Wildfire Planning & Resources

Step One - Create A Communications Plan
This can be done way in advance and always in place for when disaster strikes, not for just when wildfires occur. Designate primary and secondary meeting points, discuss which social media posts you're going to post to to find one another if you become separated. Memorize each others mobile phone numbers. Designated a common family member of friend well removed from the geographic area that you can relay information through. Use a personal protection app like Virtual Halo so you can check in with each other and transmit your exact location (basic services are free). Keep your mobile phones charged and have spare battery chargers fully charged at all times.

Unlike tornadoes, wildfire’s give a little notice so potentially affected residents can take a little action to achieve maximum safety. Below are a group of tools recommended for you to use when preparing for a wildfire. Be safe out there... and good luck!

Everyone needs to be prepared for the unexpected. Your friends and family may not be together when disaster strikes. How will you find each other? Will you know if your children or parents are safe? You will most likely have to evacuate. What’s your plan?

Step Two - Develop a Family Emergency Plan
This will include what to do during what type of disaster and should have provisions for when you're home and when you're traveling. Ready.gov had made planning a snap, visit their site here. Immediate steps to take include:

• How will I receive my warnings?

• What is my shelter plan?

• What is my evacuation route?

• What are the dietary needs of my household?

  • Get any provisions including water, batteries and flashlights that will be needed.

• What planning do you need to make for your pet(s)?

Step Three - Constantly Review the FEMA Evacuation Guidelines
And follow all directions given by local and state governments. Access FEMA Evacuation Guidelines here. 

Step Four - Prepare For Evacuation

• Inside The House

  • Shut all windows and doors, leaving them unlocked.

  • Remove flammable window shades, curtains and close metal shutters.

  • Remove lightweight curtains.

  • Move flammable furniture to the center of the room, away from windows and doors.

  • Shut off gas at the meter; turn off pilot lights.

  • Leave your lights on so firefighters can see your house under smoky conditions.

  • Shut off the air conditioning.

• Outside The House

  • Gather up flammable items from the exterior of the house and bring them inside (patio furniture, children’s toys, door mats, trash cans, etc.) or place them in your pool.

  • Turn off propane tanks.

  • Move propane BBQ appliances away from structures.

  • Connect garden hoses to outside water valves or spigots for use by firefighters. Fill water buckets and place them around the house.

  • Don’t leave sprinklers on or water running, they can affect critical water pressure.

  • Leave exterior lights on so your home is visible to firefighters in the smoke or darkness of night.

  • Put your Emergency Supply Kit in your vehicle.

  • Back your car into the driveway with vehicle loaded and all doors and windows closed. Carry your car keys with you.

  • Have a ladder available and place it at the corner of the house for firefighters to quickly access your roof.

  • Seal attic and ground vents with pre-cut plywood or commercial seals.

  • Patrol your property and monitor the fire situation. Don’t wait for an evacuation order if you feel threatened.

  • Check on neighbors and make sure they are preparing to leave.

• Animals

  • Locate your pets and keep them nearby.

  • Prepare farm animals for transport and think about moving them to a safe location early.

When waiting out a wildfire, be careful, the danger may not be over yet when everything looks clear. Each locale will distribute information differently. During the Napa Valley fires in 2017, they had a community-wide text service to let residents of the valley know what was going on and happening. Stay alert to local broadcasts and sign up for text alerts and download relevant apps if available.

After the wildfire, wait until your area is declared safe by emergency management personnel before returning home. And remember, recovering from a natural disaster is often a gradual process. Good luck and be safe!

RESOURCES

• CalFire - Wildfire Preparation

• Federal Occupational Health - Coping With Wildfires

• American Red Cross

• In-Depth Guide to Financial Preparedness
  

How Schools Can Improve Student Safety

A lot of schools are already taking steps to ensure their students are safe and secure while on campus or in classes with blue-light phones and campus security, but with modern advancements they can go the extra mile by downloading a user-friendly and reliable application on student smart devices that enables them to get help at the touch of a button: Campus Halo.

Campus Halo Was Designed with the Student in Mind

Campus Halo is a personal safety application that can be downloaded directly every student’s smart device, such as their phone and Apple Watch. Since they already travel these devices, whether to stay in communication with friends and family or take notes in classes, it’s a simple solution to aid in student safety. Plus, the SOS feature is free to all students of select campuses, so they don’t have to worry about any associated fees.

Students Can Connect Directly to Campus Security

Unlike blue-light phones, students always have their personal devices with them wherever they are, so if a dangerous situation arises they don’t have to worry about searching for help and safety. Instead, they can use their device to push an SOS button to send a notification that goes directly to campus security with the student’s exact location. This eliminates the extra time it would take to find help, so thestudent gets the assistance they need that much more quickly.

Campus Halo is Making Campuses Safer

With help just an SOS button away, students can feel safer on campus and have peace of mind as they make their way to and from classes. In the event of an emergency situation, Campus Halo is there with instant notifications that get help to them faster than most other campus security measures. By keeping school populations safer, we are helping to increase the security of everyone. Learn more about Campus Halo here.

Why Your Child Should Have An iPhone

We live in a very mobile and tech-savvy society. Smartphones and iPhones are found everywhere, in the hands of the old and young alike. And for good reason.

Modern smartphones have become miniature computers with their capabilities and processing power. This has allowed them to become essential tools in everyday life for virtually everyone - most especially children. Children have adopted the technology as part of a societal norm, using them for social communication, keeping track of their schedules for school and sports and even researching for class assignments.

But there are two essential reasons why your child should have an iPhone:

1. iPhones Help You Stay Connected

You have a busy schedule, and with classes, sports and other social events in your child’s life,
they do, too. How can you stay on top of everything? The iPhone lets you sync calendars so
you can see what your child is doing and when, and it also gives you an avenue to stay in
constant communication if anything should change. And you don’t even have to call each other
to do that anymore. With the iPhone you can send a quick iMessage with an update.

2. iPhones Let You Know Where They Are

It’s a big world out there, so one of the first things you should connect on your phones is Find
My Friends. This app lets you see where your child is on a GPS-like map. This is handy for
parents with busy bee children with full calendars so you can always keep an eye out to make
sure they’re safe at a game, birthday party or otherwise.

iPhones As Safety Tools

Ultimately, as a parent, you want to keep your child safe. And the iPhone is a great way to do
that, quickly and easily. Once you have the phone set up with basic features and Find My
Friends, go to the app store and download Virtual Halo. This safety app gives your child access
to help, instantly, if they need it. It also lets them check in with you with just the touch of a button to let you know they’re safe, without taking time away from their social life. And for the really tech savvy family, the app now works with the Apple Watch with LTE connectivity, so they don’t even have to unlock their phone.

Basic Planning for a Hurricane

Step One - Create A Communications Plan
This can be done way in advance and always in place for when disaster strikes, not for just when hurricanes occur. Designate primary and secondary meeting points, discuss which social media posts you're going to post to to find one another if you become separated. Memorize each others mobile phone numbers. Designated a common family member of friend well removed from the geographic area that you can relay information through. Use a personal protection app like Virtual Halo so you can check in with each other and transmit your exact location (basic services are free). Keep your mobile phones charged and have spare battery chargers fully charged at all times.

Unlike tornadoes, Hurricane's give a little notice so potentially affected residents can take a little action to achieve maximum safety. Below are a group of tools recommended for you to use when preparing for a hurricane. Be safe out there... and good luck!

Everyone needs to be prepared for the unexpected. Your friends and family may not be together when disaster strikes. How will you find each other? Will you know if your children or parents are safe? You may have to evacuate or be confined to your home. What will you do if water, gas, electricity or phone services are shut off?

Step Two - Develop a Family Emergency Plan
This will include what to do during what type of disaster and should have provisions for when you're home and when you're traveling. Ready.gov had made planning a snap, visit their site here. Immediate steps to take include:

• How will I receive my warnings?

• What is my shelter plan?

• What is my evacuation route?

• What are the dietary needs of my household?

  • Get any provisions including batteries and flashlights that will be needed.

• What planning do you need to make for your pet(s)?

Step Three - Constantly Review the FEMA Evacuation Guidelines
And follow all directions given by local and state governments. Access FEMA Evacuation Guidelines here. 

When waiting out a storm, be careful, the danger may not be over yet when everything looks clear. Be alert for tornadoes - they are often spawned by hurricanes. Also, during the "eye" of the storm, it may seem like the storm is over, but it's not. Once the eye passes, the winds will pickup quickly and change directly back into hurricane force.

After the storm, wait until your area is declared safe by emergency management personnel before returning home. And remember, recovering from a natural disaster is often a gradual process. Good luck and be safe!

RESOURCES

• FEMA - Are You Ready? Guide

• National Weather Service Weather Safety

• Be a Force of Nature with NOAA's Weather-Ready Nation

• NWS Storm-Ready Sites & Communities

• Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA)

• Ready.gov Kids

• American Red Cross

• In-Depth Guide to Financial Preparedness