June 2012

Issue 6 EP-MRC MONTHLY

Upcoming

Events:

• June 8th

BCHD Zombie Drill

• June 13th

Animal Response

Team Meeting

Individual Highlights:

Phone Tree 2

Hurricane

Safety 3

Strike Teams 4

Fundraiser 6

Event Calendar 7

Lightening 8

What better way to kick off summer than National Safety Month? Every June, countless organizations participate in National Safety Month by encouraging their employees, their families, and the public to engage in safety. National Safety Month is broken down into 4 weekly themes. Each theme touches on a relevant safety topic and is designed to make people aware of the associated hazards and how to reduce their chances of sustaining an injury. The National Safety Council (www.nsc.org) offers ideas and educational information to help people and organizations practice safety in their daily lives which, in turn, will help to prevent needless accidents and injuries. Week One focuses on health and wellness. The topics covered include quitting smoking, eating healthier, and exercising more. This goes hand in hand with the Presidential active Lifestyle Award Plus (PALA+). This first week would be a great time to plan to quit smoking. West Virginia has a wonderful resource for people wanting to quit smoking. It can be found at http://www.bebetter.net/wvquitline_home.html. That website has plenty of information and resources to help you quit. Another way to celebrate the first week of National Safety Month is by planning healthier meals. Try out new, healthier choice recipes. You don‟t have to sacrifice taste to eat healthier! Check out http://www.health.com/health/recipes/ for ideas! Finally, to increase your overall health and well-being, get out and exercise! Start slowly and check with your physician first. By getting your family, friends, and/or pets involved exercise can be fun. You can even set up your own account at presidentschallenge.org to record your progress. The second week highlights ergonomics. Ergonomics is all about designing your environment to fit you, at work and at home. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has a great website full of ergonomics information. It can be found here: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ergonomics/. The basic premise of ergonomics is to avoid overusing your muscles (through bad posture, poor lifting techniques, and repetitive motions) and to set up the environment in which you work or play to reduce stress on the body. HGTV has some great home ergonomics tips at http://www.hgtv.com/decorating/smart-tips-for-the-ergonomic-kitchen/index.html. Even kids can benefit from an ergonomic study area. Educaiton.com lists several ways you can make your child‟s work area more ergonomic: http://www.education.com/magazine/article/Ergonomics/. The key is to be aware of what your body is telling you. Do your hands hurt after playing video games? Do you get a headache or stiff neck while at the computer for a length of time? These may be signs that you should change how you do things/tasks to put less strain on your body. Preventing slips, trips, and falls is the topic of the third week. Slips, trips, and falls can happen for a variety of reasons. Sometimes they are weather related, some are due to poor housekeeping, and others may be due to health conditions. Many of these types of accidents are preventable. Look around you and see if you can find any potential hazards that may lead to a slip, trip, or fall. Involve the family in removing slip, trip, and fall hazards from your home. Remove clutter from the floor. Use non-slip rugs on tile floors. Make sure furniture does not block walkways. Remove leaves, acorns, or other debris from sidewalks. Have sturdy

National Safety Month

By Jen Nicolae

EP-MRC Monthly Page 2 of 8

“Celebrate National Safety

Month by making some

changes in your life to

improve your health and

safety. “

National Safety Month, Continued

handrails on indoor and outdoor stairways. Be aware of pets who may get underfoot. These are just a few simple ways to reduce your risk of slips, trips, and falls. The final week of National Safety Month concentrates on safe driving. This topic

encompasses many different dangers on the road such as distracted driving, increased traffic in the summer, impaired driving, road rage, and using seat belts. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has a great website with lots of information on driving safety: http://www.nhtsa.gov/Driving+Safety. One of the keys in driving safety that is becoming more and more relevant is to not let your phone be a distraction. How many times have you glanced at your phone while driving to read a text or to see who just sent you an email? Many adults driving while looking at their cell phones can be seen on our interstates and roads. Most kids are addicted to their phones. Do you think they drive any safer than adults? According to a 2007 survey conducted by the American Automobile Association, 46% of the teens surveyed text while driving. Inexperienced drivers who are not paying attention to the road they are driving on spells trouble. Set a good example for others. Put your cell phone away while driving, don‟t drive intoxicated, follow traffic laws, don‟t drive aggressively, and don‟t let aggressive drivers pull you into a confrontation. Drive safely and arrive alive! Celebrate National Safety Month by making some changes in your life to improve your health and safety. Involve those around you. Set a good example. Lead the way. And most importantly, continue your safe habits throughout the year!

Phone Tree Report

On May 10th, 2012, the Eastern Panhandle Medical Reserve Corps conducted the first drill of their Phone and Text Tree. This drill was used to find any big flaws in the Phone/Text Tree protocol and ensure those who have signed up understand the procedure. A total of 16 volunteers were contacted. Each branch of the phone tree was activated at a different time during the day and the following table shows how long each branch took to complete:

Phone Tree

Leader Type of

Communication Total Time

1 Call Only 11 Minutes

2 Text Only 1 Hour 25 Minutes

3 Text & Call 20 Minutes

Lessons Learned:

Two phone numbers on the phone tree were either typed incorrectly or were incomplete; these were noted and corrected once the drill was completed.

One volunteer who signed up for the phone and text tree was not called; this has been noted and he will be added to the list.

The Phone/Text Tree has been created as a back-up for our WVREDI call down system. It should be noted that in order to be included on this list, volunteers must fill out our Opt-In form. Currently 16 out of 183 volunteers have signed up. If you have yet to submit your form, please email Kristen.N.Lewis@wv.gov.

EP-MRC Monthly Page 3 of 8

Top Ten Reasons Hurricane Season is Like Christmas 10. Decorating the house (boarding up windows). 9. Dragging out boxes that haven't been used since last season (camping gear, flashlights). 8. Last minute shopping in crowded stores. 7. Regular TV shows pre-empted for "specials". 6. Family coming to stay with you. 5. Family and friends from out-of-state calling. 4. Buying food you don't normally buy ... and in large quantities. 3. Days off from work. 2. Candles.

1 And the number one reason Hurricane Season is like Christmas...At some point you know you're going to have a tree

in your house! June 1 through November 30 is hurricane season. While people normally think of the Gulf Coast states like Florida and Louisiana when they think of hurricanes, many other states, including West Virginia, can be affected as well. In 1996 and 2003, hurricanes Fran and Isabel impacted West Virginia. Not only did these hurricanes cause millions of dollars‟ worth of damage, but they had a major impact in the lives of the West Virginians affected by these storms. While hurricane force winds typically aren‟t a problem in West Virginia, flooding and mudslides are. Both flooding and mudslides can lead to widespread power outages and the inability for people and emergency responders to mobilize. Planning and preparing before a hurricane strikes is very important. Once the hurricane warning or watch is issued you will have to battle the crowds at the grocery and hardware stores. The first thing you should do is to create a checklist of all the supplies you will need in the event of a hurricane. Food and water are very important. You should have one gallon of water per person per day and should have enough for 3 days for drinking and cooking and at least a three day supply of non-perishable food. Try to buy food that needs little or no preparation and keep in mind any special dietary needs of your family members. You will also need a first aid kit, non-prescription drugs, as well as any medications that you or your family members are taking. The next thing you will need will be supplies such as plastic utensils, batteries, flashlights, cash, fire extinguishers, wrench, and tarps. You will also need personal items such as toiletries, soap, feminine hygiene supplies, and clothing. Board games and books will help to pass the time and to provide a diversion. As you are preparing for the hurricane be sure to put important records, such as immunizations, bank account information, passports, etc., in a waterproof, portable container. Other information to have on hand is inventories of valuable household items, important telephone numbers, insurance information, and family records. Make a habit of checking your food and water to be sure everything is fresh and unspoiled. Create a family disaster plan. This plan will help familiarize everyone with what to do and where to go in the event of a hurricane. If you do not have transportation, make a plan to have someone take you to the evacuation center. Your house will need to be secured before the hurricane hits in order to minimize damage. Clean all gutters and drains. Bring in outdoor objects that have the potential to become airborne and anchor any objects you are unable to bring inside. Cover the windows with storm shutters or 5/8” marine plywood to prevent breakage. Make sure trees and shrubs have been trimmed to remove any dead limbs or branches. All these steps will help to minimize the damage to your house in a hurricane. If you are not being evacuated there are many ways you can prepare. Only use your phone in the event of an emergency; you may not have power (or the ability to charge your phone) so you‟ll want to save your cell phone‟s battery. Listen to the radio for updates on the weather. Be prepared to turn off your utilities (water, electric, etc.) if instructed to do so. Try to minimize the number of times you open your refrigerator door. Fill the bathtub with water if possible to ensure water will be available for flushing toilets and bathing. If an evacuation is ordered, leave as soon as you are directed to do so. Before leaving, unplug appliances and turn off utilities. Use one vehicle. Listen to the radio for updates on evacuation routes and weather conditions. Let others know where you are going and when you are leaving. Do not attempt to drive through a flooded road. Keep an eye out for washed out bridges. Follow any directions given by law enforcement, shelter organizers, or other authority figures. Do not bring weapons, illegal drugs, or alcohol to shelters!

By Jen Nicolae

Hurricane Season

EP-MRC Monthly Page 4 of 8

Once the hurricane has passed and you are allowed to return home there are several things to remember to ensure your homecoming is a safe one. Stay tuned to the radio for information. Stay clear of power lines that are dangling or completely down. Open windows and doors to help ventilate and dry your house. Take pictures of damaged areas for your insurance company. Check for gas leaks. If you suspect there may be a leak, leave the house immediately and leave the doors open. Don‟t eat or drink anything until you are certain the food and water is not contaminated or spoiled. Hurricanes can be very devastating so it is important that you prepare early and follow all instructions given by local authorities in order to minimize problems. Early preparation will help to minimize stress, especially if everyone in your family knows what their role is and that they have the materials necessary to carry out their part of the emergency plan. So, prepare early and prepare well in order to be able to “weather the storm.” Useful links: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/disaster_prevention.shtml http://hurricanesafety.org/prepare/ http://www.iccsafe.org/safety/Pages/hurricane.aspx http://www.ready.gov/hurricanes

Hurricane Season, Continued

Strike Teams

As mentioned in our February

newsletter, the Eastern

Panhandle Medical Reserve

Corps is trying to establish

strike teams to focus on

certain functions needed

during emergencies.

These strike teams will also

focus on and develop different

activities and initiatives

throughout the year. Activities

will vary depending on the focus

of the strike team.

Below is a list of the strike teams that are forming; if

you wish to be a part of a particular team, please let

us know.

Animals in Disaster

Behavioral Health

Homeless Outreach

Special Populations

Communications

Elderly Outreach

Also, if you have any ideas for potential strike teams

that you would wish to be a part of or lead, please

inform your Unit Leader, Kristen Lewis, by emailing

her at Kristen.N.Lewis@wv.gov.

EP-MRC Monthly Page 5 of 8

Greetings! I would like to highlight a very important June event that is quickly approaching. June 12

th 5pm – Farewell Potluck For Kristen Lewis. Call for details. (202) 557-1515 or (304) 267-7130

June 22

nd, 2012: Kristen Lewis, our dedicated MRC Leader and VISTA volunteer will be spending her last day with the Eastern

Panhandle MRC on Friday June 22, and leaving to travel home to New England on Saturday June 23rd

. Kristen has spent the past 12 months as part of our community and more importantly, part of our MRC family and BC health department family. It is with mixed emotions that we watch her depart us - moving on to her next adventure. Although we are very sad she is leaving and will greatly miss her and her hard working spirit as part of our family, we are also very proud and congratulate her as she leaves us to pursue her graduate degree in public health! Kristen has been instrumental in a number of successes the EP-MRC has achieved in the past 12 months. I‟ll list only a small number of her activities to illustrate her hard work: increased the volunteer number by 68% ~ drafted & published EP-MRC standard operating procedures ~ edited and published the volunteer handbook ~ developed EP-MRC animals in disaster strike team ~ drafted and published EP-MRC newsletter ~ created & activated the EP-MRC phone tree ~ held EP-MRC volunteer luncheon ~ enrolled James Rumsey LPN class of 2012 and HOSA group ~ created general partnership agreements template ~ held steering committee meetings ~ held volunteer meetings ~ held strike team meetings ~ participated in community exercises ~ participated in Berkeley County LEPC meetings ~ participated and coordinated MRC involvement in Jefferson County anthrax drill ~ participated in Promise Neighborhood Program Committee ~ participated in soup kitchen outreach and health screening ~ set up fundraising through printer cartridge and used cell phone recycling ~ updated MRC national web site regularly ~ applied for various grants with several being funded ~ participated in Jefferson and Berkeley County Special populations meetings ~ participated in the eastern panhandle drug coalition ~ formatted the draft committee guidance for EP-MRC steering committee ~ held MRC cookie exchange for holiday meeting ~ created SOP for EP-MRC activation requests ~ participated in Air Guard table top exercises ~ presented MRC info to James Rumsey EMT classes ~ presented to diabetes group at city hospital ~ organized and participated in national „formidable footprint” exercise for EP-MRC ~ held EP-MRC unit trainings ~ Held EP-MRC unit orientations ~ participated in MLK day of caring ~ observed City hospital Decon Drill ~ created draft EP-MRC COOP plan ~ attended Berkeley Health & Human Services Collaborative meetings quarterly ~ participated in National Preparedness month meetings ~ presented preparedness info to Berkeley Senior Center ~ attended MRC regional meeting ~ attended MRC national Meeting ~ attended MRC state meeting ~ researched funding to support new VISTA or permanent part time MRC staff person ~ participated in Jefferson County counter terrorism meetings ~ interviewed & screened new volunteers ~ presented EP-MRC partnership idea to ham radio group and signed up volunteers ~ drafted EP-MRC volunteer levels of involvement ~ participated in IRS health and safety fair ~ had MRC volunteers help out with Drug Coalition pharmaceutical take back program ~ participated in volunteer tabling event at “Pickin in the panhandle”… The list goes on and on. So without further explanation – let me say we are all going to miss Kristen very much, and she has been instrumental in moving our MRC unit forward in a variety of capacities.

If you have a few moments, please take time to call her, wish her well and thank her for her dedication to the EP-MRC - before her last

day on June 22nd

. (304) 267-7130. Thank you Kristen! – Until we see you again - Good Luck! Bonne Chance- Buona fortuna - Buena

suerte - 好运气 - Held og lykke - がんばって - VIEL GLÜCK - Boa sorte - Lycka till !!

Welcome to summer! As many of you noticed, summer arrived with a “bang” on Memorial Day weekend, with temperatures inland

hitting the mid to high 90-„s in some areas. Hopefully, as MRC volunteers, you were prepared with sunscreen, adequate water, and

insect repellant, if you were spending time outdoors during the holiday weekend.

Summer Safety: Take this quiz: http://pediatrics.about.com/cs/quizzes/l/bl_summer_quiz.htm Summer is all about being outdoors, which brings up the topics of heat, food safety, bites, burns and water safety. SUMMER FOOD SAFETY: Tips for grilling:

Be sure to use thorough hand washing techniques. If no running water is available, be sure to use a good hand sanitizer.

Always marinate foods in the refrigerator, not on the counter or outdoors. Don't use excess marinades or sauce that was used to marinate raw meat or poultry on cooked food to add flavor, you could be adding unwanted bacteria.

Partially cook food in oven, microwave or stove to reduce grilling time.

Cook food to a safe internal temperature. Use a food thermometer to be sure.

Never use the same plate for raw and cooked food.

Grilled food can be kept hot until served be moving to the side of the grill rack

Keep raw foods separate from cooked foods. Separate different types of foods such as beef and poultry separate while cooking. Different foods require different cooking temperatures.

If traveling with perishable foods, be sure to pack them in an adequate amount of ice to last the length of the trip.

Coordinator’s Notes By: Denise Ryan

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EP-MRC Monthly Page 7 of 8

July 2011 August 2011 September 2011

16th Pet Safety Day Fair 28th Volunteer Meeting 30th Morgan County Drill

30th & 31st Morgan County Fair

Berkeley Co. Fair 1st-6th Jefferson Co. Fair 21st -27th 24th MRC Orientation 30th Volunteer Meeting

National Preparedness Month

7th Soup Kitchen Screenings 9th – 12th Pickin’ in the

Panhandle 12th Promise Neighborhood

Eve of Caring 13th Day of Caring 24th & 25th Target Tabling

October 2011 November 2011 December 2011 1st Freedom’s Run 5th Soup Kitchen Screenings 8th Hispanic Fest 8th & 9th Kmart Safety

Weekend 13th-16th Apple Harvest

Fest 26th IRS Health Fair

9th EAS Test 30th Psychological First Aid

Training 30th Soup Kitchen Screenings

3rd Orientation 28th Soup Kitchen Screenings

January 2012 February 2012 March 2012 20th Cookie Exchange 25th Orientation 25th Soup Kitchen

Screenings 28th Formidable Footprint,

Online Influenza Pandemic Exercise

29th Soup Kitchen Screenings 9th – 11th WV Home Show 21st Animal Response Interest

Meeting 28th Jefferson County Exercise 28th OWLS 28th Soup Kitchen Screenings

April 2012 May 2012 June 2012 Volunteer Appreciation

Month 19th Volunteer Luncheon 25th Soup Kitchen

Screenings

21st-25th MRC National Conference

30th Soup Kitchen Screenings

8th BCHD Exercise 13th Animal Response

Meeting 27th Soup Kitchen Screenings

Events Calendar

EP-MRC Monthly Page 8 of 8

As the weather gets warmer we also get more and more thunderstorms. Along with the booming noise comes lightning. Every year people die from lightning strikes and hundreds more are injured. As thunderstorm season approaches there are several things you can do to minimize your risk of damage during a storm, both to your property and to your family. The first thing you need is an emergency kit and a plan that details where your family should meet in the event of a storm. This is especially important in storms where you lose power. You should also remove any dead or rotting trees, shrubs, or limbs that have the potential to come down in a storm. You should also secure any loose items in your yard or on your house like lawn furniture, ornamental décor, etc. Unplug household electronics. Close outside door and shutter windows. If you do not have shutters you can close the blinds, curtains, or shades. Stay off your porch. As the storm approaches, move indoors if possible. Use the 30/30 Lightning Rule while states that, after you see lightning if you cannot count to 30 before hearing thunder you should find shelter indoors. You should stay inside for at least 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder. If you are not near a building, you should find shelter in a car but keep in mind that your car is not as safe as a building. While indoors, try to avoid using a corded phone. Stay away from electrical equipment and cords. Avoid contact with plumbing. This means no showers, laundry, or washing your hands. Do not lie on concrete floors or lean on concrete walls. If you are outdoors when a thunderstorm occurs there are still places you can use for shelter. In wooded areas you should find a low spot and find shelter under a thick grove of small trees. If you are in an open area like a field, find a low place but be aware of the potential for flash floods. If you are on the water, get to shore and find shelter. If at any time during a thunderstorm you feel your hair standing on end, squat down on the balls of your feet. Put your hands over your ears and put your head between your knees. Try to become as small as possible and minimize your contact with the ground. Do not lie flat on the ground! By taking precautions you can minimize the likelihood of being struck by lightning. www.ready.gov has many more tips and information on lightning that you will find useful. So while you start enjoying the warmer weather take care to safeguard yourself against lightning.

Lightening

The Eastern Panhandle Medical Reserve Corps is a volunteer organization that

responds to assist the emergency response system in an event. Nationally, MRC

was created in 2002 in response to President Bush‟s call to service during his

State of the Union address.

EP-MRC has been around since 2006. If you or someone you know would like to

become a volunteer, please contact Kristen Lewis, Unit Leader, using the

information on the right.

About Our Organization…

400 West Stephen Street Suite #204

Martinsburg, WV 25401

PHONE: (304) 267-7130

FAX: (304) 263-8274

E-MAIL: Kristen.N.Lewis@WV.gov

We‟re on FaceBook!

Please “Like” our page to get updates.

www.facebook.com/easternpanhandlemrc

By Jen Nicolae