September is National Preparedness Month.  Get a Kit, Make a Plan, Be Informed and Get Involved.Photo of young girl in front of family.

NPM 2007 Week-Four-In-Review Journal


September 23-30; Home and family preparedness, including pets, older Americans and those individuals with disabilities and special needs (Ready America)

The Ready Campaign educates Americans to make preparedness a priority in their homes and businesses. This September the U.S. Department of Homeland Security sponsored it's fourth annual National Preparedness Month to help create a culture of Preparedness in this country.

During the final week in September, The Ready Campaign focused on home and family preparedness including older Americans, Americans with disabilities or special needs, and pet owners. This Week-Four-In-Review Journal represents a few of many events that brought National Preparedness Month to a close. Hopefully, these events will inspire and encourage citizens to get a kit, make a plan, and stay informed as well as to consider others, including pets, who may need assistance in preparing for emergencies before they happen. For information on this please visit these sections of www.ready.gov.

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DHS Chief Medical Officer Emphasizes Need for Community, Individual Readiness in Response to Disasters - Charlotte, NC


POSTED on 10/2/2007

Mecklenburg Emergency Medical Education & Simulation Center
Mecklenburg Emergency Medical Education & Simulation Center
Charlotte, NC
As a part of National Preparedness Month, Acting Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jeffrey Runge traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina, on September 14 to help open the Mecklenburg EMS Agency's Emergency Medical Education and Simulation Center. This happened in conjunction with the Mid-Atlantic Human Patient Simulation Network Conference, at which Dr. Runge addressed participants on a number of new technologies the Department of Homeland Security is working on to better detect and protect against the possibility of a biological or chemical attack.

Dr. Runge & the Media
Dr. Runge & the Media
Charlotte, NC
Dr. Runge also stressed that these new technologies are no substitute for the need for individual citizens and communities to have a plan prepared and to practice for responding to such an incident. He went on to discuss the Department's Ready Campaign, which is aimed at informing and encouraging citizens and communities about the need to prepare for disasters whether caused by terrorism or Mother Nature. Noting that September is National Preparedness Month, Dr. Runge said the medical community has a special responsibility to reinforce the message of preparedness to patients. He said medical practitioners should participate in community planning and exercises to ensure that those who need help with evacuations or need a safe place to shelter have a plan that is easy to implement.

Dr. Runge & Mayor McCrory
Dr. Runge & Mayor McCrory
Charlotte, NC

In his remarks and at an earlier press conference with Charlotte's Mayor Patrick McCrory, Dr. Runge praised the efforts of the Charlotte, Mecklenburg County area for working diligently in developing and practicing a preparedness plan.

"All of us at DHS are grateful for the service of our EMS first responders. We consider it a privilege to invest in technology to make them safer and better trained. The advanced simulation center in Charlotte is one of those good investments, raising the level of preparedness throughout the region," he said.

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Livestock Preparedness Events - London, KY


POSTED on 10/2/2007

Dialog With Livestock Owners
Dialog With Livestock Owners
London, KY
Emergency Preparedness
Kits & Promotional Items

Emergency Preparedness Kits & Promotional Items
London, KY
When it comes to large livestock, such as cows and horses, there are many challenges to consider when preparing for and responding to emergencies. On September 17 and 18 the Cumberland Valley Regional Citizen's Corps, in partnership with the Laurel County Health Department, presented two local Livestock Preparedness events in London, Kentucky.

To assist farmers, pamphlets with tips on barn fire prevention, evacuation planning and sheltering in place were distributed. A large 8x10 photo album was displayed for poultry farmers. The album compared photos of healthy chickens and chickens with clinical signs of Exotic Newcastle Disease and Avian Influenza. Farmers could look at the pictures and the Public Health Epidemiologist/Veterinarian was available to discuss questions related to these diseases. The goal was to increase awareness of Avian Influenza so early reporting could occur and hopefully prevent widespread transmission of the disease.

Farmers Viewing Poultry
Farmers Viewing Poultry
London, KY
Each farmer received a bag filled with promotional items such as key chains, pens and a hat and University of Kentucky Football posters. Additionally, a drawing was held every thirty minutes for larger gifts donated by local farming businesses, such as garden sprayers and fencing tools. Local livestock owners received valuable disaster planning information for their families and pets such as how to build a family disaster kit and how to write a family emergency plan.

Small agricultural communities are a vital part of the overall food supply for the nation as a whole. The local farmers as well as the owners of the livestock markets expressed a lot of positive feedback and gratitude for the educational materials. The audience was interested in the topics presented, and hopefully, this will become an annual event in our thriving hometown.

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The Ohio Department of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities - Statewide, OH


POSTED on 10/2/2007

Building an Emergency Kit
Building an Emergency Kit
Statewide, Ohio
The Ohio Department of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (ODMRDD), which works with adults who have mental retardation and/or developmental disabilities, recently developed and launched a two-hour Emergency Preparedness training class, as part of ODMRDD's overall training program and in coordination with National Preparedness Month.

The class is held at each of the seven ODMRDD-run Development Centers, residential communities for adult consumers of the organization's services. Each class is open to ODMRDD's consumers, their support network (i.e., families, friends), and their day-to-day providers, such as case managers and residential staff. The emphasis for the training class is to inform, educate and enable people with mental retardation and/or developmental disabilities to prepare for and respond to emergency situations.

ODMRDD Lecturer
ODMRDD Lecturer
Statewide, Ohio
The class is highly interactive, consisting of lectures, demonstrations, Q&A, and hands-on exercises. Each component of the class was developed while paying attention to the special needs of the audience. The PowerPoint presentation that accompanies the training, as well as some of the hand-outs and supporting materials utilize larger print and pictures or photographs to increase comprehension and retention. In addition, the classes are taught by ODMRDD staff members who are uniquely aware of the special needs of this population and how to make sure everyone is keeping up and understanding the material. In order to promote continued learning, training classes include the recommendation that participants include emergency planning as part of their Individual Service Plan. This will allow them to continue the learning process and establish a time for follow-up discussions with their care providers.

The training class concludes with a hands-on demonstration of what is included in an emergency supply kit. Participants assist in the creation of a kit and discuss the importance of each item and when/why it would be useful. For each training class ODMRDD provides two to three participants with a free emergency supply kit. Others in attendance are able to purchase a supply kit at a reduced rate (approximately $10.00). Funding for the kits was secured through outreach to many local businesses and support from the Ohio Association of County Boards.

The success of this training program and positive feedback from participants has led ODMRDD to extend the training schedule and include additional classes in October. Currently, approximately 250 individuals have received this training. With the addition of more classes in October, ODMRDD expects that number to rise. For more information about ODMRDD and this training class, visit: http://odmrdd.state.oh.us/topics/preparedness-month/september.htm.

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Photo of You & Your Pet Event - Hall County, GA


POSTED on 10/2/2007

Hall County, GA
Animal Response Team

Hall County, GA Animal Response Team
Hall County, GA
During week four of National Preparedness Month, the Hall County, Georgia Animal Response, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) hosted the "Keep Your Pets Safe; Free Photo of You with Your Pet(s) for your Emergency Kit" event on Saturday, September 22. A display table was set up with digital photo equipment to take pictures of pet owners with their pets in the Gainesville, Georgia PetSmart. The finished portrait was provided instantly so the owners could immediately put the photo in their disaster kits.

Animal Response Team member, Don Shanks, served as photographer and was able to take approximately 43 photos of pets with their owners while other members provided educational literature and talks about planning for your pets and families in the event of a disaster. They stressed the importance of putting together a "Go" kit that will provide immediate supplies during the first 72 hours of a disaster and the importance of having identification for all household pets in the event that owners and pets are separated.

You & Your Pet
You & Your Pet
Ready
This was the first time an event such as this took place in Hall County, and the community was extremely receptive, expressing their appreciation with a sincere "thank you" for this service. The Hall County, Georgia CERT team reported they were very pleased with the turn out and plan to continue to host more of these on a quarterly basis in 2008.

The Hall County, Georgia CERT Animal Response Team is one of many nationwide Citizen Corps partners that worked to spread the preparedness message during September and encourage citizens to get involved in their communities. The Hall County, Georgia Animal Response Team is comprised of Beth Maples, Jim Prunty, Don Shanks, Matt Trawick, Ron Wilson, Debbie Edwards, and Team Leader Annamarie Keck. For information on how to host a similar event, call (770)531-6838. For more information on how to be trained in emergency response and to volunteer in your community, visit www.citizencorps.gov and look for a Council near you.

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Nebraska 2007 National Preparedness Month Activities - Lincoln, NE


POSTED on 10/2/2007

Nebraska's First Lady
Sally Ganem (right) Greeting Fans

Citizen Corps In Action
Lincoln, NE
In support of National Preparedness Month 2007, the Nebraska Volunteer Service Commission Citizen Corps Program partnered with the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency, the University of Nebraska Athletic Department and Lt. Governor Rick Sheehy, who serves as the Director of Homeland Security for Nebraska. The month provided an exciting opportunity to raise the awareness of individuals in Nebraska of the need to be prepared for any kind of disaster. Their efforts complemented the national efforts of Citizen Corps, Ready.gov and the Department of Homeland Security.

Nebraska Husker Fans
Get Preparedness Info

Nebraska Husker Fans
Lincoln, NE
Their unique approach united the University of Nebraska Athletic Department with participants in national service programs, AmeriCorps, Senior Corps and VISTA, to reach the thousands of Nebraskans attending football and volleyball games on September 22. The Husker football team faced Ball State while their defending national champion volleyball team took on Texas A&M. A Commission-developed flyer was distributed to fans highlighting National Preparedness Month, with Nebraska Citizen Corps and the Commission on one side and practical advice on how to program cell phones with "In Case of Emergency (ICE)" information on the other side. ICE helps first responders contact a person who could give important information to help treat that individual if they are incapable of providing a medical history themselves.

Volunteers Distributing Information
Volunteers Distributing Information
Lincoln, NE
The Commission's Citizen Corps Program staffed an informational booth as part of the Husker Nation Pavilion pre-game festivities which also featured the Husker Sports Network Pre-game Show broadcasts, live bands, cheerleaders, the University of Nebraska Marching Band and fun activities for youth. This event attracted up to 25,000 people. Their display shared information including the ICE flyer, Ready Kids coloring books, stickers and other disaster preparedness activities for children.

Complementing this was the playing of Ready.gov public service announcements from the Ad Council - incorporating the Commission's contact information - on the gigantic video screens inside the football stadium.

Additionally, Governor Heineman issued a proclamation sponsored by the Commission declaring September as National Preparedness Month in Nebraska; Lt. Governor Sheehy taped a spot that was broadcast statewide on Sports Nightly News during the week prior to the September 22 football game; Ready.gov spots from the Ad Council, tagged for Nebraska, were sent to all television and radio stations in Nebraska for play during September; and Citizen Corps Councils across Nebraska distributed the ICE flyers in their home communities.

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Utah Foster Care Foundation - Murray, UT


POSTED on 10/2/2007

Adult CPR Training
Adult CPR Training
Murray, UT
Emergency Kit Items
Emergency Kit Items
Murray, UT
Infant CPR Training
Infant CPR Training
Murray, UT
The Utah Foster Care Foundation hosted our first annual emergency preparedness fair on Saturday, the 22nd of September. There were 18 individuals who attended representing 11 families. Each of the attending families put together an emergency kit for their families, including the children in their care. The kits included many of the items suggested by the Ready.gov website and included items such as food, water, matches, flashlights, maps, hand warmers, first aid kits, etc.Most of the items for the kits were purchased with a grant from the Fieldstone Foundation. The maps that were included in the kits were donated by AAA of Northern California. Each family also received a guide to family emergency preparedness supplied by the Salt Lake Valley Health Department.

We also had a family/friends CPR class available taught by the Emergency Medical Training Council of Utah. Several of the attending families also participated in the adult and infant CPR training.

Our intention is to make this an annual event every September-with a goal of increasing attendance and preparedness every year.







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