There’s no place like home: Encountering a tornado while away

Today’s guest blog is by Mighty Fine, MPH, a health analyst at APHA who works on the Association’s Get Ready campaign.

If emergency preparedness were a class, I’d ace it. I’m talking summa cum laude status. I have a stockpile, an emergency plan and I’ve even practiced living off of bottled water for two days. If a disaster were to occur while I was at home, I’d be prepared. The problem is I don’t always stay at home.

Like many people, I travel a great deal for work and play. I’m usually so focused on my reason for traveling that I don’t give emergency preparedness much thought. However the recent tornado activity in the U.S. Midwest forced me to think more about preparedness on the road. I had a trip planned there, and after watching the news coverage of the twisters roaring through these communities I was a little worried about my travel. It’s not like once I got there I could click my heels three times and return to the safe haven I call home. My best bet was to be as prepared as possible while at the hotel.

I usually pack light so I can carry my bag on the plane to avoid checked baggage fees, but this time was different. I packed a flashlight, a small radio and some extra batteries, which preparedness experts recommend to carry if you are a frequent traveler. My flight there was a little bumpy so I expected that a storm was on the horizon.

Upon checking into the hotel, I asked the clerk about the tornado warning procedure and evacuation expectations. I even took a tour of the shelter area. Once I got to my room, I checked out the emergency exit diagram on the back of the door and committed it to memory. Not long after I checked in, I could hear the rain pouring down on the roof above me. I watched the sky change from blue to gray within moments.

From my hotel room, I heard the hallway doors close automatically and moments later the tornado warning siren rang loudly, signaling that it was time to go to the shelter area. I hopped up with my radio and flashlight and exited my room. As I was familiar with the evacuation route, I knew where to go, and since I had my preparedness supplies, I was more at ease. I was able to help direct other people to shelter. Luckily, the tornado did not hit the hotel, and my fellow guests and I stayed safe.

My experience with sheltering from a tornado in an unfamiliar place could happen to anyone who travels. If you are traveling to a tornado-prone area, pack emergency supplies, and familiarize yourself with evacuation routes and shelter areas. Pay attention to the weather and listen to the radio. If the sky becomes threatening, head for shelter right away. Remember that it is important to be prepared, no matter where you are.

Photo credit: A tornado in Kansas, May 2008. Photo by Chris Foltz, courtesy National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Get Ready Mailbag: Shaking hands can spread germs. What to do?

Welcome to another installment of the Get Ready Mailbag, when we take time to answer questions sent our way by readers like you. Have a question you want answered? Send an e-mail to getready@apha.org.

Q. I’ve read that shaking hands can spread germs. When should you avoid shaking hands? What if you can’t?

A. The handshake, a greeting used in work settings, at formal occasions or among friends, is a common practice in the United States and in many parts of the world. Hands are extended as a sign of welcome, respect and courtesy. But what do you do if you are sick or the person who is about to shake your hand is sick?

Refusing a handshake may come across in social circles as rude, but there’s good reason to think twice before reciprocating with a firm grip. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose or mouth. That “something” could be an unwashed, outstretched hand of a neighbor or coworker.

During the recent H1N1 influenza pandemic, concerns about preventing the spread of germs led to greater scrutiny of the common handshake. In some faith communities where greeting fellow worshippers or “passing of the peace” are regular rituals, religious leaders advised against or even forbid shaking hands. And the World Health Organization has promoted “elbow bumps” as an alternative greeting to a hand shake.

So what to do? If you have been sick and someone extends a hand, you might simply say, “I’m sorry, but I am getting over a cold and don’t want to get you sick.” Or, if someone has been hacking into his or her hand and there is no way to politely decline, avoid touching your eyes, mouth or nose, and wash your hands with soap and water soon after.

As always, it is best to stay home if you are sick and to avoid contact with sick people when possible, but in those unavoidable situations, the simple act of hand washing with soap and water remains the most effective way of keeping germs at bay. And make sure you’re washing properly with APHA’s Get Ready campaign fact sheet on hand washing, available in both English and Spanish. (PDF) For your best protection against flu, doctors also recommend getting vaccinated.

How to protect yourself from infectious diseases in the workplace

Have you ever trudged off to work with chills, achy bones and a fever? If so, you’re not alone. Studies show that about half of U.S. workers reported to work ill in the past year. Oft-cited reasons for spreading germs at the workplace are fear of lost wages — many people have minimal or no paid sick leave — or guilt about missing work.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some viruses and bacteria can live two hours or longer on surfaces like computer keyboards, desks, phones and fax machines. As icky as it sounds, the co-worker who’s coughing all over the conference room table or racing to the restroom because of a nasty stomach bug can turn your office into an incubator for all manner of infectious bugs.

To protect yourself and your co-workers from these and other germs:

* Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue every time you cough or sneeze, and throw the used tissue in a wastebasket. If you don't have a tissue, sneeze or cough into your sleeve, not your hands.

* Wash your hands often, especially after coughing, sneezing or using the restroom. Use soap and warm water and rub your hands together for about 20 seconds, making sure to scrub all the surfaces. Rinse your hands under clean, running water and dry them with a paper towel. No soap and water available? Alcohol-based hand sanitizer can inactivate most germs in a jiffy, so always keep some at your workstation.

* Get a flu shot (or the nasal vaccine if you don’t like needles). A yearly flu vaccination is the single best way to lower your chances of getting the flu. If you get the vaccine but still get sick, the vaccine can make the bug milder.

* Avoid close contact with co-workers who are obviously ill, and if you’re sick, stay home and keep your germs to yourself.

* Steer clear of the damp sponge that might be lurking in the sink in your office kitchen. Squishy sponges are breeding grounds for disease-causing bacteria.

* Use alcohol-based wipes or other approved sanitizers to disinfect your keyboard, telephone, desk and mouse.

Speaking of your computer mouse, don’t overlook the living, breathing variety that might come out at night to dance on your desk and keyboard. According to University of Arizona researchers, your office toilet is probably 400 times cleaner than your desk, but the latter is your preferred lunch venue. As unappetizing as it sounds, crumbs that lodge between the keys will encourage the growth of bacteria and could become tasty morsels for all manner of disease-carrying vermin. Dust is a problem too, because it will trap moisture that becomes a breeding ground for insects.

Even if you don’t eat at your desk, your fingers come in contact with all kinds of germs over the course of a work day, and the bugs end up on your phone and keyboard. Hitting the "delete" key won’t sweep these germs away. To stay healthy, keep your keyboard crumb-free, wash your hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer often — especially before you eat — and clean your entire work area regularly with disinfectant wipes

Cleaning up and staying safe after a flood

The heavy rains that brought widespread flooding and devastation in Tennessee, Kentucky and Mississippi in early May have gone, but the muck left behind now has residents cleaning up and rebuilding their lives.

Even if the rains may not have affected you, floods can happen anywhere across the nation — even in your community. Storms, excessive rainfall, snowmelt and even a water-main break can cause a dangerous and destructive flood. Not only can flooding cause lots of water damage and interrupt day-to-day activities, but it can also be a source of health problems.

Luckily, there are steps you can take to prepare for the worst. The Get Ready campaign provides helpful tips (PDF) for what to do before, during and after a flood. And if your home was flooded, keep the following tips in mind as you clean up:

• Be safe while you clean up. Wear long pants to keep the bugs out and sturdy gloves and boots to protect hands and feet. Wear a mask when stirring up mold or lots of dust. Clean out wounds with soap and clean water as soon as they happen so they don’t get infected. And don’t use a gas-powered generator in a closed-off area.

• Keep your hands squeaky clean. Wash your hands often to avoid infection. If officials say the water isn’t safe, use bottled water or water that has come to a rolling boil for at least one minute. An alcohol-based hand sanitizer can also help if water is limited.

• Be mindful of electricity. Don’t use appliances that have gotten wet, including refrigerators, washing machines or driers, as water can damage electrical appliance motors. Have them and your small applicances checked out by a service person first. In fact, the Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends that you have an electrician check your house wiring before you flip a switch or use an outlet after a flood.

• Beware of mold. Mold grows very quickly in wet, damp areas, so dry everything out, and throw away items that won’t dry fast, like rugs. Put fans in your windows and doorways and face them outward (make sure the fan is not flood damaged first!). To clean mold use one cup of bleach per gallon of water.

• Clean everything. Sanitize the places where you prepare and eat your food as well as your pots, dishware and utensils. Wash your kids’ toys, the linens and all clothing. Throw out pacifiers and stuffed animals.

• Say goodbye to your food supply. Throw away perishable foods and anything that may have come in contact with floodwater, including canned foods, jars, spices and any food kept in a box, paper, foil or cellophane.

Although flood cleanup is hard work, following these steps can help keep you safe from infections and injuries after the waters recede.

The American Red Cross is accepting donations to help victims of the recent U.S. flooding. To help, visit the organization’s website or text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.


Photos by David Fine, courtesy Federal Emergency Management Agency. Top photo, Maggie Potter cleans household items in Bordeaux, Tenn., on May 8 following flooding there. Bottom, a neighborhood in Clarksville, Tenn., remains flooded May 12, more than a week after storms flooded many homes in the area.

Preparedness across the nation: Kansas and Idaho public health associations help residents get ready

With the help of free Get Ready campaign materials, it’s easy for state and local organizations to spread the word to their communities about being prepared. That’s the message of two recent Get Ready podcast interviews conducted with state public health association leaders.

The podcasts, focusing on work by the Kansas Public Health Association and Idaho Public Health Association, provide good examples of how organizations can use Get Ready materials in their communities.

“The Get Ready materials are all put together — all we have to do is access them,” said Elaine Schwartz, executive director of the Kansas Public Health Association , who details her organization’s recent work in the podcast.

In Kansas, the association is working with the Kansas Chamber of Commerce to get the word out to local businesses on the importance of workplace wellness and preparedness and uses Get Ready materials in its outreach.

“The only thing more important than hiring the right employee is the health of the employee,” Schwartz says in the podcast.

The Idaho Public Health Association has also had success with Get Ready materials. The association teamed up with a local grocery store chain last year to promote the Get Ready: Set Your Clocks, Check Your Stocks campaign.
The association set up an in-store booth, handed out materials and raffled off a giveaway of a family stockpile basket.

“Having ready information that people can use is really important,” says Mary Ann Reuter, executive director of the Idaho Public Health Association in the Get Ready podcast.

“If we can get to a more personal level with the message for schools and for the neighborhood groups, I think what we will see is this sort of acknowledgment of ‘oh gosh, so that’s what public health is!’ or ‘that is what the Idaho Public Health Association is about,” Reuter said. “It helps us gain some name recognition.”

Both of the podcasts can be listened to online via the Get Ready podcast page.

Have you used Get Ready materials to improve your community’s preparedness? Share your story with us. (mailto:getready@apha.org)