Be aware, be prepared: It’s hurricane season

With hurricane season officially opening last month (June 1 through Nov. 30), Georgia’s coastal areas may be subject to both high winds and deadly storm surges. Inland areas are also vulnerable to high winds, as well as severe weather spawned by hurricanes, such as tornadoes.

Here are some tips to consider when preparing for hurricane season:

What to do before the hurricane

> Learn evacuation routes and prepare an evacuation plan.

> Know low points, flooding history and hours necessary to evacuate in your area.

> Review your insurance policies for protection against wind and flood damage.

> Complete an inventory of personal property for insurance settlements and tax deductions for losses. List descriptions and take pictures.

> Store important papers in waterproof containers.

> Purchase items needed to board up windows and protect your home.

During a hurricane watch

> Monitor radio, NOAA weather radio or TV broadcasts for the latest weather updates.

> Fuel and service vehicles.

> Inspect and secure manufactured housing tie-downs.

> Complete preparation activities, such as closing shutters or boarding up windows and tying down or bringing in objects such as lawn furniture and grills.

> Determine your evacuation destination, whether it be staying with family or friends, or going to a hotel or an official shelter.

During a hurricane warning

> Follow instructions issued by local officials. Leave immediately if ordered to evacuate.

> Sterilize bathtub and plastic containers and fill them with fresh drinking water.

> Notify neighbors and a family member outside of the warning area of your evacuation plans.

> Provide for pets. Some shelters may have facilities for pets on- or off-site. Shelters that provide for pets are listed on the Georgia Office of Homeland Security’s Web site at www.ohs.state.ga.us. Also, arrangements for pets can be made in many hotels/motels.

> Be alert for tornadoes during and after a hurricane.

> Fill boats with water to weigh them down and check mooring lines. Or, lash securely to a trailer and use tie-downs to anchor the trailer to the ground or house.

—Source: Georgia Department of Homeland Security

Did you know?

            At today’s gas prices (averaging $2.78 per gallon), U.S. households driving sport utility vehicles can expect to spend $2,860 on fuel in one year, while U.S. households driving hybrid-electric vehicles will only spend between $800 and $1,580 per year.

—Alliance to Save Energy

Georgia’s families at risk for skin cancer

Between visiting Florida’s beaches and access to cruise ships, Georgia’s families will be more exposed to dangerous ultraviolet rays than ever this year, which increases the risk of developing skin cancer.

It is projected that nearly 60,000 people will be diagnosed this year with melanoma, the most dangerous skin cancer, and more than 8,000 people will die from it.

The Georgia Association of Physician Assistants (GAPA) doesn’t use scary statistics to promote avoiding the sun, but rather, encourages indulgent skin care.

“You’ve got to go out and live your life, but you also have to protect yourself,” advises GAPA member Amy Hodge with Olansky Dermatology Associates in Atlanta. “The majority of the damage done to skin is before a person is 18 years old. You think you’re invincible as a teenager, but it comes back to bite you as an adult. That’s why it’s important to protect the skin when you are young.”

Hodge cautions that one of the biggest barriers to sun protection is the misunderstanding of how sunscreen works. Traditionally, it protects the skin from ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, but it is thought that the worst skin cancer—melanoma—is caused by ultraviolet A (UVA) rays, which are only intercepted for the first two hours after sunscreen is applied.

She says often people don’t use enough sunscreen to get the sun protection factor (SPF) advertised on the bottle. “You should use about 3 ounces of sunscreen for each body part,” she advises.

For people who can’t or refuse to wear sunscreen, there is a pill on the market that helps protect against sun damage. Heliocare (www.heliocare.co.nz/) is an herbal supplement—an extract from a fern in South America—that decreases phototoxicity, the severe reaction to light that causes sunburn. At $1 a pill, Hodge recommends one pill 30 minutes before exposure and a second pill two to three hours after the initial pill. This may be useful for obstinate spouses who refuse to wear sunscreen at tennis matches or for anyone on vacation where there is severe sunlight exposure.

Some other ways to avoid cancer-causing rays include wearing wide-brimmed hats, staying in the shade between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., wearing tight-woven fabrics and avoiding tanning beds. Self-tanners are also safe and can give you that sun-kissed glow.

Aside from preventative tactics, the best thing people can do to protect themselves from skin cancer’s worst outcome—death—is to get moles checked annually and do monthly self-exams.

To learn more about preventing skin cancer or how physician assistants make health care more affordable and accessible in Georgia, visit www.gapa.net.

—Source: Georgia Association of Physician Assistants