News and Announcements
We are working on getting the CERT calendar together for 2010. As soon as we have dates scheduled we will post on website. Thank you for your patience and cooperation.
Citizen Corps Widgets: www.citizencorps.gov/widgets/
Widgets are web tools that can be put on your webpage, blog, and social media sites. Citizen Corps' widgets are free and display information provided by FEMA's Community Preparedness Division through continually updated data feeds. Citizen Corps widgets are easily placed on your web page by copying the code of the widget and placing it within the html code of your web site's editor. CitizenCorps.gov currently offers three widgets in several sizes:
- Citizen Corps Logo Widget
- This widget provides quick links to Citizencorps.gov and FEMA's email updates during disasters webpage.
- Community Preparedness News Widget
- This widget provides regularly updated community preparedness news from FEMA's Community Preparedness Division.
- Are You Ready? Widget
- This widget enables users to search for Citizen Corps Councils and partners close to them.
Citizen Corps Web Banners: www.citizencorps.gov/councils/banners.shtm
Web banners are graphic files that can be used by individuals to link from their website to CitizenCorps.gov. These banners are free and are available in several styles and sizes.
Citizen Corps RSS Feeds: www.citizencorps.gov/rss/
RSS feeds provide subscribers with automated updated information through user-defined applications without having to continually visit CitizenCorps.gov. These RSS feeds can be imported into self-made widgets and many other social media sites. CitizenCorps.gov currently offers two RSS feeds:
- National Community Preparedness News Feed
- This RSS feed provides users with the latest Community Preparedness news and events from various departments of the Federal Government and our National Citizen Corps Partners and Affiliates. The goal of this feed is to provide our users with one National-level feed to receive up-to-date information on individual and community preparedness issues, events, and best practices.
- Local Citizen Corps in the News Feed
- This RSS feed provides users with information on activities and events of Citizen Corps Councils, Partners, and Affiliates from across the nation. The goal of this feed is to share community preparedness and Citizen Corps best practices and lessons learned.
Citizen Corps Twitter: www.twitter.com/citizen_corps
Twitter is a Microblog that gives FEMA's Community Preparedness Division the opportunity to provide users with specific community preparedness information in a timely manner. Current followers of the Citizen Corps account include Citizen Corps Councils and partners, the emergency management community, and the general public.
Citizen Corps News Emails: www.citizencorps.gov/subscribe.shtm
Citizen Corps also promotes transparent communication and collaboration through using an email subscription service that allows any visitor to the CitizenCorps.gov website to register to receive Citizen Corps News updates and to receive updates during disasters in their local area.
FEMA FaceBook: www.facebook.com/fema
Citizen Corps regularly contributes to the FEMA Facebook page to provide disaster preparedness information to the general public and information on how citizens can get involved in preparing their communities.
Sincerely,
The National Office of Citizen Corps
FEMA Community Preparedness Division
- Thanksgiving Day: This year, Thanksgiving falls on November 26. Thanksgiving kicks-off the holiday season and reminds us of the importance of coming together with our families and communities. Take advantage of this time to spread the message of family and community preparedness. Encourage your family members to work with their neighbors to create preparedness plans and to become involved in community safety initiatives. For information on making a family preparedness plan visit Ready.gov and to learn how to get involved in local community safety initiatives, visit the Citizen Corps website.
A complete list of weekly and monthly outreach themes for 2009 is available at http://www.citizencorps.gov/news/themes.shtm.
In the coming weeks the Ready Campaign will be launching a new campaign designed to encourage emergency preparedness around New Years. As part of this campaign, we will be offering several resolution-oriented tips through our official twitter account, and would like to invite you to follow these before the campaign's launch.
The Ready Campaign's official twitter can be found at
http://twitter.com/ReadydotGov. If you have any questions or would like further information on the Campaign, please email us at ready@dhs.gov.
Update your subscriptions, modify your password or e-mail address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your
Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your e-mail address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact support@govdelivery.com.This service is provided to you at no charge by The Ready Campaign. Visit us on the web at
http://www.ready.gov/.Thank you very much to all of the Chandler CERT members who have worked tirelessly throughout the year to help the Chandler Fire Department's CERT Program and Chandler CERT Council by educating the community about disaster preparedness; and participating in community events, special projects, callouts and trainings.
We are truly grateful that you are actively participating and serving as a volunteer for our Program. Thank you for your service!
Although our Basic CERT and supplemental classes are over for the year, we are excited about the remaining events and projects in 2009. We hope you are too. Most of all, we would like to ask you to continue to help us make a profound difference in the lives of the people in our community.
Have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving with your family, friends and your community!
Loretta
Community Preparedness Program Coordinator
Chandler Fire
Please report to the Seasonal Influenza Flu Exercise on Saturday, 10/31/2009, 6:00am at the Chandler Gilbert Community College located at 2626 E Pecos Road, Chandler. Police and the security personnel will direct you to the appropriate parking area and tell you where to check-in.
Directions:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=2626+E+Pecos+Road&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=2626+E+Pecos+Rd,+Chandler,+AZ+85225&gl=us&ei=aYTrSuSOC4SsMdXkpYMM&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CAwQ8gEwAA
Command Staff Assignments are as follows:
POD Manager - Jon Switzer
POD Asst Manager - Jamie Beauvais
Operations Lead - Susan Ohton & Walter Moffat
Line Lead - Bernie Korczyk
Logistic Lead - Richard Prichard
All other personnel will receive their assignment upon reporting to the Exercise.
IMPORTANT TIPS
As a REGISTERED VOLUNTEER, you will be granted access through the security area at Chandler Gilbert Community College.
A list of REGISTERED volunteers will be provided to the Police and Security personnel on site.
Please bring your AZ identification and volunteer badge; wear your volunteer uniform and vest, if applicable.
Chandler CERT members - Please bring the badge you have regardless of the expiration date.
Chandler CERT Members will earn annual drill credit when they work at least 4 hours at the POD site during the Exercise.
All other volunteers should contact their Volunteer Coordinator for more details.
FREE Seasonal Flu Shots (Not H1N1) will be given to all volunteers 18 years or older while supplies lasts and for those who would like one.
FREE Seasonal Shots (Not H1N1) will be given to the general public who are 18 years or older from 8:00am - 11:00am* or while supplies last.
*This Exercise may end earlier should supplies become exhausted sooner than 11:00am.
A continental breakfast and box lunch will be served.Please remain flexible during the day regarding your assignments, learn a lot and have fun.
Thank you for your participation!
Get the facts on the H1N1 Flu online at: www.flu.gov
The Chandler Fire Department staff has been working actively to update their information on the City of Chandler www.chandleraz.gov and the Chandler Fire www.chandlerfire.org websites. This is great news for the CERT Program. We now have visibility on both of the sites!
Direct
links:
Emergency
Preparedness & CERT
http://www.chandleraz.gov/default.aspx?pageid=905
CERT
The Seasonal
Influenza Flu Exercise also known, as the Mass Immunization/PODs Exercise will
be held on Saturday, 10/31/2009, 6:00am - 1:00pm at Chandler Gilbert Community
College located at 2626 E Pecos Road, in Chandler. Please report to the
College at 6:00am for your assignment for the day. Police and the
security personnel will direct you to the appropriate parking area and tell you
where to check-in.
IMPORTANT TIPS
- You must be registered for
the Seasonal Influenza Flu Exercise to gain access through the security
area at Chandler Gilbert Community College.
- A list of volunteers will be provided
to the Police and Security personnel on site.
- A continental breakfast and box lunch
will be served.
- Please bring your AZ identification
and volunteer badge; wear your volunteer uniform and vest, if applicable.
- Chandler CERT members - Please bring
the badge you have regardless of the expiration date.
- Chandler CERT Members will earn annual
drill credit when they work at least 4 hours at the POD site during the
Exercise.
- All other volunteers should contact their Volunteer Coordinator for more details.
- FREE Seasonal Flu Shots (Not H1N1) will be given to all volunteers 18 years or older while supplies lasts and for those who would like one.
- FREE Seasonal Shots (Not H1N1) will be given to the general public who are 18 years or older from 8:00am - 11:00am or while supplies last.
If
you have already submitted your forms, you do not need to do so again at this
time. Should you require more
information, please contact Chandler CERTAdmin at 480-782-2116.
A Mass
Immunization Command Leadership & Volunteer Meeting is scheduled
for next Wednesday, 10/28 at 6:30pm - 7:30pm at the Chandler Gilbert Community
College located 2626 E Pecos Road, in the Student Center Rooms SC 140-144, in
Chandler. Please visit: www.cgc.maricopa.edu for a map of the college and directions.
This meeting is primarily for volunteers who will be working in the following command leadership staff positions: POD Manager, POD Assistant Manager, Operations Lead, Line Lead, and Logistic Lead.
All volunteers who are volunteering for the Seasonal Influenza Flu Exercise, also known as the Mass Immunization/PODs Exercise, on Saturday, 10/31 are welcome to attend the meeting on 10/28.
The brief meeting will highlight the Exercise Plan for Saturday, 10/31. More specific details will be given on Saturday. The job descriptions are explained in the Job Action Sheets that can be download via the link below.
You will be notified by Wednesday, 10/28 if you have been selected to work in a command position. All other positions will be assigned on Saturday. To qualify for a leadership role, you must have successfully completed the PODs Leadership Training in the past. You can still participate in the Exercise even if you have not completed PODs Leadership training.
If you have not already done so, please confirm whether you plan to attend the meeting by Monday, 10/26. Please email CERTAdmin or call 480-782-2116.
Shot Clinics to distribute H1N1 vaccine in Chandler. Be advised that two of the County's H1N1 Vaccine distribution Points will be in Chandler Saturday, 10/24. Locations will be the Fry's Pharmacy at Riggs & McQueen and the other will be the Super Walmart at Arizona Ave. & Pecos Rd. Time: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
*IMPORTANT NOTICE: CANCELLED * Point of Dispensing (POD) Training on Saturday, 10/24, at 8:00am - 1:00pm at the Chandler Fire Training Facility
15 Passenger Van Operator Training
Thursday, 10/8/2009
1:00 pm - 5:30 pm
City of Chandler
Neighborhood Resources Dept., Conference Room
Boyer Bldg at 55. N. Arizona Place, 3rd floor
Registration deadline: Wednesday, 10/7/2009
Contact: Anthony Dominguez, Risk Management and Safety Div.
Telephone: 480-782-2386
Email:
Please indicate in the subject line: Subject: Sign-up 15 Passenger Van Operator Training, 10/8/2009. Students are asked to bring a copy of their AZ valid drivers license with them to class so that a 39-Month Driving History check can be completed.
Free Online Training:
Information Network (CEPIN).
Click the Title Below to View the Site
AWR 187-W Terrorism and WMD Awareness in the Workplace
This 30-minute, Web-based "Terrorism 101" course prepares learners to successfully recognize, report, and react to potential terrorist incidents. In the first two lessons, learners develop a broad understanding of terrorism, including a definition of terrorism as well as examples of terrorist groups and targets. In addition, learners gain insight into the importance of protecting private sector resources through awareness-level training. The last two lessons list various weapons of mass destruction (WMD), relay indicators of potential terrorist activity, and outline actions to be taken in the event of a potential terrorist attack.
Click the Title Below to View the Site
An interactive, web-based course designed for Law Enforcement Professionals. The goals of the course are to build a common, minimum level of preparedness among the nation's first responders in meeting the goals of the National Homeland Security Strategy and to improve the ability of every jurisdiction in the United States to 1) develop capacity in preventing terrorism, 2) demonstrate coherence with a common standard of practice in prevention of terrorism; and 3) ensure every jurisdiction has a basic ability to recognize crucial links between prevention, response and recovery.
Chandler Regional and Mercy Gilbert Medical Centers with the support of Maricopa County Department of Public Health will conduct a vaccination exercise where adults over 18 can get a free seasonal flu shot (not H1N1).
The walk-up clinic will be held from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., on Saturday, October 31st at the Chandler Gilbert Community College's Pecos Campus located at 2626 E. Pecos Road in Chandler.
For additional information, please call 480.728.5640.
1. Is the H1N1 flu more dangerous than the regular/seasonal flu?
§ No, not unless you are in a "high risk" category for other diseases. However, symptoms and effectiveness of treatments do not vary significantly from past strains of the seasonal flu.
§ A significant difference with the H1N1 flu is that, to date, the number of reported cases per 100,000 population was highest among people in the 5-year to 24-year age group.
2. Am I at high risk to get the flu?
§ Children younger than 5 years of age, pregnant women, people of any age with chronic medical conditions (such as pulmonary disease, asthma, diabetes, neuromuscular disorders, or heart disease), and people 65 years of age and older are more likely to get complications from the flu. Your health care provider may prescribe antiviral drugs, and they are most effective when started within two (2) days of getting sick.
3. How do I know if I may have the flu?
§ Symptoms of the flu include fever or chills AND cough or sore throat. In addition, symptoms of flu can include running nose, body aches, headache, tiredness, diarrhea, or vomiting.
§ Do not come to work if you are sick with fever AND cough or sore throat
4. How do I avoid getting the flu?
Simple practices such as:
§ Covering your cough with your upper sleeve or tissue instead of your hands
§ Washing your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds (which is singing Happy Birthday twice).
§ Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
§ Use an alcohol-based hand cleaner.
§ Wipe down your work unit's workstations, phones, desks and common work areas with sanitary wipes every day.
§ Get vaccinated for the seasonal flu.
5. How can I get an H1N1 flu shot?
§ The H1N1 vaccination is currently being developed and tested and priority distribution will be given to select hospital and medical personnel, public safety first responders, and the most vulnerable public populations. The H1N1 vaccine is not expected to be available in sufficient quantities to inoculate the general public for the near future.
6. How do I know if I should stay home from work?
§ The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that sick employees stay home if they are sick with flu-like illness until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius) or signs of a fever (have chills, feel very warm, have a flushed appearance, or are sweating). This should be determined without the use of fever-reducing medicines (and medicine that contains ibuprofen or acetaminophen).
7. How long should I stay home if I think I have the flu?
§ People with flu-like illness should stay home until at least 24 hours after they are free from fever or symptoms. In some cases, this could be up to 7 days.
Information is from the City of Chandler: www.chandleraz.gov
Seasonal flu is a common illness that occurs every year, usually in the winter. In April 2009, the world experienced the outbreak of Novel H1N1 influenza virus (referred to as "swine flu" early on) and it has since spread across the world. And while this situation is obviously a cause for concern and requires a heightened state of alert, it is not a cause for alarm. One of the best ways to get ready is to become knowledgeable of what risks you and your family may face.
Federal, state and international health agencies are monitoring the disease and taking precautions to ward off a wider spread of the flu. Keep up-to-date:
- Flu.gov - U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services
- www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/ - Center for Disease Control
- http://www.azdhs.gov/flu/ - Arizona Department of Health Services
- www.wearepublichealth.org - Maricopa County Department of Public Health
- StopTheSpreadAZ.org
H1N1 Flu Hotline:
The Community Information and Referral (CIR) public inquiry hotline is now open to receive questions about the impact of Swine Flu on our community.
The public may call 602-263-8856 or 800-352-3792 - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to speak with bilingual staff about general questions about Swine Flu, learn how it is affecting our local community as well as learn Web sites and telephone numbers for more information.
Additionally, the Maricopa County Department of Public Health has preparedness information available on its Web site, www.wearepublichealth.org that offers specific guidance for individuals, employers, schools and community groups about how to become prepared for a health emergency.
Read the full story at: www.chandleraz.gov/flu.
New this year is a way to submit your storm reports to us over the
Internet. For those of you that were unable to attend a training class
in 2009, this is new. The basic steps are below. See the attached
PowerPoint for details.
q Request an account at http://espotter.weather.gov/
q Upon your first login, go to the Preferences section and fill in
your Spotter ID.
q To submit a report, login and then click the "Create Report" link
(upper left of page).
Austin Jamison
Storm Spotter Focal Point
National Weather Service - Phoenix
It will be held at the Chandler-Gilbert Community College from 6:00am - 1:00pm. The public will be given free flu shots from 8:00am - 11:00am. 3,000-3,500 flu shots are scheduled to be given to the community.
Please Note: The times of this event were recently changed. Also, the flu shots given on 10/31 are NOT for the H1N1 Virus - Swine Flu.
If you would like to volunteer for leadership roles, successful completion of a Point of Dispensing Leadership (PODS) class is required. However, plenty of other volunteer positions are available.
If you are interested in volunteering for this exercise or registering for a PODS class, please call 480-782-2116 or contact CERTADMIN to register.
On Friday August 7, 2009 a Memorial Service and Reception was held for fallen Queen Creek Fire Captain Eric Tinkham, at the Love of Christ Lutheran Church in Mesa and the Queen Creek Library in Queen Creek.
The following members of the Chandler Fire Department CERT Program assisted at the service and reception. Jay London and Matt Kramer augmented Fire and Police personnel at the Church; and Lily Bazargani, Jeff Freundlich, Nancy Crow, Mike Wesley, Tony Meli, and Don Schilling were at the Library. Loretta Warren-Ellis, our Community Preparedness Program Coordinator, supported the team at the Library.
Also, at the service, there were CERT members from the Gilbert Fire Department and Volunteers in Policing Service (V.I.P.S.) from the Gilbert Police Department.
An Honor Guard from the multiple cities including Chandler was present. Also, a Pipe and Drum team from various Departments was there. At one point during the reception ceremony, three helicopters flew overhead as a tribute to Captain Tinkham.
Captain Tinkham's family was present as well as many firefighters from various departments and the general public who came to show their respect.
Although the weather was hot there were no medical incidents or any other problems noted during the event. There were plenty of water stations set up around the event that were maintained by members of the City of Glendale Fire Department Cadets.
The hazy, hot, and humid days of summer are now occurring in many sections of the United States. With the arrival of the summer equinox, the Emergency Management and Response--Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) understands there is increased risk of heat stress, heat exhaustion, or the more serious heat stroke for Emergency Services Sector (ESS) personnel.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), working in extreme temperatures is not only uncomfortable, it can be life threatening. An OSHA official stated: "It is important for workers and their employers to minimize the chances of heat-induced illnesses, and imperative that they recognize the signs of heat stress and take proper precautions to reduce the chances of illness or death."
Because first responders must frequently perform duties in extreme heat environments, OSHA advises that proactive and aggressive precautions should be enforced. Therefore, the EMR-ISAC acquired the following recommendations from various sources for the consideration of ESS departments and agencies:
· Urge personnel to drink plenty of water before coming on duty and during duty performance.
· Advise personnel to avoid soft drinks, sugary liquids, or caffeinated beverages.
· Encourage personnel to get plenty of rest while off duty.
· Urge personnel to report any symptoms of dehydration, heat cramps, heat stroke, or heat exhaustion.
· Require the presence of EMS with a transport unit during all training and incident responses.
· Create a rehabilitation center with tents for shaded areas at training and incident sites.
· Provide electrolyte sports drinks and bottled water.
· Set up an extra hose to provide a place for personnel to cool off.
· Set up limb immersion chairs under tents and provide cool towels.
· Monitor temperature and relative humidity continuously.
· Ensure personnel accountability.
· Enforce work-to-rest ratios.
· Bring extra personnel to major events to provide adequate relief for exhausted crews.
More information regarding this subject can be seen at FEMA's Extreme Heat Backgrounder.
http://www.fema.gov/hazard/heat/background.shtm
FEMA and CDC
Submitted by Bob La Plante
Join the Corporation for Community and National Service (CNCS) as they host a conference call with news & updates for organizations engaged or wanting to be engaged with "United We Serve"-- the President and First Lady's summer community service initiative. The conference call is Thursday, July 23rd at 4:00 PM Eastern Time, the call-in information follows:
Call In: 800-857-0884
Passcode: 9381297
Topics that will be covered include:
This week is United We Serve's Community Renewal week.
Earlier this week, United We Serve's Office of Public Affairs held a conference call to discuss press strategies with our partners. We had 160+ organizations join the call. We will recap key take-aways as needed.
Details of your United We Serve events that can be promoted during issue weeks.
Open floor time for cross discussion amongst organizations.
As a reminder, here is the calendar of United We Serve Issue Weeks:
July 20-26: Community Renewal Week
July 27-Aug 2: Education Week
August 3-9: Energy & Environment Week
August 10-16: Health - coincides with National Health Care Week
August 24-30: Security: Veterans Care and Military Family Support Safety: Disaster Preparedness and Relief (Katrina Anniversary)
August 31-Sept 6: Interfaith
Sept 7-Sept 11: Lead-up to 9/11, culmination
Attached is a one-pager about United We Serve for your use. If you'd like more information on United We Serve, please visit the website:
www.serve.gov.
This news story and other Community Preparedness news, including Citizen Corps Bulletins, can be found on our website at
http://www.citizencorps.gov/.
The National Office of Citizen Corps
FEMA Community Preparedness Division
Children, active adults and those with respiratory illness should restrict their outdoor activities.
HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO:
-
RIDE the Bus, Light Rail, Carpool, or Telecommute if possible
-
ELIMINATE all unnecessary driving and/or combine trips
-
REFUEL After Dark
-
DON'T USE Gas Powered Lawn or Garden Equipment
