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Created: 06 January 2020

January is ‘Radon Action Month’ in Illinois

Statewide Radon Poster and Video Contests Now Accepting Entries

SPRINGFIELD – Cold weather might put a damper on outdoor activities, but according to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) it is a great time to test your home for cancer-causing radon gas that has been found in nearly 40 percent of Illinois homes tested. IEMA is encouraging people to test for radon during Radon Action Month in January.

Radon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that is naturally produced from the soil. It can enter homes and buildings through small cracks in the foundation, sump pumps or soil in crawlspaces. Statistics show radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. An estimated 1,200 people in Illinois develop radon-related lung cancer each year. “Radon related health risks are preventable,” said Acting IEMA Director, Alicia Tate-Nadeau. “Radon can be detected with a simple test and mitigated through well-established techniques. With greater awareness we can save lives.”

The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) is announcing several initiatives this January to increase public awareness of radon risks and ways to reduce radon exposure.

Illinois Radon Poster Contest

Today, IEMA and American Lung Association in Illinois (ALAIL) kicked off its annual statewide contest that encourages Illinois school students to use their creative talents to promote radon awareness. The Illinois Radon Poster Contest is open to students ages 9-14. Entries are due by March 6. Prizes include $200 for first place, $150 for second place and $100 for third place. For more information about the poster contest, visit the American Lung Association in Illinois (ALAIL) website.

Illinois Radon Video Contest

High school students can also compete for prizes by participating in the Illinois Radon Video Contest. This contest requires students to produce a creative 30-second YouTube video about radon. An individual student, group of students or classroom, can create videos. Student prizes include $1,000 for first place, $750 for second place, $500 for third place and $250 for seven honorable mention videos. The winning video will be featured on the big screen in local movie theaters throughout the state.

Also new this year, participants can pre-register for the 2020 video contest before January 31 for a chance to win a free short-term test kit. All videos, entry forms and release forms must be submitted by March 13. Details about the video contest are available on the American Lung Association in Illinois (ALAIL) website.

Most Views Contest

IEMA and ALAIL also created a contest that will reward a students’ marketing and outreach skills. The top 10 submitted videos will be provided a link to share with their friends. At the end of contest, the student with the most video views will receive an additional $300. Additionally, the schools of the top three winners will receive $300, $200 and $100 for first, second and third places, respectively.

Twitter Contest

New this year, all students are being encouraged to share their video submission on their Twitter account using the hashtag #2020ILRadonVideoContest. The tweet(s) with the most likes and most retweets will win a brand new GoPro. The twitter contest will run March 13-March 27.

“The goal of our Radon Action Month outreach activities is to get people to test their homes. Our youth does a great job of utilizing YouTube and social media platforms in their regular lives to share important and relevant information. We want them to do the same with radon,” said Kallie Sinkus with the American Lung Association of Illinois.

All contest prizes are funded by a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. IEMA, ALAIL and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 sponsor both contests.

For more information about radon, visit IEMA’s radon website at www.radon.illinois.gov. The website includes useful information about radon and lists of licensed measurement and mitigation professionals. Information is also available through IEMA’s Radon Hotline at 800-325-1245.

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Created: 02 December 2019

IEMA Highlights Holiday Safety in December

Tips offered for shopping, travel, winter heating and more

SPRINGFIELD – With the holiday season in full swing, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) is offering tips to help people stay safe now and into the new year. From decorating the tree to traveling to grandma’s house with a sleigh full of new toys, be sure to take simple steps to keep your family safe.

Holiday Decorating

Whether decorating for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or New Year’s Eve, candles and strings of colored lights create a festive atmosphere but it’s important to be careful when using them. Candles should never be left unattended, and placed far away from flammable materials. Candles should also be placed on stable furniture in fire-safe holders that will catch dripping wax. Holiday lights and electrical decorations should bear the name of an independent testing lab to prove they were safety tested.

Winter Heating

While the stockings are hung by the chimney with care, be sure that your fireplace is ready for the winter heating season. Chimneys, fireplaces and wood and coal stoves should be regularly inspected and cleaned when necessary. Additionally, furnaces should be checked every year by professionals to ensure mechanical parts are functioning properly and that nothing is blocking the flue. Malfunctioning furnaces increase both the fire and carbon monoxide risks.

Under Illinois law, homes should be equipped with working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors within 15 feet of each sleeping area. The detectors should be tested monthly to ensure they’re functioning and the batteries are still good. Never use a gas or charcoal grill inside your home or attached garage because of the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Holiday Shopping

Safety Whether shopping online or in the store, be sure to utilize smart shopping techniques this holiday season. If shopping online, connect with care. Make sure your home wireless network is password protected, and set strong passwords that make it hard for cyber criminals to guess. Also, remember the old adage, if it’s too good to be true, it probably is. During the holidays, scammers may send fake emails requiring you to click a link for a special offer. Shop online through trusted retailers to avoid these scams, and do not click on links from unknown senders.

Holiday Travel

When traveling over the river and through the woods, whether by car, train or plane, be sure to utilize smart travel tips.

If traveling by car, remember to pack an emergency supply kit with essentials for all your passengers. Fill out an emergency communications plan and let your in case of emergency (ICE) contact know your plan. Also, before you hit the road, check local road conditions and avoid traveling during winter storms.

If traveling by plane for the holidays, be sure to review the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) security screening tips. When packing for your flights, consider a small emergency kit that includes a flashlight and spare USB power bank.

Follow IEMA on Facebook (www.Facebook.com/ReadyIllinois) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/ReadyIllinois) for additional #HolidaySafety preparedness information. You can also find additional information on emergency preparedness at www.Ready.Illinois.gov.

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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.