Here is some "unofficial" (but interesting) news we have to report!
Last week I was in Florida for meetings, prior to the FDIC Show. I had a chance to swim in the Gulf of Mexico. My first time ever! But the water was crazy warm. In fact, it was 80 degrees. In April!
I'm from California and this seemed unusual. So I asked the locals about the warm water. They said they are very concerned because 80 degrees is far too warm this early in the year.
They also said hurricanes are "the earth's air conditioning system." I had not heard this before, but they explained the earth moves heat from one place to another by using large, powerful cyclones - hurricanes. Therefore, if the air and water become too warm in the Atlantic and Gulf area, hurricanes may be created to move out this heat.
Unofficial reporting, yes. But certainly worth noting.
If you live in the Southeast, you remember Katrina (2005) and others. Just consider your own Hurricane Preparedness this year and encourage someone else to do the same!
So far, there are 5 reported deaths in China as a result of H7N9 (the "Bird Flu"). And there are 11 cases total being monitored.
We will watch this news because in 2009 we got totally wiped out of our stock of N95 Face Masks. We would like to be well-prepared if this situation grows.
Texting is by far the most alarming form of distracted driving because it requires visual, manual and cognitive attention.
Over 3,000 people die each year in vehicle crashes resulting from distracted driving.
About 400,000 people are injured each year in vehicle crashes resulting from distracted driving.
40% of all American teens say they have been in a car when the driver used a cell phone in a way that put people in danger. (PEW)
Drivers who use hand-held devices are 4 times more likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves. (Monash University)
Text messaging creates a crash risk 23 times worse than driving while not distracted. (VTTI)
Sending or receiving a text takes a driver's eyes from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds. At 55 MPH, that's the equivalent of driving the length of a football field, blind. (VTTI)
Driving while using a cell phone reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37%. (Carnegie Mellon)
So along comes the latest progression of hands-free living... Google Glass.
Its a pair of glasses. Its a wearable computer. Its a head-mounted display. Its voice-activated. All in one device that sits on your face. Here's how it feels.
So why do you care?
Well, some people think the product would be useful in emergency situations...
Perhaps our Police, Fire and EMS could also use the product to document incidents and communicate visually with other First Responders... in Jetson Style!
This mom (Susanna Rohm) was in her living room in Marietta, GA when she realized her 12-week old baby was not breathing!
Frantically, she yelled "Call 911!"
Just outside her house were two neighbor boys playing football. She had previously met one of the boys (10-year old, Ethan Wilson). But she had never met the other boy (9-year old, Rocky Hurt).
Nonetheless, Ethan and Rocky ran into her house to see if they could help. Turns out they had learned CPR from posted signs in the cafeteria at Sedalia Park Elementary!
The boys quickly told Susanna to "Use two fingers, push on the chest 5-10 times, tilt back the baby's head, plug the nose, and breathe into the baby's mouth."
They were right. It worked! The baby survived, and the young boys became heroes.
The boys later said, "We didn't care if we were on the news, we just cared about saving that baby."
We have previously mentioned the value of CPR. This is another reminder of why more people should get CPR Training!
Check out these boys speak calmly of their heroics... perhaps they have a bright future as First Responders?!
A group of automatic budget cuts, projected to reduce federal spending by $1.2 trillion over the next 10 years... starting this Friday (03/01/13).
The cuts will impact federal spending on Defense, Education, the FBI, the DOJ, Customs and Border Patrol, Correctional officers and more. The cuts will impact state spending also.
These folks are not "Career" firefighters. They typically have regular jobs, albeit with flexible schedules. They respond to emergency calls as-needed and as-available. They are often paid a daily rate to be On-call plus an additional rate for responding to calls.
So they have a lot to juggle when you think about their family events, birthday parties, holidays, social events, church activities, etc, etc!
Many times these On-call Firefighters are drawn to the department because previous generations have served the department. So its sort of in their blood! Jimmy Wagoner is a good example. His father has been with the local department for 26 years.
Some times these On-call Firefighters had friends in the department. Dustin Lucius is a good example. He's a 30-year old pilot who is married with a newborn child. He followed his friend, Bobby Maksymowski, into the department.
Other times these On-call Firefighters pursue the department because of the camaraderie it builds. Chris Cates is a good example. He joined his local Fire Department as an On-Call Firefighter to "be a part of something."
But none of them would be On-call Firefighters if they didn't love firefighting!
These folks fill an important role in the Public Safety our country enjoys! A small to mid-size city does not usually have the budget for a fully staffed "Career" department, especially these days :-(
We want to say "THANKS" to all the men and women who fill this tremendous void and serve the public unselfishly. We know that you love fighting fires and responding to emergencies, but we also know you make many sacrifices to be available as First Responders!
Raoul Meekcom lives in Tualatin, Oregon with his wife Sandra. But last month Raoul had a heart attack which should have taken his life. However, thanks to 45 minutes of excellent work from the 911 dispatcher, a police officer, a firefighter, a paramedic and an ER doctor... Raoul is alive today! Sandra called 911 as soon as she found her husband lying lifelessly on the bathroom floor. The response started with 30-year dispatcher Rita McQuiston coaching Sandra through CPR techniques and chest compressions. Then Tualatin police officer, Chet Lemon, arrived to take over the CPR. Then Tualatin Valley fire chief, Mark Cross, came and contributed to the effort. Then Tualatin paramedic, Jeff Hunter, showed up to help revive Raoul. Then an ambulance took Raoul to the Emergency Room. And finally ER doctor, Jerry Tran, brought the effort to a positive conclusion... after 45 minutes, Raoul's body responded! Raoul does not remember anything from that day. But he knows who does remember that day... his wife, 911 dispatcher (Rita McQuiston) and the multiple first responders who saved his life! Check out this video of Raoul and Sandra meeting their heroes!
