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November 30, 2011 at 12:46 pm By Roz Potter
The one-day event that will give a big jump-start to your preparedness activities is happening this Saturday, December 3rd, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the John Muir Inn in Napa.
Here’s the talent line-up:
Live Demonstrations:
Water need, storage and purification (4 methods)
Handling electrical, water, and natural gas emergencies
Earthquake protection devices for your home
A multitude of devices for emergency lighting, communications, energy and self-defense
Disassembly of Go bags and First Aid Kits, to see what’s really inside and if you could really live on it if you had to
Disaster Planning and Response - you’ll get many of the documents you need so that your household disaster plan at the ready – you just need to fill in the blanks
Supply lists for Home, Work, School and Car “Go” bags
Instruction and Discussion – 2.5 hours of stories, historic photographs, and lessons from past disasters that past workshop participants have called “profoundly moving and instructive”.
The emphasis is on instruction, but we’ll have some supplies and a deluxe “Go” bag for 2, available
Registration is available at the door. Call 255-7146 for any questions or to register in advance. $60 fee, with a $10 discount for Seniors, full-time students, prior Defying Disaster workshop participants and individuals from the same address.
Posted in Disaster preparedness, Earthquake Preparedness | No Comments »
November 19, 2011 at 1:42 pm By Roz Potter
From a study from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Link
Excerpts:
Only 2 percent of all seafood imported into the U.S. is tested for contamination, while the European Union, Japan and Canada inspect as much as 50 percent, 18 percent, and 15 percent of certain imported seafood products. When testing in the U.S. does occur, residues of drugs used in aquaculture, or “fish farms,” are sometimes found; above certain concentrations, these drugs are harmful to humans.
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David Love, PhD, lead author of the study, and colleagues at the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future, acquired data on seafood inspection programs from governmental websites and from direct queries to governmental bodies.
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Love and colleagues’ results showed that the FDA tests for 13 types of drug residues, in contrast to inspection agencies in Europe and Japan that test for 34 and 27 drugs, respectively. This discrepancy suggests that seafood producers can use many drugs for which the U.S. does not screen.
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Imports to the U.S., E.U., Canada and Japan with the highest frequency of drug violations were shrimp or prawns, eel, crabs, catfish or pangasius, tilapia and salmon. Vietnam, China, Thailand, Indonesia, Taiwan, India, and Malaysia were identified as the exporters to the U.S., E.U., Canada and Japan with the most drug violations.
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“Imported seafood may carry risks in terms of food safety because the FDA does not have the resources to proactively and regularly inspect foreign facilities, and it relies on product testing as a last resort,” said Love. To minimize the risks of seafood imports and to raise U.S. testing standards to match those of other countries, the authors recommend that the FDA budget be expanded to allow for more exhaustive testing and hiring of more inspectors.
To read more, Link
Posted in Food Safety | No Comments »
November 19, 2011 at 12:01 am By Roz Potter
Dear Readers,
In just a bit over two weeks, in the space of 6 hours, you have an opportunity to jump-start disaster preparedness. The event is the Earthquake / Disaster Readiness Expo. The Expo is being held Saturday, December 3rd 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.at the at the John Muir Inn, in Napa. .
If you’re prepared for disaster, you can react more quickly, safely and decisively to a number of situations that can arise in a heartbeat.
1. You hear the hiss and smell of natural gas, should you turn off the gas or run? Do you know where and how to turn off the gas?
2. Lamps have fallen over in an earthquake, is it safe to touch them? Should you unplug them or turn off the main breaker?
3. You must evacuate, should you leave your pets behind? What should you take with you, if there is time?
4. You smell natural gas, is it safe to flip a light switch?
5. Water is running down the street from broken water pipes. Should you turn off your water? Does this mean that sewer pipes are also broken? Do you know how to protect your home from massive sewer backups that happen after disasters?
6. Electricity has been out for 4 days. Is it safe to eat food from the freezer? Burglars are taking advantage of the situation. How can you protect your home? Are candles safe to use for extended periods?
7. Phone, cell and internet services are out. How can you communicate with family members, friends or neighbors?
8. Some roads are damaged and impassible. Do family members know where to go if they can’t get home?
9. You’re running low on water. What is the safest method of water purification? What water sources are safe to use, safest to purify?
LEARN essential skills and information from live demonstration and presentations, such as how to:
- purify water
- handle utility emergencies
- shelter in place
- use safety. self-defense, and earthquake protection devices
- fight a fire
- select worthwhile lighting, communication, sanitation, first-aid, food and water supplies
SEE what’s inside those off-the-shelf 3-day “Go” bags and First-Aid kits, and if they’ll really take care of your needs
TASTE 3 brands of emergency food bars and, 5 year shelf life water
BUILD 3-day “Go” bags for yourself, family members or for gifts – we’ll have the carriers and supplies
PUT TOGETHER your own disaster plan with the comprehensive documents we provide
PARTICIPATE in a 2.5 hour lecture that’s full of stories, historic photographs and lessons from past disasters
$60 fee includes lecture, demonstrations, Defying Disaster’s preparedness documents including communication, reunification, utility emergency, medical information and pet plans, 3-day “Go” bag supply lists for home, car, school and work, and a Defying Disaster tote bag.
$10 discount for prior Defying Disaster workshop participants, full-time students, seniors over 65, and individuals from the same address. Scholarships are available ($20 full cost).
For details and to save a place, call 707-255-7146. I hope to see you there.
Posted in Disaster preparedness, Personal safety, Personal security, Training | No Comments »
November 13, 2011 at 12:00 pm By Roz Potter
Reported in the Preparedness Report, from Yale New Haven Center for Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response: Link
Tens of thousands of Connecticut residents went to bed wondering whether they would awake Monday to find themselves among an unenviable fraternity: the small percentage of people entering their second week without power.
The electrical outages, the legacy of a storm that hammered the Northeast on Oct. 29 and 30, were largely an unpleasant memory by Sunday night for most of the 3 million who lost power at the height of the storm.
But in Connecticut (editor’s note: this is just one state out of several affected), as of November 9th, nearly 3,500 residents remained without electricity, eleven days after the storm. In New Jersey and Massachusetts, only a few hundred customers remained without power.
Many of those displaced by the incident remain at one of the 12 remaining shelters in Connecticut.
As severe weather events become more frequent, particularly in view of larger scale threats such as a severe solar storm, or an act of cyberterrorism, it becomes ever more important to prepare for severe cold, and heat. See CDC reference on hypothermia here and the CDC page on health and safety concerns for all disasters here.
Posted in Infrastructure Failure, Severe Weather Preparedness, natural disasters | No Comments »
November 9, 2011 at 9:17 am By Roz Potter
From FEMA and the FCC:
As part of their ongoing efforts to keep our country and communities safe during emergencies, the Federal Communications Commission and Federal Emergency Management Agency will conduct the first nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS).
The EAS test plays a key role in ensuring the nation is prepared for all hazards, and that the U.S. public can receive critical and vital information, should it ever be needed.
The first nationwide test will be conducted today, November 9 at 2 p.m. eastern. This test will last about 30 seconds, and will be transmitted via television and radio stations within the U.S., including Alaska, Hawaii, the territories of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa.
Similar to local emergency alert system tests, an audio message will interrupt television and radio programming indicating: “This is a test.” When the test is over, regular programming will resume. For more information about the nationwide Emergency Alert System test, please visit www.FEMA.gov and www.FCC.gov.
During this exercise, please remember: Don’t stress; it’s only a test.
Posted in Community Preparedness | No Comments »
November 7, 2011 at 12:35 am By Roz Potter
From the BBC, Link
An informative, animated guide depicting the forces that both create and emanate from an earthquake.
Posted in Earthquake | No Comments »
November 5, 2011 at 11:02 pm By Roz Potter
From Dr. Tara Smith’s Aetiology blog, Link
Some parents are exposing their children to the body fluids of other people’s children to purposefully cause chickenpox, measles and other serious viral diseases.
Facebook is used to hook up parents who have infected children, with parents who want their uninfected and unvaccinated children to acquire these diseases naturally. Participating parents mistakenly believe that vaccinations cause autism.
The US Mail is used to send the contaminated lollipops and other treats.
Please check out the link above, and its CBS news video, to learn more.
Posted in Child Health, Child Safety, Infectious and Communicable Disease | No Comments »
Of Note