Our area is expecting winter weather, and the American Red Cross Greater Houston Area Chapter urges residents to take steps now to stay safe when severe weather threatens.

By preparing together for winter storms, we can make our families safer and our communities stronger, Steve Vetrano, Regional Chief Executive Officer said. We can help you and your family create a disaster preparedness plan now, before our community is threatened by dangerously low temperatures, snow, ice and strong winds.

As with any disaster, preparation is important to minimize disaster impacts. The Red Cross recommends that individuals and families prepare for winter storms by:

Assembling an Emergency Preparedness Kit: Pack a winter-specific supply kit that includes a warm coat, hat, mittens or gloves, and water-resistant boots, along with extra blankets and extra warm clothing. Sand or non-clumping kitty litter is good to have on hand to help make walkways or steps less slippery. Additionally, make sure you have a first aid kit and essential medications, canned food and can opener, bottled water, flashlights and a battery-powered radio with extra batteries in your home in the event of a power outage.

Heeding Storm Warnings: A winter storm WATCH means winter storm conditions are possible within the next 36 to 48 hours. People in a watch area should review their winter storm plans and stay informed about weather conditions via NOAA Weather radio, or local radio or television stations. A winter storm WARNING means that life-threatening, severe winter conditions have begun or will begin within 24 hours. Individuals in a warning area should take precautions immediately.

Preparing Your Home and Car: Winterize your vehicle and keep the gas tank full, which will help to keep the fuel line from freezing. Make sure your home is properly insulated by installing storm windows or covering windows with plastic from the inside to help keep cold air out. Maintain heating equipment and chimneys by having them cleaned and inspected every year. Running water, even at a trickle, helps to prevent pipes from freezing.

For more information on winter storm preparedness, visit http://www.redcross.org or http://www.redcross.org/cruz-roja or call 1-800 RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). We urge you to share these Red Cross winter storm preparedness tips with every member of your household, because the best protection is to be prepared ahead of time.

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American Red Cross urges Texas Coast to prepare now for winter storms

Our area is expecting winter weather, and the American Red Cross Coastal Bend-Texas Chapter urges residents to take steps now to stay safe when severe weather threatens.

By preparing together for winter storms, we can make our families safer and our communities stronger, Peter L. Wyro, Executive Director said. We can help you and your family create a disaster preparedness plan now, before our community is threatened by dangerously low temperatures, snow, ice and strong winds.

As with any disaster, preparation is important to minimize disaster impacts. The Red Cross recommends that individuals and families prepare for winter storms by:

Assembling an Emergency Preparedness Kit: Pack a winter-specific supply kit that includes a warm coat, hat, mittens or gloves, and water-resistant boots, along with extra blankets and extra warm clothing. Sand or non-clumping kitty litter is good to have on hand to help make walkways or steps less slippery. Additionally, make sure you have a first aid kit and essential medications, canned food and can opener, bottled water, flashlights and a battery-powered radio with extra batteries in your home in the event of a power outage.

Heeding Storm Warnings: A winter storm WATCH means winter storm conditions are possible within the next 36 to 48 hours. People in a watch area should review their winter storm plans and stay informed about weather conditions via NOAA Weather radio, or local radio or television stations. A winter storm WARNING means that life-threatening, severe winter conditions have begun or will begin within 24 hours. Individuals in a warning area should take precautions immediately.

Preparing Your Home and Car: Winterize your vehicle and keep the gas tank full, which will help to keep the fuel line from freezing. Make sure your home is properly insulated by installing storm windows or covering windows with plastic from the inside to help keep cold air out. Maintain heating equipment and chimneys by having them cleaned and inspected every year. Running water, even at a trickle, helps to prevent pipes from freezing.

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Prepare for winter storms

(WPRI) Numerous volunteers helped in their communities on Tuesday, donating their time and effort to shovel out elderly and disabled residents.

More than 115 residents in and around the capital city asked for help shoveling outside of their homes after almost one foot of snow was dumped in the area.

On Tuesday, 29 Serve Rhode Island volunteers helped to shovel out driveways, walkways and steps for 65 residents. One volunteer took on six shoveling jobs, while several took on three or more volunteer assignments.

According to Serve Rhode Island, 30 residents are still in need of snow removal. Some volunteers who couldnt take assignments on Tuesday will plan on snow clean up Wednesday.

Volunteer Jon Marland told Eyewitness News that his goal is to pay it forward.

"Somewhere down the road, I'm going to need the same thing and maybe people will come to my house and be able to thank me when I need it, he said.

Anyone interested can sign up at serverhodeisland.org .

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29 volunteers help shovel out disabled

Posted: Thursday, January 23, 2014 8:24 am

Theres nothing funny about falls Fort Belvoir Installation Safety Office/News release Belvoir Eagle |

Slips, trips, and falls have been a sure way to get a laugh in many cultures over the years. Human beings have been falling over their own feet ever since they first began to walk. However, except in slapstick comedy, falls are simply not funny. In fact, the subject of falls is extremely serious. Did you know that falls are one of the top leading causes of accidental deaths? In case you are thinking that falls are only a danger to people who work on scaffolds and steel girders up in the sky, think again. Most falls actually occur on the same level and are caused by just tripping over an obstacle or slipping on something.

Here are some ways to prevent falls:

Falls are a hazard at work any time of the year. But winter weather adds a greater element of danger:

Posted in News on Thursday, January 23, 2014 8:24 am.

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There’s nothing funny about falls

Rounding out the weekend with 55 incidents responded to by noon on Sunday, Parkland Ambulance Care has issued a series of public warnings in a release.

Ambulance

The recent weather fluctuations have resulted in a cycle of freezing and melting, producing ice on steps, walkways and driveways. Parkland Ambulance is encouraging people to use good footwear, to walk with care and do their part to chip away or salt driveways and walkways.

Noting ice buildup on roofs throughout the city, Parkland Ambulance is cautioning people to stay off their roof unless they are properly equipped.

Proper equipment means good footwear and a proper harness to safely prevent you from falling from the roof, the release reads.

If getting up a ladder to visually check your roof be sure the ladder is safely positioned to prevent it from tipping and do not over extend your reach. Consider a professional roofing contractor versus trying to do it yourself.

Furnace filters should also be checked regularly, the release notes, cautioning people that a plugged filter prevents your furnace from working at peak efficiency to remove dangerous gases.

Carbon monoxide detectors are a small price to pay for safety for your family.

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Parkland Ambulance issues warnings

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Concrete Restoration, concrete resurfacing, epoxy coating Newtown CT Liquid Stone Finishes - Video

Walkway and Outdoor Step Designs

When you consider a walkway on your property, there are aspects of the design to consider. First, what is the walkway being used for? If you have a boat you may want your walkway to extend to your dock designed and built with landscaping that provides beautiful scenery along the way.

If you want your walkway to go through your grounds, you may want to go with a more natural landscape design that includes the occasional bench.

The geometry of your walkway can be straight or curved. This will be determined by the locations of the areas the walk will placed between. Curves have a more natural and wandering feeling, where straight paths have that directness. The width of the walk can create interest, as well as the choice of landscaping of course.

Whether you choose concrete with brick accents, or stepping stones, the selection of surrounding plants and flowers are a critical consideration as well as your walkway should blend with any structures nearby.

Outdoor Steps

Outdoor steps can be designed and built in an array of different looks and styles.

Brick risers are commonly used with treads to match. There are also brick risers or bluestone treads. Treads can be one piece or cut into pieces depending on the size.

Garden stones or steppers are large irregular pieces of bluestone and combine very well with brick, giving you a very visually pleasing outcome.

Bluestone walkways or patios also go very well with the bluestone steppers.

Excerpt from:
Walkway, Path and Outdoor Step Designs | The Berryman Design Group

ACC Media Release

17 January 2014

Keep visiting rellies from going belly up these holidays

At this time of year, many of us have relatives and friends staying over so its a good time to take a few simple steps to reduce the risk of home injuries.

Injuries could happen simply because there are more people in the house, or because visitors are unfamiliar with your home, says ACC Programme Manager Vicky Upton.

So its a good idea to point out potential hazards that you may be familiar with, but which could trip up visitors, such as single steps between rooms, or uneven garden steps.

Having visitors staying can also mean theres more clutter lying around the home.Things such as luggage, bedding, shoes and other belongings can all provide a perfect recipe for slips, trips and falls.

To ensure your guests dont go belly up while staying with you, try to keep things as tidy as possible.Its especially important to clear toys and clutter from walkways.

The home is the most common scene of injuries inNew Zealand, and last year led to around 670,000 ACC claims.Thats more than a third of the roughly 1.7 million claims lodged overall.

Around 290,000 of the claims for home injuries resulted from falls.

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Keep visiting rellies from going belly up these holidays

At this time of year, many of us have relatives and friends staying over - so its a good time to take a few simple steps to reduce the risk of home injuries.

"Injuries could happen simply because there are more people in the house, or because visitors are unfamiliar with your home," says ACC Programme Manager Vicky Upton.

"So its a good idea to point out potential hazards that you may be familiar with, but which could trip up visitors, such as single steps between rooms, or uneven garden steps."

"Having visitors staying can also mean theres more clutter lying around the home. Things such as luggage, bedding, shoes and other belongings can all provide a perfect recipe for slips, trips and falls.

"To ensure your guests dont go belly up while staying with you, try to keep things as tidy as possible. Its especially important to clear toys and clutter from walkways."

The home is the most common scene of injuries in New Zealand, and last year led to around 670,000 ACC claims. Thats more than a third of the roughly 1.7 million claims lodged overall.

Around 290,000 of the claims for home injuries resulted from falls.

The total cost of home falls was around $260 million.

Its not just the very old and very young who are at risk of falling. Around 45 per cent of falls happen to working age people (aged 20-64 years).

Other tips to help you keep safe at home include:

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Keep visiting rellies from going belly up these holidays - ACC