Before Hurricane Ian ever made landfall in South Carolina, DHEC’s team of dedicated employees began to prepare for the storm’s anticipated impact.
Continue readingMay 31 is National Dam Safety Awareness Day. This observance offers a chance to highlight DHEC’s Dam Safety Program, its growth, and a few of its members.
Hurricane season officially begins on June 1st, but it is best to start early and get prepared! Established by the National Weather Service, Hurricane Preparedness Week educates about the impact of hurricanes and informs people about ways to protect their homes and businesses.
Hurricanes are inevitable in South Carolina. Follow these tips to prepare:
The CDC’s guide , Preparedness and Safety Messaging for Hurricanes, Flooding, and Similar Disasters, is a tool that discusses every potential issue when preparing for a water-related natural disaster. For more information about what to do before a tropical storm or hurricane, visit: https://www.weather.gov/safety/hurricane-plan
For local emergency preparedness updates, visit the South Carolina Emergency Management Division‘s website.
A collection of health and environmental posts from other governmental blogs.
Vaccination Nation: A Real Shot at Preventing Cancer
Suppose someone tells you there are quick, easy ways to help keep people from getting some kinds of cancer. Would you believe it?
Luckily, you can. You already know vaccines stop you from getting dangerous diseases from bacteria and viruses. You don’t even realize you have some viruses because they may not cause any symptoms. But a few of them can lead to cancer if left untreated. — From The Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) The Topic Is Cancer blog
National ALS Biorepository – A Component of the National ALS Registry
The National ALS Biorepository is a component of the National ALS Registry that will increase the number of biological samples from persons with ALS available for research. These samples, along with the extensive epidemiologic data collected by the National ALS Registry, are a valuable resource in the fight to identify the causes of ALS. — From the CDC’s Your Health — Your Environment blog
Traveling to South Korea for the Olympics? Bring Back Great Memories, Not a Pest or Disease
The Winter Olympics begin shortly in South Korea, bringing us two weeks of incredible athletic performances. While many of us will watch the games from our TVs, computers or phones, some lucky individuals will travel to witness the games in person. And when traveling, people often bring back items as souvenirs or as gifts for those of us at home. If you are traveling to the Olympics (or anywhere outside the country), keep in mind there are rules about agricultural products being brought into the U.S. — From the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) blog
USDA Agencies Band Together to Assist Producers Impacted by 2017 Hurricanes
Just as families, friends and communities came together to respond to damages that occurred during the hurricanes of 2017, so did government agencies.
When hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria made landfall, the Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Risk Management Agency (RMA), Rural Development (RD), and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) worked together, along with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other intergovernmental groups, to provide information and recovery resources to agricultural producers who experienced losses. — From the USDA blog
We’re a month into the 2016 hurricane season. Are you prepared? While we all should have emergency kits and evacuation plans, that’s doubly true for those of us who depend on a regular regimen of medication, medical equipment or special diets.
If you have special medical needs and haven’t developed an evacuation plan in case the need arises, today is the day to do so.
Don’t wait until a storm is bearing down. Waiting until the last moment could lead to mistakes, such as critical medicine, medical equipment or other essentials being left behind in a rush. You can avoid that by planning ahead so that you’re ready to move out of harm’s way at a moment’s notice.
Think it all through — from what you would need to take with you to where you would go. Be sure to maintain a list of items you need during emergencies, including medications, medical supplies and other items.
Here are two lists to get you started:
What will you take?
Where will you go?
Shelters should be the place of last resort. In the event that it is necessary, special medical needs shelters will be made available during storms.
Visit www.scdhec.gov/Hurricanes/ for additional information on preparing for and recovering from a storm.
Click below to download a comprehensive guide to hurricanes or visit www.scemd.org.
Live Healthy S.C. 