Today, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) National Weather Service (NWS) urge Americans to take actions to prepare for a wide array of hazards by developing a family communication plan and downloading alerts and learning about local hazards. FEMA is encouraging people to take these actions in conjunction with America's PrepareAthon!SM, a grassroots, community-based campaign for action designed to increase preparedness and resilience.
America's PrepareAthon! provides an important opportunity for individuals, organizations and communities to take action to prepare for specific hazards through group discussions, drills and exercises. Visit the America's PrepareAthon! website, ready.gov/prepare, to register your participation, for more information, and to sign up.
“Some disasters come with warning and others with little or no warning,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “Families, businesses and organizations need to prepare today - know your hazards, assemble supplies and practice what to do in case a disaster strikes.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7770531-fema-national-prepareathon/
Do you know how to recognize a stroke? Would you know what to do if someone — or you — had one? Many people don't, and 795,000 people in the United States will have a stroke this year.
In a recent American Heart Association/American Stroke Association survey, only 41 percent of people who care for family with significant risk factors for a first-time stroke could name at least three stroke warning signs.
As part of World Stroke Day on Oct. 29, and National Family Caregivers Month in November, the American Stroke Association is urging Americans to learn the stroke warning signs and to act fast when a stroke occurs.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/62321-world-stroke-day-survey-prepare-for-stroke-emergency
Volvo Cars’ all-new XC90 – which will be revealed in August – will offer the most comprehensive and technologically sophisticated standard safety package available in the automotive industry. The new technologies will take the company a significant step closer to its vision that no one will be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo car by 2020.
The XC90 is the first car in the world with technology that features automatic braking if the driver turns in front of an oncoming car. This is a common scenario at busy city crossings as well as on highways, where the speed limits are higher. The all-new Volvo XC90 detects a potential crash and brakes automatically in order to avoid a collision or mitigate the consequences of a crash.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/71400582-all-new-volvo-XC90-safest-car
Con-way Truckload, a full truckload carrier and subsidiary of Con-way Inc. (NYSE: CNW), today announced it is investing in three state-of-the-art safety technology systems for all of the 525 new tractors it will take delivery of in 2013.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/62206-con-way-truckload-safety-advanced-in-cab-tech-driver-best-practices
Volvo Cars’ all-new XC90 – which will be revealed in August – will offer the most comprehensive and technologically sophisticated standard safety package available in the automotive industry. The new technologies will take the company a significant step closer to its vision that no one will be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo car by 2020.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/71400582-all-new-volvo-XC90-safest-car
The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) today issued a warning to the public about an organized scam involving sales of vehicles through the popular online market place, Craigslist.
Working with law enforcement agencies in the Chicago area and across the Midwest, NICB has identified nearly 100 instances of sales of vehicles that went sour when phony bank checks were used to pay for the vehicle.
“These scams are well organized and have all the appearances of being legitimate,” said NICB President and CEO Joe Wehrle. “But in the end, the criminal gets the car and the sellers or their financial institutions are left on the hook for thousands of dollars still owed on the car.”
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7523151-nicb-craigslist-auto-sales-scam/
The Los Angeles Police Department and the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) are warning motorists of a growing problem with unauthorized tow truck operators in the LA area.
These “bandit” tow truck operators monitor police radios and respond to accidents seeking to hook up vehicles and tow them to body shops or storage facilities where they are held hostage until the motorists and their insurance companies pay inflated towing, storage and possibly repair charges to get the vehicle back.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/70506514-nicb-lapd-bandit-tow-truck-scams/
Parking crashes usually don’t result in serious injuries, but repair costs can quickly mount, along with the hassle of going without the family vehicle while waiting for the body shop to finish work. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has launched a rear crash prevention ratings program to help consumers identify models with the technology that can prevent or mitigate low-speed backing crashes. Two systems earn the highest rating of superior, and four earn the second-highest rating of advanced.
Rear crash prevention encompasses several technologies. Parking sensors issue warning beeps and/or seat vibrations when the equipped vehicle gets too close to another vehicle or object directly behind it, or, in some cases, in front of it. Rear cross-traffic alert warns drivers of approaching vehicles that might cross their path as they back up. Rear automatic emergency braking systems detect objects behind a reversing vehicle and may automatically brake if the driver doesn’t heed alerts to stop.
IIHS engineers evaluated rear autobrake systems on six popular 2017 model vehicles — the BMW 5 series sedan, Cadillac XT5 SUV, Infiniti QX60 SUV, Jeep Cherokee SUV, Subaru Outback wagon and Toyota Prius hatchback.
Under the three-tier rating scheme, models with optional or standard rear crash prevention systems are rated superior, advanced or basic. Ratings are determined by whether the vehicles have available rear autobrake and, if so, how it performs in a series of car-to-car and car-to-pole tests with different approach angles. The availability of parking sensors and rear cross-traffic alert also is factored in.
The Outback and XT5 earn a superior rating when equipped with optional rear autobrake, parking sensors and rear cross-traffic alert. The Cherokee, 5 series, QX60 and Prius earn an advanced rating with this optional gear.
Occasional forgetfulness is a normal part of the aging process; the memory loss and disorientation caused by Alzheimer's are not. Fresh video, photos, documents and links posted in the Brookdale Alzheimer's Resource Center explain Alzheimer's warning signs and how they differ from typical age-related memory slips. The new material also details Brookdale's innovative Clare Bridge Crossings program for people in the early stages of dementia and how a family credits it with slowing the advance of their loved one's Alzheimer's.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7087731-brookdale-senior-living/
In December 2012, we posted an OnSafety blog, warning of furniture, television and appliance-related tip-over incidents. At that time, CPSC reported nearly 350 deaths, most involving young children. Since then, more than 80 people have died when a dresser, TV, bookcase, table, appliance or other large item tipped over and fell on them. A new report from our staff indicates that 430 tragic deaths occurred between 2000 and 2013, and an estimated 38,000 annual injuries, many of which were serious, from 2011 through 2013.
In most of the incidents, a child was crushed by the product or struck on the head by the product. What is remarkable is the number of families who have turned tragedy into advocacy. Jackie Collas, a Philadelphia-area resident, is using social media to honor her son, Curren, and encourage parents to anchor their furniture. Lisa Seifert of Chicago created Shane’s Foundation to honor her precious son and to increase awareness, education and safety.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7085251-cpsc-reports-430-tip-over-deaths-anchor-it-and-protect-a-child/
The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) is warning consumers to be careful when buying a used vehicle, especially one that’s priced “too good to be true.”
The accompanying video describes one such incident. An innocent woman in Lancaster, Wisc. bought a used GMC Denali for $30,000 and for the last two years she has been enjoying its use. Meanwhile, Carfax notified NICB that the Denali might be a “clone” since Carfax had information that an identical Denali was currently registered in Peabody, Mass.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/70506515-nicb-stolen-vehicle-clones/
NBA All-Star Paul George was only 6-years-old when his mother Paulette suffered a stroke that left her practically bedridden for two years. Today, Paulette remains partially paralyzed on the left side of her body.
“I remember every moment of it,” said the Indiana Pacers swingman. “I was always there at hospital visits, right by her bed. When she got a hospital bed in our home, I would lay in my bed next to her. I want to make sure that everyone knows the warning signs for a stroke so they can quickly take action and give their loved ones the best chance for recovery.”
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7477751-paul-george-stroke-psa/
