Halloween Safety

News Release from: Oregon State Police
BASIC SAFETY HALLOWEEN PRECAUTIONS AND TIPS FOR ADULTS AND KIDS
Posted: October 12th, 2009 2:11 PM
Photo/sound file: http://www.flashalertnewswire.net/images/news/2009-10/1002/Badge_w.type_CMYK_CROPPED.2.jpg

The Oregon State Police - Missing Children Clearinghouse and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) understand parents and children have concerns when planning for Halloween activities. The below "Trick or Treating" safety tips, as well as free Children Identification Kits available in Spanish and English, are available to help parents keep their children safe.

"Child safety is important year round, but Halloween is an especially important time for parents and children to pay extra attention to their surroundings and not let their guard down," said Nancy McBride, National Safety Director of NCMEC. "It is important that parents exercise a few basic safety precautions to help ensure that Halloween is both fun and safe."

The following Halloween safety tips are offered by the Oregon State Police Missing Children Clearinghouse and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children:

1) Be sure older children TAKE FRIENDS and younger children are accompanied by a TRUSTED ADULT when "Trick or Treating."
2) Accompany younger children to the door of every home they approach and make sure parents and guardians are familiar with every home and all people from which the children receive treats.
3) Teach children to NEVER enter a home without prior permission from their parents or guardians.
4) Teach children to NEVER approach a vehicle, occupied or not, unless they are accompanied by a parent or guardian.
5) Make sure all children wear reflective clothing and carry a glow stick when out at dusk and at night.
6) Make sure children are able to see and breathe properly and easily when using facial masks. All costumes and masks should be clearly marked as flame resistant.
7) Teach children to NEVER approach a home that is not well lit both inside and outside.
8) Teach children to stay alert for any suspicious incidents and report them to their parents, guardians, and/or the proper authority.
9) Teach children if anyone tries to grab them to make a scene; loudly yell this person is not my father/mother/guardian; and make every effort to get away by kicking, screaming, and resisting.
10) Consider organizing or attending parties at home, in schools, or in community centers as a good alternative to "Trick or Treating."

Available year round through the Oregon State Police – Missing Children Clearinghouse (OSP MCC), ID Complete Child Identification and DNA kits are a wonderful proactive method to be prepared in case your child ever becomes missing. "These kits are not only helpful when you need them most, but they are also a great way to open up communication lines with your children regarding child safety," said Judy Hayes of the OSP MCC.

The child ID Complete kits were purchased with money raised during the 11th Annual Oregon State Police Missing Children Golf Benefit held in Salem last month. More than $14,000 was raised this year that will help buy 26,000 child ID kits.

Obtaining a child ID Complete kit from the Oregon State Police - Missing Children Clearinghouse can be done by calling (503) 934-0188 or outside Salem at 1-800-282-7155, or e-mail child.idkits@state.or.us . Please provide your name, address, number of kits needed and a call back phone number when making a request.

Winter Weather Awareness

The National Weather Service (NWS) offices in the Pacific Northwest will be holding their annual Winter Weather Awareness Campaign during the week of October 18 through October 24 to help educate the public on winter weather hazards. During this special week, they will be issuing daily statements about winter weather safety. Media outlets across Oregon, Washington and Idaho will also participate by running stories in local newspapers, radio and television broadcasts.

During that week we will post each day's topic so you can see what the NWS has to say about winter weather and how to prepare for it.

You can also find more information on winter weather safety on NWS webpages at:
www.nws.noaa.gov/om/winter/index.shtml

October is Fire Prevention Month

October is Fire Prevention Month. Below are some very useful tools to share
with family and friends.

Fire Safety Tools

Important Fire Safety Tools for Your Home.
See More About:
. fires
. emergency preparedness
. first aid supplies
. home safety

Preparing for an emergency takes diligence and planning. Make sure your home
is prepared for the possibility of a fire or other emergency. The following
items will help you plan for a fire, fight a fire, and escape from a fire.
Each item provides information as well as suggested items.

1. Smoke Alarm
Smoke alarms come in two types - ionization and photoelectric. These two
kinds of smoke alarms detect smoke particles differently, which means they
detect different types of fires. To be truly safe in case of a fire, it's
vital to have both types of smoke alarm installed in your home.

2. Carbon Monoxide Detector
Unlike smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors measure the presence of
carbon monoxide in the air and keep track of how long it is present. They
trigger an alarm if carbon monoxide is present at low levels for a long time
or at high levels for a short time. Most carbon monoxide detectors also save
peak values in a memory for later retrieval.

3. Emergency Evacuation Plan
It's important that the entire family know what to do in the event of a fire
or other emergency. During a crisis, we humans respond the way we have been
trained to do. Kids, especially, need a definite plan to help them react
appropriately to an emergency. Evacuation plans are not just for fires, it's
important to have a plan for any emergency.

4. Fire Extinguisher
Choosing a fire extinguisher is based on the types of fires the extinguisher
will be expected to put out. Fire extinguishers are rated for certain types
of fires. The rating for a fire extinguisher helps determine where in the
home, office, or car it will be best utilized.

5. Fire Escape Ladder
Fire escape ladders provide a second exit from any room on any floor. A fire
escape ladder lets anyone not on the ground floor use a window to escape a
home during an emergency. Make sure your multi-floor home has one.

FEMA Authorizes Funds to Help Oregon State Fight South County Fire Complex

http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=49543

Release Date: September 22, 2009
Release Number: R10-09-088

» 2009 Region X News Releases

SEATTLE, Wash. -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today authorized the use of federal funds to help Oregon State fight the South County Fire Complex burning near Ashland and Medford, Oregon. The South County Fire Complex consists of the previously named Siskiyou Boulevard Fire located near Ashland and the Deer Ridge Fire located near Medford.

FEMA Acting Regional Administrator Dennis Hunsinger said the state's request for federal fire management assistance was approved after it was confirmed that the fire threatens property and public infrastructure. Two hundred homes are threatened by Siskiyou and 200 by Deer Ridge. A major county communications center is threatened on Roxy Ann Mountain east of Medford, as well as a major power transmission line. A Red Cross shelter for evacuees has been set up at the Ashland Armory on Oak Street. In addition to 400 homes and other buildings being threatened, 40 commercial buildings and two schools are also at risk. The fire had consumed more than 700 acres at the time of the request.

"It's critical that the men and women who selflessly battle wildfires know they will continue to have the support of the federal government. This declaration is one demonstration of that support," Hunsinger said.

The authorization makes FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of the state's eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating and controlling designated fires.

Federal fire management assistance is provided through the President's Disaster Relief Fund and made available by FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to cause a major disaster. Eligible state firefighting costs covered by the aid must first meet a minimum threshold for costs before assistance is provided. Eligible costs covered by the aid can include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; tools, materials and supplies; and mobilization and demobilization activities.

FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

FEMA message about National Preparedness Month

National Preparedness Month Draws To A Close, But The Need To Be Prepared Continues Everyday

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 05:43:36 -0500

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As September comes to an end, so does the 6th annual National Preparedness Month (NPM), but FEMA continues efforts to ensure every American is prepared. NPM, sponsored by the Ready Campaign and Citizen Corps, in conjunction with FEMA, is held each September to encourage Americans to take simple steps to prepare for potential emergencies in their homes, businesses and communities. This year's NPM was kicked off by Secretary Napolitano and local leaders in New York City, as they unveiled new Ready Campaign public service advertising (PSAs). More than 2,670 organizations joined the NPM Coalition and committed to promoting emergency preparedness during September by holding events and encouraging the public to get a plan, get a kit and stay informed. This campaign also reached out to more than 18,000 in the business community, more than 500 classrooms, over 2,400 Citizen Corps Councils, over 3,350 Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), 32 Citizen Corps partners and affiliates, and an immeasurable number of concerned citizens of all backgrounds across the nation.

Jump to the link to find out more about National Preparedness Month, who was involved, and how it went.

Regional Flu Update

We received this update yesterday:

Regional Public Information Officers,

Please visit the Regional Public Health Flu Web site for the latest update
at:

nwflunews.info

Also, please note that the State of Oregon conducted a news conference and
issued a news release this morning to set the stage for the arrival of
vaccine over the next several weeks. That news release can be found at:

http://www.flu.oregon.gov/DHS/news/2009news/2009-0930.pdf

Thank you.

Philip Bransford

(503) 988-6104