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Created: 01 September 2017

How to Help Disaster Survivors in Texas

The compassion and generosity of the American people is never more evident than during and after a disaster. As many Illinoisans seek ways to help survivors of this heartbreaking disaster, here is some important information to ensure your support is most helpful to those in need.

• The most effective way to support disaster survivors in their recovery is to donate money and time to trusted, reputable, voluntary or charitable organizations. This allows these organizations to obtain needed resources nearer to the disaster location, which reduces transportation costs and helps boost the local economy in the disaster-impacted area.
• Donate through a trusted relief organization. The Texas Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters has a list of vetted disaster relief organizations at http://txvoad.communityos.org/cms/node/104. A list of approved national organizations can be found on the National Volunteers Active in Disasters website at https://www.nvoad.org/.
• Please do not donate unsolicited goods, such as used clothing, miscellaneous household items, etc. Unless specifically requested, these may not meet the needs of disaster survivors.
• The state of Texas is asking volunteers to not self-deploy, as unexpectedly showing up to any of the communities that have been impacted by Hurricane Harvey will create an additional burden for first responders. Potential volunteers are asked to register to volunteer with community- and faith-based organizations working in the field. Lists of those organizations can be found at http://txvoad.communityos.org/cms/node/104 and https://www.nvoad.org/.

It’s important to remember that recovery from a disaster of this magnitude will take months, even years. So, too, will the need for generosity from caring Americans.

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Created: 21 August 2017

State, Local Agencies Coordinate to Ensure Public Safety Before, During, After Eclipse

Planning started in 2016

SPRINGFIELD – Excitement is building for a total solar eclipse that will be visible in a 70-mile-wide path in southern Illinois on Aug. 21. While crowd estimates vary, at least 145,000 people are expected to travel to the totality area in 18 southern Illinois counties to experience the rare celestial event and partake in dozens of eclipse-related events scheduled over a four-day period. Outside the totality area, people as far north as Chicago will be able to witness a partial eclipse.

Anticipating a high-level of interest in the eclipse, state and local public safety agencies and partner organizations began planning activities nearly a year ago to ensure safety for everyone before, during and after the eclipse.

“The planning efforts for the eclipse were similar to those we undertake for other events that involve large crowds,” said James K. Joseph, director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA). “We began working with our emergency management partners within the path of totality last fall, as well as with our state agency and mutual aid partners to address every possible contingency in order to ensure the safety of everyone who lives in or visits southern Illinois for the eclipse.”

Joseph said planning efforts focused on many issues, including crowd control, public health and medical considerations, highway congestion, mass care and communications.

County and municipal agencies will be the lead within their jurisdictions. To facilitate coordination among response organizations, IEMA will establish a State Unified Area Command (SUAC) in Effingham, where representatives from the state departments of Transportation, Natural Resources, Public Health, Corrections, IEMA, the Illinois State Police, Illinois National Guard, fire, law enforcement and emergency management mutual aid organizations and the American Red Cross will be staged from Aug. 18-22.

Reporting to the SUAC will be Area Commands in Fairview Heights and Marion, where personnel will maintain close-range situational awareness of issues related to traffic, medical needs, cooling centers and other situations that may arise. Each Area Command will interact with response organizations in its nine-county area. In addition, IEMA personnel will deploy as needed to the local emergency operations centers of all of the major venues and where requested.

The National Weather Service in Paducah will have personnel in the Marion Area Command to provide regular weather updates for the entire 18-county area.

The State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) in Springfield also will be activated Aug. 18-22 to support the SUAC and the Area Commands. Representatives from agencies in the SUAC and Area Commands will staff the SEOC and be prepared to expedite deployment of personnel or resources if needed during that time.

Safety messages

Joseph said many state and local agencies are actively promoting steps people should take to stay safe throughout the event. Eye safety is one of the most critical messages because it is never safe to look directly at the sun – even if the sun is partly eclipsed. Permanent or temporary vision loss is possible from unprotected viewing of the eclipse. When watching an eclipse, people must wear eclipse glasses or use a solar viewer to face the sun. Make sure eclipse glasses or solar viewer meet the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard.

A list of manufacturers and authorized dealers of eclipse glasses and handheld solar viewers verified to be compliant with the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard is on the American Astronomical Society (AAS) Reputable Vendors of Solar Filters & Viewers website.

With thousands of people planning to view the total eclipse in southern Illinois, IDOT and ISP officials have been closely coordinating with local law enforcement to ensure key traffic areas are staffed and the public is receiving helpful information through digital message signs. People should plan ahead for longer travel times in the region due to the expected influx of people and should plan ahead.

IDOT and ISP officials also say people should plan to park in a designated parking area away from traffic. No one should pull over on the side of the road to view the eclipse. Drivers in areas with viewing events or prime viewing locations should expect high volumes of pedestrian and bicycle traffic and drive accordingly. Both agencies also recommends motorists keep headlights on throughout the day of the eclipse.

For links to more information about eclipse safety and other related information, visit the Ready Illinois website at www.Ready.Illinois.gov.

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Created: 01 August 2017

Parents Encouraged to Include Emergency Preparedness in Back-to-School Plans

August is School and Campus Preparedness Month in Illinois

SPRINGFIELD – Students from pre-kindergarten through college soon will head back to school. As families prepare for the new academic year, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and local emergency management agencies across the state are encouraging parents to include emergency preparedness in their back-to-school plans.

“Emergencies can occur any time of the day or night, including when children are in school,” said IEMA Director James K. Joseph. “The start of a new school year is the perfect time to make sure you know your school’s plans for keeping students safe during an emergency and then talking to your child about those plans.”

Joseph offered several back-to-school planning tips for parents of school-aged children, including:

• Find out where children will be taken in the event of an evacuation during school hours.
• Ensure your current emergency contact information is on file at your child’s school.
• Pre-authorize a friend or relative to pick up your children in an emergency and make sure the school knows who that designated person is.
• Teach children with cell phones about ‘Text First, Talk Later.’ Short, simple text messages, such as “R U OK?” and “I’m OK,” are more likely to get through than a phone call if phone service is disrupted following an emergency. As phone congestion eases, you can follow up with a phone call to relay more information.

Students headed off to college also need to be prepared for emergencies. Many college campuses offer email and text messages to alert students of potential dangers, such as severe weather and other threats. Encourage your college student to sign-up for such alerts. Some colleges also provide alert messages for parents so they also are aware of potential dangers on campus. In addition, make sure your student knows the emergency plans for their dorm or apartment building.

Additional preparedness information is available on the Ready Illinois website at www.Ready.Illinois.gov. 

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Created: 18 July 2017

High Temperatures and Humidity Can Be Extremely Dangerous

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District and Champaign County Emergency Management Agency Urge the Public to Take Extra Precautions to Stay Safe in the Heat

The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) and the Champaign County Emergency Management Agency (CCEMA) urge everyone to watch for the symptoms of heat-related illness, and to take precautions to keep their families and communities safe.

Heat-related illness can take many forms ranging from a mild case of heat exhaustion to a more serious and life-threatening case of heat stroke. Heat-related illnesses occur when the body becomes unable to control its temperature. The body’s temperature rises rapidly and the body looses its ability to perspire and cool down. Rising to temperatures of 106 degrees or higher within 10 to 15 minutes can result in death or permanent disability if emergency treatment is not provided.

Signs and symptoms of heat-related illness include:

• An extremely high body temperature of 103 degrees or higher
• Red, hot, and dry skin (no signs of perspiration)
• Rapid, strong pulse
• Throbbing headache
• Dizziness or confusion
• Nausea

Never leave children, elderly persons, or pets in a parked car – even for a few minutes with the windows partially open. The metal of the vehicle conducts and concentrates the intense heat and brain damage or even death can occur from the rapid rise of temperature in the vehicle. Children, the elderly, and pets are especially susceptible to heat-related illness due to a variety of factors

High Temperatures & Humidity

including, but not limited to, the inability to adjust to sudden changes in temperature, the tendency to retain more body heat, dehydration due to over activity or exertion, and the lack of access to adequate fluids.

Precautions to avoid heat-related illness:

• Stay hydrated. Drink at least 48-64 ounces of cool non-caffeinated and non-alcoholic beverages (caffeine and alcohol are diuretics and will increase dehydration). Don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink.
• Reduce the amount of activity during the hottest parts of the day. If you must be active during those times, strive to take frequent breaks in a shady or cool area.
• Wear light-colored and lightweight clothes.
• Take a cool shower or sponge bath if you begin feeling over heated.
• Retreat to an air-conditioned environment if you begin to feel overly warm. If you do not have air conditioning, consider visiting a mall, grocery store, or other public place to cool off.

If you or someone you know shows signs of a heat-related illness, have someone call for medical assistance while you begin the cooling process:

• Take the person to an air-conditioned, cool, or shady area.
• Cool the person rapidly by spraying cold water from a shower or garden hose.
• Monitor the body temperature carefully until the temperature drops below 101-102 degrees.
• Give plenty of cool (not cold) non-caffeinated, non-alcoholic beverages to drink.
• Get medical assistance as soon as possible.

The following cooling centers are available throughout the local area:
• Champaign-Urbana Public Health District – Champaign
• Marketplace Mall – Champaign
• Public Aid Office, North Country Fair Drive – Champaign
• Lincoln Square Mall – Urbana
• Public Libraries – Champaign, Urbana, Tolono

CUPHD is a kid-friendly cooling center and is open from 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM, Monday – Friday. CUPHD offers a summer food program for children ages 18 and younger, educational TV, free Wi-Fi, coloring stations, and books for kids.

Anyone can suffer a heat-related illness. CUPHD and CCEMA urge everyone to take precautions in the summer heat and to check on children, the elderly, disabled persons, and pets frequently.

For more information, please visit https://www.illinois.gov/KeepCool/Pages/default.aspx. You may also contact CUPHD at (217) 352-7961 or visit www.c-uphd.org.