Notations From the Grid (Final Month-End Edition): Out & About

Laguna Beach:  Thanksgiving 2018

As we went to press as the Holiday season is officially on, it was the dawn of Cyber Monday--although Amazon began a  "Cyber Monday" week to help drive demand.    The Holiday Season is also officially before us--This is also as we received reports of a new Earthquake in Western Iran.  The Need to be prepared is ever so critical as we leave you all with this courtesy of the team at FEMA.

Onward to December with all its' possibilities:

Individual and Community Preparedness eBrief

In this issue: Stay Secure on Cyber Monday Be Fire Safe This Holiday Season Prepare for Severe Weather Important Dates to Remember

Stay Secure on Cyber Monday It’s important to be secure whenever you shop online. On Cyber Monday, cybercriminals may try to take extra advantage of online shoppers. Here are some tips to protect your information: Shop from trustworthy and established websites only. Make sure your information is encrypted. Look for URLs that begin with https:// and have a closed padlock icon next to them. Use a credit card when you shop online. There are laws that protect you if you find fraudulent credit card charges. You may not have the same level of protection for your debit cards. Check your statements and record of your purchases. Compare these to your bank statements. For more tips on staying safe when you shop online, visit: https://ww.us-cert.gov/ncas/tips/ST07-001. back to top Be Fire Safe This Holiday Season Have you put up holiday decorations at home? It’s important to be safe when you decorate with candles, lighted decorations, or Christmas trees. Use these tips to keep your home fire safe as you celebrate the holidays: Always turn holiday lights off before leaving home or going to bed. If you have a Christmas tree, water it daily. A dry tree can catch on fire easily. Keep it at least 3 feet away from heat sources. Keep candles 12 inches away from anything that can burn. Consider using flameless candles for all or part of Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa celebrations. Learn more about holiday fire safety at https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/outreach/holiday.html. Looking for more tips for a safe holiday season? Follow @Citizen_Corps and @Prepareathon on social media for seasonal tips, and share your own with #HolidaySafety back to top Prepare for Severe Weather Are you ready for winter? The best time to prepare for winter weather is before it arrives. Know if your area is at risk for winter storms. Follow the National Weather Service for weather forecasts. Your area may also have local weather alert systems. Start an emergency supply kit for your car. Include jumper cables, warm clothes, bottled water, snacks, a spare cell phone charger, blankets, flares, and an ice scraper. Have supplies ready at home in case you lose power. Keep in mind your family’s needs, such as medication. Don’t forget about food and supplies for pets. Prepare your home to keep out the cold with insulation, caulking, and weather stripping. For more winter weather tips, visit: https://www.ready.gov/winter-weatheror watch this video back to top Important Dates to Remember November – Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience Month November 22 – Thanksgiving back to top Disclaimer: The reader recognizes that the federal government provides links and informational data on various disaster preparedness resources and events and does not endorse any non-federal events, entities, organizations, services, or products. Please let us know about other events and services for individual and community preparedness that could be included in future newsletters by contacting FEMA-prepare@fema.dhs.gov. Contact Us EMAIL: FEMA-prepare@fema.dhs.gov   |   TWITTER: @Citizen_Corps