St. George Safety Network
Dear
St. George Network Member,
Summer is Here with a Vengeance
This has been an unusual spring to say the least; record flooding of the Mississippi River Basin,
coupled with what has been classified by NOAA as a severe drought in our area, and on top of that record high temperatures
several days this week. Each of these conditions alone would be regarded as serious, but pile them on top of each other and
2011 is shaping up to be another year of environmental extremes.
Even though for many of us the most challenging
yard work we are doing is moving the sprinklers around, since the lawn has gone from dormant to heat shocked without growing
very much at all, even that chore can be stressful. Be aware of the toll the heat is taking on you. Regardless of whether
you are at work or at play in the heat remember to take frequent breaks and stay hydrated. The best way to do that is to drink
water before and during any strenuous activity. In fact, it is recommended that you increase your fluid intake the day before
you plan any strenuous activity. Remember that alcoholic drinks and carbonated beverages are not nearly as effective as just
plain water. As I write this, after 5:00PM, one of our units has just been dispatched to a possible case of heat exhaustion.
The danger is real.
This being south Louisiana, our spring and summer outdoor activities are often centered around
outdoor cooking, from crawfish boils to outdoor grilling. The following link is to a very informative page on the U. S. Fire
Administration’s website:
http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/citizens/focus/summer.shtm
It is Officially Hurricane Season
Hurricane season is generally regarded as the time between June 1 and November 30, because this is the time of
year the vast majority of tropical activity occurs. The best advice for dealing with a hurricane or major storm is “stay
tuned.” Local emergency preparedness agencies do an excellent job of providing current and accurate information as storms
approach. Even though we were fortunate to not have any storms make landfall last year there were 19 named storms, with
12 becoming hurricanes. The predictions are for this year to be even more active.
With regard to personal emergency
kit checklist, I found an excellent one at:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/prepare/supply_kit.shtml. The only thing I may add is to test your generator now. If it doesn’t run, tune it up before any storms threaten
us. Also, if you plan on using a generator in the event of power outages you may want to get your emergency fuel supply
in place a few days before the storm hits, because after a major storm gasoline is frequently in short supply. Lastly, if
you use a generator, place it away from open doors or windows and be mindful of the direction the exhaust port is pointed.
I hope I don’t have to remind you to never run a generator indoors, under your carport or even under the overhang of
your home if you have open soffit vents. Carbon monoxide kills!
Eldon
Ledoux, Public Information Officer
St. George Fire Protection
District
14141 Airline Highway, Suite 1-H
Baton Rouge, LA 70817
Direct Line
(225) 454-6573
Cell Phone (225)
279-1493
Direct FAX (225)
615-8819
