Wildfire Season's Here; Pack Your Financial Grab 'n' Go

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Every year as the Santa Ana winds kick up, we make mental notes of the things we’d take with us if a fire was headed our way. Sometimes we even put a few things by the front door. Photos, jewelry, baby books.

But what about identification, property records and health insurance cards? They’re a few of the things that should be packed away in an easy-to-carry, easy-to-access “financial grab ‘n’ go box,” and they’re crucial to your recovery should you lose your property, the County’s consumer expert says.

“These are records that would be necessary to establish your identity, apply for aid and start rebuilding your life,” said Patti Wooten Swanson, Nutrition, Family, and Consumer Science Advisor in the County’s Farm and Home Advisor Office.

“Packing these items ahead of time gives you peace of mind and allows you to concentrate on the most important thing in an emergency: getting yourself and your loved ones out safely,” Wooten Swanson said.

How do you do it? Gather all your important documents and photocopy or scan them. Add cash – about $50 per person – and a credit card, if desired. Place it all in re-sealable plastic bags and store them in a portable, secure, waterproof and fireproof container. Store the box in an easy-to-reach place and make sure everyone in the household knows where it is.

Among the documents to copy: IDs, a photo of each family member, marriage and divorce papers, adoption and birth records; important phone and account numbers and email addresses; credit cards and loans; tax returns; medical information; property records; and estate planning documents.

Learn more about putting together your financial grab 'n' box in this CTN.org video:


Be Careful With Pets During Heat Wave

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The County Department of Animal Services is offering advice to keep pets safe and healthy as temperatures rise this week.

“Animals can suffer from heat stress just like humans do. It’s important to take steps to prevent it and to know when you should seek help,” said Dawn Danielson, Director of the County Department of Animal Services.

Signs of heat stress include: panting, rapid heartbeat, high fever, unresponsiveness, extreme listlessness or hyperactivity, vomiting, collapse or seizure. If you think your pet may be suffering from heat stress, try to lower its body temperature by moving the animal into the shade and applying cool water. Contact your veterinarian immediately.

You should also take the following steps to keep pets cool:

  • Walk your pet before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. when temperatures are cooler. Hot concrete and black top can burn and blister your pet’s paws.Bring your pet indoors into a cool area.
  • Give your pet fresh, cool water, and replenish it often.
  • Never leave animals unattended inside a vehicle at any time. Temperatures can quickly reach deadly levels even with windows slightly open and in mild weather.
  • If you see an animal in a car exhibiting any signs of heat stress, call your local animal control agency, humane society or police department immediately.

Text Your Loved Ones to Test Your Readiness

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What would you do if a disaster occurred while you were separated from your family and you couldn’t reach them to see if they were ok? If you had an out-of-state contact, your family could text that person to provide an update on their safety status and location, and your contact could notify other family members as they checked in and assist in your reunification.

“We recommend that all residents talk with their families and establish an out-of-state emergency contact and meeting place in the event of an emergency,” said Ron Lane, director of the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services.

“Then we encourage them to take a few minutes out of their day on Friday to put that plan into practice.”

In San Diego County, County employees, 68 schools and up to 1,700 businesses will be participating in a nationwide “9/11 Drill Down for Safety” in partnership with the Safe America Foundation. In San Diego, employees and students are encouraged to text a simple message to their emergency contact that says, “I am safe. Heading to meeting place.”  

The drill will take place between 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. today.

The exercise will also serve as a test of our region’s phone texting surge capabilities as Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, Cricket and T-Mobile are participating and plan to track the number of text messages sent during this short time period.

The drill has three goals: to influence people to select an out-of-state emergency contact for their family; confirm that all family members are trained to text a message to that contact; and to ensure that the phone system can handle a surge in text messages or phonecalls during a specific time frame.

To pledge to drill, go to www.safeamerica.org. To obtain additional information on preparing for an emergency, visit www.readysandiego.org and download a copy of the family disaster plan under the Family tab.

Pet Owners in Need Find Help from Library Pet Food Drive

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A dog from the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA, which received donations from the Library pet food drive.

Local critters in need could be getting a care package soon, courtesy of the County of San Diego Library’s pet food drive.

“Our summer reading program is called ‘Read for a Reason’ because it motivates kids to open a book by allowing them to give back to the community," said Jose Aponte, County of San Diego Library Director.

"It’s in its fourth year, and this year, the program benefited local animals,” Aponte said.

The program lets kids log reading hours online toward charitable goals. Activities included visits by the Spay/Neuter Action Project’s mobile at library branches to provide low-cost services and food donated by Hills Science Diet, as well as the pet food drive at all branches and the County Department of Animal Services’ three shelters. The results:

 

  • 2,009 pounds of dry cat and dog food; 1,042 cans of dog and cat food
  • 31 pounds of food for other animals, including rats, birds, rabbits and hamsters
  • 101 pounds of dog treats
  • 83 other pet items including shampoo, collars, carriers and even a doggy toothbrush

County Animal Services staff helped collect the donations and deliver them to the Pet Food Bank, which serves animal groups in Southern California, and the Spay/Neuter Action Network. 

The final group of donations was delivered today to the San Diego Food Bank, which will distribute them to other non-profits that care for animals, such as the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA, which will use the items for its Training Wheels outreach program.

“As President of the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA, I have seen the generosity of our community many times, and the amount of food donated through this drive is another example of the remarkable lengths that San Diegans will go to help both our two-legged and four-legged friends,” said Mark Goldstein, DVM.

The County Library plans to continue the “Read for a Reason” program next summer.  For more information about all of the Library’s programs, please visit www.sdcl.org.

 

Get Your Free Flu Shot Here!

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This year there are two types of influenza: seasonal flu and the pandemic H1N1, or swine flu.

Although the H1N1 has been getting a lot of attention recently, it’s still very important to get vaccinated against the seasonal flu.

To continue promoting the health and wellness of employees, the County of San Diego is pleased to provide free seasonal flu shots to County employees again this year. No appointment or registration is necessary. All employees possessing a valid County ID will be eligible for a flu shot.

Check out the schedule here.