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The American Red Cross Mountain Valley Chapter has begun offering free emergency preparedness classes to area residents. Many have found themselves not knowing what to do when disaster strikes. The classes teach the students how to prepare for an emergency situation and will show what to do in unusual circumstances.

We all want a safe home and place of work, but often do not know where to start. This checklist will help you take a look at how how a home or building was made and what natural hazards can be found around it.

An octopus the size of a person’s forearm when stretched out all the way caused massive flooding at the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium last Thursday. The sea creature swam to the top of its tank and took apart the recycling system’s valve, causing approximately 200 gallons of water to flood into the building, including the children’s exhibit where the octopus was on display.

Did you remember to set your clocks forward today? It is already that time of year, though it seems soon, and it is a good reminder to replace batteries in smoke and fire detectors. However, do not only change the batteries in alarms; test the alarms too to make sure they work.

It’s Flood Safety Week. According the FEMA and NOAA, floods account for 90% of the natural disasters in the United States. Floods can be caused by snow melt, hurricanes and tropical storms, flash floods, severe storms, and levee failures. Not only are floods the most prevalent of the natural disasters, but are also the most costly and deadly of the disasters.