight and extra batteries • Items for children, seniors, pets and household members with health or medical needs
IEMA maintains the Ready Illinois website (www.Ready.Illinois.gov), a one-stop location for preparedness information on a variety of hazards. In addition to information about steps people can take before emergencies happen, the Ready Illinois website also provides guidance on what to do during and after a disaster.
Preparedness information is also available through the Ready Illinois Facebook (www.facebook.com/ReadyIllinois) and Twitter (twitter.com/ReadyIllinois) pages.
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IEMA Highlights ‘Spirit of Giving’ in December
Encourages holiday shoppers to give preparedness gifts this year
SPRINGFIELD – If you’re trying to find the perfect holiday presents for everyone on your list, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and local emergency management agencies are offering gift ideas to help your loved ones stay safe when disaster strikes.
“While you’re shopping this holiday season, consider gifts that can help friends and family stay safe during all types of emergencies,” said IEMA Director Jonathon Monken. “You can give something small, like a flashlight or first aid kit, or surprise someone with a home or vehicle preparedness kit you assembled yourself.”
Monken said preparedness gift ideas include: • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather alert radio with battery backup, a tone-alert feature and Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME) technology. Weather alert radios broadcast warnings and post-event information for all types of hazards, including natural, environmental and public safety hazards, such as severe weather, chemical spills and AMBER alerts. • Flashlight with extra batteries. • First aid kit with sterile bandages and gauze pads in assorted sizes; antiseptic; latex gloves; tweezers; scissors; soap and moistened towelettes; and a thermometer. • Home emergency preparedness kit stocked with a three-day supply of bottled water and non-perishable food; battery-powered radio, weather radio and flashlights with extra batteries; first aid kit; shut-off wrench (to turn off household gas and water); manual can opener; and fire extinguisher. • Vehicle emergency preparedness kit stocked with a flashlight with extra batteries; first aid kit; water and non- perishable snacks; blankets; windshield scraper and brush; booster cables; sack of sand or kitty litter; tool kit; and shovel. The items can be packed in a backpack or rubber tub. • Pet emergency preparedness kit stocked with emergency food, bottled water, toys and a leash.
Most preparedness gift items can be found in hardware and department stores. For additional information on emergency preparedness, visit the Ready Illinois website at www.Ready.Illinois.gov.
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IEMA, National Weather Service, Local EMAs Encourage People to Prepare for Winter Weather
November is Winter Weather Preparedness Month in Illinois
SPRINGFIELD – The winter of 2013-14 is one Illinois residents won’t soon forget. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the frigid temperatures and snowy weather experienced statewide made for the worst winter conditions in nearly 40 years. Chicago recorded the coldest December through March in its history, and temperatures statewide were the fourth coldest on record.
To help Illinois residents be prepared for winter weather this year, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) the NWS and local emergency management agencies are encouraging people to begin preparing now for extreme cold, snow and ice. The organizations will highlight winter weather preparedness throughout November as part of their annual winter weather preparedness campaign.
“We all hope the winter of 2014-15 isn’t a repeat of last winter,” said IEMA Director Jonathon Monken. “But hope isn’t a plan. Winter weather in Illinois may be inevitable, but being prepared will help you handle whatever weather hazards Mother Nature throws our way this year.”
Monken said severe winter weather isn’t just inconvenient, it can be deadly. During the winter of 2013-14, 28 people died from exposure to extreme cold, the most in more than 25 years.
"The extreme, record-setting weather conditions in much of Illinois this past winter illustrated the importance of being prepared for snow, ice and cold temperatures" said Chris Miller, warning coordination meteorologist with the NWS office in Lincoln. "It is much easier, and less costly, to prepare your vehicle and home for winter conditions now, rather than waiting until winter is upon us."
IEMA, the NWS and the American Red Cross developed a winter weather preparedness guide that covers winter weather terms and tips for staying safe at home, in the car and at school. The guide is available on the Ready Illinois website at www.Ready.Illinois.gov or by calling 217-785-9925.
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IEMA Urges Illinois Residents to Join October 16 “Great ShakeOut” Earthquake Drill
Millions will “Drop, Cover and Hold on” in biggest emergency exercise in Illinois and U.S. history
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) today urged Illinoisans to participate in the 4th Annual Great ShakeOut earthquake drill at 10:16 a.m., on Thursday, October 16. It is expected to be the largest earthquake drill in the history of Illinois and the United States.
“An earthquake can strike anywhere, at any time. The Great ShakeOut is designed to help residents think about what to do before, during and after an earthquake,” said IEMA Director Jonathon Monken. “The Great ShakeOut is an effective way for schools, businesses, families and others to practice the life-saving ‘Drop, Cover and Hold On’ procedures.”
Governor Pat Quinn has proclaimed October 16 as “Great ShakeOut Day” across Illinois, calling this drill “an effective, grass-roots approach to emergency planning” which has “helped millions of people understand what to do if the ground starts shaking.”
Individuals, schools, businesses and others can register for the Great ShakeOut at www.shakeout.org/centralus, where participants will find expert advice about earthquake preparedness, engaging videos and resource materials. It only takes a minute to register online in the Great ShakeOut and just seconds to participate in the drill itself, but the lessons could make a life-or-death difference. The drill focuses on the protective actions people should take when a quake begins:
• “Drop” to the floor; • take “Cover” under a sturdy desk or table, and • “Hold On” until the shaking stops.
Illinois has participated in ShakeOut drills since 2011. Last year, 523,000 Illinoisans took part in the exercise. To date, nearly 530,000 Illinoisans have registered for the upcoming event, along with more than 25 million others in 39 states, Puerto Rico, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and Italy.
The largest earthquake ever to rattle North America occurred in 1811 in New Madrid, Missouri. If a similar quake struck the same spot today, the impact would be catastrophic and result in many fatalities and injuries, as well as severe damage or destruction to the region’s hospitals, roads, bridges, fuel pipelines and water infrastructure.
Most of southern Illinois sits atop one of two major fault zones - the New Madrid Seismic Zone and Wabash Valley Seismic Zone - but earthquakes have been felt throughout the state.
In recent years, Illinois has been slammed by natural calamities: floods, tornadoes, drought and blizzards. On IEMA’s website - www.Ready.Illinois.gov - residents can find tips for emergency planning, such as building a survival kit, creating escape routes and family reunification plans, and caring for pets.
