BRADD Citizens Corps Council Newsletter

Transcription

1 BRADD Citizens Corps Council Newsletter Volume V, Issue II May 1, 2015 Citizen Corps Contact information: General Information call Janarae Conway, Ext. 155 Newsletter content comments call Janarae Conway, Ext. 155 Mailing Address PO Box 1157 Bowling Green, KY In this issue: Firework safety 1 Citizen Corps Program Updates BRADD MRC in Monroe County Upcoming Events Calendar CERT/MRC members at Pet CPR Training Crossword Puzzle Map Your Neighborhood Announcements 8 Firework Preparedness Submitted by Karthika Basireddy, BRDHD Intern Many disasters are caused by Mother Nature. Some are caused by human actions, even if unintentional. Fireworks are a good example. They are colorful, fun to use and watch, and widely available, but fireworks can be dangerous to both the person setting them off and to bystanders. Most firework disasters happen where they are manufactured, sold, or stored, but firework emergencies can happen anytime or anyplace where fireworks are used. No matter how cautious we are, sometimes things happen. If there is a firework emergency, avoid panic by having a firework disaster plan. Preparedness starts with keeping a distance from them. Do not allow children to handle them ever as they are dangerous, and not toys. Only buy legal fireworks, and store them in a cool, dry place. Make sure no one shoots them off in the wrong direction. Never try to hold fireworks in your hand or on any part of the body while lighting. Light them far away from brushes or leaves, or flammable substances. Always have buckets full of water nearby in case of emergency. At the end, any firework debris should be soaked in a bucket full of water before throwing it away in the trash cans. If someone is injured by the fireworks, call 911 or your local emergency number. Before medical help can arrive, be prepared to provide first aid by having a first aid kit readily available. The kit should include a sterile saline solution to clean affected eyes or debris from a wound, moist burn pads, pain relievers, and blunt tip scissors. Include a fire blanket or wool blanket to put out any flames on clothing or hair, and even to help calm someone who is injured. If the person has painful red blisters, help cool the burn area under running water. If a firework explosion causes a finger or other amputation, call 911, lay the victim down, and elevate the injured part. Then apply pressure to stop the bleeding. Fireworks are meant to be enjoyed, yet the dangers are real! Taking extra precautions will help keep your family safe and secure, to enjoy them again on another special day.

2 Volume V, Issue II BRADD Citizen Corps Newsletter Page 2 Citizen Corps Program Updates for the First Quarter of 2015 (January to March) BRADD MRC 12 MRC members completed a Pet First Aid & CPR course on March 14, qualifying them to provide the course to other groups in our area. If you would like to help organize a Pet CRP & First aid course in your community, please call Ann Bray. On March 17, 2015 the BRADD MRC Training Team taught a day long MRC course to WKU nursing students in the RN to BSN program. Of the 32 participants, 2 were current MRC members, and 5 new BRADD MRC members were recruited that day. March 24 th was the first ever Monroe County Medical Reserve Corps/Preparedness Training. There were 13 in attendance, and 10 applied to join the unit. March 10 th and 11 th IS 400 Barren County 1 MRC member attended. Allen County-Scottsville We began another CERT class on February 23. Simpson County On March 21st, about 200 people attended the annual Franklin-Simpson Health Fair. CERT members Emily Mendel, Lydia Leach & Betty Parker worked passed out information in our booth. The Simpson County CERT members started meeting on January 29. At their first meeting, they elected officers. They plan to meet every other month. Barren County Members of the Barren County CERT program attended the Barren County LEPC/ESF meeting on March 4, Barren County CERT members were deployed during/after the snow storms to assist healthcare workers visiting patients and getting to work. Partnership of the Year; Allen County Drug Court Hart County Two Hart County CERT/MRC members attended a Donation and Volunteer Management class in Metcalfe County January 21 & 22. Five Hart County CERT/MRC members completed a Map Reading and Land Navigation class on January 31, Hart CERT members attended the Pipeline Safety Program in Cave City on February 3, 2015 Warren County Two Warren County CERT.MRC members attended a Donation and Volunteer Management class in Metcalfe County January 21 & 22. On March 28, we held the regional CERT training as a tabletop exercise on tornado disasters The Formidable Footprint. There were 5 Warren County CERT/MRC members in attendance. Four Warren County CERT members attended the Pipeline Safety Program in Bowling Green on February 2, 2015.

3 Volume V, Issue II BRADD Citizen Corps Newsletter Page 3 BRADD MRC sets up information booth in Monroe County and conducts first class The Barren River Area Development District Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) trained15 new MRC volunteers in Monroe County on March 24, 2015 at Monroe County Medical Center. Some of the class participants included nurses, school officials and social counselors. Training was provided by Barren River District Health Department s Ann Bray, Medical Reserve Corps Unit Leader, Janarae Conway, Disaster Preparedness Coordinator and, Regional Epidemiologist Srihari Seshadri. The training covered an introduction to Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), biological agents, infection control, the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS), Points of Dispensing (PODS), and National Incident Management System IS 700.a.

4 Volume V, Issue II BRADD Citizen Corps Newsletter Page 4 Upcoming Events, Mark Your Calendars! Date and Time May 30, :30 AM 12 PM June Preparedness Theme June 11, 2015 July 9, 2015 August 13, :30 PM July Preparedness Theme July 4, 2015 Evening July 16, :30 AM July 14, :30 PM July 19, :00 AM August Preparedness Theme Event and topic to be covered Regional CERT exercise: To pre-register, contact Janarae Conway at janarae.conway@barrenriverhealth.org or call , x. 155 Lightning Safety Awareness Month Contact Janarae Conway at janarae.conway@barrenriverhealth.org or call , x. 155 For information to give out or send out Barren County Citizen Corps Council meeting Heat Wave Awareness Month Contact Janarae Conway at janarae.conway@barrenriverhealth.org or call , x. 155 Fourth of July Fireworks BRADD Citizen Corps Council meeting Hart County CERT monthly meeting to review training, discuss possible events and to stay in touch with members. Warren County Citizen Corps Council meeting Contact Bud Fox at warrenkyccc@gmail.com Safe Driving Awareness Month Contact Janarae Conway at janarae.conway@barrenriverhealth.org or call , x. 155 Where Warren County Health Department 1109 State Street Bowling Green, KY Your neighborhood BRADD Citizen Corps Facebook page Barren County Health Department 318 W. Washington St, Glasgow, KY Your neighborhood BRADD Citizen Corps Facebook page Barren River State Resort Park Warren County Health Department 1109 State Street Bowling Green, KY Hart County Community Action/Senior Center A. A. Whitman Lane Munfordville, KY Drug Task Force conference room Your neighborhood BRADD Citizen Corps Facebook page

5 Volume V, Issue II BRADD Citizen Corps Newsletter Page 5 BRADD MRC Members Trained to Provide the Red Cross CPR and First Aid Course The Red Cross Pet CPR and First Aid training is an excellent way to help people feel ready to respond to pet emergencies, especially during a disaster. Just as important, the course introduces more people to general household preparedness, and to the possibility of serving as an MRC member. To help organize a Pet CRP and First Aid in your community, contact Ann Bray at X217 or Ann.Bray@BarrenRiverHealth.org.

6 Volume V, Issue I BRADD Citizen Corps Newsletter Page 6 Last Newsletters Crossword Puzzle answers Across 2. Michelle Hines talked about Functional Assessment Service Teams or at the BRADD MRC Fall Annual Training. (fast) 4. How many MRC members attended the Fall Annual Training? (twenty) 8. What month was the BRADD MRC Fall Annual Training? (september) 9. Tonia Bruton spoke at the Hart County Affair. (repair) 11. What month is the 'Resolve to Be Ready' campaign? (january) 12. How many counties started or completed CERT classes in the third quarter? (three) Down 1. Which county had the most activities reported for third quarter? (hart) 3. When is Winter Weather Preparedness Month? (december) 5. The BRADD Citizen Corps has a page with 116 likes. (facebook) 6. How many questions were in the last newsletter s puzzle? (fifteen) 7. Which month does the BRADD Citizen Corps focus on Earthquake Preparedness? (february) 10. Which county is implementing 'Map Your Neighborhood'? (warren)

7 Volume V, Issue I BRADD Citizen Corps Newsletter Page 7 Map Your Neighborhood (MYN) By Bud Fox, Warren County CCC We all know how important it is to have a personal plan of preparedness for disasters. Having a plan ready is the best way to shake off the inevitable 'bewilderment' that adds to the chaos and confusion of unexpected disaster events. But what about the NEIGHBORS? Is this the moment you want everyone around you wandering about in confusion? Is this the time to try to educate your neighbors about how to cope with their disorientation, dangers and supply needs? Definitely NOT! While some of that will inevitably happen, a program launched by the Washington State Department of Emergency Management helps us extend personal preparation thinking to our neighborhoods. In this nicely packaged program, called 'Map Your Neighborhood', we can bring a from 5 to 20 nearby family units into preparedness thinking in one hour-and-ahalf meeting. All you need is a host to provide the meeting spot and invite the neighbors, a TV/DVD player, some cookies, and the provided handouts. I led the first trial meeting of MYN recently at Lorie Village in Bowling Green, and it was a delightful experience. The program is easily adaptable to various neighborhood environments. In this setting we had about 20 members of the 32-resident community gather in the community hall. Without a TV available I used a video projector and laptop to run the DVD. This worked fine, but meeting in the personal environment of a home would be even better. In a live-action film, LuAn Johnson, Emergency Management Director of Washington State, leads us through all the information and steps needed to bring the neighborhood into a state of teamthinking. She also covers some basics for individual preparedness. The DVD covers essential neighborhood readiness steps: preparation of a plan, having basic equipment in a pre-determined spot, assessing and immediately reporting to the neighborhood whether you are OK or need help, and instructions for gathering together as a neighborhood to do very simple damage assessment and mitigation. The group response was positive and energetic, with lots of good questions and discussion. It definitely felt like the 'preparedness mindset' was elevated several notches in the whole group as a result of working through this material together. A huge extra is the very enjoyable, community-building experience with those you live close to. The Warren County Citizen Corps Council is currently conducting this program on a 'field-test' basis, to find how best to make it work for our area. If you would like information about how to include your neighborhood contact Bud Fox at or at warrenkyccc@gmail.com

8 Volume V, Issue I BRADD Citizen Corps Newsletter Page 8 Announcements Help Others Be Prepared This Summer. Please help the BRADD Citizen Corps Council to promote these preparedness themes: June - Lightning Safety Awareness July - Heat Wave Awareness August - Safe Driving For information to hand out to family, friends and neighbors, please contact Janarae Conway at , x. 155, or janarae.conway@barrenriverhealth.org. Brag a Little and report in! The deadline for the next issue of this newsletter is June 26, Please send us: Articles about past events Scheduled events in September, October and November, Snapshots of what you did in April, May and June Send them to Janarae Conway at , x. 155, or janarae.conway@barrenriverhealth.org. Do You Like Us? Please do Like us on the BRADD Citizen Corps has a Facebook page, We have reached 100 likes. Let s get to 200 by the end of July. CHECK IT OUT!