Helpful Hints

Hazardous Materials Incidents

Chemicals are common, and they can help us in everyday activities such as, farming, purifying water and cleaning our house. However if a hazardous chemical is released into the environment unexpectedly and improperly, it can pose a serious health threat to the entire community. If a hazardous materials incident occurs in your neighborhood stay tuned to your local media for instructions on what to do. You may be told to evacuate or shelter in place. Always remember to stay upwind from an incident and to shut down ventilation systems that filter outside air. A Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) is responsible for keeping track of what chemicals are in your community, where they are and how they are used. For more information on hazardous materials incidents and LEPC’s, visit www.fema.gov or contact the City of Denton Emergency Management office at 940-349-8836 or www.cityofdenton.com.

Household Chemicals

Harmful chemicals are found not only in factories but in our homes as well. Actually most chemical mishaps occur at home. The most common exposure to chemicals is through breathing, swallowing, or touching a harmful chemical. The most frequent chemical emergency is children ingesting medicines. Simply putting medicines out of sight and reach can prevent this emergency. Also read the directions on household containers and try to avoid mixing chemicals. You should always store chemicals properly in original, easily identifiable containers. If a chemical spill does occur, you should clean it up immediately and dispose of the waste properly. For more information, visit www.redcross.org, call the Poison Control Center, or contact the City of Denton Emergency Management office at 940-349-8836 or www.cityofdenton.com.

Pets in Disaster

When preparing for a disaster, don’t forget to include your pets. Pets are often considered members of the family and people may not heed evacuation orders if their pets are not care for. First you should contact local shelters, veterinarians, and humane societies to see where pets are accepted for sheltering. This is important because some shelters will not accept pets. You will need a pet carrier that has comfortable space for your animals. Also bring familiar play items and blankets in order to reduce the stress level for your pets. Make sure your pets are properly vaccinated and registered; you should keep these records because your pet’s stay at a shelter may be contingent on this information. You should also include items such as kitty litter, food, water, and extra leashes in your family disaster kit. For more information, visit www.fema.gov or contact the City of Denton Emergency Management office at 940-349-8836 or www.cityofdenton.com.

Power Outage

Are you prepared for a blackout? If your house is without electricity for more than 4 hours you should take special precautions to ensure the safety of yourself and your family. First off, only use flashlights as emergency lights because candles are a fire hazard. You should have a cooler filled with ice to protect your perishable food items. If you have a generator, never connect it directly to your home’s electrical system, but rather directly to the equipment you need to power. Also keep on hand batteries, a portable radio, and plenty of water. For more information, visit www.redcross.org, or contact the City of Denton Emergency Management office at

940-349-8836 or www.cityofdenton.com.

Preparedness: A disaster supplies kit

A disaster can happen at any time. In the event or aftermath of a disaster, it is a possibility that help might not arrive for hours or even days. Essential services such as electricity and water might be out for an indefinite period. In order to not be caught off guard by an active or impending disaster, you should keep a 72-hour disaster supplies kit in your home. Your kit should have non-perishable food, a manual can opener, a one gallon per person per day supply of water, a flashlight with extra batteries, a first aid kit, hygiene items, copies of your identification and credit cards, cash, and any other special needs items you might need. Keep this kit in a place where your entire family can have easy access to it. It should also be inventoried and updated every six months. You can also keep tailored versions of this kit at work or in the car. For more information, visit www.fema.gov or contact the City of Denton Emergency Management office at 940-349-8836 or www.cityofdenton.com.

Wildfire Danger

More and more people are building their homes in woodland surroundings or near large grassy plains in rural areas. While these locations are ideal for some, they are at great risk for wildfires. Wildfires often start small and unnoticed. Relative humidity, air temperature, and wind speed can provide favorable conditions for a wildfire to spread across acres of land burning brush, vegetation, and homes. You should clear brush and debris away from your house and property, not burn debris in favorable wildfire conditions, and also have an family emergency plan in place. For more information, visit www.redcross.org, or contact the City of Denton Emergency Management office at 940-349-8836 or www.cityofdenton.com.

Prepare yourself…. It’s tornado season!

Tornado season is here, are you prepared? Designate a room in the interior of your home, away from all windows, as a safe room. Keep it stocked with supplies such as flashlights, battery operated radios, water and blankets. Have discussions with your family what to do in the event of a tornado. Purchase and use a NOAA Weather Warning Radio available at most electronics stores. By taking these simple steps, you and your family can be safe should a tornado strike. For more information on tornado safety contact the City of Denton Office of Emergency Management at 940-349-8836 or www.cityofdenton.com.

The tornado sirens have sounded! Do you know what to do next?

Each year residents of north Texas face the dangers of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. When severe weather threatens the City of Denton, emergency officials may activate the Siren Alert System. Do you know what to do next? Take these immediate steps to save your life: Go inside, get away from windows, go to the lowest floor and inner most room of your home or business, put as many walls between yourself and the outside or your home or business as possible and protect your head and body with pillows and blankets. Tune your battery-powered radio to KNTU 88.1 FM for the latest in severe weather information. If in a mobile home or vehicle, leave immediately and lie flat in a ditch or depression. For more information contact the City of Denton Office of Emergency Management at 940-349-8836 or www.cityofdenton.com.

Floods! Do you know what to do?

Flooding, are you prepared? As we enter hurricane season, inland flooding came become a problem in our area. In heavy rains, areas can flood in a matter of minutes. For prolonged heavy rainfall, prepare yourself and your family to leave on short notice. Have a disaster supplies kit ready and be prepared to evacuate if instructed to do so. Be informed; learn what areas near your home or place of work are prone to flooding. For more information contact the City of Denton Office of Emergency Management at 940-349-8836 or www.cityofdenton.com.