AMERICA'S FIRST AU PAIR PROGRAM

• Young babies should be kept out of direct sunlight. Keep the baby in the shade or under a tree, umbrella or stroller canopy.
• Dress babies in lightweight clothing and use brimmed hats.
• Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going outside.
• Try to keep children out of the sun in the middle of the day when the sun is strongest.

You observe and/or hear lightning and thunder, or a Severe Thunderstorm Warning is in effect. What should you do?

At Home

If you are at home, protect yourself and your family by following the safety tips below:

• Follow weather reports. Make sure a battery-powered radio is nearby.
• Do not turn on the television. Listen to a battery-powered radio for the most current information.
• Lightning can cause power surges. Unplug all appliances before the storm hits.
• Avoid using the phone. Telephone lines can conduct electricity.
• Metal pipes also conduct electricity. Stay away from faucets, sinks, and bathtubs.
• Close the blinds and shades of your window, then keep away from them.
• Keep pets on a leash or in a carrier.

Away from Home

There are times when storms come up suddenly. If you are away from home, protect yourself and your family by taking cover in the best shelter you can find. If you are in or near the water, go to land immediately and find shelter.

• If choosing between a building or a car, choose the building.
• If choosing between a hard-top and a convertible, choose the hard-top. If you’re in a car, keep the windows closed.
• If there is no shelter, find a low-lying, open place that is a safe distance from trees, poles, or metal objects that can conduct electricity. Make sure it is not likely to flood.
• Assume a tucked position: Squat low to the ground. Place your hands on your knees with your head tucked between them. Try to touch as little of your body to the ground as possible.
• Do not lie flat on the ground, as your fully-extended body will provide a larger surface to conduct electricity. Stay in a tuck position well after the storm passes.
• Watch for local flooding; you may have to move if water begins to accumulate.
• If you feel your hair stand on end in a storm, drop into the tuck position immediately. This sensation means electric charges are already rushing up your body from the ground toward an electrically charged cloud. Minimize your contact with the ground to minimize your injury.

Information from https://www.weather.com

When a tornado warning has been issued, you may have very little time to prepare. How you respond now is critical.

OBEY ADVISORIES PROMPTLY!

In a Frame Home

• Carefully evaluate the situation before bringing in outdoor items.
• Make sure you have a portable radio for information.
• Seek shelter in the lowest level of your home (basement or storm celler). If there is no basement, go to an inner hallway, a small inner room, or a closet. Keep away from all windows.
• You can cushion yourself with a mattress, but do not use one to cover yourself. Do cover your head and eyes with a blanket or jacket to protect against flying debris and broken glass. Don’t waste time moving mattresses around.
• Keep your pet on a leash or in a carrier.
• Multiple tornadoes can emerge from the same storm.
• Do not go out until officials say it is safe.

In A Mobile Home

• Leave your mobile home immediately and take shelter elsewhere.

Outside

• Try to get inside and seek out a small protected space with no windows.
• Avoid large-span roof areas such as school gymnasiums, arenas, or shopping malls.
• If you cannot get inside, crouch for protection beside a strong structure, or lie flat in a ditch or low-lying area and cover your head and neck with your arms or a piece of clothing.

In A Car

Ideally, you should avoid driving when tornadoes or other kinds of dangerous weather threaten, as a vehicle is a very unsafe place to be. If, however, this is not possible, stay as calm as possible, and assess the situation.

• Your best option might be to get out of the car and lie flat in a ditch or other low-lying area that is of sufficient depth to provide protection from the wind.
• If you do so, beware of water runoff from heavy rain that could pose a hazard, get as far away from the vehicle as possible, and shield your head from flying debris.
• Or, more optimally, if possible take shelter immediately in a nearby building.
• Do not leave a building to attempt to “escape” a tornado.
• If you are already in a sturdy building, do not get in a vehicle to try to outrun a tornado.

Information from https://www.weather.com

Please follow these sledding safety tips:

• Choose a hill that is not too steep and has a long flat bottom.
• Check for ice, bare spots, and tree stumps, and be aware of other sledders.
• Children should sit facing forward, feet first.
• Teach children to roll sideways off the sled if there is going to be a collision.
• Tell them to quickly move out of the way of other sledders when they reach the bottom of the hill.
• Never use feet as brakes.

How to Get a U.S. State License

Au Pair in America requires every au pair to have a valid home country driver’s license in order to participate in the program. Au Pair in America also requests that every au pair obtain an International Driving Permit (IDP). If you are allowed to drive on your home country license in the state you are living in, you must carry both your home country license and your IDP at all times. As legal IDPs are only available in your home country, if you have arrived in the U.S. without an IDP and your home country license is in a language other than English, you must carry an official translation of your home country license with you. Your home country license, along with an IDP or English translation of your home country license, may be sufficient for you to drive legally in the U.S. when you first arrive. Please confirm this with your host family and/or the local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). However, Au Pair in America strongly recommends that you obtain a local state driver’s license as soon as possible. Requirements and testing procedures vary from state to state. To find the requirements for your state, follow the link to the DMV for your state. Start by clicking here.

Winter Driving Tips

You are likely to find ice and snow on the roads in many parts of the country. There are some basic rules to remember to stay safe in the car in difficult driving conditions:

• Start early and take your time.
• Accelerate slowly, especially on hills.
• Drive slowly to avoid having to stop while going up a hill, as it will be hard to start again.
• Don’t make any sudden turns or stops.
• Be sure that the mirrors and windows are always free of snow and ice.
• If you skid, try to steer in the direction the car is sliding to regain control.
• The changes in temperature sometimes cause potholes in the streets. If you don’t see the pothole in time to steer around it, apply the brakes before hitting the pothole and release them just before you reach the pothole. If you keep the brake on as you hit the pothole, it will do more damage to the tire.
• Try to keep your gas tank at least half full.
• If your wheels spin on ice, switch to low gear, even on automatics.
• Leave extra space between you and the car in front of you.
• Remember that bridges and exit ramps are icier than roads.
• Ask what kind of brakes your car has and how to use them in case of a skid.

Wet Weather Driving Tips (from www.AAA.com)

• Summer rainstorms can quickly reduce visibility and create dangerous driving conditions.
• In stormy conditions, it is more difficult to see other vehicles, road signs and the road itself. It is critical that motorists take steps so they can see and be seen.
• Drivers should regularly clean their windshield and windows, on both the inside and outside. Drivers who smoke should take extra care to make sure their interior windows are clear of a buildup of smoke residue.
• AAA also suggests that motorists regularly check that headlights, taillights, brake lights and turn signals are working properly.
• As soon as rain begins, AAA recommends drivers turn on headlights and windshield wipers. Many states require headlights to be turned on when it is raining or if the visibility is reduced to less than 500 feet.
• When visibility is so limited that the edges of the road or other vehicles cannot be seen at a safe distance, it is time to pull over and wait for the rain to ease up. It is best to stop at a rest area or other protected location. If the roadside is your only option, AAA recommends pulling off as far as possible, preferably past the end of a guardrail. Keep headlights on and turn on emergency flashers to alert other drivers.
• In addition to reducing visibility, rain creates slippery roads that require motorists to use extra caution. AAA suggests that when driving in rain, motorists slow down and increase the distance between vehicles to compensate for reduced tire traction.

Car Safety Kit

Recommended items to have in the car in case of emergency:

• Jumper Cables (these can be unsafe if used improperly, so be sure you know how to use them)
• Flashlight
• Flares
• Reflective triangles
• Bag of sand or kitty litter (to help if stuck in ice, snow)
• Small shovel (for snow)
• Extra windshield solvent
• Blankets and extra clothing
• Nonperishable food items and water (e.g.. snack bars)
• Cell phone (do not use a cell phone while you are putting gas in the car; it can start a fire)
• List of emergency telephone numbers on a card in the glove compartment (if you are a member of AAA, list that info too)
• Snow brush and ice scraper

Freeway and Highway Driving Safety

Entering, exiting and traveling along a freeway or highway requires different driving skills than driving in town.