[NWS] – The Santa Clarita Valley and surrounding areas are expected to experience heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, hail, gusty winds and lightning Thursday and Friday, according to the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration and National Weather Service.

The following are some safety tips to help prepare residents for thunderstorms and lightning;

* If you hear thunder, then lightning is close enough to strike you, and you should move to a safe shelter: a substantial building (office building, school and home offer good protection). Once inside, stay away from windows, doors, and anything that conducts electricity such as corded telephones, computers and other equipment.

* Electrical charges can linger in clouds after a thunderstorm has passed; experts recommend that people should wait at least 30 minutes after the storm before resuming activities. Stay away from objects that conduct electricity (barbed wire fences, power lines, windmills, etc.).

* No place outside is safe in or near a thunderstorm. Stop what you are doing and get to a safe place immediately. Remember small outdoor buildings, including dugouts, rain shelters, sheds, etc., are not safe.

If you are caught outside with no safe shelter nearby, the following actions may reduce your risk:

* Immediately get off elevated areas such as hills, mountain ridges or peaks.

* Never lie flat on the ground, under an isolated tree nor use a cliff or rocky overhang for shelter. Immediately get out and away from ponds, lakes and other bodies of water.

Los Angeles County residents and businesses, including persons with disabilities and others with access and functional needs, may call 211 LA County for emergency preparedness information, and other referral services.

FROM L.A. COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH

The County Interim Health Officer is issuing a Cold Weather Alert for the Los Angeles County Mountain areas due to the National Weather Service’s forecast for low temperatures beginning Thursday, May 14, 2015 through Friday, May 15, 2015. Wind chill temperatures are expected to be below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

“Children, the elderly, and people with disabilities or special medical needs are especially vulnerable during such cold snaps.  Extra precaution should be taken to ensure they don’t get too cold when they are outside,” said Jeffrey Gunzenhauser, MD, MPH, Los Angeles County Interim Health Officer. “There are places where people can go to stay warm, such as shelters or other public facilities. We also want to remind people not to use stoves, barbeques or ovens to heat their homes due to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.”

Take precautions to protect yourself from the cold:

• Dress in layers of warm clothing if you plan to be outdoors.
• Protect extremities from the cold by wearing a hat, scarf, gloves, and socks.
• Offer to help those in your neighborhood with limited access to heat, such as seniors or those who are ill. Check on them frequently.
• During peak cold times, if you don’t have a heater in your home, visit indoor public facilities such as shopping malls, libraries or senior centers.
• If you have pets, bring them indoors and do not leave them outside overnight.
• If you use an outdoor generator at home, place it at least 10 feet away from all doors and windows to avoid exhaust gases entering the home.
• Stoves, barbeques and ovens can produce a deadly gas known as carbon monoxide when used to heat a home. Never use these appliances in place of approved heaters such as electric, natural gas, or fireplaces.
• Install a carbon monoxide detector in your home to reduce the risk of poisoning.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include shortness of breath, headaches, muscle and joint pain, and nausea. Exposure to high levels of carbon monoxide could lead to death within minutes. Those suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning should be taken outside, into fresh air, immediately, and should be taken to an emergency room for immediate medical treatment.

Los Angeles County residents and business owners, including people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs may call 211 LA County for emergency preparedness information and other referral services. The toll-free 2-1-1 number is available 24 hours a day and seven days a week.  211 LA County services can also be accessed by visiting http://www.211la.org/.

The Department of Public Health is committed to protecting and improving the health of the nearly 10 million residents of Los Angeles County. Through a variety of programs, community partnerships and services, Public Health oversees environmental health, disease control, and community and family health. Public Health comprises nearly 4,000 employees and has an annual budget exceeding $900 million. To learn more about Public Health and the work we do please visit http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov, visit our YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/lapublichealth, find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/lapublichealth, or follow us on Twitter: @LAPublicHealth.