Hazard-Specific Resources
Know your Flood-Alert terms:
- Flood Watch: Flooding is possible. Watches are issued by the National Weather Service (NWS) 12 to 36 hours in advance of a possible event.
- Flash Flood Watch: Flash Flooding is possible. Be prepared to move to higher ground. A Flash Flood could occur without warning.
- Flood Warning: Flooding is occurring or will occur soon. If advised to evacuate, do so immediately.
- Flash Flood Warning: A flash flood is occurring. Seek higher ground immediately and stay away from streams and creeks.
What to do In Case of a Flood:
- If you ever encounter flood waters NEVER attempt to walk or drive through them.
- Stay away from ALL floodwaters.
- Monitor Media reports.
- Subscribe to Vermont Alert for up to the minute updates on weather, traffic, and others.
- Ask local officials whether your property is in a flood-prone or high-risk area. Flood plain maps are available at most town offices or city halls.
- Listen to local and state Public Safety officials and respond to their directives in a prompt manner.
- Know your best flood evacuation routes, potential public shelters, and where to find high ground. In a flash flood, you may need to seek high ground on foot quickly.
What to do to Prepare for Flooding
- Install ‘check valves’ in sewer traps to prevent floodwater from backing up into the drains in your home.
- Ensure your home is ready. Where possible, minimize damage from basement flooding by elevating utilities and materials that could be damaged by limited basement flooding.
- Anchor fuel tanks to ensure that they do not wash away, creating a safety and environmental issue inside or outside the home.
- Develop a Family Emergency Kit.
- Make a Family Communication Plan. Designate an out of state relative as a central point of contact.
- Be prepared to turn off electrical power when there is standing water, fallen power lines, or before you evacuate. Know how to safely turn off gas and water supplies before you evacuate.
- Contact your insurance agent or local government to discuss flood insurance coverage.
More at: https://vem.vermont.gov/preparedness/floods
Heat illnesses can be deadly. On very hot days, sometimes your body temperature control systems can’t keep up and your body temperature can get dangerously high. This makes you at greater risk for serious heat illnesses, including heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Heat stroke is a life-threatening emergency. Dial 9-1-1 or get immediate medical help if you are concerned about your health or someone else’s health when it’s hot outside.
**Never leave children, vulnerable adults, or pets inside a parked vehicle when it’s hot. The sun can turn a vehicle into an oven within minutes, even if it doesn’t feel hot outside.**
Map of locations where the public can cool off during extreme heat
Stay Cool
- Stay in the shade, in air-conditioning if you can, or in cool places such as basements.
- Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
- Take cool showers.
- Use fans, but don’t rely on them as the only way to stay cool.
- Go to public buildings that are air-conditioned.
- Sleep without sheets.
- Avoid hot drinks and meals.
Stay Hydrated
- Drink more water than usual, especially if you’re exercising or active outdoors.
- Be proactive, don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink water.
- Don’t drink alcoholic or caffeinated beverages.
Stay Informed
- Follow local weather and news reports.
- Sign up for weather alerts at VT-Alert.
- Try out the National Weather Service Experimental Enhanced Weather Outlook Map.
- Follow social media accounts of government organizations.
Be Mindful of Health Impacts
- Take it easy when it’s hot.
- Reduce outdoor work and exercise and limit it to the cooler parts of the day.
- Ask for help if you feel sick.
- Stop what you are doing if you feel faint or weak.
- Be more cautious if you have a chronic health condition.
Check on Vulnerable Friends, Family, and Neighbors
- Call your loved ones and neighbors to check on them, especially if they are older or have chronic health conditions.
- Make sure they are drinking enough water and are staying cool.
- Remind them to take heat seriously.
Keep Your Home Cool
- Draw light-colored shades to keep out the sun—dark-colored shades can be less effective.
- Close windows during the day when it is hotter outside than inside.
- Open windows at night when it’s cooler outside than inside.
- Use fans to blow in cooler outside air or vent out warmer inside air.
- Limit use of the stove, oven and other heat-generating appliances.
to report a power outage, call GMP at (888) 835-4672 or report from their Outage Center.
In case of a power outage, follow these safety tips:
- Check on the elderly and those needing special assistance to ensure their safety.
- Be extra cautious if you go outside to inspect for damage after a storm. Downed or hanging electrical wires can be hidden by snowdrifts, trees, or debris, and could be live. Never attempt to touch or move downed lines. Keep children and pets away from them.
- Do not touch anything power lines are touching, such as tree branches or fences. Always assume a downed line is a live line. Call your utility company to report any outage-related problems.
- Check flashlights and portable radios to ensure that they are working and that you have extra batteries. A radio is an important source of weather and emergency information during a storm.
- Never use a generator indoors, only outside and away from windows or doors. The exhaust from a generator contains carbon monoxide, which is deadly if it builds up in living spaces.
- Ensure your Carbon Monoxide (CO) detectors are working correctly and have fresh batteries.
- If you use a space heater, keep it three feet from anything that can burn.
- Set your refrigerator and freezer to their coldest settings (remember to reset them back to normal once power is restored). During an outage, do not open the refrigerator or freezer door. Food can stay cold in a full refrigerator for up to 24 hours, and in a well-packed freezer for 48 hours (24 hours if it is half-packed). If you have medication that requires refrigeration, check with your pharmacist for guidance on proper storage during an extended outage.
- Ensure you always have a well-stocked Winter Home Emergency Supply Kit that includes flashlights, portable radio, extra batteries, a first aid kit, bottled water, non-perishable food, a manual can opener.
See https://www.healthvermont.gov/environment/climate/winter-weather for more health safety information.
- Be a good neighbor – Check on elderly or special needs relatives, friends, and neighbors, to make sure they are keeping warm safely and have sufficient food and water.
- Carbon monoxide (CO) is a deadly, colorless, odorless, poisonous gas. CO poisoning can mimic flu-like symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, nausea, and fatigue. Higher levels of exposure result in disorientation, drowsiness, and unconsciousness. If you experience any symptoms leave the home and contact help.
- Ensure all heating vents are clear of snow or other obstructions. Even if you don’t see significant snowfall, blowing snow can block heating vents. Blocked vents can lead to Carbon Monoxide buildup in the home. Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors now and regularly.
- If you use a generator, ensure it is used outside, away from open windows, doors, or air intakes. Exhaust from a generator or heating source can cause a buildup of carbon monoxide in the home, which can be deadly.
- Take it easy while shoveling. Overexertion can bring on a heart attack—a major cause of death during the winter.
- Be prepared. Have a well-stocked Winter Home Emergency Supply Kit that includes flashlights, portable radio, extra batteries, a first aid kit, bottled water and non-perishable food.
Visit the American red Cross, Winter Storm Preparedness Site for more information
