MAKE SURE YOUR NOSE KNOWS

Most homes in New York City use natural gas to fuel stoves, furnaces, and hot water heaters. It is efficient and cost effective, but it can also be dangerous. Natural gas is odorless so distributors add mercaptan, a harmless chemical with a sulfur smell, as a safety precaution. Take some time to familiarize your family with this smell so they will know what to do in case of a leak.

If you smell rotten eggs in your home, evacuate immediately. Call your gas provider from outside your building and let them do the investigating.

• Learn more about natural gas safety
• Download Con Edison's Gas Safety Brochure (in PDF)
• View Keyspan's Gas Safety Tips
• Read the OEM Tip of the Week online

HAVE AN OLD-FASHIONED PHONE HANDY

Thanks to modern technology, telephones with cords are a thing of the past for most people. Why be tethered to your phone if you can use a cordless? But if the power goes out, you'll wish you had that cord. Keep an old-fashioned phone with a cord that does not require electricity in your Emergency Supply Kit.

• Learn more about what to put in an Emergency Supply Kit
• Read the OEM Tip of the Week online

PREPARE WITH THE ONE YOU LOVE

It's Valentine's Day this week, and there is no better way to show you care than by putting your loved ones' safety first. When you've finished smelling the roses and scarfing down chocolates, take some time to put together an emergency plan with the ones you love. Make sure you know what to do, how to find each other, and how to communicate in an emergency. Show a lot of love with just a few simple steps.

• Learn more about making an emergency plan
• Read the OEM Tip of the Week online

THE COLD CAUSES WORSE THAN COLDS

Cold weather can put you at risk for far worse than the common cold. Hypothermia and frostbite are the most common cold-induced illnesses, and they can be life threatening if left unchecked. When the temperature drops, it's important to keep your body sheltered from the air.

Hypothermia: Symptoms include slurred speech, sluggishness, confusion, dizziness, shallow breathing, unusual behavior, and slow, irregular heartbeat.

Frostbite: Symptoms include gray, white or yellow skin discoloration, numbness, and waxy feeling skin.

• Read more winter weather tips
• Read the OEM Tip of the Week online

AVOID A WARDROBE MALFUNCTION THIS SUPER BOWL WEEKEND

As you prepare for the Super Bowl, remember to dress appropriately. During the cold winter months, wear layers to make sure your skin is not exposed to the biting air. By layering thinner materials on one another, you trap warm air close to your body. Cover your extremities with mittens, scarves, and hats to prevent body heat from escaping.

Also consider keeping extra layers of clothing and a blanket in your Go Bag and car, if you have one.

• Learn how to dress warmly in low temperatures
• Read OEM's Tip of the Week on the website

PREPARE YOUR POCKET BOOK

January is National Financial Wellness Month and OEM reminds New Yorkers to prepare an Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (EFFAK) as part of their household disaster plans. Disaster relief agencies may require financial documents to determine the best method to support a victim's recovery. Obtaining new copies of any lost documents can be difficult after a disaster and may be avoided by storing a second set somewhere safe.

• Learn how to make an EFFAK
• See OEM's Tip of the Week on the Web site

GIVE BLOOD AND SAVE LIVES

OEM reminds New Yorkers to give blood this month during National Blood Donor Month. Blood is perishable and reserves need regular replenishment. Each day the New York Blood center needs almost 2,000 people to donate blood to maintain its supplies. If you are 17 years or older and weigh at least 110 pounds you can save up to three lives by donating one pint of blood.

• Learn more about donating blood
• Find a blood donation center near you
• See OEM's Tip of the Week on the website

HEAT YOUR HOME SAFELY

As more seasonable temperatures return this week, OEM reminds New Yorkers to heat their homes safely. According to the NYC Fire Department, heating equipment is the leading cause of home fires during the months of December, January and February, and trails only cooking equipment in home fires year-round. To stay safe:
- Use only portable heating equipment approved for indoor use.
- Keep combustible materials, including furniture, drapes, and carpeting, at least three feet away from the heat source.
- Make sure wood and coal stoves, fireplaces, and chimneys are inspected annually by a professional and cleaned as often as the inspections indicate.

• Get more safe home heating tips
• See OEM's Tip of the Week on the website

RESOLVE TO BE READY IN '07

Almost half of all Americans make at least one New Year's resolution. According to a recent Ad Council survey, 91 percent of Americans agreed that taking steps to prepare could help them in an emergency. However, studies show many of those people have not yet made a disaster plan or put together an Emergency Supply Kit and Go Bag. Start the year off right: resolve to prepare for emergencies in 2007.

• Learn more about ways to prepare for emergencies
• Read OEM's Tip of the Week on the website

MAKE MERRIER THE LIVES OF DISASTER VICTIMS

Now that you and your loved ones are overjoyed with holiday gifts, consider spreading the joy to those less fortunate. Donating time or money after disasters can help victims rebuild their lives.

New Yorkers need no reminder that disasters happen, but OEM reminds New Yorkers that they can help. It's best to affiliate with a recognized disaster volunteer organization, such as the American Red Cross in Greater New York, New York Cares or The Salvation Army, before a disaster happens.

• Learn more about donating to relief organizations
• Read about volunteering after a disaster
• Read OEM's Tip of the Week on the website

DON'T BE LEFT IN THE DARK

Thursday, December 21, marks the shortest day of the year - the Winter Solstice. This year, you don't have to be left in the dark. Make sure you have working flashlights in your Go Bag and Emergency Supply Kit. Check the batteries in each flashlight to ensure you'll have light in the event of a power outage.

• What else should be in your Go Bag?
• What else should you put in your Emergency Supply Kit?
• See OEM's Tip of the Week on the Web site

GIVE A GO BAG

'Tis the giving season and what better way to show you care than to help your loved ones prepare? A Go Bag is an easy-to-carry bag filled with items like a flashlight, AM/FM radio, and first aid supplies that come in handy in an emergency evacuation. Everyone in the family should create a Go Bag tailored to his or her specific needs. Make your own Go Bag from our list of suggested supplies or purchase a ready-made one from local retailers.

• Learn more about Go Bags
• Read OEM's Tip of the Week on the website