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C6 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday September 10, 2003 p a p a r tn g ^ B Q iH R 1 YOUR 1 m PARTNER W IN AN isCRI1HDI RR a f EMERGENCY See Page 8 TIRE DUNDAS& TRAFALGAR ROAD r 400 Dundas St East« 257-TIRE OAKTOWN SHOPPING PLAZA 550 Kerr Street · 844-0202 a ja o s t Canadian home-heating sys| l I I terns are dependent upon electric I V I P ° wer' Power supply interruptions can last from a few hours to several days and are often caused by freezing rain, sleet storms and/or high winds which damage power lines and equipment. An extended power failure during winter months and subsequent loss of heating can result in cold, damp homes, severe living conditions and damage to walls, floors and plumbing. Following these simple suggestions can reduce the harmful effects of power and heating failure in sub-zero weather. power requirements and proper operating procedures. · If someone in the home relies on electri cally powered life-sustaining equipment, register with your electric supply authority and your community emergency program. Keep an emergency survival kit A kit containing provisions for at least three days - stored in a handy place. The kit should include: Non-perishable food and water Emergency lighting such as flashlights with spare batteries, candles, matches/lighter, or coal-oil lanterns and fuel Fuel stove and fuel (follow manufacturer's instructions) Blankets and warm clothing A battery-powered radio and spare batter ies You should also prepare a portable Emergency Survival Kit in the event that you have to evacuate your home. surge proof powerbar is a smart and inex pensive precaution). · power can be restored more easily when there is not a heavy load on the electric system. · Leave one light switch on so you know when power is restored. Don't open your freezer or fridge unless it is absolutely necessary. A full freezer will keep food frozen for 24 to 36 hours if the door remains closed. Don't use charcoal or gas barbecues, camping heating equipment, or home gener ators indoors. They give off carbon monox ide. Because you can't smell or see it, car bon monoxide can cause health problems and even kill you before you know it's there. Use proper candleholders. Never leave lit candles unattended. Use your battery-powered radio for local information. Remember that even in very cold weather, a house with doors and windows closed will not become too cold for comfort for several hours. If you have a backup heating unit, turn it on before the house gets too cold. If the unit must be vented to the same chimney flue as the furnace, · switch the furnace off before disconnecting the furnace flue. Home generators are handy for backup electricity in case of an outage, but there are hazards to be aware of. Serious accidents can result when a home generator is con nected to an existing electrical circuit. If the electricity produced by the home generator follows the electrical lines back to the trans former, and the current is transformed to a higher voltage,ihe lives of any utility employ ees working on the lines nearby are endan gered. Anyone touching equipment powered by the generator is also in danger. Also, when the main electric power comes back on, a generator connected to the existing electrical circuit will result in an explosion and fire. Direct installation of a generator to an existing electrical system should only be done by a qualified technician and approved by your electric supply authority. · · · · Precautions to take · You can install a non-electric standby stove or heater. Choose heating units that are not dependent on an electric motor, electric fan, or some other electrical device to func tion. It is also important to adequately vent the stove or heater with the type of chim ney flue specified for it. Never connect two heating units to the same chimney flue at the same time. If it is necessary to vent the standby heater to the existing chimney flue used by the furnace, first disconnect the furnace from it. Use only fuel-burning heaters certified by the Canadian Standards Association or Canadian Gas Association. · If you have a wood-burning fireplace, clean the flue every fall in preparation for its use for home heating (i.e. sustained use at high temperatures). The creosote in a flue can be ignited by sustained high temperatures, and develop into a chimney fire. · If you have a fireplace, keep a good supply of fuel on hand. t · · · · · · If THERE is a POWER FAILURE Check whether the power failure is limited to your home. If your neighbours' power is still on, check your own circuit breaker panel or fuse box. If the problem is not a breaker or a fuse, check the service wires leading to the house. If they are obviously damaged or on the ground, stay well back and notify your electric supply authority (keep the number along with other emergency numbers near your telephone). If your neighbours' power is also out, noti fy your electric supply authority. Turn off all tools, appliances and electron ic equipment, and turn the thermostat(s) for the home heating system down to minimum, for the following reasons: · tools and appliances left on will start up automatically upon restoration of service; turning them off will prevent injury, damage or fire. · if a power surge follows start up, it could damage sensitive electronic equipment such as computers, microwaves and VCRs (protecting these appliances with a power · · If the standby heating unit will use the nor mal house oil or gas supply, have it con nected with shut-off valves by a competent technician. · Before considering the use of an emer gency generator during a power failure, check with furnace, appliance and lighting fixture dealers or manufacturers regarding · After the power returns · If the main electric switch was turned off, check to ensure appliances, electric heaters, TVs, microwave ovens, comput ers, etc. are unplugged to prevent damage from a power surge when the power is restored. Do not enter a flooded basement unless you are sure the power is disconnected. Do not use flooded appliances, electrical outlets, switch boxes or fuse-breaker pan els until they have been checked and cleaned by a qualified technician. Replace the furnace flue (if removed) and turn off the fuel to the standby heating unit. Switch on the main electric switch. Give the electrical system a chance to sta bilise before re-connecting tools and appli ances. Turn the heating system thermo stats up first, followed in a couple of min utes by re-connection of the fridge and freezer. Wait 10 to 15 minutes before re connecting all other tools and appliances. Close the drain valve in the basement. Turn on the water supply. Close lowest valves/taps first and allow air to escape from upper taps. Make sure that the hot water heater is filled before turning on the power to it. Rinse out dishwasher and washing machine if necessary. Warm house slightly above normal temper ature for a few hours to allow it to dry thor oughly. Check food supplies in refrigerators, freez ers and cupboards for signs of spoilage. If a freezer door has been kept closed, food should stay frozen 24 to 36 hours depend ing on the temperature. When food begins to defrost (usually after two days) it should be cooked, otherwise it should be destroyed in accordance with the instruc tion from the local public health authorities. As a general precaution, keep a bag of ice cubes in the freezer. If you return home after a period of absence and the ice has melted and refrozen, there is a good change that the food is spoiled. Restock your Emergency Survival Kitso the supplies will be there when needed again. For additional information on electrical safety, electricity use or actions to take fol lowing a power outage, contact your elec tric supply authority. What is West Nile virus? The West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne virus. Infection may result in no symp toms, in mild illness such as `West Nile fever', or in serious neurological illness such as encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). symptoms or have very mild illness, for some, the symptoms will be pronounced. For a very rare few, the virus causes seri ous neurological illness such as encephalitis. West Nile virus is not known to be trans mitted from mammals, such as horses, to humans Use insect repellent Consider using a personal insect repel lent. Use only products that are federallyreaulated such as those that contain DEET(N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide). The concentration of DEET should be no greater than 30% for adults and no greater than 10% for children. Check the label for more detailed information or ask your pharmacist for assistance. Follow directions for use carefully. Apply repel lent sparingly on exposed skin surfaces or on top of clothing. Do not use under clothing. The repellent doesn't have to be applied heavily to be effective - a light coating will do There are three key messages that Halton's Medical Officer of Health would like to emphasize to Halton Residents. · Protect yourself when outdoors by wearing proper cloth ing and using insect repellents containing DEET. · Remove any standing water from around your home to prevent mosquitoes from breeding. · Report all dead bird sightings to the Health Department. How is the virus spread? · West Nile is spread to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. Mosquitoes become infected when they bite an infected bird. · The virus is not spread by person-toperson contact through touching, cough ing, sneezing, or drinking from the same cup. · There is some evidence that a person can be infected by handling a dead bird, however, the risk is very low. Wear gloves or use a thick plastic bag if you have to handle a dead bird. What are the symptoms of West Nile virus? It is impossible to tell from a mosquito bite on the skin surface whether the mosquito was carrying an infection such as West Nile virus. Research indicates that approximately four out of five people who are bitten by an infected mosquito do not show any symptoms. While most people who become infected will experience no THE LAST WORD ON WEST NILE PROTECTION. {MAKE THAT THE EAST 314 WHRBS} WEST NILE VIRUS. You c a n 't tu rn a page these days w ith o u t h e a rin g so m e th in g a b o u t it. But before you lock up y o u r w in d o w s and b a r th e d o o rs , h e re 's how y o u can p r o te c t y o u r fam ily. W ith a b it of p re v e n tio n , you can k eep y o u r fam ily safe th is su m m e r. MAKE YOURSELF LESS APPEALING TO MOSQUITOES HOW TO AVOID INFECTION O MAKE YOUR YARD LESS APPEALING TO MOSQUITOES O O FFf is e f f e c t iv e p r o t e c t io n YOU CAN TRUST OFF!* has the largest variety of irtsect repellents to keep Enosquitoes away. Picking the right one for you and your family depends on a few factors: age, the am ount of time spent outdoors, and w hether or not you want a product containing DEET. O ur DEET formulas range from 5% to 30%*. The high er the DEET concentration, the longer the repellent will be effective. * Remove all sources o f standing water. * C ut b a c k v e g e ta lio n w h e re ETEOsquitoes h id e . * Try not lo wear any strong fragrances. * Dress in light coloured clothing. * Wear long sleeves and pants whenever you can. * Use a federally registered repellent. N O N -D E E T PR O TEC TIO N THAT WORKS For those who would prefer a Non-DEET alternative, there's new OFF!' Botanicals a unique formula based on an ingredient found in the lemon eucalyptus plant. The first of its kind in Canada, OFF!* Botanicals feels light on your skin and has a pleasant smell. It provides the same level against of protection mosquitoes ------------------------------------- G ET THE M O S Q U ITO PROTECTION T H A T 'S R IG H T FOR Y O U A N D Y O U R FA M ILY HOW TO KEEP YOUR KIDS SAFE THIS SUMMER IN S IC T RfPfUINT P R O D U C T SO U T H O U M O * PROTICTtO * AGAINST MOSOUITOIS AC T IV IT Y Oft? WOOO* Of*. · C tW M 'W IM :«r w o o o v AO OVX UOf I DEEP WOODS OFF! ow- ait* w ooov 1X| 30% fttftP S M A T 100*4 25% 6 hour* Of*?' outC WOOOV * r. Mn 25 % £ V N K M » vacua »»* 15% 5 koitn ONI* 25% 6 hour* 6 b o « ir t houn H o w C A M P IN G , H U N T IN G , FIS H IN G 1 I Repellents Recommended for I use on Children Under 12 I fP tta tt rt*?r to p rvd vtl h b t li h r INSECT t fP C U I M T PRODUCT Ojjff 0 ow M N M K ·Or.CN P. onrJ M tu M a 0*1: w«NU}T)C to* on, HiMM ICO t WAOKOAOVr* m-4 mat 7% 3 h**r» w oM uot 171 · < Off*" «C?A*0CAU COWOW non o u r ro tM u u OFF! % D ili M O U iJ O * PAOTlCTtON AGAINST MOSQUtTOIS 10% 3 hewn 7 .5 % 7 .5 % 3 hourt 5% 2 hour* 2 hours ACTIVITY G A R D E N IN G , BACK YARO BA R B E CU E S, P L A T IN G IN THE YARD *H ow m u c h proEecEion d o y o u n eed ? C lip Ehis oue for q u ic k reference. Use of a personal insect repellent decreases your child's chance of becom ing infected with West Nile virus. That's w here OFF!® comes in. Used according to directions, it's one of the best ways to protect your little ones this summer. For children between 2 and 12 years old, use products with 10% DEET* or less up to three Eimes a day. For children between 6 m onths and 2 years, use the same concentration, but only once per day. And, new OFF!* Botanicals is a non-DEET alternative suitable for kids aged 3 and up. Remember that all OFF!* products should be applied to children by an adult. as an insect repellent containing 5% DEET*. It's picnics, perfect for backyard activities, barbecues, and gardening. * p lu s related to lu a m id e s F or m ore in fo r m a tio n , v is it w w w .b u g fre e liv in g .c o m t