Pulaski County gives update on storm response, plans cooling shelters Sunday

On Saturday, June 30, 2012, Pulaski County Emergency Management reported the following activities:

• Public Safety crews continued to answer calls of downed power lines, tree fires, and several brush fires.

• Road clearing operations and power restoration continued throughout the day.

• Cooling stations were established at Pulaski and Riverlawn Elementary schools. Between the two sites, a total of 25 citizens reported.

• EMS crews and hospitals were busy responding to those without power who use homebound medical devices and others suffering from heat related illnesses.

For Sunday, July 1st, the following are items are planned and confirmed:

• Cooling stations will be at Pulaski Elementary and the new Riverlawn Elementary from 10 am to 8 pm.

• The Public Service Authority will open all three drop sites to accept lawn and yard debris from 1 – 6 pm. The locations are in Fairlawn located off Route 114 next to the Peppers Ferry Wastewater Treatment facility, in Dublin located off Bagging Plant Road, and in Pulaski located on Dora Hwy.

• Residents without electricity should prepare for no electricity for 2-3 more days.

• All county residents are urged to use caution in the excessive heat.

Read on for additional tips and disaster related information from the Virginia office of Emergency Management:

What you can do:

• Check on your neighbors, family members and friends to make sure they have a cool place to go if their power is out.

• During extreme temperatures, fans by themselves are not enough to prevent heat related illnesses. Cold baths or showers can help cool you down. Drink cool, nonalcoholic beverages and increase your fluid intake, regardless of your activity level.

• Keep a close eye on the weather and listen to local officials for information about your area.

• Those with immediate need for shelter, food or water should also check with their local social services department, county or city government or the American Red Cross.

• Never leave children or pets in cars. Temperatures inside a car can reach more than 150 degrees quickly, resulting in heat stroke and death.

Here are additional steps you can take to protect yourself against heat-related illnesses:

• Keep cool in an air-conditioned area. Take a cool shower or a bath. Consider a trip to the mall or a local library or visit a friend with air conditioning. Spending at least two hours per day in air conditioning significantly reduces the number of heat-related illnesses. When temperatures reach the upper 90s or above, a fan may not prevent heat-related illness.

• Drink plenty of fluids (2-4 glasses of cool fluids each hour.) To replace salt and minerals lost from sweating, drink fruit juice or a sports beverage during exercise or when you have to work outside. However, talk to your doctor first if you’re on a fluid-restricted diet or medications, or on a low-salt diet.

• Avoid sunburn and wear light clothing. Sunburn limits your body’s ability to keep itself cool and causes loss of body fluids. Use sunscreen with a higher SPF. Lighter-weight clothing that is loose fitting and light colored is more comfortable during extreme temperatures. Use a hat to keep the head cool.

• Give your body a break as the heat wave can be stressful on your body. Limit physical activity until your body adjusts to the heat.

• Use the “buddy system” if you’re working outside. If you’re working outside and suffer a heat-related illness, you could become confused or could lose consciousness. Therefore, Make sure someone else knows of your plans.

Submitted by Robert Hiss, Assistant County Administrator, Pulaski County

OTHER STORM COVERAGE:
* Town of Christiansburg continues clean-up, does not plan cooling shelter Sunday
* Floyd County may not get power until Tuesday; others longer
* Photos: Storm damage around the New River Valley
* Regional storm coverage for July 1 from The Roanoke Times
* Regional storm coverage for June 30 from The Roanoke Times
* Weather journalist Kevin Myatt has storm updates on the Weather Journal
* Montgomery County declares emergency, shelters open
* Pulaski County opens shelters
* Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, issues statement on the storm
* Gov. Bob McDonnell declares state of emergency
* Health department issues tips on food safety following power outages

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