It is officially summertime in Georgia, but that doesn’t mean it’s always fun in the sun. The Georgia Emergency Management Agency warns that the warmer months can bring serious threats to the state, but GEMA’s emergency preparedness campaign Ready Georgia is helping citizens prepare for summer’s perils.  

Each year heat causes about 400 deaths across the nation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Add to that the 300 deaths a year caused by lightning, 140 from flooding and thousands of others caused by severe storms, fire and hurricanes, and it is clear that summer poses real dangers.

Ready Georgia’s Web site www.ready.ga.gov offers a customizable Ready kit checklist and communications plan and also gives these tips to ensure a safe summer:

Extreme heat

•  Plan to stay indoors and drink plenty of water during extreme heat conditions.

•  Prepare your home by keeping it well-insulated and windows shaded.

•  Learn about the types of medical conditions (like heat exhaustion and heat stroke) that can result from extreme heat and the proper first aid measures that should be taken.