Summer Weather Safety and Survival While thunderstorms usually get the most atten-

tion when it comes to dangerous weather in our

area, summertime heat and humidity are also

threats that we need to be aware of. Your Nation-

al Weather Service wants you to know about the

dangers of excessive heat and humidity, and

things you can do to stay safe. As with any

hazardous weather safety plan, the first step is

staying informed. Pay attention to forecasts and

statements from your local National Weather

Service Forecast Office, and information from

local agencies. Here are the top 3 dangers:

The Dangers of Heat and Humidity Because men sweat more than women, men are

more susceptible to heat illness because they

become more quickly dehydrated.

Lightning Safety Rules Avoid contact with corded phones and devices

including those plugged into electric for recharg-

ing. Wireless phones not connected are OK.

Unplug appliances and turn off air conditioners.

Avoid contact with plumbing.

Stay away from windows and doors, and stay off porch-

es.

Do not lie on concrete floors and do not lean against

concrete walls.

Avoid natural lightning rods such as a tall, isolated tree

in an open area.

Avoid hilltops, open fields, beach or a boat on the wa-

ter.

Take shelter in a sturdy building. Avoid isolated sheds

in open areas.

Avoid contact with anything metal.

If you are driving, try to safely exit the roadway and

park. Stay in the vehicle and turn on the emergency

flashers.

Beat the Heat, Check The Back Seat! The temperature inside a vehicle can rise 50 degrees

in an hour- even when outside air temperatures are in

the 70's. This can cause heat stroke in only minutes,

particularly in children and pets, whose body tempera-

tures warm at a rate 3 - 5x times faster than an adult

and "cracking the windows" provides little, if any, relief.

Learn more at www.weather.gov/oun/safety-summer-heathumidity

A Note from Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin Summer is here, and a great time

to showcase the beauty and the

attractions of Rensselaer County.

Summer is also a time for safety

and increased attention to the

health, safety and comfort of you

and your loved ones.

In this publication, you will find

helpful information on staying

safe when enjoying the outdoors

and the water, and during chal-

lenging summer weather, includ-

ing the heat and lightning. A re-

cent stint of temperatures ap-

proaching triple digits showed

how summer can put some of our

residents and pets at risk.

This guide also includes helpful

tips on healthy and safe prepa-

ration of food on outdoor grills,

and ideas on beating back bugs

and insects during the warm

months. Ideas on caring for

your pets are included, as are

tips on disaster preparedness.

For the little ones, there are

ideas on ensuring safe sleep for

babies.

Thanks go out to our Health

Department and the depart-

ment’s Preparedness Division

for their work to ensure the

safety and quality of life of our

residents.

Thanks also to our team at

Health for putting together this

helpful guide to help all of us

enjoy summer safe and healthy.

Summer 2018

The Rensselaer County Preparedness Initiative

NY Alert New Version Launch

A new & improved NY-Alert program

became available June 2018. It’s

FREE & users can customize alerts,

including:

Missing person alerts, including

Amber alerts

Traffic alerts, highway closures,

Haz-Mat spills

Severe weather warnings, watch-

es and marine surf advisories

To sign up or for a seamless transi-

tion go to www.nyalert.gov

Inside this issue:

Prep those Pets! 2

EPA’s Guide: Find the Repellent

that is Right for You

2

Proper Picnic Prep for Thrilling

Grilling

3

New App: USDA 'FoodKeeper'

App: A Tool for Smart Food Safety

3

Community Member Spotlight:

Safe Sleep for Your Baby

4

Disaster Safety for People with

Disabilities

4

In Rensselaer County and

across the United States, peo-

ple with pets and companion

animals are encouraged to be

ready for emergencies and dis-

asters. Summer brings unpre-

dictable weather and scary fireworks - so make sure that

pets have an emergency plan,

an emergency kit, and a Go-

Bag, just like families.

One of the worst things first

responders see during an emer-

gency is people who leave their

pets behind in their homes, and

the only thing worse is people

who won’t leave their homes

during an emergency because

they won’t leave their pets be-

hind. That can be dangerous

for everyone - homeowners,

pets and rescue workers.

There are some simple things to do so that you and your pets are ready for emer-

gencies:

Make sure your pet has an

identification tag on its

collar

Microchip your pets

Have copies handy of medi-

cal and immunization rec-

ords

Know which local hotels

will take pets in case you

have to relocate for a time

Make a temporary care plan for a

pet with relatives, friends or neigh-

bors. Offer to do the same for them

Have laminated photos of you with

your pets. Leave your contact info on

back of the photos

Assemble a pet emergency kit that

includes the following items:

Food, including any special food if

your pet has unusual dietary require-

ments

Collapsible bowls for food and water

Pet medications

Crate, carrier or cage

Sturdy leash/harness for your pet

Blankets and bedding

Toys and other comfort items

Litterbox, litter and scoop

Laminated copies of vaccinations

Trash bags, paper towels & other

cleanup supplies

Written care & feeding instructions

More information about pet prepared-

ness and pet kits is available at

www.ready.gov/pets

The Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA) has created a very

useful on-line search tool to help

you figure out just what repellent

to use by brand name, not just

the repellant ingredient.

You specify:

mosquitoes, ticks or both;

protection time; (based on ac-

tivity and amount of time you

need protection)

active ingredient; or

other product-specific infor-

mation.

Consider these factors when

choosing a repellent:

Do you need protection from

mosquitoes, ticks or both?

How long will you be exposed to

them?

Be sure to use a product with a

protection time that fits your

activity. Google search: “Finding a

repellent that is right for you”

Or go to: https://www.epa.gov/

insect-repellents/find-repellent-

right-you#search tool

Prep those Pets!

Find the Repellent that is Right for You

Your pets can't make

their own plans for severe

weather but you can.

Include your pet in your

emergency preparedness

plans. Learn how to

plan ahead at

www.ready.gov/animals

#PetPreparedness

Page 2 The Rensselaer County Preparedness Initiative

Working in the backyard? Camping this weekend? Going on

vacation? Warding off ticks, mosquitoes or both? Choosing the

right repellant can be so confusing. This handy interactive data

base by the EPA not only helps you choose the right repellant

but also what brand name you’ll find it by.

Tips For Safe Trips

“Summerize” your vehicle! Be

sure tires have enough tread and

are inflated properly. Check

coolant and other fluid levels,

especially before a long trip.

Have a mechanic check engine

belts, hose and clamps. Keep an

emergency Go Bag with water,

cash, emergency numbers (in

case you loose your phone) bug

repellant and sunscreen in your

car at all times.

Food safety begins with proper hand cleaning —

including in outdoor settings. Before you begin set-

ting out your picnic feast, make sure hands and

surfaces are clean.

Outdoor Hand Cleaning: If you don’t have access to

running water, use a water jug, some soap, and

paper towels. Or, consider using moist disposable

towelettes for cleaning your hands.

Utensils and Serving Dishes: Take care to keep all

utensils and platters clean when preparing food.

Follow Safe Grilling Tips

Grilling and picnicking often go hand-in-hand. And

just as with cooking indoors, there are important

guidelines that should be followed to ensure that

your grilled food reaches the table safely.

Marinate safely. Marinate foods in the refrigera-

tor — never on the kitchen counter or outdoors. In

addition, if you plan to use some of the marinade

as a sauce on the cooked food, reserve a portion

separately before adding the raw meat, poultry, or

seafood. Don’t reuse marinade.

Cook immediately after “partial cooking.” Partial cooking before grilling is only safe when the

partially cooked food can go on the hot grill imme-

diately, for example at a home with a grill on the

patio or deck.

Cook food thoroughly. When it’s time to cook

the food, have your food thermometer ready. Al-

ways use it to be sure your food is cooked thor-

oughly. (See Safe Food Temperature Chart)

Keep “ready” food hot. Grilled food can be kept

hot until served by moving it to the side of the grill

rack, just away from the coals. This keeps it hot but

prevents overcooking.

Don’t reuse platters or utensils. Using the

same platter or utensils that previously held raw

meat, poultry, or seafood allows bacteria from the

raw food’s juices to spread to the cooked food.

Instead, have a clean platter and utensils ready at

grill-side to serve your food.

Check for foreign objects in food. If you clean

your grill using a bristle brush, check to make sure

that no detached bristles have made their way into

grilled food.

Prevent “Cross-Contamination” When Serving Never reuse a plate or utensils that previously held

raw meat, poultry, or seafood for serving — unless

they’ve been washed first in hot, soapy water. Oth-

erwise, you can spread bacteria from the raw juic-

es to your cooked or ready-to-eat food. This is par-

ticularly important to remember when serving

cooked foods from the grill.

How

many times have you gone into your pantry or

refrigerator, only to find that what you were go-

ing to use in your meal was spoiled? The USDA,

Cornell University and the Food Marketing Insti-

tute would like to help you avoid that problem in

the future with our new application, the Food-

Keeper.

Our new application will help you understand how

different storing methods affect a product’s shelf

life. This should help you maximize the storage life

of foods and beverages in your home. In addition,

the application can remind you to use items be-

fore they are likely to spoil.

This is a great resource for food preparation and

storage. The Internet is full of varying opinions on

the temperature of pork or how long an egg dish

can be refrigerated. This app is a great resource

to find the answers to those questions from the

experts, the USDA.

Proper Picnic Prep for Thrilling Grilling

Keep your food safe: from the refrigerator/freezer — all the way to the picnic table!

July is the peak month

for grill fires (17%),

including both structure,

outdoor or unclassified

fires, followed by May

(14%), June (14%) and

August (13%) ~ nfpa.org

Page 3

Source: https://www.fda.gov/food/resourcesforyou/Consumers/ucm109899.htm

Get recall notifications specifically for

items that you have recently viewed.

These notifications will be sent to you

shortly after a recall notification is

published. Storage times listed are

intended as useful guidelines and are

not hard-and-fast rules. Some foods

may deteriorate more quickly while

others may last longer than the times

suggested. The app is available for

Android and Apple devices.

USDA 'FoodKeeper' App: A Tool for Smart Food Safety

Rensselaer County Early Intervention wants you to know…

team that can help you prepare for

a disaster. They can help you iden-

tify and get the resources you

need to cope effectively. Network

members can also assist you after

a disaster.

Make an emergency plan by com-

pleting a personal assessment.

Share your answers with your net-

work, and base your plan on your

lowest anticipated level of func-

tioning.

Water: What will you do if water

service is cut off for several days

or if you are unable to heat water?

Electricity-Dependent Equipment: How

will you continue to use equipment

that runs on electricity, such as

dialysis, electrical lifts, etc.? Do

you have a back-up?

Disaster Debris: How will you cope

with the debris in your home or

along your planned exit route fol-

lowing the disaster?

Errands: If your caregiver cannot

reach you when roads are blocked

Create an emergency plan that

addresses your needs

Rensselaer County wants you to “Get a Kit, Make a Plan, Stay In-

formed” during an emergency.

Mobility, hearing, cognitive, or

seeing disabilities can create

specific needs that individuals

must address in order to be able

to respond to emergencies

successfully.

Also, people with new disabili-

ties and their caregivers, may

benefit from the following tips:

Create a personal support network

A personal support network– a

or the disaster has affected

them as well? Will you need help

to get groceries, medications

and supplies?

Building Evacuation: Will you be

able to evacuate independently

without relying on auditory cues

that may be absent if the elec-

tricity is off or alarms are sound-

ing?

Service Animals/Pets: Do you have

the proper licenses for your ser-

vice animal so you will be per-

mitted to keep it with you in a

emergency public shelter?

Meet with Your Family/Personal

Care Attendants/Building Manager:

Review the information you gath-

ered about community hazards

and emergency plans.

Escape Routes and Drills: Be sure

to include family and/or your

caregiver in the drills.

Prepare for Different Hazards: Most

people shelter in a basement

when there is a severe weather

Disaster Safety for People with Disabilities warning, but most basements are

not wheelchair-accessible. Plan in

advance what your shelter will be

and how you will get there.

Don’t Forget a Back-Up Plan

If you use an electric wheelchair

or scooter, have a manual wheel-

chair for back-up

Label equipment & attach lami-

nated instructions for use.

Arrange for more than one person

from your personal support net-

work to check on you in an emer-

gency, and at least one more for

back-up

If you use a personal care at-

tendant obtained from an agency,

check to see if the agency has

special provisions for emergen-

cies

Keep the numbers you may need

to call with you in case 9-1-1 is

overloaded

Contact Jennifer for free brochures at

jlee@rensco.com or 518-270-2797

Preparedness Division

Ned Pattison Government Building

1600 Seventh Ave

2nd Floor

Troy, NY 12180

Rensselaer County Department of Health

Phone: 518-270-2797

Fax: 518-270-2638

E-mail: JLee@Rensco.com

Any questions or suggestions please

send me an email! JLee@rensco.com

or give me a call at 518-270-2797.

Thank you,

Visit us at

www.rensco.com/publichealth.asp

Are You Ready, Rensselaer County?

Get a kit, Make a plan, Stay informed.

SAFE SLEEP

FOR YOUR BABY

Do put your baby to sleep on

their back.

Do put your baby in a crib

sleep for nap & bed time.

Do use a firm crib mattress

covered by a fitted sheet.

Do put baby’s crib in the

same room as your bed.

Do breastfeed your baby.

Do use a pacifier for sleep.

Do keep your baby’s

immunizations current.

Don’t put baby to sleep on

their side or stomach

Don’t use car seat, swing,

bouncy seat, stroller,

infant carrier or sling for

routine sleep.

Don’t use blankets, pillows, or

bumper pads in the crib.

Don’t sleep in same bed as baby

Don’t use sleep positioners

Don’t hang pacifier around

baby’s neck

Don’t smoke around your baby

Sudden Infant Death

Syndrome (SIDS) is

the sudden,

unexplained death

of a baby younger

than 1 year of age

that doesn’t have a

known cause even

after a complete investigation. Most SIDS deaths occur when in babies

between 1 month and 4 months of age and the majority (90%) of SIDS

deaths occur before a baby reaches 6 months of age. However SIDS

deaths can occur anytime during a baby's first year. SIDS rates for the

United States have dropped steadily since 1994 in all racial and ethnic

groups, and thousands of

infant lives have been

saved by education

and outreach such

as the

Safe to Sleep campaigns.

For more information

contact Safe to Sleep

1-800-505-2742

Safetosleep@mail.nih.gov

http://safetosleep.

nichd.nih.gov

Co-authored by the American Red Cross and Department of Homeland Security and FEMA. Download “Preparing for Disaster for People with Disabilities and Other Special Needs”

“It’s up to us to be each others angels here on

earth and to look out for opportunities to help a

stranger. Remember you can be someone’s angel

today. Get to know your neighbors - you never

know who’s in line in front of you at the grocery

store or what’s been going on with them.”

~ Catherine Burns