Focus on Fire Safety: Fireworks

For Americans, Fourth of July celebrations usually signify summer fun, vacations, and the gathering of family and friends, but Independence Day can also bring tragedy. In a typical year, more U.S. fires are reported on July 4 than on any other day and fireworks account for half of those fires. Sparklers, firecrackers, and rockets are the leading contributors to these injuries. Because most fireworks injuries are preventable, everyone can enjoy a safe and happy holiday by following a few fireworks safety tips. (From FEMA Website)

Who is at Most Risk?

In 2007, U.S. hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 9,800 people for fireworks related injuries.

• 56% of 2007 emergency room fireworks-related injuries were to the extremities and 36% were to the head.
• 49% of the 2007 fireworks injuries were burns, while 29% were contusions and lacerations.
• Two of 5 people injured by fireworks were under the age of 15.
• The risk of fireworks injury was 2 ½ times as high for children ages 5-14 as for the general population.
• Sparklers, fountains, and novelties alone accounted for 56% of the emergency room fireworks injuries in 2007.

By the Numbers: Fireworks

30,100 =

Estimated number of fires caused by fireworks each year

9,500 =

Estimated number of injuries caused by fireworks each year

11 =

Fireworks-related deaths occurred in 2007

$34 million =

Amount of direct property loss caused by fireworks in 2006

Bottom Line: Please be careful with fireworks!

6/19/09 Special Weather Statement

The National Weather Service has issued a "Special Weather Statement" for today on the possibility of thunderstorms and "cold core funnel" clouds today.

As noted recently by one of our commenters to the blog, if you are receiving this message via email, then you're likely receiving this between 5p-6p at night when Feedburner sends out its daily digest. If you would like to receive these notices more rapidly, please subscribe to the RSS feed which should get these notices more quickly into your in-box.

Here is a short video called "RSS in Plain English" from my favorite videos made by Common Craft on YouTube:

Homeland Security Grant Announcement

Today, the Department of Homeland Security announced the release of $1.8 billion in various homeland security grant programs. Often the release of this type of funding results in the perception that there is a "lot of money" up for grabs among local emergency response agencies.

While $1.8 billion is a lot of money, it might be beneficial to talk briefly about what homeland security funding does for our community at the local level.

There are two basic types of funding that go to local emergency response agencies: State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) and Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grants.

1) SHSP funds are awarded to established "preparedness regions" within the State of Washington. Clark County is part of Region 4 which is additionally comprised of Cowlitz, Skamania and Wahkiakum counties. These 4 counties have met on a regular basis since 2004 to implement regional preparedness projects. SHSP-funded projects have included:

• Enhanced interoperable communications for emergency responders,
• Regional Emergency Community Notification System which provides telephone-based alerts to geographic areas that are experiencing a hazardous situation,
• Regional information-sharing system to enhance collaboration between the field and Emergency Operations Center environments,
• Training and specialized equipment for special capability teams like Technical Rescue, SWAT, Bomb Squads, Urban Search and Rescue, and HAZMAT teams,
• Incident Command System training for police, fire, public works, public health and emergency management programs,
• Exercises that test connectivity, coordination and response among disciplines,
• Public Education activities and training for volunteers and citizen preparedness organizations, and
• Staffing support for Emergency Management and the Region IV office.

2) Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) funding provides support to Clark County along with 4 counties in Oregon (Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington and Columbia) as surrounding counties to the "urban" City of Portland. The goal is to prepare our local responders and develop regional response plans to ensure a quality response anywhere within the urban footprint.

To that end, UASI funding is distributed to a wide variety of discipline groups towards regional projects that focus on planning, training, equipment, exercise, and organizational efforts. The benefits of working with our Urban Area partners include a number of tangible enhancements and developing relationships with other jurisdictions in advance of the crisis.

The funds announced today by the Department of Homeland Security will take some time to arrive locally. We must now embark on efforts to specify how the funds will be spent and await contract signatures with all of the involved partner agencies. We will likely see these funds available here early in 2010.

Thunderstorms Possible

The National Weather Service has issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook and a Special Weather Statement for the greater Portland metropolitan area which includes Clark County, Washington.

These statements indicate that there are favorable conditions for thunderstorms between 2p-8p today (June 9th) which could include heavy rain, small hail and lightening.

Keep safety in mind if you encounter these conditions.

Weather spotters are encouraged to report through their regular channels and standard operating procedures.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning Issued for South Clark County

THE NATL WEATHER SVC IN PORTLAND HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR.

EASTERN YAMHILL COUNTY IN NW OR.

EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN COLUMBIA COUNTY IN NW OR.

NORTHWESTERN CLACKAMAS COUNTY IN NW OR.

NORTHWESTERN MARION COUNTY IN NW OR.

WA COUNTY IN NW OR.

WESTERN MULTNOMAH COUNTY IN NW OR.

S. CLARK COUNTY IN SW WA.

* UNTIL 530 PM PDT.

* AT 450 PM PDT.NATL WEATHER SVC DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS

IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. THE LEADING EDGE OF THE HIGH WINDS WERE NEAR

HILLSBORO & & DOWNTOWN PORTLAND. THE BAND OF HIGH WINDS IS MOVING TO THE NO. AT 35 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR.

NO. PLAINS.BANKS.GALES CREEK & VANCOUVER DOWNTOWN.

MANNING.SAUVIE ISLAND.VANCOUVER LAKE & GLENWOOD.

BUXTON.FELIDA.CLARK COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS & SALMON CREEK.

SCAPPOOSE & BATTLE GROUND.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH.PREPARE IMMEDIATELY FOR DAMAGING WINDS.DESTRUCTIVE HAIL.& DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER.

PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF ON OR NEAR A LAKE OR RIVER.GET OUT OF THE WATER & MOVE INDOORS OR INSIDE A VEHICLE. REMEMBER.LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE OUT TO

15 MILES FROM THE PARENT THUNDERSTORM. IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER.YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. MOVE TO SAFE SHELTER NOW. DO NOT BE CAUGHT ON THE WATER IN A THUNDERSTORM.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM PDT THURSDAY EVENING FOR NORTHWESTERN OR.

We Appreciate Our Volunteers!

On Friday, May 29th, emergency service volunteers were honored at the Luepke Center for displaying their "Purpose in Action" throughout 2009.

This is an annual event to recognize volunteers for their countless hours and service contributions on behalf of the American Red Cross Disaster Action Teams, Medical Reserve Corps, Vancouver Police's Neighbors on Watch (NOW) Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), Amateur Radio Emergency Services, Clark Regional EOC Volunteers and the Volunteer Mobilization Center.

Each volunteer agency provides emergency response support to Clark County in the following ways:

Disaster Action Team (DAT) team members from the American Red Cross respond to residential fires throughout Clark County, providing shelter, food and clothing to displaced residents. They also canteen fire fighters and provide meals to emergency responders during crisis responses.

Members of Region IV Medical Reserve Corps are trained medical professionals and support staff who provide additional capacity to the health department when it surges for particular events. Recently, during the H1N1 Swine Flu activities, Medical Reserve Corps volunteers were able to put their training into action for the Health Department. Neighbors on Watch, with the Vancouver Police Department, provide strong community-based support to police officers. They patrol neighborhoods with their keen observation skills and are radio-trained so that they can connect immediately with emergency responders to provide rapid public safety responses.

Amateur Radio operators provide support to the Emergency Operations Center, American Red Cross, hospitals and schools throughout the county to provide back-up communications to public safety agencies. They also monitor river gauges and provide early warning information for rivers that regularly flood throughout the county.

CERT and Emergency Operations Center Volunteers support a number of community-wide public education events and participate in emergency response through efforts which may include sandbagging, answering phone calls in a public inquiry center, and filling in gaps with extra hands wherever they are called to help.

The Volunteer Mobilization Center volunteers are a cadre of trained folks who are preparing to handle the influx of spontaneous volunteers during emergencies. It wasn't long ago that we all remember the number of volunteers who came forward to assist with Hurricane Katrina. Agencies struggled to effectively place and handle volunteers with such willing hearts. Now, fortunately, in Clark County, plans are being developed to be able to respond to this need.

Whether visible to the community or working behind the scenes, we are incredibly grateful for the willingness, spirit and talents that these many volunteers bring to our community. Volunteers give of themselves every day to simply help others and for that, we owe you our eternal gratitude.

Prepare In A Year - Storing Water

Can you imagine what it would be like to be without water? We can't either - You could be without water in a large-scale disaster. We encourage all to prepare yourself and your family for any emergency that disrupts your supply of daily water - water you need to survive.

This Month #3 of our community Prepare In A Year preparedness campaign and the focus is Storing Water. Please take a few minutes to read about the simple ways to store and rotate emergency water.

Next months challenge topic is 72 Hour Comfort Kit.

Disaster Grants for Youth Projects

Are you under 25 years old and have a great idea about how to promote disaster preparedness?

If so, check out the $500 Disaster Grants being offered by Dunkin' Brands Community Foundation! Each week in 2009, these grants are being handed out for great ideas that are:

1) Youth Led and Driven,
2) Strive towards measurable change,
3) Community-focused,
4) Show long-term problem-solving action,
5) Illustrate creativity and diversity

Some examples of how these grants have been used describe inventorying key community assets, training scouts, and gathering useful donations. Read more about the type of projects and figure out how you can "Do Something" for preparedness.

Severe Weather Awareness Week

After a brief, yet exciting, thunderstorm this past Saturday, it is timely that May 4-9th is Severe Weather Awareness Week as celebrated by the National Weather Service. For each day this week, there is a specific focus on a particular type of severe weather that we experience here in the Pacific Northwest.

Monday, May 4th ~ Floods and Flash Floods

Tuesday, May 5th ~ Tornadoes and Waterspouts

Wednesday, May 6th ~ Strong Winds, Hail and Lightening

Thursday, May 7th ~ Wildland Fires

Friday, May 8th ~ Watches and Warnings

Saturday, May 9th ~ All-Hazard, Weather Radio

Take a few minutes this week and evaluate how prepared you are for dealing with severe weather.

Swine Flu Information and News

The Clark County Public Health department is taking action to mitigate the impact of the "Swine Influenza A/H1N1" in Clark County and SW Washington. Stay on top of current information by accessing the Clark County Public Health department at www.clark.wa.gov/public-health/diseases/swineflu.html or by calling (360) 397-8000. CRESA will post information here in support of the Clark County Public Health department as information unfolds.