Preparedness

Stay Weather Aware and Prepare for Arizona's Monsoon Season

Stay weather aware and prepare for Arizona’s monsoon season.

While it may feel like summer is just kicking off, the monsoon season has officially started and that means some safety measures should be mixed in with your summer fun.

What is the North American Monsoon? The monsoon involves changes in seasonal winds that can cause extreme weather conditions including extreme heat, dust storms, sudden downpour, lightning, flash flooding, and wildfires. By learning more about how monsoon weather can impact your health and taking steps to be prepared, you can ensure you and your loved ones have a safe monsoon season.

This article was published on the Arizona Department of Health Services website on June 20th, 2023.

If you are new to Arizona or unfamiliar with the monsoon season, this information can be lifesaving for you and your family.

What to Do if Your Wallet is Lost or Stolen

7 steps to prevent identity theft and money loss — plus how to replace what’s missing.

You reach for your wallet to settle up a bill and find … nothing. Panic sets in as you frantically pat down your pockets or fumble around the contents of your purse. It’s gone. Losing whatever cash you may have on hand is bad enough, but the other contents in your wallet can be a treasure trove for criminals, who can go on to perpetrate credit card fraud and identity theft.

The silver lining: Act fast and you can minimize much of the potential damage. Here’s where to start.

An AARP article from June 20th, 2023 by Barbara Stepko . . .

CR's Ultimate Heat Survival Guide

"With temperatures rising, we’ve gathered the best ways to stay comfortable and safe—both inside and out—even on scorching hot days."

A July 10th, 2023, survival guide from Consumer's Report. Check it out!

Older Adult Toolkit: Extreme Heat - Stay Safe When Our State Heats Up

Heat Safety - Older Adult Toolkit

Heat illness is a preventable condition, but has been the number one weather-related cause of death in the United States. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), heat illness causes more deaths than hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes combined. From 2009 to 2019, over 2,000 deaths were caused from exposure to excessive natural heat. Of deaths among Arizona residents, 34 percent occurred in older adults over the age of 65. The Heat and Older Adults Safety Toolkit (HOAST) was created to provide older adults and caregivers information to stay safe in the heat.

An informative article from the Arizona Department of Health Services

Preparedness - National Fire Protection Association

The National Fire Protection Association is the leading information and knowledge resource on fire, electrical and related hazards.

This website provides extensive information on potential hazards from electrical devices and sources. It provides excellent recommendations on how to protect your family and property from many forms of electrical hazards, including e-bikes, seasonal fire hazards, smoke alarms, home escape and lithium batteries.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a global self-funded nonprofit organization, established in 1896, devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards.

Be Prepared to Meet with a Financial Advisor

Be confident, informed and prepared to meet with a financial advisor.

AARP Interview an Advisor^TM helps you understand the advisor’s credentials, compensation and how to get the conversation started.

This is a great tool prepared by AARP to help you to be prepared to meet with prospective financial advisors.

Investment professionals generally come in two varieties; registered investment adviser representatives and broker-dealer agents. As is explained in more detail below, registered investment advisers typically offer a greater depth of services and advice than broker-dealer agents, and are an appropriate choice for someone looking for substantial investment advice and account monitoring. On the other hand, if you are simply looking to buy or sell stocks, for example, you can readily find a broker-dealer to execute your transaction. Read on, and apply the “gold standard” if you are looking for advice and guidance from a personal financial professional.

Preparing Makes Sense for Older Americans: Get Ready Now.

In the case of an emergency or a disaster, older Americans need to be prepared in advance to be sure that they have the resources, knowledge and support needed to survive. This PDF from Ready.gov addresses preparing a kit of emergency supplies, making a plan and being informed about what might happen. Download this guide and begin your preparations.