About the County
Agendas & Minutes
Bids
Budget & Finance
Calendar of Events
Community Safety
Contact Information
Departments
Election & Voting
Employment
Health Resources
GIS website
Grant Information
License, Permits
and Registrations
Motor Vehicle
News & Public Notices
Ordinances
Outdoors
Property Information
Property Tax
Township Officers
Vital Records
Links
Help
Disclaimer

Date:	October 31, 2011
Release Date:	Immediate
Media Contact:	Gina Hardin, Coordinator
	753-8206

Burlington, Iowa. As we prepare for Daylight Savings time to end on November 5th and we change our clocks by moving them "backward" one hour, remember to change the batteries in your NOAA Weather/All-Hazards Radio, your smoke alarms, your carbon monoxide detector plus change the food and water in your emergency supply kits.

The NOAA Weather/All Hazards Radio provides you with real time information for local community emergencies - both natural and man-made. According to Gina Hardin, Coordinator of the Des Moines County Emergency Management Agency, these radios are one of the primary ways emergency officials have of alerting the public to emergency conditions. These radios primarily perform off of electricity but in the event of a power outage you will want a fresh battery in the unit to keep it working so you can receive updated weather and public safety information.

While the all-hazards radios warn you of outside conditions that may affect you and your family, smoke alarms are critical to warn you and your family of fires within your home and the carbon monoxide detector warns you of potential poisoning from this toxic gas. Generally, these units operate primarily on batteries, so the batteries need changed regularly. By providing an early warning and critical extra seconds to escape, working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in reported home fire structures in half.

Your personal preparedness kits, including the one in your home, in your car, the one at your office, and your personal go-kit, are important components for the safety of your family also. Take the time to exchange the water, food, candy and other consumables in your kits and replace them with new items. You do not want to be stuck in a winter storm without fresh items in your car kit.

When you set your clocks back on November 6, use that extra hour to make a life-saving change in your household - change and test the batteries in your smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, weather radios and check your emergency kits - and remind your friends, family and neighbors to do the same!.

For more information on emergency planning, contact or Gina Hardin at 753-8206 or follow Des Moines County Emergency Management on Facebook.

dmcinfotech@co.des-moines.ia.us    disclaimer