


in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

Adjust the thermostat on refrigerators and freezers to the coolest possible temperature.

Fill sinks and bathtubs with water as an extra supply for washing.Plan ahead to take pets with you, but be aware that many emergency shelters cannot accept animals. Place vehicles under cover, if at all possible.If no vehicle is available, make arrangements with friends or family for transportation, or follow authorities’ instructions on where to obtain transportation.Prepare an emergency kit for your vehicle with food, flares, booster cables, maps, tools, a first aid kit, a fire extinguisher, sleeping bags, a flashlight, batteries, etc.Be sure to pack at least a 1-week supply of prescription medications. Review your emergency plan and gather your emergency supplies.Listen for disaster sirens and warning signals.Tune in the radio or television for volcano updates.Cleanup or emergency workers may need a different type of breathing protection. Nuisance dust masks can provide comfort and relief from exposure to relatively non-hazardous contaminants such as pollen, but they do not offer as much protection as an N-95 respirator. If you don’t have an N-95 respirator, you can protect yourself by using a nuisance dust mask as a last resort, but you should stay outdoors for only short periods while dust is falling. For more information, see NIOSH-Approved Disposable Particulate Respirators (Filtering Facepieces) . It is important to follow directions for proper use of this respirator. N-95 respirators can be purchased at businesses such as hardware stores. To protect yourself while you are outdoors or while you are cleaning up ash that has gotten indoors, use an N-95 disposable respirator (also known as an “air purifying respirator”). Exposure to ash can harm your health, particularly the respiratory (breathing) tract.
