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 Home > Regional MRC Coordinators > Elizabeth H. Fitch > Region IV Newsletters > Region IV MRC Update - September 2005
TV Programs Developed for National Preparedness MonthIn The Balance, a TV series focusing on terrorism and how the threat of terrorism has affected the United States, will be aired on PBS during September. The series contains information on citizen preparedness and is being sponsored in part by The Citizen Corps. The two-part series will be aired (check local listings) September 12 and 19 at 10:00 p.m. This is a great opportunity to stimulate community interest in the MRC! For information on community outreach to promote In The Balance and National Preparedness Month, visit Fred Friendly Seminars Presents In the Balance. Regional Conference—Save the Date(s)The Region IV MRC Conference is being planned for either November 10 or November 17 in Atlanta, GA. We’re still ironing out the details, but you will be notified as soon as we have a date and location. This will be a day-long event with speakers, educational sessions, and plenty of time for discussion! Region IV Units Participate in National Preparedness MonthSeveral MRC units are taking part in National Preparedness Month activities. Here’s what some of the units in Region IV are doing:
Other MRC preparedness activities in September include the following:
Healthbeat PSA ResourceHealthbeat Provides a Quick, Easy Resource for Health-Related Public Service AnnouncementsThe United States Department of Health and Human Services has created a great resource for those of you looking to provide health information to your communities. The Healthbeat Web page provides a free daily health promotion tip in both text and audio formats. The audio files are about 60 seconds long and ready for broadcast use. Recent topics have included adult obesity, drug abuse, and smoking cessation. Getting To Know Your Local Emergency Planning CommitteeLocal Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) are local groups that may serve a city, county, or portion of a state by creating response plans for the chemical hazards that exist within the area. Although not every area has an active LEPC, many do, and these groups can provide a great opportunity for networking and education for MRC leaders. LEPCs are generally composed of representatives from various agencies (fire, emergency management, public health, etc.) and local industry. Some LEPCs offer educational programs such as basic HazMat training, and some organize local HazMat drills to practice their response plans. To find your local LEPC, visit the EPA's LEPC Database. Put Yourself in the (Potential) Volunteer’s ShoesWhat if you wanted to volunteer for an organization, but didn’t know much about it? If you’re like many people, you would do some research to find out more. But what if your research led you to a Web page about the organization that hadn’t been updated in months and said that the organization had no volunteers and no recent activity? It might dampen your enthusiasm for volunteering, right? This could be what happens when a potential volunteer goes looking for your unit. If you haven’t updated your unit profile (which includes number of volunteers and recent activities), you may have lost a potential volunteer! Many of the MRC Units in Region IV have not updated their profiles since February. The National Program Office recommends that you update your profile at least quarterly so that the most recent information is available online. Please note that only the registered Unit Coordinator or Unit Director may make changes to your unit profile. If you are not registered as the Unit Coordinator/Director and should be, you will need to contact LCDR Kidd. Helpful Online ResourcesJust a reminder: There is a collection of Web sites that may be useful to MRC Unit Coordinators. The easiest way to look at these links is by topic—if you go to the archive page, click on the drop-down box next to “filter by topic” (at the top of the page), and you will see the topics available. Pick a topic, such as Risk Management/Liability, and click the “search” button, and you will see the Web resources I’ve collected under that topic, along with a brief clipping from the page and possibly a note from me about the link. Recent additions include: ICS for Health Professionals, CDC Mass Casualties: Essentials for Public Health Professionals and Clinicians, LEPC Database, and EPA CEPPO: Chemicals In Your Community. Happy surfing! Upcoming Health ObservancesSeptember is National Preparedness Month This is a great time for your unit to work with the local community on preparedness issues. Not only does this improve individual and community preparedness, it provides additional visibility for your MRC Unit! See the memo from the Office of Homeland Security and the American Red Cross for suggested activities. September 20 is Take a Loved One For a Checkup Day Regional Coordinator Contact Information
Also, don’t forget to regularly visit the National MRC Web site: sponsored by the Office of the Surgeon General Suggested National Preparedness ActivitiesA Memo From the Office of Homeland Security and the American Red Cross...National Preparedness Month 2005 Suggested Coalition Member Activities This September, Homeland Security and the American Red Cross will co-sponsor National Preparedness Month 2005, a nationwide coordinated effort to encourage Americans to take steps to be better prepared for emergencies in their homes, businesses, and schools. We are inviting various public- and private-sector organizations to be part of this important effort by serving as National Preparedness Month Coalition Members. Coalition Members will help highlight the importance of emergency preparedness by hosting events and sponsoring activities to disseminate emergency preparedness messages to their customers, members, employees, stakeholders, and communities nationwide. Below are some possible activities National Preparedness Month Coalition Members could undertake during September:
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the American Red Cross welcome additional thoughts or ideas you have for your organization to take part in National Preparedness Month 2005. For more information, please contact Kristin Gossel or Sarah Shields at Homeland Security. Last Updated on 8/14/2006 |
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