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Community Safety/Security
Newsletter - September 2007
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PO Box 891993
Temecula, CA
92589-1993
(951) 764-3626
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Welcome
to the September 2007 Issue!
So
I'm running down the freeway, with the emergency kit on my back, hoping
to reach the guy in time...
Heck
of a way to start a story, right? We were driving into Orange
County this morning, when Steph say a guy fall from an overpass onto
the other side of the freeway. After immediately calling 9-1-1,
and having a brief discussion, we got off at the next exit, turned the
car around, and started heading back towards him. It took us
about 4-5 minutes to get there. Luckily, there were a couple of
every day heroes, working on the guy. When I got there, one of
them was able to shift over to compressions for CPR, and I took over
breaths. We continued CPR until the Paramedics arrived to take
over. So what's the lesson? Well, there's a few, I
think.
First,
make sure that you tell your family that you love them. It's a
cliche how many times people will tell you that we only have a limited
amount of time, but there's nothing like an emergency to hit it
home. Second, be ready. Turns out, my emergency kit was
under-packed. I'd pulled out the big first aid kit to replenish
some items that had gone bad. Heck of a time to be caught with
your pants down, but that's the way it happens. Those neat little
CPR face masks - hadn't gotten around to buying them for the kit,
yet. Had to cut a hole in a Ziploc bag to use as a bit of a
barrier, and since he started coughing blood, now we have to check into
all of the things that come with a potential blood-borne pathogen
issue. Which brings me to the third and most important lesson:
Decide ahead of time.
The
time to decide if you're going to risk your life for someone else is
before you are called on to do so. Not everyone can, and not
everyone should. If you don't know the risks, or you have to
worry about who is going to take care of your kids, or you have another
compelling reason - don't do it. I will however, remind you of a
quote that Joe Ruffini brought to mind recently during his
presentation. The motto of the Russian Special Forces is: "If not
me, then who?"
It's
been a long day, so I'll turn you over to Bill's newsletter, now.
Enjoy, and if you don't mind taking a minute to say a couple of
prayers, the guy we tried to help didn't make it. Thank the Lord
for Derek and Gail (I don't know either of the spellings), two every
day heroes who stepped up to take on the challenge even though it
seemed futile. May God Bless them and keep them.
Stephen
PS:
People get busy, and we understand that, so we're going to extend the
$9.95 pricing on Keeping Our Chemical Facilities Safe until October
5. That should give the folks on the federal ficsal year some
time to catch up. Stay safe!
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From
The Editor's Desk
Hello!
Having
safely survived the rigors of some temporary active duty work with the
Washington State National Guard, I have returned home, safe and sound…
Which
brings to mind an funny story:
After
I signed the contract to join the Guard, my recruiter took the time to
inform me that I had just joined up with the only State National Guard
in the continental United States that has three active volcanoes within
its jurisdiction (Mt. Saint Helens, Mt. Rainier, and Mt. Adams)… One of these is sitting on the edge of a major
population center, not to mention a major west coast port facility.
It
does get a fellow thinking.
With
the emphasis on global terrorism, let us make sure that we aren’t
forgetting about the other aspects of keeping our communities safe. Keep in mind the natural hazards that might
pose a danger to your community. Be
aware of your community’s plans for evacuation in the event of a
natural disaster. Take a few minutes
checking that “bug out kit” that you prepared this month.
Remember: Even the best emergency response plans will
experience some delay in responding to a crisis, and you will have to
rely on yourself for what will hopefully be a limited period of time. Take the time now to prepare.
Develop your personal re=
sponse plan, stock up, rehearse, and update as needed.
As
Stephen told you last month, Keeping Our Chemical Facilities
Safe is finally out! Take
advantage of the last first week in the new Fiscal Year to order,
before the price goes up!
Stay
safe, and I’ll see you next month!
-Bill
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Recent
and Upcoming Events
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Recent Events
InfraGard still has an opportunity to assist
experienced bomb
technicians representing the FBI, LAPD and LASD in a unique way and
would love YOUR help! These
technicians jointly provide up-to-date training to other bomb
technicians not yet exposed to explosive related threats posed by
terrorists.
These training programs are held at the Pitches Honor Ranch in Wayside,
CA. The facilities available to them are not in maximum
condition, specifically the roof of the classroom structure itself. We
would like assist these technicians by donating the $2,700.00 required
to reconstruct the roof. Our goal is to see that both the instructors
and the trainees are protected from the elements while also maximizing
the effectiveness of the learning process. Once completed, the
technicians will invite the individual contributors, or their
designate, to an upcoming live-device training exercise.
Please call FBI SA Reggie Canale-Miles with the amount of your support
so the InfraGard Treasurer can make sure we take in only the amount
required. Reggie will provide you with the proper payee information and
she can be reached at (310) 629-9802.
Upcoming Events
November 6-8 -
Stephen will be speaking (Nov 7) on the new Chemical Facility
Vulnerability Assessment Regulations at the EPA Western Regions'
Emergency Prevention and Preparedness conference -- along with the
mid-year National Association of SARA Title III Program Officials
(NASTTPO). The combined meeting will be held on November 6 - 8 at
the Tuscany Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. NASTTPO will be meeting
on Tuesday, Nov. 6. The combined agenda for NASTTPO with EPA is
on Wednesday, Nov 7. The EPA Western Regions conference will
continue on Thursday, Nov. 8. These meetings are part of the 11th
annual HazMat Explo that will be held Nov. 5 - 8 at the Tuscany.
The website is here.
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It's
Finally Here!
Keeping Our Chemical Facilities
Safe is
out! KOCFS
should explain everything you need to know about the new Homeland
Security regulations requiring vulnerability assessments by chemical
facilities. Or at least everything we were able to pry out of
DHS. (We're still waiting on a final Appendix A and answers to
some questions we sent them.) Note that when Appendix A is
finalized, or we get feedback from DHS on comments, we will release
updates to the e-book. What that means is that purchasers who
purchase now will receive free updates as we get more
information. That way, there won't be any chance of the e-book
becoming obsolete. We may in the future release a full, new
version of the e-book, but until that time, updates will be free to all
purchasers. Similarly, if you have any comments, or things that
you want addressed in the book, we are always appreciative of feedback
and will be glad to incorporate those items in the future. We are
offering the e-book for
$9.95 (USD) for the month of September only. On Oct 5, the
price will go up to $14.95 (USD). To order
Keeping Our Chemical Facilities
Safe click here.
What lies ahead?
Time
to get back to working on Keeping
Our Schools Safe. As before, we're looking for folks who
are interested in reviewing it, and always welcome your comments as to what
you would like to see in the final product. Thank you for working
with us to make these things come to fruition.
We're
starting to do more consulting work with cities and businesses.
As our business grows, we want you to know that we are committed to
ensuring that we provide the same level of expertise and service to
which you are accustomed. We work with people who are interested
in making their business, community or jurisdiction safer, and not just
people who are willing to help someone spend grant money. There
are planty of other folks out there who will do that. Thank you
for helping us to make some wonderful things happen!
As
always, if
you are interested in working with us directly to make your community,
business, or agency safer, please contact us at:
info@oursafetowns.com.
See
you next month!
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Useful Information
-
Winterizing your Home.
(From wiseGeek) (http://www.wisegeek.com/how-do-i-winterize-my-home.htm)
Winterizing a home
means readying it for the cold and precipitation of long winter months
in frigid climates. Sometimes, residents leave a "summer" home
unoccupied and practically unheated for half the year. More commonly,
you want to occupy your home and =
make sure it is snug, well maintained, and waterproof through wind,
snow, rain, and freezing temperatures.
Many of the chores to be done before
the first storm or the ground freezes involve simple maintenance and
cleaning. Outside, your roof and gutters should be in top shape. Make
sure there are no loose tiles or flashing, because that might cause
leaks. Keep your gutters clear of sludge and check to be sure they're
firmly attached to the house. If you have a fireplace, a chimney
sweep should clean the chimney and ensure the flue functions properly.
If you have a wood deck or patio, you might want to apply another coat
of weather-resistant polyurethane.
Inside, there are other things to
clean or replace. Central heating vents must be dusted with a vacuum.
Replace air filters yearly. Doors and windows
are easily weatherproofed to keep down drafts and improve insulation.
Install weather-stripping to the bottom and sides of exterior doors.
Caulk around window panes to seal them from leaking cold air. Wrap
basement water heaters in insulation to make them more energy efficient.
Other major preparations involve a
larger up-front cost, but over time they can save you money in energy
bills. For instance, since hot air rises, putting high-rated insulation
in your attic or crawl space keeps heat from escaping through the
ceiling. Installing a humidifier might
not lower heating costs, but it can make dry winters more bearable and
improve your immunity to colds and the flu. A sump pump in the basement makes sure
that during especially heavy rainfall, or the spring thaw, your
basement doesn't flood. Buying and attaching storm windows prevents against
violent storms and provides an extra layer of insulation.
If you
must leave your house completely unoccupied for weeks or months, a few
additional measures will make sure your furniture doesn't split or
pipes don't burst. Your house and everything in it are usually designed
to be kept at a minimum temperature of 40° F (4° C). Most
importantly, you must turn off the main water source and then drain
every pipe and faucet of water. If the temperature drops to 32
deg; F (0° C), this water could freeze, expand, and split the
pipes, causing expensive damage. Don't miss outside faucets, hoses, and
water outlets. It's safe to set the thermostat at its lowest setting,
usually around 50° F (10° C). When you return in the spring,
your home will be ready to welcome you.
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| ©
2007 SRM Associates |
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