Is Your Pet Prepared?

Every member of your household should be prepared for disasters. That means pets, too!    Just as you would create a disaster supply kit for yourself, be sure to also assemble one for your pet. In addition to having enough food and water to last at least three days, the Ready Campaign recommends: ·        Medicines and medical records: Keep an extra supply of medicines your pet takes on a regular basis in a waterproof container as well as records with any instructions; ·        Collar with ID tag, harness or leash: Your pet should wear a collar with its rabies tag and identification at all times. Include a backup leash, collar, and ID tag in your pet’s emergency supply kit; ·        Crate or other pet carrier: If you need to evacuate in an emergency, take your pets and animals with you; and ·        Sanitation: Include pet litter and litter box if appropriate, newspapers, paper towels, plastic trash bags, and household chlorine bleach to provide for your pet’s sanitation needs.  You can use bleach as a disinfectant (dilute nine parts water to one part bleach), or in an emergency you can also use it to purify water. Note: Please store chlorine bleach safely! Keep products containing hazardous materials such as chlorine bleach in their original containers and never remove the labels; never store hazardous products in food containers; and never mix chlorine bleach with any other household cleaning products. Mixing may cause chemicals to react, ignite, explode, or release poisonous gases that will cause very serious breathing problems or death.  For the full list of items you should include in your pet’s kit, download Preparing Makes Sense for Pet Owners today!   Keep your pet prepared while on the go using the American Red Cross Pet First Aid mobile app. Use this app to help your furry friends during emergencies until you can get to a veterinarian. It’s available for download on Apple and Android devices.

Fireworks Safety

Stay safe this holiday. Fire and safety experts agree the best way to enjoy fireworks is from a distance. Leave the fireworks to the professionals!   Fireworks are often used to mark holidays and special events. While these displays may be visually appealing, they present dangers for consumer use. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), hundreds of people are injured each Fourth of July while using consumer fireworks, including sparklers and firecrackers.   Get the facts about fireworks safety to share with family and friends. Take a look at this fireworks safety video and visit the CPSC Fireworks Information Center.

Don't Take to the Trails Without These 10 Essentials

The key to keeping a hike safe and enjoyable is making sure you have the right gear.

• Trail shoes or boots
• GPS, map and compass.  A GPS enabled device is handy, but go old-school too.  Always carry a map and compass as a backup should your electronic device die or should the unit be unable to pick up a signal
• Extra water and way to purify water should you run out and need to use lake or stream water.
• Rain gear and extra clothing.  Try to avoid cotton, which keeps moisture close to your skin.
• Safety items--such as flashlight, whistle and a way to start a fire.
• Extra food
• First aid kit
• Knife or multi-purpose tool
• Sunscreen and sunglasses
• Daypack/Backpack

Know Your Role in Wildland Fire Preparedness

You can take steps to improve your safety and potentially reduce damage to your property by taking personal responsibility and action!

READY:  Dispose of or relocate combustible material from around your home. Trim trees and bushes to allow ample space between your home and landscape vegetation. 

SET:  Arrange your "go kit" with prescription medication, emergency supplies, important documents and other essential items.  Create your own wildland fire action plan, involve your family and practice exit plans from your home and from your neighborhood.

GO:  Get your "go kit" and leave well before the threat approaches.  Stay aware of the situation and cooperate with local authorities during evacuation and re-entry processes. 

From www.wildlandfirersg.org

Register for free boating class

The last free Adventures in Boating certification course until fall, sponsored by the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office Marine Division, takes place from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, June 4, at the Cowlitz County Search and Rescue Building, 1800 Western Lane, Kelso. Early registration is suggested because classes fill up quickly.

 

Participants who take the one-day class will be certified to operate a vessel in Washington. Classes are open to anyone who needs to obtain a Washington State Boaters Education Card.

All vessel operators 59 years old and younger must have a Washington Boaters Education Card to operate a vessel in the state. For additional information and resources, visit www.boatered.org.

To register for the class, call Deputy Jordan Spencer at 360-577-3092 or send an email to spencerj@co.cowlitz.wa.us.

Grilling Safety

Many people will be firing up their grills this Memorial Day weekend and throughout the summer. With grilling season set to be in full force, take time to review a few safety tips from the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) to protect yourself and your guests from a fire or burn injuries: ·        Only use your grill outside; ·        Keep it away from siding and deck rails; ·        Keep a 3-foot safe zone around your grill to keep kids and pets safe; ·        Clean your grill after each use to remove grease, which can start a fire; ·        Place the coals from your grill in a metal can with a lid once they have cooled; ·        Open your gas grill before lighting; and ·        Keep an eye on your grill fire pit or patio torches. Before you fire up your grill, check out USFA’s animation on grilling safety.

May is Volcano Preparedness Month in Washington State

VANCOUVER, Washington — May is Volcano Preparedness Month in Washington, providing residents an opportunity to become more familiar with volcanic hazards in their communities and learn about steps they can take to reduce potential impacts. It is a time to commemorate the May 18, 1980 catastrophic eruption of Mount St. Helens, which not only caused massive destruction and loss of life but also became a catalyst for a new era of unprecedented scientific discovery, technology development and community awareness.

The Washington Military Department’s Emergency Management Division, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network, the U.S. Geological Survey’s Cascades Volcano Observatory and a variety of local emergency management agencies are working together with communities at risk across the state to provide timely warnings and reduce the negative impacts of future eruptions. Together, the agencies develop and exercise emergency plans with communities, coordinate communications, conduct public education programs and plan for short- and long-term recovery in the event an eruption or lahar should occur.

 On Sunday, May 18, 1980, at 8:32 a.m., the bulging north flank of Mount St. Helens slid away in a massive landslide. Seconds later, the uncorked volcano exploded and blasted rocks laterally, destroying centuries of forest growth in a span of several minutes. Nine hours of explosive volcanic activity ensued, altering the landscape, and what we know about volcanoes, forever.

 Volcano Preparedness Month arrives this year as an earthquake swarm is underway at Mount St. Helens, indicating that the volcano remains active. USGS’s seismic data have shown since 2010 that the quiet Mount St. Helens has a new supply of magma slowly repressurizing the magma chamber beneath the mountain. As was observed at Mount St. Helens between 1987-2004, recharge can continue for many years beneath a volcano and an eruption is not imminent.

 

Preparing for future eruptions

New this year is funding for aerial lidar images, which display ground features in spectacular detail and ease the work of ground-based geologists. A Colombia-USA binational exchange is in progress between officials of the two nations responsible for volcano preparedness and interpretation. Volcano emergency coordination plans are being updated at Mount Rainier. Agencies are developing new products for public education presentations, as well as posting signs in communities.

 

The USGS CVO, the PNSN and the National Science Foundation-funded EarthScope Plate Boundary Observatory work to improve eruption forecasting and warning capabilities for Cascade volcanoes as part of the National Volcanic Early Warning System. They continue to monitor Mount St. Helens and other volcanoes in the Cascade Range for signs of unrest. The monitoring network operated by USGS and PNSN enhances the likelihood of detecting preliminary signs of increasing volcanic activity at any of the Cascade Range volcanoes.

 

The USGS CVO website has information about Volcano Preparedness Month events, as well as the USGS volcano-monitoring program and the hazards in the Washington and Oregon. Register for weekly updates and occasional Information Statements from the USGS Volcano Notification Service. 

Find information updates about volcanoes and read about science in action at USGS Volcanoes on Facebook.

 

PNSN tracks earthquake activity in the Cascadia region including those under the Cascade Volcanoes on their Volcano Seismicity web pages.

 

Washington state’s Emergency Management Division website has a section about the state’s volcanoes as well as volcano preparedness measures. There are also educational materials for children on its publication section. Follow the agency’s Twitter feed for breaking news and information.

 

DNR’s Division of Geology and Earth Resources has developed a new website and a blog that include maps, assessments and other information to inform landowners, residents, community planners and emergency personnel about the risks related to volcanoes, lahars and other natural hazards in Washington state. DNR will also be producing more detailed maps of lahar zones and geologic hazards near communities from new lidar images taken this spring under a program created by the Washington legislature.

 Eruptions at Mount St. Helens have demonstrated the importance of scientists working in close partnership with emergency and land management agencies to prepare for future eruptions. That includes installation of comprehensive monitoring networks, developing and practicing emergency plans, and supporting community education.

 Seth Moran, scientist-in-charge at the USGS CVO, notes, “We’ve seen from other volcanic eruptions that scientists and public officials must work together in response planning well before a volcanic eruption begins. We cannot wait around for indications of volcanic reawakening. Our work together needs to be done now.”

 

USGS provides science for a changing world. Visit USGS.gov, and follow us on Twitter @USGS, and our other social media channels.