It’s September: Time to Get Prepared!

It’s that time of year again when we prepare, discuss and plan for a possible natural disaster that could occur in your area. September marks National Preparedness Month and, as you all know, you can never be too prepared for an emergency.

Now is the time to get together with your communities, your workplace and your family to put an emergency plan in place. Encourage your loved ones to practice their emergency plans so that if a disaster does strike, they will be more prepared to handle it.

This year’s theme is Resolve to be Ready and by following these basic steps in planning, you and your family can be prepared:

Know Who to Call
 Know Where to Meet
 Know What to Pack

Ready.gov provides a family emergency plan at this link: http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/34330. This is a great tool for preparing for any disaster. They have several other tools that show you how to build a kit as well as information on how to get involved in the community preparedness process.

Don’t let your family face an emergency without being prepared. It could save your life!

Children with Special Healthcare Needs Class

On Tuesday, September 23^rd the Emergency Medical Services for Children, Texas Parent to Parent and Dell Children’s Medical Center of Texas will be holding a class regarding children with special needs. The class, called Assessment and Management of Children with Special Healthcare Needs, will take place at Dell Children’s Medical Center Auditorium in Austin, Texas from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

This class will aim to bridge gaps between families and emergency care professionals as well as provide important professional education and training. Children with special needs and their parents have the opportunity to work with nursing and EMS educators and pediatric specialists to discuss hands-on training, family-centered care, communication barriers and more.

If you are interested in attending this FREE event, please contact Sam Vance at Samuel.Vance@bcm.edu or 832-824-3672 to register or to obtain more information.

CSEC Holding MLTS Workshop to Address 9-1-1 Concerns

Due to the considerable attention given to MLTS (Multi-Line Telephone Systems) following a tragic incident that occurred in a Texas hotel in December 2013 ( See Kari Hunt story), the staff of the Commission on State Emergency Communications (“CSEC”) will conduct a workshop regarding Accessing 9-1-1 Service Via a Multi-line Telephone System (“MLTS”) on Wednesday, August 27, 2014, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., in the William P. Hobby Building, 333 Guadalupe Street, Room 100, Austin, Texas 78701.

In the emergency communications industry, CSEC works with various government and municipal entities throughout the state to ensure that 9-1-1 access is available. The issue being addressed in this workshop consists of phone systems found in businesses that have multiple phone lines commonly called MLTS. With an MLTS in place, the ability to dial out may require an additional digit such as the number “9” to reach a 9-1-1 operator. Many people are not aware that you have to dial “9” first when trying to reach 9-1-1 which can cost lives.

“The faster the caller can reach an operator for help the better,” Connie Chavarria of the City of Laredo said. “The public has become familiarized with simply dialing 9-1-1 for help.”

Because this issue has come to the table, all 9‑1-1 entities, businesses (including hotels, hospitals, and schools), MLTS vendors, communications service providers, third‑party provider community, and interested persons are invited to attend this public workshop.

“I feel it is crucial to start a nationwide campaign, and a message regarding MLTS should be added to our 9-1-1 education program,” Leticia Truex of Potter Randall 9-1-1 said. “Everyone has a responsibility. The 9-1-1 entities should require that phone vendors allow direct access. Public Educators and all others involved with 9-1-1 need to educate the public, companies with MLTS need to know what their phone systems are and aren’t capable of and post such information for their customers.”

This workshop will address all and any issues regarding MLTS lines. It is important that all 9-1-1 entities participate in this discussion including directors, educators, businesses and schools. Change comes when we all work together, which is why CSEC is holding this workshop.

“Like any kind of public education message, first there should be awareness, starting with the independent phone vendors, and the building managers to the principals, teachers, front desk clerks and security guards,” Pam Frisk of Panhandle Regional Planning Commission said. “People, including children, are told to dial 9-1-1, not 9-9-1-1.  Especially in an emergency, they will rely on what they have been told to do and not necessarily think, ‘Hey I need to get an outside line first and then dial 9-1-1’.”

Please join us for this important workshop. To register for the audio portion of the workshop, please visit here: http://bit.ly/911MLTS. For more information on the MLTS workshop please visit www.csec.texas.gov.

2014 NPEF Conference Wildly Successful

If you were one of the public educators from across the country who had a chance to participate in the 2014 National Public Educator Forum (NPEF) Conference right outside Chicago, then you know how much valuable insights and ideas were shared. This three day conference was packed with amazing speakers, insightful workshops and innovative ideas!

Over 130 emergency services educators came together in Naperville, Illinois for this educational conference. Educators heard from keynote Mel Robbins who shared her Five Second Rule as well as other ways to successfully manage your time and resources. They also saw the Lewisville Fire Clowns put on their fire safety course which was hysterical and educational at the same time.

Other noteworthy speakers included Marsha Geisler who shared her fantastic teaching strategies as well as the closing keynote speaker, Kelly Rasmussen, who taught attendees how to spread your public education message effectively. Some additional important topics covered included Text to 9-1-1, Tag Team Tactics and Legal Issues within Social Media.

At this year's conference the attendees also participated in an NPEF PSA. Check out the video below!
    

We can't wait for next year's conference- it is sure to have more innovative ideas for educators to take back home and implement in their 9-1-1 programs! See you all next year!  

Naperville Mayor with Cell Phone Sally

The Lewisville Fire Clowns

Creating 9-1-1 PSAs

Making Chicago Memories!

Creating a NPEF PSA!

Keynote Speaker Mel Robbins

NPEF Conference Committee

Utilizing Girls Scouts and Boy Scouts for Help with 9-1-1 Public Education

Beth English and Girl Scout Lauren Alexander

Have you ever considered utilizing Girl Scouts or Boys Scouts to help with your public education efforts? As many people know, for Girl Scouts to earn their Gold Award and Boy Scouts to earn their Eagle Scout Award, they have to do a big project that gives back to the community.

Recently, Beth English, the Director of Communications for the City of Rowlett, Texas, was able to utilize a Girl Scout to help with a public education initiative. Here’s her story!

“It was a stroke of pure luck, actually! I was going through her mother, who is a Proforma franchisee, to order stuff for the Texas NENA booth,” Beth said. “I asked her about printing up some business cards for Smart911, and it was while we were talking about this, that her mother told me about the Gold Award and that it would be a good project for her to work on.”

Beth met with the Girl Scout, Lauren Alexander, and they discussed exactly what Beth is doing with Smart911. Lauren then sat with Beth in the Communications office so she could see how the calls come in, what the challenges are, and how they process the medical calls.

“We discussed our timeline as far as when I will get to implement Smart911 and when her project is due,” Beth said. “We also batted around some ideas for different groups she could spread the message to, different media types she could use, and others that she could contact for help.”

Lauren put all the information about her project with 9-1-1 into a report for the Girl Scout board for them to approve. Once they gave approval, Lauren got to work right away with Beth on her Gold Award project.

The project will take a while to complete, but so far, Lauren has already established relationships with various organizations in order to have sign up sheets for Smart911 at their business locations. Lauren is also working on getting donations set up to fund any printing paperwork she may need to help spread the word. She is also working on getting businesses to donate food items for events where the Smart911 information can be shared.

Beth promises that once Lauren has completed the project, she will update us on the successes and benefits of this collaboration so please stay tuned!

Celebrate Independence Day with Safety in Mind

The 4^th of July marks Independence Day, a time when the nation celebrates its freedom! With so many celebrations going on, it comes as no surprise that the amount of fires goes up. Fires usually start due to fireworks combined with lots of heat and dry weather. While we hope everyone celebrates this special holiday with lots of enthusiasm, we also hope that everyone practices safety first.

Here are a few tips and guidelines to remember when celebrating the Fourth of July:

o   Know where your fire extinguisher is and keep it close if you will be using fireworks. (Note: In most cities, they do not allow you to set off fireworks in the city limits so please remember to obey laws at all times.)

o   Have close access to your water hose in case a fire erupts and the extinguisher cannot stop the fire on its own.

o   If a fire does get out of hand, please do not hesitate to contact 9-1-1 for help.

o   If you have pets, please keep them inside on this day and evening. Fireworks can be very scary for pets and spook them badly.

o   If you choose to play with fireworks, make sure when you throw away the remains that they are free of heat and fire. This will eliminate chances of the trash igniting in flames.

o   Keep fireworks out of children’s reach or hands. Fireworks should only be handled by adults to protect children from accidentally harming themselves.

o   Never attempt to make your own fireworks.

o   Never set off fireworks inside.

o   When setting off fireworks, make sure not to aim them toward anyone. They should always be aimed away from where people are standing.

 

We all know fireworks are meant to be enjoyed so please enjoy all the beautiful designs and colors and sounds that they create. All that we ask is that you think safety first to ensure you and your family have a wonderful Independence Day! Happy 4^th!

Summertime Safety

It’s that time of year again! Kids are out of school for summer, pools are open and outside activities are prevalent all around town. While summertime is a fantastic time to enjoy the outdoors, it is important to also stay safe and protect yourself.

Check out some tips below to make sure your family stays healthy and happy this summer!

Watch Out for Mosquitoes and other Bugs

Warm temperatures tend to attract bugs that can make you quite itchy! From mosquitoes to ticks to even fleas, these bugs can be quite the nuisance. Not only can they be a nuisance, but they can also carry diseases such as the West Nile Virus or Lyme disease.

To help prevent bites from these pesky bugs, make sure to wear insect and tick repellent. It is always a good idea to use repellent that contains DEET. Make sure to cover yourself properly with repellent where any skin might be exposed.

If you do happen to get bit by a mosquito, apply anti-itch cream to help reduce the itchiness of the bite. (Because the more you mess with it, the more it will itch!)

Protect Yourself from the Harsh Summer Sun

The sun puts out the strongest rays during midday, so if you can, please try to avoid being outdoors during this time (12pm-2pm). If you do go outdoors make sure to pile on the sunscreen! You should always be wearing at least SPF 15 but we recommend wearing SPF 30 for the upmost protection.

If you go into the water or stay out in the sun for more than a couple hours at a time, make sure to continuously reapply sunscreen to protect your body from sunburns. Sunburns hurt and can also cause skin cancer. If you do happen to get burned, make sure to apply aloe vera to help the burn heal.

Other ways you can protect your skin? Cover up with light clothing, wear hats or visors and spend more time under a tree in the shade!

Keep Hydrated

The summer months can have you feeling more dehydrated than usual. Keep your body hydrated by drinking lots of water throughout the day. If you spend more time outdoors, then it is especially important that you drink lots of water before you go outside and while you are outside.

For more summer safety tips for kids, check out the CDC website here: http://www.cdc.gov/features/KidsSafety/.

Remember, if you find yourself in an emergency situation, please do not hesitate to contact 9-1-1.

Check out these tips from the Los Angeles Fire Department: