The National Health Security Preparedness Index for 2014 was released recently. As this article shows, our northern neighbor, Virginia, was one of two top scoring states (the other being Utah), attaining an 8.2 out of a possible 10.0. North Carolina, on the other hand, was perfectly aligned with the national average, garnering a score of 7.4. The composite score was based on the following series of factors:
Health Security Surveillance
Community Planning and Engagement
Incident and Information Management
Healthcare Delivery
Countermeasure Management
Environmental and Occupational Health
There are further factors within these as well, and if you're a data nut like me, you can certainly check them all out at this link to the full study, complete with all the interactive graphics and other fun things. It's quite interesting to see the state of our state (see what I did there), and maybe here in North Carolina we can find some ways to catch up or even surpass Virginia and Utah.
And since I'm clearly running a Madonna marathon here at work, here's a link to listen to the Goddess of All sing her sweet melodies into our ears.
A huge thank you to our point of contact and Team Lead Eraina at the Atlanta Points of Light office for sending along these great tips for the holiday season from the Cobb County Emergency Management Agency! While the tips may have been sent out from Marietta, Georgia, I assure you that they apply just as well here in Charlotte. Please enjoy and stay safe this winter, y'all!
Preparedness Tips from Cobb EMA
As we enter into the winter and holiday
season, it is important to think first and start making good habits to
keep your family safe! Here are a few tips that can help make your
holiday a more prepared one:
Secured Shopping
Last month marked the 11th Annual
National Cyber Security Awareness Month sponsored by the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to raise awareness about cyber
risks and online safety. As the holiday season approaches, many
customers who want to avoid long lines and crowds in stores
may prefer online shopping to complete their gift lists. While the
Internet offers convenience, it also provides opportunities for hackers
to access personal and financial information of unsuspecting shoppers.
Hackers use
three common techniques to take advantage of online shoppers.
These methods are:
Targeting vulnerable computers;
Creating fraudulent sites and email messages; and
Intercepting insecure transactions.
Don’t let holiday hackers ruin your Cyber shopping activities.
Here are a few tips to stay
safe while shopping online:
Keep personal information private and passwords secure;
Use secure websites for purchases. Look for the locked padlock icon at the bottom of the screen or “https” in the URL address;
Shop with companies you know; and
Use anti-virus software, a firewall, and anti-spyware software.
Cyber security is a shared responsibility. Visit theDHS website for more ideas on how to make using the Internet a safer experience this gift-giving season and throughout the year!
Be Cautious About Winter Travel
Listen for radio or television reports of travel advisories issued by the National Weather Service.
Do not travel in low visibility conditions.
Avoid traveling on ice-covered roads, overpasses, and bridges if at all possible.
If you must travel by car, use tire chains and take a mobile phone with you.
If
you must travel, let someone know your destination and when you expect
to arrive. Ask them to notify authorities if you are late.
Check and restock the winter emergency supplies in your car before you leave.
Never pour water on your windshield to remove ice or snow; shattering may occur.
Don’t rely on a car to provide sufficient heat; the car may break down.
Always carry additional warm clothing appropriate for the winter conditions.
What to Do if You Get Stranded
Staying in your vehicle when stranded is
often the safest choice if winter storms create poor visibility or if
roadways are ice covered. These steps will increase your safety when
stranded:
Tie a brightly colored cloth to the antenna as a signal to rescuers and raise the hood of the car (if it is not snowing).
Move anything you need from the trunk into the passenger area.
Wrap your entire body, including your head, in extra clothing, blankets, or newspapers.
Stay awake. You will be less vulnerable to cold-related health problems.
Run
the motor (and heater) for about 10 minutes per hour, opening one
window slightly to let in air. Make sure that snow is not blocking the
exhaust pipe—this will reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
As you sit, keep moving your arms and legs to improve your circulation and stay warmer.
Do not eat un-melted snow because it will lower your body temperature.
Huddle with other people for warmth.
Winter Care for Older Adults
The winter months can bring exciting
events such as holiday decorating, travel, and snow. But it can also
bring slips, falls, and other health emergencies. For older adults,
being prepared for these winter events is important
and can save lives. With parts of the country experiencing an arctic
blast of winter weather, now is the time to check in with older adult
family members, friends and neighbors. Here are a few
considerations when helping older adults prepare for winter weather:
The immune system weakens with age. Once
flu season ramps up and the cold air blows in, it’s much more important for older adults to visit their doctor if they become sick;
Have back-ups for medical equipment.
Make sure they have extra hearing aid batteries, glasses, and other
medical supplies, such as oxygen;
Be sure they have enough medicine to last for a week. Keep
medications, copies of prescriptions, and treatment information in an
emergency supply kit;
Falls
are the leading cause of injury among older adults in the U.S. Non-slip
shoes are a great way to help them navigate slippery conditions; and
Shoveling
can put too much strain on the heart and be dangerous if individuals
have problems with balance or osteoporosis. Older adults, especially
those with heart disease or high blood pressure, should leave snow
shoveling to others.
It’s always a good idea to have a
communications plan. If you do not live near your older adult
family members, make arrangements for neighbors to check in with them.
Also, ask the neighbors if it’s ok for older family members to contact
them in an emergency. With your help, older adults
can enjoy the winter months safely.
Holiday gift / Stocking Stuffers Ideas for the Emergency Prepper in your Life
5 in 1 Whistle
Fire Starter
Mylar Survival blanket
Tea Light/Emergency Candles
Swiss Army Pocket Knife
Waterproof Matches
Emergency Poncho
Water Purification Tablets/ Water purifier
Compass
Multi-tool
First Aid Kit
Camping Silverware/Mess Kit
Mini Flashlight
Camp Cook Stove
Solar Charger
Survival Can Opener
Hand Warmers/Foot Warmers
Emergency/Industrial Glow Sticks
Rite in Rain Notebooks
Para-cord Survival Bracelets
These are some of the items you can find at local retailers such as:
Prepper’s Vault, Army/Navy Discount Store, Tru-Prep, or Goin’ Gear
all offer those CERT trained discounts on your purchases. Most items
mentioned are also available at retailers such as Cablea’s, Academy
Sports, REI, Dick’s, Bass Pro Shop, Adventure Outdoors,
and other sporting goods stores. Looking in Target, Wall-mart, Sears,
Northern Tool, Tractor Supply and your local auto parts stores can yield
so good finds, too.
With the onset of this cool moist day, it has reminded me that it is indeed flu season, and as many of my friends, acquaintances, and colleagues start to drop like flies falling victim to that winter monster influenza, I would absolutely love to take this moment as a reminder that if nothing else, a few days with the flu can be borderline unbearable, and we are lucky here in our corner of the developed world to have a miracle of modern medicine: easily accessible flu vaccines. My affinity for run-on sentences aside, I would like to bring your attention to this article from the Red Cross/Red Crescent about their partners in Southeast Asia and the preparations there for flu season. After all, that part of the world has seen some nasty flu epidemics, and while the flu for many of us here means a couple days out of the office miserably lying in bed and wishing for nothing but to feel better and the ability to move more than five feet without feeling like death, many people, especially young children and the elderly, not only in Southeast Asia but in the United States and across the world, do face grave risk every flu season.
Here, volunteers from Red Cross of Timor-Leste canvass as part of an outreach education program:
And, as if you needed any more convincing, here is an article from the International Business Times detailing the need for proactive flu prevention. It is from October at the start of the Ebola epidemic, but has some pretty useful information. According to this article, "the CDC estimates that between 1976 and 2007, influenza-related deaths were as high as 49,000." That's in the United States. Yes, here at home, not a lesser medically developed nation.
Further, I know some of you may be a lot like me. While needles don't bother me, I'm the type who avoids taking so much as ibuprofen for a headache because I don't like the reliance on medicine. Please, don't follow in my footsteps in this regard; the flu is very much a matter of life and death in some cases, even for a healthy young male like myself. No one is invincible, and a flu shot is an easy way to prevent yourself from getting sick, even if for no other reason than to avoid those couple miserable days out of the office. As far as a natural means of prevention to supplement your flu shot is concerned, a clementine (as Beth models below) or other source of Vitamin C can never hurt!
And lastly, because it is my hope that some of you are as into the wacky songs we use for titles as I am, here's a pretty tasty video of Humble Pie performing I Don't Need No Doctor. Hopefully, prepared with a flu shot, you won't either.
Stay healthy, and as always, stay safe, Charlotte!
In our increasingly wide breadth of projects, Tiara and I, along with Sara, our Mission Continues fellow here at Hands On Charlotte, have taken on a mural painting with the Mecklenburg County Women's Center! Tiara is actually quite the skilled artist, so I am excited to see how everything turns out and what all we are able to accomplish between Tiara's very developed and my and Sara's slightly more limited artistic abilities. So far, all we have done is prime the wall, but enjoy the pictures from the worksite yesterday, and we will be sure to keep you posted as the project continues! Further, since yesterday, December 2, was the almighty and powerful Britney Spears' 33rd birthday, I have added her wonderful song "Mona Lisa" to the bottom of this post. Enjoy, and join us as we pay homage to a goddess and queen of the pop music realm.
And without further ado, here is the Queen herself, Ms. Britney Spears, ladies and gentlemen:
It is on this dank foggy morning here in Plaza-Midwood that I find myself hugging a hot cup of coffee and desiring nothing more than to curl up in my office chair and go absolutely nowhere. Clearly, I'm also blasting Missy Elliott through my headphones, but I have digressed. On days like today, in the interest of furthering my education and knowledge of emergency preparedness, I will on occasion decide to lose myself in one of the many courses offered for independent study by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Please note, all of these classes I'm about to mention are completely free of charge. That's right -- these courses are offered at no cost at all to you. All you need is a little bit of time to sit down and enjoy the power of education. Many of these courses offer an interactive web course, which gives a multimedia presentation including short knowledge-checking quizzes, and all are followed up with a final exam, after which if you pass, you will receive an electronic certificate of completion from FEMA. While there is quite the variety of classes offered on FEMA's website, many are incredibly tailored and specific. For ease of navigation, I would like to offer several recommendations from my little corner of the office so that perhaps you can join me on my emergency knowledge enrichment journey. (And thank you, Beth, for being such a wonderful sport and indulging my antics.)
This course details the history, structure, and versatility of the Incident Command System (ICS). It's a pretty nifty course, as the Incident Command System does not have to be used solely in emergencies. Have a parade to throw? Use ICS. Have a children's birthday party? Even here, one could use ICS. Like I said, nifty.
This is a more thorough exploration of ICS. At least a basic knowledge of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) is recommended. This can be gained through taking, at the very least, IS-700, which I have conveniently listed below.
This course details the structure of the National Incident Management System, elaborating on how the different sectors (non-profit, private, government) interact during disaster response.
Further, should you happen to be interested in emergency preparedness and disaster response to the point that you would like to join the Charlotte area's new disaster response volunteer team, please do check out the Disaster Response Volunteer Trainings offered by Hands On Charlotte in a partnership with Mecklenburg County and the City of Charlotte's Emergency Management Office and Fire Department, the American Red Cross, and the Homeless Resource Center. We are excited to be offering two separate two-part trainings. Essentially, as a volunteer, one will need to attend one Saturday and one Wednesday training. If able, I would recommend that one attend the Saturday and Wednesday within the same month, just so all is not forgotten over a month-long span, but as a single man working two jobs, I understand that scheduling can be a nightmare and obligations exist.
The December trainings will be held on Saturday, December 13, and Wednesday, December 17; and the January trainings will be held Saturday, January 24, and Wednesday, January 28. The Saturday trainings will both be from 9:00-5:00, and the Wednesday trainings will both be from 5:30-9:00, to allow disaster response trainees to attend after the typical workday. All you need to do to sign up is register for the event via this link, so we know when to expect you! This should be a wonderful, exciting, and engaging training, and I hope we see many of you there!
Thank you for reading, enjoy some coffee or cocoa or whatever you're into on this beautiful cloudy day, as always, stay safe, Charlotte!
In case you were unaware, today is Giving Tuesday (or lovingly hashtagged, #GivingTuesday), the nonprofit sector's response to the Black Friday and Cyber Monday following our favorite turkey and casserole-laden holiday. On Giving Tuesday, the idea is that after all of the great deals and consumption for ourselves in the retail world, we give our time and money to help others.
This morning, our wonderful cubicle neighbor, Beth, and another great office mate, Eric, became local celebrities on local news source WCCB's Wilson's World segment. While not necessarily emergency preparedness related, this segment can give you a peek into what exactly Hands On Charlotte does throughout the year, and some of the extra things Tiara and I get to help out with during our time in the office. At the end of the day, it is all about giving back to the community, and especially on a day like #GivingTuesday, we are incredibly proud to be a part of Charlotte's nonprofit community.
Please enjoy video via the link below, and while we hope you enjoy hearing about all of the nonprofits featured on Wilson's World this morning, our favorite segment with Beth and Eric begins at 8:50.
Also, in case you've been noticing the trending #unselfie on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and everywhere in between, here's one from our corner of the universe, also featuring Beth and Sara! The idea of the #unselfie is to take a picture of yourself (a selfie, if you will), but doing something to help others. Since we try to do a little something every day to help the local community (and many days, a big something), we figured we would post one from the office. Keep an eye out; I have a feeling we will have some increasingly creative #unselfie posts coming your way soon!
And lastly, because Beth and I agree that KC & The Sunshine Band is one of life's greatest pleasures, here's the music video for this post's namesake. Enjoy, and if you feel like learning the choreography with us, we certainly won't mind.
Stay safe, Charlotte, and please let us know what you're doing to give it up for #GivingTuesday today!
We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are enjoying your return to normalcy as we kick off this marvelous Monday! Over the holiday, I happened to notice this nifty little article from NPR's All Tech Considered about Disaster City, a training mecca for first responders in Texas. Over the past decade, over 90,000 people have been trained here. The article addresses the response to the recent Ebola epidemic, and since I found it quite interesting and relevant, I figured I would pass it along. Enjoy reading (or listening, it is National Public Radio after all), and stay safe, Charlotte!
