Fwd: Caring for Your Pets in Hot Weather

Personal Protection Against Ticks

One of the most important things you can do is check yourself for ticks once a day. Favorite places ticks like to go on your body include areas between the toes, back of the knees, groin, armpits, and neck, along the hairline, and behind the ears. Remember to check your children and pets, too. Remove any attached ticks as soon as possible.

• Check yourself, your children and your pets for ticks after coming inside. Here's where to look:
  
  • Inside and behind the ears
  • Along your hairline
  • Back of your neck
  • Armpits
  • Groin
  • Legs
  • Behind your knees
  • Between your toes
• Ticks are tiny, so look for new "freckles"
• If you find a tick attached to your skin, don't panic. Use a pair of fine point tweezers to grip the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull straight out with steady pressure.
  
  • You should not apply kerosene, petroleum jelly, nail polish, or a hot match tip to remove the tick. These measures are not effective and may result in injury.
  • Circle the calendar date and note where on the body the tick was removed. You may want to save the tick for identification.
  • Your physician may choose to treat you following a deer tick bite. Notify your health care provider if you have been bitten by a deer tick or if you develop a rash or other signs of illness following a tick bite
• Talk to your doctor if you develop a rash where you were bitten or experience symptoms such as fever, headache, fatigue, or sore and aching muscles.
• When going outside to an area likely to have ticks:
  • Stick to main pathways and the center of trails when hiking.
  • Wear a light-colored, long-sleeved shirt with long pants and tuck your pants into your socks. This may be difficult to do when the weather is hot, but it will help keep ticks away from your skin and make it easier to spot a tick on your clothing.
  • Use bug repellents. Repellents that contain DEET can be used on your exposed skin. Permethrin is a product that can be used on your clothes. Always follow the product instructions and use repellents with no more than 30-35% DEET on adults and 10-15% DEET on children. Never use insect repellents on infants. There are fact sheets containing more information about repellents at mass.gov/dph/epi
  • Talk to your veterinarian about the best ways to protect your pets and livestock from ticks.

Thunderstorms, Lightning & Severe Weather

Thunderstorms are very common in the Spring and Summer months. Despite their small size in comparison to hurricanes and blizzards, all thunderstorms are dangerous. Every thunderstorm produces lightning and has the potential to produce associated dangers such as tornadoes, destructive winds, hail and flash flooding. Of the estimated 100,000 thunderstorms each year in the U.S., about 10% are classified as severe, meaning it produces hail, at least ¾" in diameter, has winds of 58 mph or higher, or produces a tornado. Thunderstorms must be taken very seriously.

MEMA offers thunderstorm, and more particularly, lightning safety tips:

Before the Thunderstorm

• Know the terms used by weather forecasters:
  • 1.Severe Thunderstorm Watch - Tells where and when severe thunderstorms are likely to occur. Watch the sky and stay tuned to the Media.
  • 2.Severe Thunderstorm Warning - Issued when severe weather has been reported by spotters or indicated on radar. Warnings indicate imminent danger to life and property to those in the path of the storm.

• Before a thunderstorm strikes, keep an eye on the sky. Look for darkening skies, flashes of light, or increasing wind.
• Thunderstorms can occur singly, in clusters or in lines. The typical thunderstorm is 15 miles in diameter, producing heavy rain for a brief period from 30 to 60 minutes.
• When a thunderstorm approaches, secure outdoor objects that could be blown away or cause damage. Shutter windows, if possible, and secure outside doors.
• If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to the storm to be affected by lightning, and should go inside to safe shelter immediately.
• Remember that lightning can strike up to 10 miles ahead of or after the arrival of the storm. Listen to weather forecasts on NOAA Weather Radio, or to local radio and television stations for the latest information. Lightning kills an average of 73 people in this country annually, more than tornadoes or hurricanes. In general, lightning will travel the easiest route from the clouds to the ground, which means it often strikes the tallest object.
• During this season people are taking part in activities that place them in locations most vulnerable to being struck by lightning, such as on golf courses, ball fields, beaches and large bodies of water. In the U.S., an average of 300 people are injured and 80 killed each year by lightning.

During the Thunderstorm

• If you are caught outside during a thunderstorm, you should protect yourself from lightning by going to a low-lying, open place away from trees, poles or metal object, which can serve as a natural lightning rod. (Make sure the place you pick is not subject to flooding).
• Make yourself the smallest target possible by squatting low to the ground and by placing your hands on your knees with your head between them. Be as low to the ground as possible, with as little of your body touching the ground as possible. (Don't lie flat; this will make you a larger target!).
• Do not stand on a hilltop, in an open field, on a beach or in a boat on the water.
• If boating, or swimming, get to land immediately.
• Avoid isolated sheds or small structures in open areas.
• Get away from anything metal such as tractors, farm equipment, motorcycles, golf carts, golf clubs, bicycles, wire fences, clotheslines, metal pipes, rails, and other metallic paths that could carry lightning to you from a distance.
• In a forest, seek shelter in a low area under a growth of smaller trees.
• If indoors, avoid metallic objects and fixtures.
• Avoid showering or bathing. Plumbing and bathroom fixtures can conduct electricity.
• Avoid using a corded telephone, except for emergencies. Cordless or cellular telephones are safe to use.
• Unplug appliances and other electrical items such as computers. Turn off air conditioners. Power surges from lightning can cause serious damage.
• Use your battery operated NOAA Weather Radio for updates from local officials.

Note that rubber-soled shoes and rubber tires provide NO protection from lightning. However, the steel frame of a hard-topped vehicle provides increased protection, if you are not touching metal. Although you may be injured if lightning strikes you car, you are much safer inside a vehicle than outside.

Increase risk for brush fires

Wildfires

The combination of high temperatures, low humidity, and warm breezes create a recipe for the increased risk of Brush and Forest Fires. Wildfires often begin unnoticed, but spread quickly, igniting brush, trees and homes. There are three different classes of wild fires. A 'surface fire' is the most common type, burning along the forest floor, moving slowly and killing or damaging trees. A 'ground fire', usually started by lightning, burns on or below the forest floor. 'Crown fires' spread rapidly by the wind, moving quickly by jumping along the treetops. Because 80% of forest fires are started by negligent human behavior, such as smoking in forested areas or improperly extinguishing campfires most are preventable.

The Public is urged to obey all burning regulations set in place by Public Safety Officials.

Tips for Campers

• Use extreme caution with disposal of smoking materials, cooking coals, and campfires.
• Maintain at least a 3' clear area free from leaves, dry grass, pine needles, etc. around grills, fireplaces and tents.
• Handle flammable liquids with care, storing them only in metal containers, using them only for their intended use.
• Fill lanterns and stoves a safe distance downwind from sources of heat or open flames.
• Make sure that barbeque stands/portable stoves are level and sturdy.
• Keep a water container nearby when coals/campfires are burning.
• When cooking is over, soak the coals/fires to prevent re-ignition.
• Pitch your tent at least 15' upwind from grills and fireplaces.
• Only use battery-operated lights in or near tents or campers.

Tips for Property Owners before a Wildfire occurs

• Keep lawns trimmed, leaves raked.
• Roof and rain gutters should be debris-free to prevent burning embers from a wildfire igniting your home.
• Compost or chip vegetative debris piles.
• Stack firewood at least 30' away from structures.
• Store flammable materials, liquids and solvents in metal containers outside the home, at least 30' away from structures and wooden fences.
• Make sure water sources, such as hydrants, ponds, swimming pools and wells are accessible for fire suppression.
• Check the spark arresters on your combustible engines in equipment, such as lawn mowers, ATVs, dirt bikes and chainsaws.
• Use fire resistant, protective roofing and materials like stone, brick and metal to protect your home.
• Install multi-pane windows, tempered safety glass or fireproof shutters to protect large windows from radiant heat.
• Have chimneys, wood stoves and all home heating systems inspected and cleaned annually by a certified specialist.
• Remove branches hanging above and around chimneys.
• Create at least a 10' clearing around an incinerator before burning debris.
• Have a fire extinguisher or garden hose on hand when burning debris.

Tips for Property Owners when a Wildfire threatens

• Shut off gas at the meter and turn off pilot lights.
• Open fireplace damper, closing the fireplace screen.
• Close windows, vents, doors, blinds, or non-combustible window coverings and heavy drapes, removing flammable drapes and curtains.
• Move flammable furniture into the center of the home, away from windows and sliding-glass doors.
• Close all interior doors and windows to prevent drafts.
• Place valuables that will not be damaged by water into a pool or pond.
• Gather your pets into one room, making plans to care for your pets if you must evacuate. (See Evacuation)
• Back your car into the garage or park it in an open space facing the direction of escape. Shut doors and roll up windows. Leave the keys in the ignition and the car doors unlocked. Close garage windows and doors, but leave them unlocked.
• Disconnect automatic garage door openers.
• Place combustible patio/yard furniture indoors.
• Connect garden hose to outside taps. Place lawn sprinklers on the roof and near aboveground fuel tanks. Wet your roof.
• Wet or remove shrubs within 15' of the house.
• Gather fire-fighting tools such as a rake, axe, handsaw or chainsaw, bucket and shovel.
• If advised to evacuate, do so immediately.