Celebrate Safely This Weekend!

The fourth of July is a great time to celebrate with friends and family. Here are some safety tips to stay safe while you’re having fun!

 ROAD SAFETY Millions of people will be on the roads Fourth of July weekend. The Red Cross offers these five bullets of advice to ensure everyone is safe while traveling this holiday:

·      Do not drink and drive: Many people BBQ for the Fourth of July, which often times includes drinking. Be sure to designate a safe ride and avoid making bad decisions.

·      Buckle seat belts and observe speed limits.

·      Pay full attention to the road: Although you may choose not to drink and drive there is potential for other intoxicated drivers. Make sure to pay attention to the road and cars around you. Don’t use a cell phone or other distractions while you are driving.

·      Use caution in work zones.

·      Clean your vehicles lights and windows so that you are able to see, especially at night.  Remember to turn your headlights on as dusk approaches, or during inclement weather.

Grilling Safety Many people are injured every year while using charcoal or gas grills. Follow these several steps to ensure your safety while grilling up some yummy BBQ treats.

·      Always supervise a barbecue grill when in use.

·      Never grill indoors.

·      Keep your grill clean by removing grease or fat build up.

·      Make sure everyone, including pets, stay away from the grill

·      Keep the grill out in the open, away from the house, the deck, tree branches, or anything that could catch on fire.

·      Use long handled tools to keep the chef safe.

·      Charcoal grill specific:

o   Never add flammable liquids to start the fire.

o   Let coals completely cool before disposing.

·      Propane grill specific:

o   Check the major connections points between gas tank hose and burners for potential leaks.

o   If there is a leak that does not stop, call the fire department immediately.

Water Safety Many people engage in water activities over their Fourth of July weekend. The Red Cross encourages everyone to make water safety a priority as they enjoy pools or any beaches, lakes and rivers.

·      Ensure everyone knows how to swim and designate lifeguard supervises areas.

·      Always swim with a buddy

·      Wear life jackets.

·      Pay close attention to swimmers in or near the water. Avoid distractions while supervising the water. Never leave children unattended near the water.

For more tips to keep you and your family safe this Fourth of July holiday you can download the American Red Cross First Aid app at http://www.redcross.org/mobile-apps/first-aid-app

Stay safe and have a great Fourth of July holiday weekend!

-Sophia Maloff

Giving Thanks for Safe Winter Travels!

In case you couldn't tell by the frigid temperatures and the snow some of us saw this weekend, winter is here. Just to make sure that point is hammered home, all of Western  New York is under a Winter Storm Watch from Tuesday evening through Wednesday evening. While six inches of snow may not be enough to scare us hearty Western New Yorkers, history tells us we'd do well to make sure we're prepared.

Warming station for stranded drivers at the Cheektowaga
Senior Center on 12/1/10

This is one of the busiest travel weekends of the year, with over 43 million Americans expected to hit the roads. During Thanksgiving week 13 years ago, I was working at Channel 7 when this happened. Looking outside the downtown Buffalo studios, the streets looked like a war zone, with abandoned cars spread across the highways, blocking travel even for those trying to brave the massive snowstorm. Thousands were stranded. I spent the night with dozens of stranded travelers in the lobby of the hotel across the street, since every room had long been filled by other stranded travelers. I was only a month into my Red Cross career when a lake effect snowstorm forced the closure of parts of the Thruway near Cheektowaga on December 1, 2010, giving me my first shelter experience as we set up a warming station for the thousands of stranded motorists. (It wasn't over the holidays, but I was also a senior in the Marion Jr-Sr High School when an ice storm knocked out power to thousands and kept us out of school for a week in 1991. Not to date myself or anything...)

Volunteers serve a hot meal to drivers, some of whom had
been stranded over 24 hours when a snowstorm closed
portions of the Thruway in December 2010

It's almost as if winter storms are part of the Thanksgiving tradition in this region. And even if you can handle the snowy driving, other drivers or road closures can still leave you stuck. Try to wait until things are clear to hit the roads--I'm sure your family will keep the turkey warm for you. But if you must drive in wintry conditions, here's some safety tips to help you arrive safely:

• Pack emergency supplies like blankets, water and snacks, flashlight and first aid kit.
• Vehicles should be in good working order before heading out. Fill the fuel tank, check air pressure in tires and top-off windshield fluid.
• Buckle up and obey all traffic signs.
• Avoid distractions while driving like using mobile phones to talk or text.
• Designate a driver who won’t be drinking whenever alcohol is served.

If your using planes and trains instead of automobiles this Thanksgiving, we've got some safety tips for you as well. And of course, this is just the beginning of the winter season, so make sure you're prepared to make it through the snow at home and on the roads!

A Buffalonian travels!

As we’ve mentioned before, in order to be prepared you have to be informed, and after my recent trip to Florida, I was thankful for all of my time here at the Red Cross learning about preparedness!! For this Buffalonian who can count on one hand how many times she’s left New York, Florida was definitely a culture shock.  The beautiful palm tree studded streets and lovely ocean view was enough to make me feel like I was visiting a foreign land, and although it was difficult getting used to sitting on the beach, I managed… however; it is so HOT in the South!!



Photo courtesy of
www.destination360.com



Every day of my visit, the temperature was at least 100 degrees and muggy, and when I traveled up to visit Savannah, Georgia the temperature was a jaw dropping 107 degrees… I always thought people were just over exaggerating, but it turns out, thermometers really can go that high!! To top it off, it was smoky because of all of the wildfires burning throughout the southern states. 

Smoke can invariably cause allergies and breathing distress and extreme heat can cause dehydration and heat stroke, all of which I’ve researched and wrote about in this blog, so I was alert of how I was feeling and making sure that everyone I was with was:

·         Hydrated

·         Not outside when the smoke was particularly heavy

·         Taking the proper medication if sensitive to Florida’s environment

·         Taking full advantage of the cooling powers of the pool and ocean… with the buddy system in place of course!

Now that I’m back in Buffalo with a little more knowledge of the world and how things in other places work, I am much more informed, aware, and prepared, of the type of research and information people should look for before traveling so that they can be prepared for air quality issues, temperature differences and heat related emergencies, which I hope you are as well from reading!
If you’ve had any similar situations that you were or weren’t prepared for when traveling, please comment below so that your experiences can help others!

Are you prepared to travel?



Photo courtesy of newsone.com and AP.

As the weather warms up, we often pack our bags and begin to travel away from our safe haven here in WNY.  No longer are snowstorms, flooding, and the occasional house fire the only things you need to worry about... You may now be in crosshairs of an earthquake, tornado, or even a hurricane!
This is why we urge everyone to learn all they can about what you do during those types of disasters so that regardless of where you are in the world, you’ll be prepared!! So today, we’ve decided to talk about hurricanes!

What is a hurricane?

A hurricane is a strong storm that can cause life­and property­threatening hazards such as flooding, storm surge, high winds and tornadoes.

What are the different type of hurricane warnings?

A hurricane watch is when conditions are a threat within 48 hours. Review your hurricane plans, keep informed and be ready to act if a warning is issued.

A hurricane warning is when conditions are expected within 36 hours. Complete your storm preparations and leave the area if directed to do so by authorities.

Don’t have your emergency kit yet?

Emergency preparedness kits should be made so that you can respond to any sort of emergency, whether it is a fire, flood, tornado or earthquake, you should be able to grab your kit and survive on your own for a minimum of 3 days. 



Haven’t made your kit yet? Want to learn more about hurricanes? Click here to learn more.