It's Wildfire Season: Here's how you can prepare

It's wildfire season here in California and the air quality around me has been abysmal.

Here are some tips that I shared with my students on preparing for wildfires in your area.

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Air Quality Safety Tips:

• Check the Air Quality Index (AQI)?daily on your weather app or at?airnow.gov.
• Wear an N-95 or P100 mask?if you are going to be exposed to smog or smoke
• Limit your outdoor activity, especially vigorous physical activity
• Use a nasal saline rinse?(neti pot) to care for your sinuses
• Set your A/C to recirculate?(at home or in your car) and make sure the filter is clean
• Use an indoor air purifier?if possible (MERV-13 filter or higher rating recommended)

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Emergency preparedness tips:

• Sign up for emergency alerts?(https://calalerts.org/signup.html)
• Make a handwritten list of your emergency contacts?(Keep a copy in your wallet and one on your fridge)
• Prepare a "go bag"?with a list of emergency contacts, 3 days worth of medication, a change of clothing, some non-perishable snacks, water, and a charger. Flashlights are helpful as well! (https://www.ready.gov/kit)
• Make a plan?for your & your family. Identify nearby shelters. (https://www.ready.gov/plan)?

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When it comes to disasters, any preparedness is better than no preparedness. Thank you to Rita Burke for opening my eyes to this vital lesson during grad school.

Here's to passing the knowledge forward and hoping the wildfire season ends soon.

#climatechange #emergencypreparedness #FEMA #Wildfire #AirQuality