Stephen
Well I spent a little time in Southern California this month, catching
up with a few clients, and visiting with some friends. I'm hoping
that you're following the news, and if so, you'll know that India has
had a coordinated attack this past week. If you don't already
know it, Janet Napolitano looks to be the leading choice for the
Secretary of Homeland Security (more on that below) and the
President-elect expects to announce his National Security team any day
now. I would like to recommend to you a book I recently
completed. When Terror
Comes to Main Street, by LtCol Joe Ruffini is very well
done. I think that it is a bit long for most of the folks
on "main street," but if you liked Keeping Our Neighborhoods Safe,
then this book is a good next step. I hope that you all have a
very Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Joyous Kwannza, or whatever
holiday you celebrate! Stay safe! We'll see you next, month.
-Stephen
We all know the feeling
of being overwhelmed. In today's world it's too easy to redline
your time, and then when one more thing comes up, you've got no more
room in the schedule and something has to go. Sadly, Joe has come
up against that wall, and so will need to step down from editing
the newsletter. Stephen will be taking care of the editing until
we can find a new editor. If any of you are interested, please
contact him at: stephen.melvin@oursafetowns.com.
Sources: Napolitano
top choice for homeland security secretary
(CNN)
-- President-elect Barack Obama's top choice for secretary of homeland
security is Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, multiple Democratic sources
close to the transition told CNN on condition of anonymity.
Gov. Janet Napolitano is President-elect Barack Obama's top choice for
secretary of homeland security, sources say.
Gov. Janet Napolitano is President-elect Barack Obama's top choice for
secretary of homeland security, sources say.
One source said he believed the final decision depends on the vetting
of the Democratic governor, much like the selection of Eric Holder for
attorney general.
Also, multiple Democratic sources say billionaire Chicago businesswoman
Penny Pritzker is Obama's choice for commerce secretary. Pritzker ran
Obama's record-breaking fundraising effort, serving as the campaign's
finance chair.
The sources say she will accept the job, which would be formally
offered after vetting is complete. But whether the rigors of the Obama
vetting process will present a challenge to a business person with no
record in public office -- and presumably extensive financial holdings
-- was unknown.
(Read
More)
Resolve to be Ready 2009 Toolkit Available!
(From the Resolve to be Ready
mail list)
The New Year is fast approaching and for the forth year in a row the
Ready Campaign is encouraging Americans to Resolve to be Ready by
making a New Year's resolution to get prepared for emergencies.
We hope you will join us in this effort. To help assist you in
your outreach, please find the toolkit with helpful resources to
promote Resolve to be Ready in your communities and businesses at http://www.ready.gov/america/about/resolve2009.html.
Also, we want to hear from you! Please share your initiatives and
activities with us as we are always looking for ways to inspire and
educate others. Send us an e-mail at Ready@dhs.gov.
We hope your holidays are wonderful and look forward to working with
you on Resolve to be Ready 2009!
Sincerely,
The Ready Campaign
Recent
Events
From Gary Sturdivan
of the Emergency Response Network of the Inland Empire (ERNIE):
Hello ERNIE Members:
Well....the
Golden Guardian exercise is mostly over! Congratulations to those of
you who exercised. I'm sure it was a great learning experience for you
and your agency. The ERNIE group has moved to a higher level of
recognition in the Counties and at the State level, for the level of
professionalism and cooperation shown at all levels.
For this, all of us should be proud.
I want to let you all know that there were "After Action" meetings
scheduled at the County and State levels for today and Tuesday.
However, due to the fires in Southern California all meetings have been
cancelled until a future date.
A special thanks to Greg Gage and Ellis Williams for acting as the
first "Water Coordinators" at the County of San Bernardino EOC. Both
Greg and Ellis did a great job! I have heard very positive comments
from San Bernardino County OES. Also, a special thanks to Sean
McCarthy for all of his help during the exercise at the County EOC.
Thank you,
Gary Sturdivan
Upcoming
Events
<> From Robert
Kamm of South Beach Community Awareness and Emergency Response:
Paul Beswick of the Metropolitan Water District is planning a meeting
with the Chemical Safety Board Director, John Bresland on January 28,
2009 in conjunction with the CUPA Conference. He would like to do
this with All the Local CAER organizations and was hoping to get your
concurrence to hold a joint CAER meeting.
I feel this would be a great opportunity for all of the CAER groups
together with the CUPA’s, please email your thoughts as soon as
possible so we can schedule.
For more information, please ccontact him at: robert.kamm@lausd.net
As mentioned a couple of months ago,
the Naval
Postgraduate School's Center
for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS) is sponsoring their second
annual essay competition designed to stimulate original thought on
issues in homeland security. We expect to enter several essays to
address problems faced by the incoming Secretary of Homeland Security,
and will be posting some of those essays in future newsletters.
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!
Christmas Tree Safety Tips
It's that time of
year again! The Red Cross recommends following the below tips to
help prevent holiday home fires:
Christmas Tree Care
* Purchase flame
retardant metallic or artificial trees.
* If you purchase a
real tree, make sure that it has fresh, green needles that aren’t
easily broken. Keep live trees as moist as possible by giving them
plenty of water.
* Use a sturdy tree
stand designed not to tip over.
* Keep trees at least
three feet away from heat sources, including fireplaces, portable
heaters, radiators, heat vents and candles.
* Make sure that any
light strings or other decorations for the tree are in good condition
and follow manufacturer’s instructions for their use. Do not use
anything with frayed electrical cords.
* Be careful not to
drop or flick cigarette ashes near a tree.
* Never put tree
branches or needles in a fireplace or wood burning stove.
* Safely dispose of
trees as they become dry and needles begin to drop.
* Dispose of trees
through recycling centers or community pick-up services. Dried-out
trees should not be left at home or in a garage, or placed against the
home or garage.
Holiday Lights and
Decorations
* Always unplug tree
and holiday lights before leaving home or going to bed.
* Inspect holiday
lights each year for frayed wires, bare spots, broken or cracked
sockets, and excessive kinking or wear.
* Avoid overloading
electrical outlets by not linking more than three light strands.
* Use decorations
that are flame-resistant or flame-retardant.
* Place decorations
at least three feet away from fireplaces, portable heaters, radiators,
heat vents and candles.
Holiday Candles
* Remember that lit
candles are fire. Always extinguish candles before leaving the room or
going to bed.
* Never use lit
candles to decorate a tree.
* Keep candles at
least 12 inches away from trees, evergreens, holiday decorations, and
other items that can catch on fire like clothing, papers and curtains.
* Use candle holders
that are sturdy, won’t tip over easily, are made from a material that
cannot burn, and are large enough to collect dripping wax.
* Place candles only
where they cannot be reached or easily knocked over by children and
pets.
* Consider using
battery-operated “flameless” candles that are scented and have a
flickering affect.
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