As Mother Nature’s icy grip takes hold across much of the nation, officials are warning to be very careful and plan ahead. The super-frigid air is more than an inconvenience, it can be life threatening. Here are some tips for people who will be driving in ice and snow storms:
If a blizzard traps you in the car:
Pull off the highway. Turn on hazard lights and hang a distress flag from the radio antenna or window.
Remain in your vehicle where rescuers are most likely to find you. Do not set out on foot unless you can see a building close by where you know you can take shelter. Be careful; distances are distorted by blowing snow. A building may seem close, but be too far to walk to in deep snow.
Run the engine and heater about 10 minutes each hour to keep warm. When the engine is running, open a downwind window slightly for ventilation and periodically clear snow from the exhaust pipe. This will protect you from possible carbon monoxide poisoning.
Exercise to maintain body heat, but avoid overexertion. In extreme cold, use road maps, seat covers, and floor mats for insulation. Huddle with passengers and use your coat for a blanket.
Take turns sleeping. One person should be awake at all times to look for rescue crews.
Eat regularly and drink ample fluids to avoid dehydration, but avoid caffeine and alcohol.
Be careful not to waste battery power. Balance electrical energy needs – the use of lights, heat, and radio – with supply.
Turn on the inside light at night so work crews or rescuers can see you.
If stranded in a remote area, stomp large block letters in an open area spelling out HELP or SOS and line with rocks or tree limbs to attract the attention of rescue personnel who may be surveying the area by airplane.
Leave the car and proceed on foot – if necessary – once the blizzard passes.
FEMA also has numerous other tips about cold weather safety here.
How cold can it go? Some of the coldest weather in decades is icing much of the West and Midwest of the United States over the next few days. Are you prepared for the numbing cold? Emergency officials warn it can be deadly without the proper gear.
Before you head out into the frigid weather, make sure that you have a “go bag” in your vehicle. A go bag has a flashlight blankets, high energy snack bars, water, gloves and hat. Check that you have jump cables, tools and a full spare tire. A bag of kitty litter can provide traction on slippery roads and thoroughfares.
Check out the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Environment lists of more cold weather safety tips.
For more about preparing your car for winter, visit these tips.
As the weather starts to change once again, we look towards the fall season. This means it is important to remember to prepare your house and family accordingly for the season change. Preparing for fall can help save money, and protect your family and home. Check out these tips about preparing your home both inside and out, along with family (including pets).
Inside the house
Service your furnace / air conditioner. Be sure to call your local heating and cooling company to service and make sure everything is working properly. Double check furnace for any leaks. This will save headaches and money later when the temperatures drop.
Check to make sure your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide monitors are properly working. It’s important to know the alarms work, and that fresh batteries have been installed. Replace any fire extinguishers that have expired with new ones throughout the home.
If you keep emergency kits, make sure they are full and stocked with small medical items, water, flashlight with fresh batteries, and any supplies needed. There should be enough to last you and the family about a week.
Stock up on winter supplies. If you live in a climate where it snows frequently or ices, stock up on shovels, ice scrapers, sidewalk salts, etc. If your climate features heavy rain or hurricanes, make sure you have plenty of tarps, bottled water, duct tape, etc.
Use caution with space heaters and fireplaces. Place a fireplace screen in front of fire to prevent sparks from flying out. Never leave a burning fire unattended, and make sure the fire is out before going to bed. If your space heater requires ventilation, make sure it vents to the outdoors. Never use a stove or oven to heat home. Always allow three feet of empty area around the space heaters.
Outside the home
Reconsider burning the big pile of leaves. Check with your city’s regulations. It may be illegal to burn leaves. Burning leaves produce dangerous and cancer-causing chemicals according to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). If you are going to burn the leaves, wear a protective mask. Make sure that you are far away from the house or any other structures. Double check the weather forecast for the day for windy activity.
Watch for power lines if trimming trees in the yard. Look and survey your yard area for power lines hanging above. Notice the placement of your ladder and trimming tools.
Use caution while using a ladder. If you have to clean leaves out of the gutter, remember to have on appropriate footwear to avoid getting caught in between steps. Watch the steps for water or moisture to avoid slipping and falling. Make sure the ladder is secure and placed before climbing.
Check all of the outdoor lighting fixtures. Make sure they all are working properly and secure. Outdoor lights are also effective deterrents for crime.
When you’re cleaning up your yard, prevent injuries by standing straight and upright while raking leaves. Pull from your arms and legs, lift bags with bent knees using your legs, not your back, for support. If you’re using a leaf blower, wear appropriate clothing, eye protection, and tennis shoes or boots to prevent injury.
Family
Go get a flu shot. There are still possibilities of getting sick after receiving the shot, but it will protect you from severe complications.
Not just for employees returning to work, wash your hands. Use hot water, plenty of soap, and scrub for at least 30 seconds.
Bundle up if it is cold. Wear a jacket and dress accordingly.
Pets. If your furry friend lives outside, feed them more in the cooler times to help them retain body heat.
Keep an emergency kit in your car. If you haven’t already, make up an emergency kit and keep in your trunk. Some are in stores already made-up. To make your own, include a flashlight with fresh batteries, first-aid kit, jumper cables, windshield washer fluid, and basic tools.
Like extreme heat warning, ice-cream melting, mind numbing, AC-bustingHOT.
It’s a heat wave
Kids and Cars:
On average, 38 children die in hot cars each year from heat-related deaths after being trapped inside motor vehicles.
Even the most attentive and caring parents make mistakes- including accidentally leaving or locking a child in a car. Sometimes, children climb into unlocked, parked cars in the driveway without parents realizing they have done so. Regardless of how it happens, children left in hot vehicles in the car are in grave danger within a matter of minutes.
Here are some tips for making double & triple sure that your child is safe and cool this summer:
No exceptions: No matter how brief your errand or how quick your stop, NEVER leave a child in the car. Under any circumstances, even with the windows cracked or completely rolled down. There is no safe amount of time to leave a child in the car.
Get involved if you are a bystander: If you see a child alone in a hot vehicle, call 911 immediately. If they are in distress due to heat, the National Highway Safety Administration recommends getting them out as soon as possible.
Remind Yourself: Tell yourself out loud to remember the child; give yourself visual cues; place your purse or briefcase in back by the child- so when you go to get it when exiting the car, you are reminded; place the diaper bag in the seat next to you where you can see it; place a stuffed animal in your child’s car seat- move it the front seat next to you when the child is in the car. Oftentimes, child car seats are behind the parent’s seat, out of sight. If you are changing up routine (for example, if Parent 1 usually drives the child in the morning, but today Parent 2 is doing so), it is easy to forget. New parents have a lot on their minds. Remind, remind, remind.
Prevent kids from wandering into the car: Don’t let children play in your car, lock your car doors and trunk, and keep keys out of any child’s reach. That way, you minimize the risk that they climb into your car without you knowing they have done so.
Make it routine: Make it a habit to physically open the back car door and check for anyone left behind every single time you get out of the car.
Have back up: Make arrangements with your child’s day care center or babysitter that you will always call if your child will not be there on a particular day as scheduled. That way if you forget and they are absent, they will alert you.
Pets and Cars:
Aside from annoying my friends and coworkers, this heat wave has also caused a changed in my relationship with my dog.
Usually, I take him everywhere.
Like most dogs, mine loves to ride in the car… and I loved letting him tag along with me . But no longer.
I always knew enough to realize I shouldn’t leave the dog in the car for longer than “just a minute.” But I would leave him (with the windows cracked) while I ran to return a movie or grab a coffee.
But in the summertime–and especially in the midst of a heat wave–“just a minute” is too long to leave the dog in the car.
Just check out these numbers from the Animal Protection Institute on how hot it gets inside your car while you’re running an errand for “just a minute”:
(The ‘Indoor/Outdoor’ and ‘Oven Thermometer’ categories refer to two different types of thermometers used to measure temperature in the car)
Think cracking the windows solves the problem? Think again:
What can happen if you your pet does get overheated?
According to PETA, just 15 minutes in an overheated car can lead to brain damage or death.
PETA also has a great list of warning signs that your dog is overheated (and what to do about it) and tips for what to do if you spot a dog inside a car on a hot day. Check them out here.
So long story short: Until it cools wayyyy down, leave your dog at home with the AC on full blast. If it’s too hot outside for you, it’s too hot to leave the puppy out there.
If I haven’t convinced you yet, maybe Simon Cowell and PETA can:
Consider your pet a part of the family? California Casualty understands. That’s why we want to help you protect them year round. We’ve partnered with Pets Best to offer insurance policies for your pet! Check them out here! Feed them, love them, insure them.
With kids home from the summertime, chances are they’ll be spending more time on family computers.
As kids spend more time online, the question of how to keep them safe is paramount.
There is a federal law in place, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), to help keep kids safe online. It requires websites to explain privacy policies, get parental consent before collecting or using a child’s personal info, and prohibits requiring a child to provide more personal information than necessary to play a game or enter a contest.
But even with this law, a child’s best protection online is you.
Here are some tips for keeping them safe:
Talk with your kids! Make sure they are comfortable talking with you about their internet use from the start. Talk about internet safety, rules, ways to stay safe, and when to alert you about something that happens online.
Set up some basic rules. Examples may include: never trade any photographs, emails, or personal information including name, address, school name, or location; Use only a screen name (with no full names or birthdays); Never agree to meet any person from online in person; Never respond to threatening messages- instead tell a parent; Tell a parent or adult about any scary or uncomfortable exchanges.
Become computer literate: Learn how to block objectionable material, check internet history, and monitor your child’s internet use
Talk with your child about cyberbulling! Make sure they know to never respond to cyberbullies, to alert you of any cyberbullying, and to not participate in any cyberbullying themselves (for more information and resources, click here)
Keep the computer in a common area. This way, your child can use the internet while you’re around to keep an eye on their activity
Share an email address so you know who your child is communicating with online
Bookmark their favorite sites and teach them how to find them there. This minimizes time spent ‘surfing’ the entire Internet and minimizes the chances of children accidently finding themselves on the wrong page
Spend time together online and show by example how to safely and appropriately use the internet
Teach kids not to click on ads or download anything from the internet without permission. Make sure your computer is protected against spyware and viruses.
If your child is on social media, teach them how to do so safely. Keep an eye on who their ‘friends’ are so you know who has access to their profiles, teach them how to use all the privacy settings available and make sure they are not posting any personal information online.
Monitor your credit cards and phone bills for unfamiliar account charges
Find out what online protection is in place at day cares, friends’ homes, or anywhere else your child may be accessing the internet
Remember that Internet technology is mobile. Make sure to monitor cell phones, gaming devices and lap tops.
Take your child seriously if he or she reports any threatening, suspicious or uncomfortable online exchange
Forward copies of these exchanges to your internet service provider or call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (800-843-5678) if you are aware or become aware of any suspicious or inappropriate online materials targeting or depicting children. Contact the FBI or local law enforcement if your child is ever targeted or threatened online.
Be aware of warning signs such as: your child turning off the computer suddenly when you enter the room, withdrawal from family life, reluctancy to talk about online activity, long hours online- especially at night, phone calls from strangers or unsolicited gifts in the mail.
BBQs, Fireworks, a day off in the middle of the week… what’s not to love?
As you get ready to celebrate, please do so carefully.
With a heat wave plaguing much of the country and wildfires devastating communities in multiple states, the risk of unintentionally setting fires (and the cost of doing so) is extremely high. Please keep in mind that firefighters risk their lives fighting fires- respect them by helping prevent fires in the first place!
Don’t let fireworks or carelessness ruin your holiday.
Before you light anything tomorrow, check your local government web site for ANY burn bans. If there is a burn ban in your area, there is a reason.
If fireworks are allowed where you live, refresh yourself on some basic firework safety.
For specific safety tips, here are a few good resources:
More on how to keep pets calm during Fireworks? Here’s a cool infographic (we loveee infographics around here)…
Grilling tomorrow?
Here’s anotherrrrr infographic on food safety.
Because who doesn’t love getting 21st century safety tips from the Founding Fathers (and the USDA)? Don’t miss these tips (…or Benjamin Franklin in an apron).
