First-Aid Frenzy

We've all had that moment (or several)-- the one where we need a band-aid or hand-sanitizer and can't find it anywhere. Well now's the time to change that. First-aid kits are an essential item in everyday life and not just in disaster situations.  Burns, scrapes, bruises, sprains, etc. are common in life and it's helpful to be prepared before they happen.

It is important to keep a first-aid kit in your home and in each vehicle that you regularly use. The easier it is to find, the more likely you are to use it.  Remember to base the size of your kit on the potential number of people that may need it. In your home, its the number of household members and so on and so forth.

Remember to check and update your first-aid kits regularly (about every 3 months) and replace any items you have used up or have expired. 

Recommended and common items for a first-aid kit:

• Hand sanitizer
• Soap
• Antiseptic towelettes
• Non-latex gloves
• Ace bandages (variety of lengths)
• Instance cold packs
• Cotton balls
• Gauze pads
• Roller gauze
• Band-aids (variety of sizes)
• Adhesive tape
• Triangular bandage
• Sterile dressings
• Thermometer
• Antibiotic ointment
• Burn ointment
• Topical antihistamine
• Aspirin and non-aspirin pain reliever
• Laxative
• Antacid
• Anti-diarrhea medication
• Aloe Vera gel
• Calamine Lotion
• Scissors
• Tweezers
• Bulb syringe
• Prescribed medications you take each day
• First-aid manual
• Plastic bags for disposal of contaminated materials
• Safety pins
• Sterile eyewash (saline solution)
• Flashlight and batteries
• Sunscreen
• CPR mask

School Emergency Kits for Kids

School has begun! Send your little ones off safely with their very own mini preparedness kits. Perfect for a backpack or a locker, they'll be able to take these supplies wherever they go.

Items to Include in Your Child’s Emergency Survival Pack
-Water
-Protein Snack or Granola bar (or both)
-Small flashlight
-Whistle 
-Cell phone (this may be an issue for some schools, but we would have our kids take a throw-a-way cell in their packs, just in case).
-Small first aid kit
-Emergency blanket
-Extra health-related items your child uses (of course we have to say for the attorneys….please be sure to follow your school’s rules for medication storage and uses……. )
-Hard candies for comfort
-Comfort item (small stuffed animal or toy to bring comfort in crisis

You can store supplies in a zip top bag, a small baby wipe box, a pencil box, or if you’re really good at packing small supplies, a large Altoid box!

Just make sure your younger children understand that this isn’t for play and that they aren’t to pull it out at snack time or recess, nor discuss with other kids that they have ‘toys’ in their packs. Please also follow the rules of your school about what can legally be brought onto campus.

Thought for the Day

"These days we tend to think of disasters as acts of God and government. Regular people only feature into the equation as victims, which is a shame. Because regular people are the most important people at a disaster scene, every time. In 1992, a series of sewer explosions caused by a gas leak ripped through Guadalajara, Mexico's second-largest city. The violence came from below, rupturing neighborhoods block by block. Starting at 10:30 am, at least nine separate explosions ripped open a jagged trench more than a mile long. About three hundred people died. Some five thousand houses were razed. The Mexican Army was called in. Rescuers from California raced to help. Search-and-rescue dogs were ordered up. But first, before anyone else, regular people were on the scene saving one another. They did incredible things, these regular people...... In fact, as in most disasters, the vast majority of rescues were done by ordinary folks......It's only once disaster strikes that ordinary citizens realize how important they are." (Amanda Ripley, The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster strikes--and Why. bolding added)

Provo Spring Clean Up Dates

Spring Cleanup 2013

Spring Cleanup 2013 Schedule
April 1-6	4300 N Canyon Rd   (Church)
April 8-13	2400 N 1060 E           (Church)
April 15-20	1090 W 1020 S        (Church)
April 22-27	1200 N 1000 W      (Lions Park)
April 29- May 4	2225 W 620 N     (church)
May 6-11	945 E 700 N         (Church)
April 1- May 11	1625 S Industrial Parkway  (Compost Yard)

·         Get rid of your unwanted "stuff" during Spring Cleanup 2013. There will be dumpsters for trash, yard waste and metals at the location mentioned above, Monday-Saturday 8 a.m.-6 p.m. (until 3 p.m. on Saturday).The dumpsters will be closed nightly, and it is unlawful to leave items on the ground.

·         Unacceptable Items Please do not dispose of rocks, tires, concrete, tree stumps, refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, or household hazard­ous waste such as pesticides in the dumpsters. These items may be taken to the transfer station if you have questions call 801-489-3027 ext. 0

·         Transfer Station Provo City residents may take trash directly to the South Utah Valley Solid Waste District transfer station (2450 W. 400 S., Springville) see suvswd.org for fees information. Provo City Newsletter subscribers will receive a coupon for free dumping load.

·          Compost Yard Information Buy compost (soil enhancer) and mulch (wood chips) from the compost yard in Provo at 1625 Industrial Parkway (apx. 700 E.). For more information, including pric­ing, call 801-489-3027 or visit: www.suvswd.org

·         If you have any questions please call (801) 852-6000 or visit our webpage at http://yardwaste.provo.org  or facebook.com/ProvoCityRecycles

FEMA Seeks Applicants for Youth Preparedness Council

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is seeking nominations for participants in the Agency’s Youth Preparedness Council (YPC).

The Youth Preparedness Council provides an opportunity for young leaders to serve as a member of a distinguished national council; to complete a youth preparedness project of their choosing; to learn about youth disaster preparedness from the leadership at FEMA and other national organizations dedicated to youth preparedness; to voice their opinions, experiences, and share innovative ideas and solutions; and to participate in the Youth Preparedness Council Summit where the council meets with emergency management leadership to discuss steps to strengthen the nation’s resiliency against all types of disasters.

Participants are expected to represent the youth perspective on emergency preparedness and relay information within their communities. Each council member is expected to develop and complete one preparedness-related project specific to his/her region and interests. In addition to attending the Summit in the summer of 2013, council members will potentially participate in national, regional, state, tribal and local preparedness meetings and present their work. It is expected that members will meet with FEMA on a regular basis via conference call to provide ongoing input on strategies, initiatives and projects throughout the duration of their term.

Anyone between the ages of 12 and 17, who is engaged in individual and community preparedness, is encouraged to apply or be nominated to serve on the Youth Preparedness Council. An individual may apply on his/her own behalf, or can be nominated by an adult familiar with his/her youth preparedness activities. Individuals interested in applying must submit a completed application form, a narrative, and a letter of recommendation. The letter of recommendation can be from any adult, including a parent, guardian, community first responder, or teacher. Applications that do not include a letter of recommendation will not be reviewed. Individuals interested in nominating a young leader to the council should complete the application form and narrative, but a letter of recommendation is not mandatory. Specific information about completing and submitting the application and attachments can be found on the application.

All applications and supporting materials must be received no later than 11:59 E.D.T. on April 19, 2013 in order to be eligible.

Council members will be selected based on vacancies and announced in May 2013. Once selected, members serve on the Council for one year, with

For more information about the Youth Preparedness Council and FEMA’s work on youth preparedness, and to access the application materials, please visit www.ready.gov/youth-preparedness.


If you have any further questions, please contact Citizen Corps at (202) 786-9550 or
CitizenCorps@dhs.gov .


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.

Great Shake-Out! Come Join Us

You are invited to join thousands of people who will "Drop, Cover, and Hold On" at 10:15 a.m. on April 17 in the 2013 Great Utah ShakeOut. More than 12.5 million people were registered to participate in ShakeOut drills worldwide in 2011. Participating is a great way for your family or organization to become better prepared to survive and recover quickly from big earthquakes. More information is available on the 2013 ShakeOut at www.shakeout.org/utah.

My husband and I participated last year at our respective work places.It was just a matter of taking a few minutes to practice what we would do in an earthquake situation. Neither of our offices participated but some of the individual employees did. Some of this involved checking to ensure that heavy items were secured to the walls, finding a safe place under our desks and putting together a small emergency work kit so that if we were stranded at work, that we would have some basic supplies such as food, water, a blanket, light, etc. It also gave us the opportunity to take with those around us about earthquake safety and preparedness.

Are You Registered? The Great ShakeOut 2013

203,080 people in Utah county registered for the Great Shake-Out. 780,361 for the state of Utah. Are you one of them? If not, click here and register:  http://www.shakeout.org/utah/register/

Why is it important to do a Drop, Cover, and Hold On drill? To react quickly you must practice often. You may only have seconds to protect yourself in an earthquake, before strong shaking knocks you down--or drops something on you. Practicing helps you be ready to respond.

The ShakeOut Drill is scheduled for 10:15 AM on April 17, 2013. This means that wherever you are at that moment—at home, at work, at school, anywhere—you should Drop, Cover, and Hold On as if there were a major earthquake occurring at that very moment, and stay in this position for at least 60 seconds. There will not be any freeway closures, power outages, or other simulated effects of the hypothetical earthquake, unless your local government or utility company specifically notifies you about something of this nature. The ShakeOut is not something you need to leave work to participate in—in fact, participating at work is encouraged! Businesses, organizations, schools, and government agencies can register and have their employees practice Drop, Cover, and Hold On or have a more extensive emergency drill. 

The main goal of the ShakeOut is to get Utahns prepared for major earthquakes, so use the ShakeOut as an opportunity to learn what to do before, during, and after an earthquake. Visithttp://www.earthquakecountry.info/roots/seven_steps.html for tips on how to prepare, survive, and recover. 

Anyone in Utah can participate, from a single individual at their home to a major company at the office. Talk to your coworkers, neighbors and friends about the ShakeOut and encourage their participation.

Sign up for free at www.ShakeOut.org/Utah/register to be counted in the ShakeOut Drill, get email updates, and more.

One Day Ham Radio Class for Technician License

There is an Technician (entry level) License ham radio class. This may be the last lass until September and there is room for only 40 people so if you are interested sign up quick.  And if you need to cancel also cancel quick so someone else will be able to take advantage of this great opportunity.

Saturday,  April 20th, 2013 7:30 am to 5 pm - No charge for the class but $14 for the test

E-mail nv7v@ucares.org (preferred) or call Steve or Susan N7QZU (801-465-3983) to let me know if you are  coming and bringing a laptop (please bring one... beg, beg....bring extra laptops or tablets if you can).

From 7:30 am to noon is classroom instruction and then a break for lunch between noon and 1 pm.  Bring a lunch or you can buy lunch on campus or several places close by.    Between 1 pm and 5 pm is self study using a computer program. When you are ready, in the afternoon, you may take the exam.  You don't have to take the test that day if you are not ready and would like to study more.  There are plenty of opportunities to take a test later.

Each student needs a  laptop or tablet for self-study in the afternoon.  
The website we will be using requires an internet connection via Wi-Fi or Ethernet (there is a port and power at each seat) and will work with any of the popular web browsers.    Some have been successful using an Android or iPhone but the text is REALLY small when you use a cell phone.   Borrow a laptop or tablet if you
don't have one.  Bring an extra if you don't mind loaning it.

I have a handful of laptops to loan during the class.  There are not enough of them to cover all who attend so everyone who can needs to bring a laptop or tablet.  Some have been successful an android or
iPhone but the text is REALLY small when you use a cell phone.    If you have an old laptop gathering dust that can be put on the internet with Wi-Fi or an ethernet cable you no longer use I am looking for donations to use with the class.

You need to bring two forms of ID issued by a government entity, one preferably with a picture.  The electronic form you  fill out requires your Social Security number (thanks to congress....).  We do not put your SSN on any forms.  The most common mistake is forgetting ID and a Social Security number...... Don't forget!!  This is especially a problem with those under 18 who have not memorized their SSN.

No programmable calculators.....The test is given on computer and graded immediately. Specific instructions how to use  the exam program will be given.  It is similar to practice exams available on the Internet.

Directions: Room 276 in the Howard W. Hunter Law library in the J Reuben Clarke law building (JRCB) on BYU campus.   If you get lost ask someone on campus. We start before the library opens so  be on time so you can be let in.  Park in the lot immediately east of the law building.   Don't park in the  restricted areas like Dean's spot, delivery etc....Enter through the right set of  the east facing doors just left of the service entrance and go halfway down the hall and turn right.   You are now facing 3 doors with the elevator on your left.  go through the door on the right that has the large round sign "caution automatic door".   Go through the detectors by the main entrance and past the circulation desk. Room 276 has a green blinking light right next to the door to your left about 100 feet in.  I have an interior map I will send if you want.
An interactive map of campus is here:   http://map.byu.edu/ It is building #16 on the map; the J. Reuben Clark building (JRCB).

Don't forget:

-$14 check or cash
-Laptop or Tablet with capability to go on the Internet if possible.
-Sorry to have to include this section but I continue to have candidates come to the test session without proper ID.
You want to take the test not run home to get your ID!!!
ID requirements for the test session are rather liberal.  The preference is for ID with your picture on it.  ID must be issued by a government entity.  It is often difficult to find ID for children and many people only have a driver's license with them so be sure to remember to bring two forms of government ID.

The following qualify:

Social Security card
Birth Certificate
Passport
Driver's license
State ID card
Concealed Weapons permit
Medicaid card
Military ID
Library card (Government run State, city, school or county library) Student ID (Government run school) Faculty ID (Government run school) Your automobile registration that has your name and address If you can't find anything else a canceled letter addressed to the test candidate will work for one of the two IDs.

The following don't qualify:

Credit Cards (even those with a picture) Warehouse club card Temple recommend Work ID (unless you work for the government)

Notice the pattern....  ID issued by a government entity works.  ID issued by a private entity does not.

Preparedness Blogs For Information

Making sure that your household is prepared in case of an emergency or catastrophic weather event is something that all too often goes undone, leaving you scrambling for basic survival supplies should the unthinkable happen. While it’s certainly uncomfortable to think about the worst case scenario during peaceful times, it’s also something that is absolutely necessary in order to ensure that your family comes out of the situation with losses minimized as much as possible. These 30 blog posts showcase the basics of emergency and disaster preparedness, from basic evacuation to putting together a suitable first aid kit.

Evacuation

In some emergency situations, you may be forced to evacuate your home in order to ensure the safety of every member of your household. These five bloggers discuss various methods of evacuation planning so that you can make sure that everyone in your home has the same plan for getting out safely, should the need arise.

1. Emergency Evacuation Plans Scarce Among US Households, Says CDC
2. Emergency Evacuation Plan for the House
3. Emergency Exit: Developing an Evacuation Plan for Your Home
4. Evacuation Planning
5. Evacuating Yourself and Your Family

Survival Supplies

Making sure that you have a supply of fresh water, food and other essential items could mean the difference between making it through an emergency situation in relative comfort or suffering from severe hunger, dehydration and other problems. These five blog entries offer a variety of ideas and plenty of advice for putting together the right survival kit for your household.

1. 10 Essential Items in a Survival Kit
2. Emergency Kit Supplies You Need to Have
3. How to Put Together an Emergency Preparedness Kit
4. How To Assemble A Disaster Survival Kit
5. DIY Survival Kit (Lists & Videos)

First Aid

Most emergency situations are inherently dangerous, meaning there’s a good chance that someone in your household could be injured. In order to properly care for any injuries that may occur until help can arrive, you’ll need to make sure that you have an emergency first aid kit assembled, and that you keep it separate from your everyday first aid supplies so that it isn’t depleted. The information in these five blog entries will help you build and maintain an effective first aid kit.

1. Survival Skills: What to Keep in Your Emergency First Aid Kit
2. Be Prepared: Emergency First Aid Kits
3. Get the Right Emergency First Aid Kit for Your Needs
4. Building Your Emergency First Aid Kit
5. What is a Well-Stocked First Aid Kit?

Fire Preparedness

House fires are potentially devastating, and are unfortunately one of the more common household emergencies. While the idea of preparing for a conflagration in your home may be understandably repellent, it’s important that you learn the best ways to do just that so that you’re never caught off guard. These five bloggers understand that proper preparation can mean the difference between life and death when seconds count, and offer their wisdom to readers.

1. Fire Preparedness and Evacuations
2. Home Fires
3. National Preparedness Month: Fire Safety for Families
4. Fire Prevention Week: Reflect and Prepare
5. Make an Emergency Fire Plan

Storm Preparations

Whether you live in an area that’s prone to hurricanes, tornadoes or other major storms, some storm preparation techniques are universal. Knowing how to prepare for and weather nature’s fury is an essential skill, especially if you live in an area that frequently experiences dangerous weather conditions. These five blogs tackle the issue of storm preparedness, from tornadoes to severe winter weather.

1. Hurricane Preparation Checklist
2. Storm Preparation: 4 Tips to Stay Safe and Minimize Damage
3. Hurricane Preparedness
4. It’s Almost Spring – How’s Your Tornado Preparedness?
5. Let it Snow: Winter Storm Preparedness Month and You

Family Disaster Planning

Preparing for an emergency or natural disaster is complicated enough if you live alone or as a couple; when your household expands to include children, it becomes imperative that you have a family emergency plan in place. These five blogs approach preparedness from a family perspective, and can help you ensure the safety of even the youngest in your household.

1. Family Disaster Planning and Communication
2. Creating a Family Disaster Plan
3. Prepare A Family Disaster Plan Now
4. Prepare My Family for a Disaster

Create Your Family Disaster-Preparedness Plan

Long Hiatus and Help Wanted

Apologies to anyone who ever read this blog. I went to school. And graduated. However, while in school I couldn't manage anything for a while and this was one of the areas that fell to the wayside. We need more people to help with the C.E.R.T. program. 

We would like to know who among our members would be interested in serving on the Provo CERT Board!  (Even if you aren’t SURE you want to be a Board member, let us know you’re thinking about it!)

We have a really great group of folks serving on the Board right now, members’ lives, jobs, and interests sometimes result in them from continuing to help.

We do have some vacancies we will need to fill, so we’re sending out a “Call for Service” to our members to find out who might want to become a Board member.

We’d like our Board members to be positive, proactive team players who want to help assure that the Provo CERT program is one of the best! Service on other volunteer program Boards would be a great asset to applicants, but it is not a requirement.  Also, it’s helpful to have some program management experience, and a decent grasp of time management– because we won’t beat around the bush…being an Provo CERT Board member DOES require a time commitment.

SO – if you want to help make a difference, and help guide the Provo CERT program into the future, email Shawna Miller at ProvoCERT@gmail.com and let her know you’re interested.  She’ll be in touch!!!

P.S.  Interested members will be asked to complete an application and talk first with Provo CERT staff and then the current Board members, prior to a decision being made on new Board members.