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Created: 06 November 2019

State Agencies Encourage People to Prepare for Winter Weather

November is Winter Weather Preparedness Month in Illinois

SPRINGFIELD – While the official start of winter is not for several weeks, parts of Illinois have already experienced the first snowfall of the season. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA), Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), Illinois Department of Labor and the National Weather Service (NWS) are encouraging people to begin preparing now for extreme cold, snow and ice.

“In Illinois, it’s not a question of if, but rather when will snow, ice and sub-zero temperatures occur,” said Acting IEMA Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau. “Being unprepared for winter weather is not only inconvenient, but it can be dangerous. That’s why we are encouraging all Illinoisans to take a few minutes to put together your home and vehicle emergency supply kits and review the steps you should take to stay safe during hazardous winter weather.”

In terms of weather, 2019 has been a record-breaking year in Illinois. The new year brought a Polar Vortex that crippled most of the Midwest, including blanketing Illinois with life-threatening temperatures for several days. According to the NWS, the coldest temperature on record occurred this year (January 31) when the mercury dropped to negative 38 degrees near Mt. Carroll in Carroll County. The previous record of negative 36 degrees was set in 1999.

From 2008-2018, there were 788 fatalities related to cold temperatures in Illinois, which is more than heat (227), tornadoes (23), floods (38) and severe storms/lightning (17) combined. In the United States, about 700 deaths occur each year from hypothermia. Infants and the elderly are particularly at risk of hypothermia.

“There are several dangerous health conditions that can occur specifically in winter weather,” said Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “It’s important to watch for signs of extreme cold. Hypothermia, when a person’s body temperature drops below 95 degrees Fahrenheit, can occur both outdoors and indoors and can be fatal. Frostbite occurs when your extremities (fingers, toes, nose, and ears) are exposed to cold weather. The skin may become stiff and numb leading to severe tissue damage. Also, watch for symptoms of chest pain when shoveling snow which can be associated with overexertion. Know the warning signs of dangerous cold weather health conditions in order to stay safe and healthy during the winter.”

Unfortunately, no matter how low the temperature dips, many Illinois workers will face the frigid elements to do their jobs. Cold weather is never pleasant, but by taking some precautions, workers can minimize the dangers.

“Freezing, snowy weather is a fact of life in Illinois during the winter, and some people feel they can tough it out,” said Illinois Department of Labor Director Michael Kleinik. “But if you’re required to work outdoors, you’re tempting fate by not dressing properly on frigid days.”

Caution and self-awareness are the keys to cold weather safety. Workers should know the signs of hypothermia, not push their bodies to an extreme, layer clothing and make sure they have plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.

“The signs of danger initially may be subtle but once they hit, they can hit like a snowplow,” said Mitch Rogers, administrator for Memorial Health System’s Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Services in Springfield.

Preventative maintenance is also a good idea. Rogers suggests people who must work outside regularly in the winter weather consider scheduling a physical exam before that winter work begins.

To help Illinois residents prepare for winter, IEMA and the NWS 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.

“Preparing well in advance of winter weather is really the best way to cope when snow, ice and cold temperatures affect us,” said Chris Miller, Warning Coordination Meteorologist with the NWS office in Lincoln. “Now is the time to prepare your vehicle and house for winter conditions. Make sure you have blankets, non-perishable food, boots, extra clothing and other items in your car in case you are stranded or waiting for a tow. At home, make sure you have enough essential items to ride out a storm, or if you are without power, for at least three days.”

For more information about winter weather preparedness, including the Weathering Winter guide from the Illinois Department of Public Health, visit the Ready Illinois website at www.Ready.Illinois.gov.

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Created: 15 October 2019

Drop, Cover, Hold On! IEMA Encourages all Illinoisans to Register, Participate in Annual Earthquake Drill

October 10, 2019

SPRINGFIELD -- The Illinois Emergency Management Agency is encouraging all residents, schools, businesses and other organizations to participate in the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut on October 17, 2019, at 10:17 am. The goal of this “Drop, Cover and Hold On” drill is to draw attention to the earthquake hazard that exists in Illinois, across the country and around the world.

The annual ShakeOut is an international event involving millions of participants from more than 40 states and territories and several countries. To date, millions of people have registered worldwide, including more than two million people in the central United States.

Illinois is sandwiched between two active seismic zones: the New Madrid Seismic Zone and the Wabash Valley Seismic Zone. Earthquakes can occur at anytime, anywhere and without warning On September 27, a 3.27 magnitude earthquake shook parts of the Missouri bootheel. On Monday, September 30, the United States Geological Survey reports seven earthquakes occurred in one day. Geologist are warning residents that while we often associate earthquakes with the west coast, quakes can and do occur closer to home. This underscores the importance of preparedness. An earthquake can strike when you are at work, at home, at school, or while on vacation. ShakeOut provides the opportunity to practice what you would do in the event of an earthquake.

Shakeout Participation is as easy as 1, 2, 3…

1.  REGISTER your home, school or organization on the ShakeOut website: www.ShakeOut.org/centralus. Once registered, your point of contact will receive important information about earthquakes and preparedness.

2.  INFORM the members of your home, school or organization of your participation plans.

3.  PRACTICE “DROP, COVER and HOLD ON” on October 17, 2019, at 10:17 am.
Drop to the ground onto your hands and knees.
Cover your head and neck with one arm to protect yourself from falling objects.
Hold On to a sturdy table or desk until the shaking is done. These are the recommended actions to take during earthquake shaking.

Additional earthquake preparedness and mitigation information is available on the following websites: http://www.ready.illinois.gov and http://www.cusec.org.

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Created: 10 September 2019

September is National Preparedness Month in Illinois

Campaign will prepare residents, families and communities for emergencies or disasters

SPRINGFIELD – National Preparedness Month is recognized each September as a way to promote family and community disaster and emergency planning. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA), and local emergency managers, are encouraging Illinoisans to take time to prepare for potential emergencies at homes, at work, and in the community. Having a plan that includes where to go and how to communicate during disasters, building an emergency supply kit and learning lifesaving skills could help your family, friends, neighbors and employees during a disaster.

“A disaster can strike at any time and anywhere: When you are at home, at work or while you are traveling on vacation,” said Acting IEMA Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau. “Today, preparedness is more than building a kit. Community resiliency is achieved when neighbors help neighbors plan for and respond to emergencies. Building a culture of preparedness is the cornerstone of disaster preparedness.”

Here are five steps to Disaster Preparedness:

• Save Early for a Disaster: Can you afford a disaster or emergency? According to the Federal Reserve, 40-percent of Americans do not have $400 in savings. Operation Hope is a non-profit that provides pre-disaster preparedness planning. They work with adults, youth and disaster survivors to equip them with the financial knowledge and tools to create a secure future. These programs and services are offered at no cost to a client.

• Learn Lifesaving Skills: Every day citizens can be first responders. This is a great time to learn lifesaving skills, such as CPR and first aid techniques, in order to provide immediate aid until help arrives.

• Make a Plan for When a Disaster Strikes: Your family may not be together if a disaster strikes, so it is important to know which types of disasters could affect your area, and know how you will contact one another and reconnect if separated.

• Teach Youth how to Prepare for Disasters: Disaster planning, response, and recovery efforts should take into account the unique needs of children, who make up roughly a quarter of the U.S. population. Get kids involved in building their own emergency kit. Make sure to include your child's favorite stuffed animals, board games, books or music in their emergency kit to comfort them in a disaster.

• Get Involved in Community Preparedness: Check in with your neighbors to see how you can help each other before, during and after a storm. You can also bolster your community’s resiliency efforts by joining a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). CERTs train volunteers to prepare for various. Find your local CERT.

 IEMA offers disaster preparedness information on the Ready Illinois website (www.Ready.Illinois.gov), a one-stop resource for detailed information about what to do before, during and after disasters. During large-scale disasters, IEMA uses the Ready Illinois website, Facebook and Twitter pages to provide critical information about the incident, including shelter locations, road closures, safety information, photos and more.

For more information about emergency and disaster preparedness, visit ready.illinois.gov.

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Created: 05 August 2019

August is School and Campus Preparedness Month in Illinois

Students from kindergarten through college soon will head back to school. As families prepare for the new academic year, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and local emergency management agencies are encouraging parents to include emergency preparedness in their back-to-school plans.

Emergencies can occur any time of the day or night, including when children are in school. The start of a new school year is the perfect time to make sure you know your school’s plans for keeping students safe during an emergency and then talking to your child about those plans.

Here are some tips for parents to consider:

•Find out where children will be taken in the event of an evacuation during school hours.

•Ensure your current emergency contact information is on file at your child’s school.

•Pre-authorize a friend or relative to pick up your children in an emergency and make sure the school knows who that designated person is.

•Teach children with cell phones about “Text First, Talk Later.” Short, simple text messages, such as “R U OK?” and “I’m OK,” are more likely to get through than a phone call if phone service is unavailable immediately following an emergency. As phone congestion eases, you can follow up with a phone call to relay more information.

Students headed off to college also need to be prepared for emergencies. Many college campuses offer email and text messages to alert students of potential dangers, such as severe weather and other threats. Encourage your college student to sign-up for such alerts. Some colleges also provide alert messages for parents so they, too, can be aware potential dangers on campus. In addition, make sure your student knows the emergency plans for their dorm or apartment building.

In addition, a great resource for both parents and college students is the FEMA Weather app. This free app provides fast and reliable alerts from the National Weather Service (NWS). Best of all, the app can be tailored to offer alerts for up to five different locations. This convenience can provide peace of mind for parents who have kids that have moved away to college.

Additional preparedness information is available on the Ready Illinois website at www.Ready.Illinois.gov. You can also follow Ready Illinois on Facebook and Twitter.