In Case You Missed It: Favorite Posts of 2021

Best of 2021

Year’s end is a good time to reflect on the events of the past 12 months.

The Center for Preparedness and Response (CPR) published about 30 posts to its Public Health Matters blog in 2021. Most of them include suggestions for how you can prepare for emergencies of all shapes and sizes.

In case you missed it: Here are some of our favorite posts from 2021.

Prep Your Mental Health for an Emergency

A man sits in the woods with his eyes closed.Traumatic events and most emergencies are beyond your control. You can, however, prepare your mental health for the stress of an emergency. Practice self-care, develop coping skills, and make social connections before an emergency happens. Taking care of yourself can also better equip you to take care of others.

This post suggests ways you can prepare your mental health for an emergency. They include practicing gratitude, staying connected with friends and family, and learning relaxation techniques like meditation.

Home Alone: Prepare Kids for Emergencies

Dialing 911 on a cellphoneMany children don’t have adult supervision 100% of the time. Parents and caregivers have jobs, errands, and other responsibilities that require them to leave their kids home alone sometimes.

Emergencies and no-notice disasters can happen when kids are home alone. This post includes tips from the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Emergency Medical Services for how to prepare children to call 911 in an emergency.

Food Preservation: Home Canning Safety

Glass jars in a hot water bath.

Many of us have discovered new hobbies during the pandemic. Some found self-care in gardening and preserving the literal fruits—and vegetables—of their labors.

Food preservation is an excellent way to extend the shelf life of produce, meats, and seafood. It’s a practical skill that you can learn and use to supplement your emergency food supply. But it can be risky—or even deadly—if not done correctly. This post includes information on proper canning techniques.

Be Prepared for a Day at the Beach

A green flag.A “day at the beach” can turn into anything but if you aren’t prepared. Rip currents, ultraviolet (UV) rays, and harmful algal blooms are a few of the dangers to be aware of before setting foot on the sand or in the surf.

Swimming in the ocean isn’t like swimming in a pool. This summertime post includes a list of different things you should know before you go to the beach. They include knowing how to escape a rip current and the meanings of different beach warning flags.

Must-Haves for Your First-Aid Kit

First-aid supplies.First-aid kits make it possible for ordinary people to help until professional help arrives. That’s important because family, friends, coworkers, etc.—not first responders—are often first on the scene in a medical emergency.

Owning a well-stocked first-aid kit and the practical skill to use its contents can save a life. This post lists suggested supplies to keep in your first-aid kit. It also recommends practical skills you can learn and use to protect yourself and others during an emergency.

Volunteers Prepare for Another Season of Disaster Response, Relief Work

Red Cross volunteer Gaenor Speed feeds a dog in a carrier.This post was published by CPR in partnership with the Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications. The author introduces us to Gaenor Speed, a volunteer with the Red Cross South Florida Region.

Speed had responded to more than 20 disasters across the country going into the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season. Volunteering with a volunteer organization active in disaster is one way you can get involved in your community.

Emergency Preparedness Tips for Parents of Children with Special Healthcare Needs

A young girl in sunglasses enjoying the beach.Emergency preparedness can be stressful for all families, especially those with children with special healthcare needs. Children with special healthcare needs may have:

  • A hard time moving from one place to another.
  • Urgent or constant medical needs.
  • Difficulty communicating.
  • Trouble with transitioning to different situations.

This post was written in observance of National Autism Awareness Month in April. It emphasizes the importance of emergency action planning. Knowing what to do during an emergency can help maintain calm and keep your family safe.

 

Thanks in advance for your questions and comments on this Public Health Matters post. Please note that CDC does not give personal medical advice. If you are concerned you have a disease or condition, talk to your doctor.

Have a question for CDC? CDC-INFO (http://www.cdc.gov/cdc-info/index.html) offers live agents by phone and email to help you find the latest, reliable, and science-based health information on more than 750 health topics.

Danger in the Water: When Algae Becomes Toxic

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Ever wondered what’s causing the water in your favorite lake to turn red?  Or were the family photos from your river rafting trip spoiled by brown water in the background?

You may be looking at an algal bloom. Summer is upon us and warm weather is the perfect environment for these algal blooms, which can cause a range of problems, from simply being an eyesore to becoming a harmful algal bloom (HAB) that can make people and animals sick or damage local environments.

So, what is an algal bloom?

Red algal bloomAlgae are plant-like organisms that come in a variety of shapes and sizes – ranging from microscopic to large seaweed that may be over 100 feet long. Algae are found all over the planet, and can live in sea water, fresh water, and brackish water (a combination of fresh and sea water). Algae are vitally important building blocks of the food chain and ecosystem.

Algal blooms occur when there are overgrowths of algae, including green, brown, or red microalgae, or cyanobacteria that are commonly referred to as blue-green algae.

Not all algal blooms are harmful; however, when there is fast growth of algae and cyanobacteria that can harm people, animals and the environment, they are referred to as harmful algal blooms (HABs). HABs can produce toxins that are harmful to people and animals. The algae and cyanobacteria also reduce the levels of oxygen in the water when they decompose, and these lower oxygen levels may kill other plants and animals in the water.

Can HABs make you sick?

If people and animals are exposed to the toxins produced by HABs through water, food, or air they may experience symptoms that can range from mild to severe. These symptoms may affect the skin, stomach and intestines, lungs, and nervous system.

You may be exposed to HABs while enjoying outdoor recreational activities, while working near a body of water with a HAB, or from drinking water or food that has been contaminated.

  • Between 2009 and 2010, three states reported 11 outbreaks associated with HABs after people were exposed to freshwater in a recreational setting. These accounted for nearly half of all reported outbreaks associated with untreated recreation water that year.
  • Between 2007 and 2011, 273 people became sick after eating food that was contaminated as a result of a HAB. These illnesses were reported after people ate fish or shellfish contaminated with HAB toxins.

Are HABs increasing?

There is evidence that HABs are occurring more often, and that they are becoming more severe due to climate change, farming practices, and storm and wastewater runoff.  It is important to identify when and where HABs occur in order to protect water and food supplies, and to let people know when there may be a problem in their community.

CDC and partners have created the One Health Harmful Algal Bloom System for state and territorial public health partners to report cases of human and animal illness after being exposed to a HAB and environmental data about HABs. Data about the number of people and animals who get sick from HABs, the symptoms they experience after exposure, and where HABs occur is important to understand and prevent HABs and HAB-associated illnesses.

Learn more about HABs from CDC’s Harmful Algal Bloom-Associated Illness website.