Are You Prepared for a Wildfire?

Untitled by Michael Held is licensed under CC0. Last week was Wildfire Awareness Week, and it’s getting to be that season…are you prepared? The New Mexico Department of Health is stressing less about how to prevent starting wildfires, but instead, more about what to do to protect yourself if a wildfire occurs nearby. The smoke that a wildfire produces can be very dangerous, and business, schools and other facilities where people gather might want to consider becoming clean air shelters in the event of a wildfire. The smoke is one of the most dangerous effects of a wildfire for people in an area where one is occurring. The smoke can cause eye and respiratory irritation and exasperate lung and heart problems. Here are some tips from the New Mexico Department of Health on what to do to protect yourself before and during a wildfire: Replace HVAC filters annually. Use the “recirculate” function on an air conditioner during a wildfire. Use smart judgement to postpone outdoor events when necessary. Stay indoors when advised to. To read more about wildfire season, please visit “What You Need to Know to Get Prepared for Wildfire Season.” Like NNLM SCR on Facebook and like us on Twitter.
Source: Network News - Category: Databases & Libraries Authors: Tags: Disaster Emergency Preparedness General (all entries) Source Type: news