Extreme weather - Articles - Page 3

Staying safe from storm-related electrical hazards

May 8, 2019

May is National Electrical Safety Month, and the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) reminds us that disasters bring serious risks for electrically related fatalities, injuries and property loss. To highlight those risks and ways to plan for severe weather events, this year’s campaign theme is “Electrical Safety during Disasters.”

Use portable generators safely to avoid injuries

May 6, 2019

More and more people are using portable generators to make sure they don’t lose power during natural disasters. If not used correctly, however, these useful devices can pose dangers of their own, especially electrocution and carbon monoxide poisoning risks. The CDC says that if water has been present anywhere near electrical circuits and electrical equipment, you should turn off the power at the main breaker or fuse on the service panel.

Heat-related illness and agriculture:

Research compares regional, farm weather

April 29, 2019

In the United States, farm workers die from heat-related illness at an annual rate 20 times that of other workers. However, few studies have measured heat conditions at their actual work settings, and research is limited on how accurately regional weather reports reflect worksite temperatures.

Physical activity key to farmers' heat-related illness

New study explores the link

April 22, 2019

Farm workers are at high risk for heat-related illness in hot temperatures, especially during summer crop production. Farming is also physically demanding, further increasing the likelihood of developing heat-related illness. In California, where an estimated 30%-40% of U.S. farm workers are employed, temperatures in the state’s Central Valley – are typically in the 90s in June and July.

Here are the health, environmental concerns keeping us up at night

Falls, climate change, tsunamis

April 18, 2019

What Americans fear most in terms of health and wellness is not necessarily what is currently posing the most danger to them, according to a recent survey by SafeWise. In The State of Safety, a report based on the results of the survey, the independent review site found that falls are the biggest health and wellness concern, while an accidental overdose is way down on the list, coming in at number nine for both men and women.

ISO publishes two standards to combat climate change

Elizabeth Gasiorowski-Denis

April 17, 2019

Floods, droughts, record-breaking temperatures – the evidence indicates that addressing climate change has become one of the world’s most pressing issues, which is why the publication of two International Organization for Standards (ISO) standards will have a significant part to play in helping to reduce damaging greenhouse gases. Tackling the effect of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on global warming and the subsequent impact on climate change is one of the defining, and intractable, challenges of our time.

Baron announces new weather forecasting model

Benefits include improved forecast accuracy and increased resolution

March 21, 2019

Baron, the worldwide provider of critical weather intelligence, announces a new weather forecasting model available immediately in the company’s Baron Threat Net, Baron API, and broadcast products. Weather models are produced via intense computer analysis using known and projected atmospheric conditions and current sensor readings.

Severe weather: The 4 extreme threats public safety personnel need to know

Glen Denny

January 8, 2019

78% of disasters recorded in the United States each year are weather-related. Still, when asked what type of incidents they expect to respond to over the next year, Emergency Management Personnel (EMP) and public safety officials underestimate the number of weather-related disasters that will occur.

Hurricane Michael not finished wreaking havoc

October 12, 2018

Hurricane Michael – now a cyclone – has claimed 11 lives in four states so far, and officials are warning that the storm is again gaining strength and will continue to pose a danger. News reports say Virginia has been hit the hardest, with five people killed.

Drone operators v. public safety: a warning from the FAA

October 10, 2018

If you’re hoping to use your drone to capture images of Hurricane Michael and its effects, better think twice. Drone owners and operators whose vehicles interfere with emergency response areas in hurricane-hit areas could get hit themselves – with a $20,000 fine.