5 Things Sept. 21: E-Books, Emergency Preparedness and More

Five Things You Need to Know Today is a Patch column that provides readers with essential, daily information at a glance. Check back later for more, and let us know what you think of the feature in the comments section.

1. High near 72, low around 52
Patchy fog is expected before 9 a.m. Otherwise, it will be partly sunny, with a high near 72. Calm wind will become east 5 to 7 mph in the morning. Tonight there will be patchy fog after 11 p.m. It will be partly cloudy, with a low around 52. Light and variable wind is expected.

2. Borrow e-books at the library
Norton Public Library will hold a class on borrowing e-books at 10:30 a.m. Learn how to navigate the SAILS ebook collection, search for available titles, check out ebooks using your library card, and transfer them to your Amazon Kindle. Registration is required and space is limited. To inquire or register, call 508-286-2695.

3. Kid’s Grief program
Pre-registration is required for a kid’s grief program to take place Saturday, Sept. 22, 9:30 a.m. to noon at Community VNA, 10 Emory St., Attleboro. Kids’ Club is designed to help children ages 5 to 13 to deal with the loss of a parent, sibling, grandparent, aunt, uncle, friend, classmate or other significant person in their life. Guided by experienced grief specialists, children explore and express their feelings as they participate in activities such as crafts, fabric painting, creating memory books and sharing. Snacks will be provided. To register call 508-222-0118 or 800-220-0110. For more information visit www.communityvna.com.

4. National Emergency Preparedness Month
September is National Emergency Preparedness Month. National Grid offers the following tips to help customers prepare for emergences:

Build a supply kit.  Whistle, flashlight, can opener. Although these sound like items on a scavenger hunt list, they are actually critical elements of an Emergency Supply Toolkit.  Hunting for them during an emergency is not the time to be putting one together. A fully-stocked toolkit and well thought out emergency plan could mean the difference between life and death. Emergency supply kits should include basic tools and survival items. For a complete list of recommended Emergency Supply Toolkit items, visit www.ready.gov.

Plan for locations. Emergencies and disasters occur without warning which is why it’s important to have a plan, as well as supplies, for the different locations you and your family may frequent.  These locations include home, work, school, vehicles, places of worship, shopping areas and entertainment/sports locations like theaters and arenas.  How will you get to a safe place? How will you contact one another? How will you get back together? These are all important things to consider when creating your plan.

Plan for risks.  Think about where you live and identify the hazards that have happened or could happen in your area.  Residents living in the north or the mountains may need to plan more for snowstorms, but residents who live along the coast may be more affected by hurricanes.  No matter where you live, make sure you plan accordingly.

Know your community’s plan. Find out from local government how they communicate with residents in an emergency. This could be in the form of radio/TV broadcasts, telephone, door to door notifications, or a community siren.

Technology in emergencies: With the proliferation of smart phones, many people turn to apps and social media to learn about disasters, seek help in an emergency and to share information about themselves and others during an emergency.  The American Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Association both offer downloadable mobile apps for first aid, finding shelter and disaster assistance to help the general public. Visit www.redcross.org or www.FEMA.gov for more information or to download an app now. For more information visit www.ready.gov or www.redcross.org.