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Entries in Emergency Notification (5)

Wednesday
Mar162011

Statement from California’s Department of Public Health and Emergency Management Agency on Risk of Radiation Exposure

*The following news release was issued by Cal EMA on Tuesday, March 15, 2011.*

SACRAMENTO – Today the interim director of the California Department of Public Health, Dr. Howard Backer, and acting secretary of the California Emergency Management Agency, Mike Dayton, issued the following statement emphasizing Californians’ safety from radiation exposure and the risks of taking potassium iodide as a precautionary measure.

“The safety of all Californians is our highest priority, and we are in constant contact with the federal agencies responsible for monitoring radiation levels across the West Coast.

We want to emphasize that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have all stated that there is no risk expected to California or its residents as a result of the situation in Japan.

We are actively monitoring the situation in Japan and are ready to take all steps necessary to protect Californians should risks develop.

We urge Californians to not take potassium iodide as a precautionary measure. It is not necessary given the current circumstances in Japan, it can present a danger to people with allergies to iodine, shellfish or who have thyroid problems, and taken inappropriately it can have serious side effects including abnormal heart rhythms, nausea, vomiting, electrolyte abnormalities and bleeding.

Our thoughts are with the people of Japan at this tragic time.”

Californians with questions about radiation exposure can contact the California Department of Public Health’s Emergency Operations information line at 916 341-3947.

For updated information on monitoring, response and relief efforts in California and Japan, please visit the California Emergency Management Agency website at www.calema.ca.gov.

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For more you can go to our recent Disaster Preparedness Blog post on:

What You Need To Know About Potassium Iodide or KI

Monday
Aug092010

Workplace Violence and What to Do About It

Most people consider their place of work safe and free from violence.  No one really wants to think that when they leave for work they will have to confront verbal abuse, threats, or deal with physical assaults and homicide. However, workplace violence is a growing problem and concern for both employers and employees nationwide.

In fact, according to OSHA, two million Americans are victims of workplace violence every year. People who work in certain professions also face an increased risk of violence. These professions include anyone who exchanges money with the public; delivers passengers, goods or services; people who work alone or in small groups; healthcare workers, social service workers, probation workers, gas and utility workers, phone and cable TV installers, letter carriers, and retail workers.

Employers need to consider workplace violence as having the potential of happening in their office or place of business, and also need to educate employees on how to handle such issues. For instance, the employer should establish a workplace violence prevention program, and ensure that all employees know the policy and have that policy within an employee handbook.

Some things the policy should contain is a policy to carry only a minimal amount of money, make drops into the safe often. Also avoid traveling alone and avoid unfamiliar locations and situations when possible.  Be sure to call the police after any violent incident, and keep a log book to document what happened.  

Employers should also have policies in place to secure the workplace to prevent and deter any potential violence by having surveillance cameras, extra lighting, alarm systems, security guards, identification badges and if possible electronic key cards for building access.

There are a great many more things to include in your policies and training but this should get you started. For more information on workplace violence be sure to visit:

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/workplaceviolence/

And review the OSHA fact sheet  on workplace violence.

I have another article coming up shortly which confronts a specific workplace violence issue – The Active Shooter.

Monday
May032010

Disaster Tip of the Week: Can't Get Through On Your Cell Phone After A Disaster, Try Sending A Text Message

In times of disaster and crisis it is often difficult to get through to other people over the phone whether it is a land line based system or a cellular phone.

However, the one thing that does work is sending SMS based texted messages. This is due to the way SMS messages work, the important thing to know is that they require less bandwidth to send the messages over the network, and once you hit send your mobile device will keep trying to send the message until it is sent if the network is busy. All this increases the chances that your message will be sent to its destination.

Though I wont get into the super techincal of how SMS messaages work or the different protocols and spectrums involved, the important part is that you know that your message will get through and you have other options if you can't place a call.

Here is a little more on how SMS works and here: How Short Messaging Service Works

Why SMS Is Limited to 160 Characters

If you have any doubt the use of SMS messaging goes back to September 11th when people used it to send messages to loved ones. I also personally used SMS messaging duing 9/11 when I could not get through on the phone.

Though other examples may exist before then, this was the first major event to show that SMS text messages are a reliable way of getting your communications through after a disaster.

Since then, other examples include Katrina, the Mumbai terror attacks, and the earthquake in Hatti as well as others.

 

 

Thursday
Apr082010

Asteroid 2010 GA6 Will Pass Close to Earth Today

Last year I did a significant post on a near miss of earth by an asteroid that occurred on March 2, 2009. Today another recently discovered asteroid measuring approximately 71 feet across will pass close to the earth. The asteroid named 2010 GA6 will pass within 223,000 miles of earth and will be 16,000 miles closer to us than the moon. The event will occur approximately at 4:00 pm PST.

This past January another asteroid passed within 76,000 miles of earth as well.

Though it should pass safely the discovery of the number of asteroids passing near the earth is on the rise due to more time, techniques and research being devoted to their discovery.

Referred to NEO's (Near Earth Objects) there are a number of groups and people concerned with this external threat that these objects present. One of the most notable organizations involved in this area is The Association of Space Explorers (ASE) Committee on Near-Earth Objects (NEOs)

The ASE-NEO committee is dedicated to raising awareness of this issue and in efforts to get the international community to protect the Earth from future asteroid impacts.

Another interesting group which I have only become recently aware of through some brief communications with Rusty Schweickart is the B612 Foundation. The goal of the B612 Foundation is to find a method for significantly altering the orbit of an asteroid so that it does not impact the earth. They plan on doing this by 2015.

Interestingly enough Rusty Schweickart and I are planning on getting together sometime in the next moth or two to discuss this very issue. I'll keep you posted as to what occurs and how I become involved more with this issue over the next several months.

 

Monday
Jun222009

LA County Installs Reverse 911/Emergency Notification System 

LA County launched an emergency alert notification system on Thursday to notify residents during a disaster.

The system is already connected to all land-line phones in the county but you can add your cellphone and email by going to alert.lacounty.gov.

Here is some info from that site:

Los Angeles County has implemented an emergency mass notification system that will be used to contact County residents and businesses via recorded phone messages, text messages or e-mail messages in case of emergency. The system, called Alert LA County, will be used by the County’s Emergency Operations Center to notify residents and businesses of emergencies or critical situations and provide information regarding necessary actions, such as evacuations. The system utilizes the telephone companies’ 911 database and is able to contact land-line telephone numbers, whether listed or unlisted. If the call is picked up by an answering machine, the system will leave a recorded message. If the number called is busy or does not answer, the system will redial the number in an attempt to deliver the message. The system is also TTY/TDD compatible.

Sheriff’s officials cautioned that while the new system is effective, people should not wait for a call to leave their home during a disaster. If you think you’re in danger, get out.