Family Matters
Published Date: Sep 09
September is National Preparedness Month – the annual campaign to encourage Americans to take steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, schools, organizations, businesses and communities. We want to encourage you – as individuals and families – to pledge to prepare during the month of September but we also want to encourage you and your family to make preparedness a part of your daily life every day moving forward. Here are three easy steps for you and your family to take to get involved and be better prepared:
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City of Birmingham and UAB partner to label storm drains
Published Date: Sep 06
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and the City of Birmingham have collaborated on a program to promote environmental sensitivity and protect the city's drinking water. The plan to assess and label stormwater drains around Birmingham – starting with UAB's campus – will help discourage the dumping of unwanted chemicals and trash into drains.
The UAB Department of Occupational Health and Safety tasked graduate students in the Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering with mapping storm drains around UAB's 86-block campus. Students also created preliminary designs for the labels and stencils, which will be unique to UAB.
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The UAB Department of Occupational Health and Safety tasked graduate students in the Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering with mapping storm drains around UAB's 86-block campus. Students also created preliminary designs for the labels and stencils, which will be unique to UAB.
Read more >>
College Checklist: Preparedness Edition
Published Date: Aug 26
Families throughout the country are preparing to send their sons and daughters to college – and many of them will be away from home for the first time. Being prepared will help your college student remain safe and calmly deal with emergency situations.
Having a disaster readiness kit is one of the best ways to stay prepared. This can be as simple as a backpack containing items like a flashlight, a small radio, extra batteries, a solar powered or hand-cranked cell phone charger, energy bars, water and first aid supplies. Ready-made kits designed for students can be ordered from the American Red Cross. Advise your student to keep their kit in an easily accessible place, like under the bed or on the top shelf of a closet.
Most colleges have emergency plans and it may be posted on their website. If not, contact the admissions office to get a copy and confirm your child is registered on the emergency notification system.
Also, prepare your family communications plan now so your child will know how to contact you in case communications between home and school are disrupted. Make an emergency information list of names, phone numbers and locations of family members, doctors, medical insurance and other important resources.
Source: FEMA Individual and Community Preparedness e-Brief for Aug 22, 2013
Having a disaster readiness kit is one of the best ways to stay prepared. This can be as simple as a backpack containing items like a flashlight, a small radio, extra batteries, a solar powered or hand-cranked cell phone charger, energy bars, water and first aid supplies. Ready-made kits designed for students can be ordered from the American Red Cross. Advise your student to keep their kit in an easily accessible place, like under the bed or on the top shelf of a closet.
Most colleges have emergency plans and it may be posted on their website. If not, contact the admissions office to get a copy and confirm your child is registered on the emergency notification system.
Also, prepare your family communications plan now so your child will know how to contact you in case communications between home and school are disrupted. Make an emergency information list of names, phone numbers and locations of family members, doctors, medical insurance and other important resources.
Source: FEMA Individual and Community Preparedness e-Brief for Aug 22, 2013