Emergency Preparedness Through A Collaborative Model of Change

Emergency Response Seminar, May 28, 2010 (FRIDAY)

SAVE THE DATE!

C.L.E.A.N.’s Free Annual Emergency Preparedness Seminar 

Mark your calendar for the annual emergency preparedness seminar on Friday, May 28, 2010.

The all-day event, sponsored by the Campbell Local Emergency Action Network (C.L.E.A.N.), is free and open to any business operating in the Kapolei region. The seminar will show how to prepare an emergency response plan for natural disasters or incidents involving hazardous materials.

More details to come. 

Hurricane Checklist

Hurricanes are tropical cyclones with winds reaching sustained speeds of 74 miles per hour or more and blowing around a relatively calm center, the “eye” of the hurricane. Hurricanes begin as relatively small tropical cyclones that drift gradually to the westnorthwest. Under certain conditions and as they move away from the equator, these cyclones can increase in size, speed, and intensity until they become full-fledged hurricanes. Hurricanes combine violent winds, torrential rains, and abnormally high waves and storm tides. Heavy and prolonged hurricane rains falling over the hillsides can cause landslides and severe flash flooding. Large ocean swells moving out ahead of the hurricane may begin to reach the shores while the storm itself is still hundreds of miles away. As the hurricane nears the coastline, the storm tides and the high winddriven waves can inundate coastal areas, erode beaches, pound and undermine waterfront structures, highways and other facilities. Follow the steps below prior to, during and after a hurricane.

PREPARING FOR THE HURRICANE SEASON (FROM JUNE THROUGH NOVEMBER)

☐ Learn the elevation and the flooding and wind damage history of your area.

☐ If you live or work near the flood zone, learn safe transportation routes inland.

☐ Learn the location of official shelters or make arrangements with friends or relatives inland to stay with them until the storm has passed.

Read more: Hurricane Checklist

Pandemic Flu Checklist

A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. A flu pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus emerges for which people have little or no immunity, and for which there is no vaccine. The disease spreads easily person-to-person, causes serious illness, and can sweep across the country and around the world in very short time. It is difficult to predict when the next influenza pandemic will occur or how severe it will be. Wherever and whenever a pandemic starts, everyone around the world is at risk. Countries might, through measures such as border closures and travel restrictions, delay arrival of the virus, but cannot stop it. Health professionals are concerned that the continued spread of a highly pathogenic avian H5N1 virus across eastern Asia and other countries represents a significant threat to human health. The H5N1 virus has raised concerns about a potential human pandemic because:

• It is especially virulent

• It is being spread by migratory birds

• It can be transmitted from birds to mammals and in some limited circumstances to humans, and

• Like other influenza viruses, it continues to evolve.

Since 2003, a growing number of human H5N1 cases have been reported in Asia, Europe, and Africa. More than half of the people infected with the H5N1 virus have died. 

Read more: Pandemic Flu Checklist