Parkland experts offer end-of-summer safety tips
Keep your kids healthy, happy as vacation season closes
It’s been a long hot summer, with Dallas’ first triple-digit day recorded on June 11, well before the official first day of summer. It’s no wonder then, that individuals look to September as a time when the drop in degrees is refreshing and a welcome relief from the dog days of summer. But while the mercury is lower, September can also mean weeks of unsettled weather.
Each year, about a thousand tornadoes touch down in the United States, far more than in any other country. Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Indiana, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois and Ohio now make up “tornado alley,” where destructive storms strike regularly in the spring and fall. These states, along with Florida, are some of the parts of the U.S. that are most prone to tornadoes, but tornadoes have been recorded in all 50 states. In 2021, there were 1,376 tornadoes in the U.S. compared to 1,075 in 2020, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Tornadoes killed 103 people in 2021, compared to 76 in 2020.
And while severe thunderstorms and tornadoes are the primary cause for concern for North Texans, those who travel to the coast are reminded that hurricane season runs through Nov. 30. NOAA predicted the country could see between 14 and 21 named storms in 2022, with as many as three to six major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5, with winds of 111 mph or higher).
Planning is key to staying safe, said Chris Noah, MS, CHSP, cABCF, Parkland’s Director of Disaster Management and Business Continuity.
“People plan for a vacation, they plan what they’re going to have for dinner, they plan who they’re going out with on Saturday night, but they don’t plan for negative things like tornadoes, floods, fires or even car crashes,” Noah said. “The majority of people don’t plan for something that they don’t think will ever happen.”
But planning ahead, Noah said, could mean the difference between life and death. That’s why the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recognizes September as National Preparedness Month, which serves as a reminder that everyone should take action to prepare, now and throughout the year, for the types of emergencies that could affect people where they live, work and visit. The theme this year is “Don’t wait. Communicate. Make your family emergency communication plan today.”
It begins with creating a family communication plan starting with one simple question, “What if?”
“What if I’m separated from my family when something happens? Does everyone know what they’re supposed to do? If I’m at work, will I be able to take my usual route home or is there a backup plan for these types of emergencies,” Noah said. “These are the things you have to plan for because you don’t know when roads will be flooded or trees and power lines will be blocking the road. And what if communication towers are down and mobile phones or computers won’t work, what will you do then?”
Planning will help ensure that all the members of your household, including children and people with disabilities or others with access and functional needs, as well as outside caregivers, know how to reach each other and where to meet in an emergency.
Here are some things FEMA recommends that everyone can do:
- Have several ways to receive weather and emergency alerts. Download apps from local TV and radio stations, as well as the National Weather Service to receive real-time information in your area.
- Build an emergency supply kit with supplies that last for several days for each member of your household. Kits should include water (one gallon per person per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation), food (at least a several-day supply of non-perishable food), battery-powered or hand-crank radio, flashlight, first aid kit, extra batteries, whistle (to signal for help), dust mask (to help filter contaminated air), plastic sheeting and duct tape (to shelter in place), wrench or pliers (to turn off utilities), manual can opener, cell phone with chargers and a backup battery.
- Learn your evacuation routes, practice with household members, including your pets and identify where you will go.
- Ensuring that you and your family are vaccinated against COVID-19 helps your entire community be more resilient before future disasters. COVID-19 vaccines are effective at preventing COVID-19 disease, especially severe illness and death.
“The bottom line is no one thinks something bad is going to happen to them, and in most cases, it doesn’t. But that doesn’t mean that it won’t. It’s not a matter of if something is going to happen, it’s when,” Noah said. “That’s why having answers to the ‘ifs’ is critically important. Planning today could mean a safer tomorrow.”
For information about services at Parkland, please visit www.parklandhealth.org.
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