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TextHealth and Safety Podcast Transcript: Sept. 8, 2010
Hello, and welcome to the Fairfax County Health and Safety Podcast for Sept. 8, 2010. I’m Jim Person, Fairfax County emergency information officer. Coming up, learn about hurricane safety and National Preparedness Month, how local firefighters assisted with back to school, the need for volunteers for an emergency exercise later this month and a pre-disaster recovery planning workshop for area businesses on Sept. 14. Links to topics mentioned in this podcast can be found online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov.
We are in the middle of hurricane season. Fortunately, Fairfax County residents did not experience any ill effects from Hurricane Earl, but we should all be prepared for possible hurricanes during the next couple of months. The CDC – the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – reminds residents to take rubber boots, rubber gloves and goggles with you when you evacuate. These will protect you from possible contaminated flood waters when you return after the storm.
The CDC also has a hurricane tips widget that allows you to display hurricane safety tips directly on your personal Web page, blog and other sites. Once you've added the widget, there's no technical maintenance. CDC will update the content automatically. Find out more about available CDC widgets at www.cdc.gov/widgets.
Don’t forget that September is National Preparedness Month. It’s a great time to make sure you have an emergency supply kit for your home and personal vehicle. If not, get one. And if you do, make sure your kit is fully stocked and ready to go. More information about National Preparedness Month can be found at www.ready.gov. For assistance putting together an emergency supply kit, contact the Fairfax County Office of Emergency Management at 571-350-1000, or online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/emergency.
Fairfax County firefighters distributed backpacks and school supplies earlier this month at Fire and Rescue Station 11, Penn Daw. Local firefighters collected backpacks and school supplies for several weeks for school children in Fairfax County and the Washington Metropolitan Area. Through generous donations and support from area businesses, over 1,000 backpacks were filled with school supplies. Congratulations to Fairfax County’s firefighters and local businesses and residents for pitching in and making the back-to-school effort a success.
Fairfax County residents are needed Saturday, Sept. 25, to act as mock emergency volunteers. Volunteer Fairfax, the Fairfax County Office of Emergency Management and the Fairfax County Health Department will be testing Volunteer Reception Center (VRC) plans, which assign volunteers to the needs of emergency response and recovery specialists. By simply walking through the VRC, you will help improve the ability to direct volunteers in future emergencies. No prior training is needed and there are no physical limitations prohibiting participation. The event will take place throughout the morning and early afternoon, although your commitment will not last the length of the exercise. There also will be additional information and resources available to help you better prepare your family, business and property for an emergency. If you are interested in acting as a volunteer, e-mail Volunteer Fairfax at ERexercise@volunteerfairfax.org.
And finally, a Pre-Disaster Recovery Workshop will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 14, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the McConnell Public Safety and Transportation Operations Center, 4890 Alliance Drive in Fairfax. Members of the business community, nonprofits and faith-based organizations are encouraged to attend to help complete a Fairfax County pre-disaster recovery plan. For more information, call the Fairfax County Office of Emergency Management at 571-350-1000. You may also register online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/oem.
That’s it for this edition of the Fairfax County Health and Safety Podcast, produced by the Fairfax County, Virginia government. Thanks for listening. Additional information about health and safety topics and emergency preparedness may be found online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov. And remember, if you have a police, fire or medical emergency, call 9-1-1. For non-emergency needs, call 703-691-2131.
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