On Friday I wrote about the top four things apartment dwellers should do when they move into a new place. I’ve just moved into an apartment and turns out I didn’t accomplish everything on that list over the weekend!

#1: I do have renter’s insurance but need to check my coverage.

#2: I’m still short a fire extinguisher, however, I do have a flashlight, smoke alarm, a small first aid kit, canned food and extra water. Next step is to put key items together in a box so I can grab them in a hurry. And purchase a weather radio!

#3: I didn’t write down an escape plan but I thought about it. I’ve got windows in every room and just outside the windows is the roof of a row of businesses which I could climb on to, plus I’ve spotted the only two entrances of the building.

#4: I haven’t done a home inventory of everything in my apartment, but I have taken a picture and written down the serial number and details of my laptop. Next step would be to take pictures of each room.

Life gets busy. But you also never know when a disaster might happen - after all, tornadoes and fires don’t make appointments. Pick at least one task to do today and get started!

Just moved in? Lived in an apartment for a while? Share your tips in the Comments section below!

Wildfires are happening in many states across the country and the fire danger level is at high, due to the scorching temperatures. As pictures of these fires appear online, on TV, and in newspapers, your kids might be asking questions about these fires.

You could use this as an opportunity to talk to your children about fire safety. Not sure where to start?

Well, today’s Neat Site, USFA for Kids, can help you out. The site design is built in an easy-to-use design and has great graphics and colors. The content is easy to follow and there are fun educational games and quizzes for kids. (A great activity for a rainy day or when it’s too hot outside to play!)

It covers three main topics:

• Home Fire Safety
• Smoke Alarms
• Create an Escape Plan

Click here to get started!

Finished with the site but want more fire safety tips? Here are a few additional resources:

• Kids and Fire Safety
• Be Prepared - Home Fire (adults need to have a fire safety plan, too!)
• What to Know About Wildfires

I just read an amazing story from the LA Times that I thought I’d share with you.

A photo assignment editor at the Free Lance-Star newspaper in Fredericksburg, Va., decided to set up Operation Photo Rescue after seeing the destruction and damage caused by Hurricane Katrina.

“[David] Ellis was touched by one particular photo, which showed a New Orleans woman clinging to a damaged studio portrait of herself that she had retrieved from the wreckage of her home.

He began to wonder if news photographers and photo editors like him could help people like her.

Maybe, he thought, they could take digital copies of ruined photos, repair them with image-editing software and then reprint the pictures for their owners — free of charge.” (Read the full article here.)

If you find yourself in such a situation, remember that there are many organizations out there to help you, whatever your needs might be (click here for a starter list).

Talk to others in your community or use the Internet search engines to find organizations or businesses that might help with your needs (e.g. photo + restoration + organization).

Know of an organization that might be of help to storm victims? Post it in the Comments section below!

• Operation Photo Rescue
  

We’ve all seen emergency rooms on TV, but what do you need to know when it’s real life? We interviewed doctors, nurses, EMTs, volunteers, and other staff members in the emergency room of Woodwinds Hospital in Woodbury, Minnesota to find their top tips about what to expect on your next visit to the ER.

1. It’s an Emergency Room - you may have to wait.

• In an ER, “we have to see the most critical patients first,” Anne B.*, an emergency nurse, says, “so we hope that the people who need med refills or strep tests understand that they may have to wait.”
• The Woodwinds ER uses a ranking system to assign priority levels to patients on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being the most urgent). For example, a “1” might indicate a life-threatening motor vehicle accident, while a “5” might be a prescription refill.
• Sarah K., an emergency nurse, suggests bringing a book, magazine, or other item to keep you busy: “You will almost always have to wait, but the time goes by much faster if you have something to look at.”

2. Know your medications.

• Bring a list of all the medications that you are currently taking.
• “Hearing a patient say, ‘It’s a small white pill,’” says Shannon T., an emergency nurse, “is very difficult…it helps a lot if the patient can tell us exactly what medicines they’re currently taking.”

WHN TIP: Print out a copy of our Medical History and Vaccinations sheet. Fill it out, keep it updated and bring with you to your next ER visit.

WHN TIP:: Don’t have a list yet? Bring the med bottles and containers themselves.

Keep reading…

Temperatures are reaching record highs across much of the West. According to CNN, authorities are warning residents of southern Nevada, southeastern California and northwestern Arizona that outdoor activities could be dangerous except during the cooler early morning hours.

Remember to stay extra caution during high temperatures and check on the elderly - neighbors, family and friends - to make sure they’re okay. The elderly are more prone to heatstroke than younger people.

Here are some additional tips from the CDC on how to deal with extreme heat:

• Drink more fluids (nonalcoholic), regardless of your activity level. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink. Warning: If your doctor generally limits the amount of fluid you drink or has you on water pills, ask him how much you should drink while the weather is hot.
• Don’t drink liquids that contain alcohol or large amounts of sugar–these actually cause you to lose more body fluid. Also, avoid very cold drinks, because they can cause stomach cramps.
• Stay indoors and, if at all possible, stay in an air-conditioned place. If your home does not have air conditioning, go to the shopping mall or public library–even a few hours spent in air conditioning can help your body stay cooler when you go back into the heat.
• Electric fans may provide comfort, but when the temperature is in the high 90s, fans will not prevent heat-related illness. Taking a cool shower or bath, or moving to an air-conditioned place is a much better way to cool off.
• Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
• NEVER leave anyone in a closed, parked vehicle.
• Visit adults at risk at least twice a day and closely watch them for signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Infants and young children, of course, need much more frequent watching.

If you must be out in the heat:

• Limit your outdoor activity to morning and evening hours.
• Cut down on exercise.
• Try to rest often in shady areas.
• Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat (also keeps you cooler) and sunglasses and by putting on sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher (the most effective products say “broad spectrum” or “UVA/UVB protection” on their labels).

If you lost Tiger or Fido during a loud fireworks display last night, give the local animal control and animal shelter offices a call!

Apparently this is a very busy time of year for animal shelters. According to the Humane Society, “pets across the nation often become frightened and frantic by the noise and commotion of Independence Day. In fact, animal shelters across the country are accustomed to receiving ‘July 4th’ dogs — dogs who run off during fireworks celebrations and are rescued by animal control officers or Good Samaritans who take them to the safety of the local shelter.”

If you haven’t lost your pet, keep an eye out for extra stray animals during this time and call the local animal control office to report the strays.