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Although wildfires take place all over the United States, the overwhelming majority happen in the West.
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Wildfire Season is Here! California has been experiencing warmer temperatures and drier seasons, bringing on longer and more intense drought seasons as a result of the changing climate. The conditions that are needed to spark a wildfire are more easily met, thereby also increasing its severity once it starts. This is evident by the fact that more than half of the twenty largest fires in California history all took place in the last four years.
BRC reminds us that an emergency can happen at any time and to anyone. Help your family be prepared for any emergency situation with a safety preparedness plan, some basic supplies, and advance planning. Our partner in safety, Southern California Edison (SCE), provides critical tools for preparedness. BRC encourages you to explore its Public Safety Power Shutoffs and Medical Baseline Allowance programs now instead of waiting until disasters happen.
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Help Prevent Wildfires
During high-risk conditions for a wildfire, power to your neighborhood may be shut off temporarily. This can prevent electric systems from becoming a source of ignition. Proactive shutoffs are temporary and meant to keep you and your community safe. One of the ways Southern California Edison is reducing wildfire risks is through Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS).
Learn more about PSPS and sign up for alerts here.
Get Help If You Use Medical Equipment
If you or someone in your household requires the regular use of electrically powered medical equipment or other qualifying medical devices, you may be eligible for our Medical Baseline Allowance program. This program provides an additional 16.5 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per day. Provided at the lowest baseline rate, this helps offset the cost of operating the medical equipment. Apply today!
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For people who are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19 infection, medications are available that can reduce your chances of severe illness and death. Other medications can help reduce symptoms and help you manage your illness. Here’s what you need to know.
Don’t Delay!
If you test positive and are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19, treatments are available that can reduce your chances of being hospitalized or dying from the disease. Medications to treat COVID-19 must be prescribed by a healthcare provider and started as soon as possible after diagnosis to be effective. Contact a healthcare provider right away to determine if you are eligible for treatment, even if your symptoms are mild right now. Treatment must be started within days after you first develop symptoms to be effective.
Who is at most risk? People who are more likely to get very sick include older adults (ages 50 years or more, with risk increasing with older age), people who are unvaccinated, and people with certain medical conditions, such as a weakened immune system. Being vaccinated makes you much less likely to get very sick. Still, some vaccinated people, especially those ages 65 years or older or who have other risk factors for severe disease, may benefit from treatment if they get COVID-19. A healthcare provider will help decide which treatment, if any, is right for you.
The FDA has issued emergency use authorizations (EUA) for certain antiviral medications and monoclonal antibodies to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 in people who are more likely to get very sick.
Antiviral treatments target specific parts of the virus to stop it from multiplying in the body, helping to prevent severe illness and death.
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Monoclonal antibodies are given through an IV infusion, antibodies help the immune system recognize and respond more effectively to the virus. They may be more or less effective against different variants of the virus that causes COVID-19.
Your healthcare provider can work with you to determine the best treatment options. Several options are available for treating COVID-19 at home or in an outpatient setting including:
- Nirmatrelvir with ritonavir (Paxlovid): an investigational antiviral treatment used in adults and children ages 12 years and older. It is taken at home by mouth (orally). It should be started as soon as possible and must begin within 5 days of when your symptoms start.
- Remdesivir (Veklury): an antiviral treatment used in adults and children. Treatment requires intravenous (IV) infusions at a healthcare facility for 3 consecutive days. It should be started as soon as possible and must begin within 7 days of when your symptoms start.
- Bebtelovim: an investigational monoclonal antibody treatment used in adults and children ages 12 years and older. A healthcare provider gives bebtelovimab as a single IV injection. It should be started as soon as possible and must begin within 7 days of when your symptoms start.
- Molnupiravir (Lagevrio): an investigational antiviral treatment used in adults ages 18 years and older. It is taken at home by mouth (orally). It should be started as soon as possible and must begin within 5 days of when your symptoms start.
To learn more about treatment options, visit https://rivcoph.org/coronavirus/Treatment
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Heat-related deaths and illnesses are preventable. Despite this fact, hundreds of people in the United States are killed by extreme heat every year. High temperatures kill hundreds of people every year. Heat-related deaths and illnesses are preventable, yet more than 700 people die from extreme heat every year in the United States.
You’ve Got This! Take measures to stay cool, remain hydrated, and keep informed.
Allowing your body to become too hot can make you sick. You can become ill from the heat if your body can’t compensate for it and properly cool you off. Two key things affecting your body’s ability to cool itself during extremely hot weather are:
- High humidity. During times of high humidity, sweat does not evaporate as quickly keeping your body from releasing heat as fast as it may need to.
- Personal factors. Age, obesity, fever, dehydration, heart disease, mental illness, poor circulation, sunburn, and prescription drug and alcohol use all can play a role in whether a person can cool off enough in very hot weather.
This website provides helpful tips, information, and resources to help you stay safe in the extreme heat this summer. https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/index.html
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While we all can succumb to heat-related illnesses, those who are at the highest risk include people 65 and older, children younger than two, and people with chronic diseases or mental illnesses.
If you have people in these higher-risk categories make sure you closely monitor them – they are depending on you for their care. Ask yourself these key, three lifesaving questions:
Are they drinking enough water?
Do they have access to air conditioning?
Do they need help keeping cool?
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Four Things Extreme Heat Does To Your Body: In order to prevent health issues caused by the heat, you need to be aware of the potential consequences first.
- Heat can make you feel ill.
- Heat exhaustion can set in.
- Heatstroke is possible.
- You could die.
The good news is that if proper precautions are taken, heat-related health issues can be avoided. In most cases, staying hydrated and getting into a cool environment can avoid serious health problems.
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WE WALK BY FAITH: Pastors COVID-19 Vaccination Toolkit
Now available in Spanish!
Our Pastor’s COVID-19 Toolkit is available in both English and Spanish for FREE! This unique toolkit’s purpose is to help faith leaders discuss COVID-19 testing and the importance of vaccinations within the African American community. This helpful resource also serves as a repository for COVID-19 information and advisory updates.
Join BRC for its next FREE online Pastor’s Toolkit Orientation scheduled for June 22, 2022, from 3-4 PM.
We encourage you to take the time to gather the lifesaving tools and participate in the conversation in the fight against the devastating impact of this global pandemic. Contact Jaclyn@brcus.org for more information.
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BRC - Keeping Our Community Healthy
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Shopping on Amazon? Experience feel-good shopping and support BRC by using Amazon Smile! When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you will find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to BRC. Get shopping and make a difference today!
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SUPPORT BUILDING RESILIENT COMMUNITIES
Building Resilient Communities has provided training and resources for more than 600 faith-based and community organizations and continues to serve the most vulnerable populations. Donate today and help us strengthen our community.
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