”Don’t Let Alcohol Force You Out of the Game Be sure to include a designated driver in your starting lineup this weekend!”

While we encourage everyone to have fun cheering for their favorite team – or watching for their favorite commercial ad – please do so in a safe and responsible way. This is why the law enforcement and EMS agencies, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is teaming with the National Football League (NFL) and Techniques for Effective Alcohol Management (TEAM) Coalition to help endorse the very important safety message of not drinking and driving to all NFL fans.

If you are preparing to consume alcohol while you watch the game, we suggest that you do it sensibly, by handing over your keys to a “sober” designated driver. Anyone drinking during the games should make sure they have a designated driver plan to make sure they get home safe. Their plan may mean calling a friend, or calling a cab for a ride home.

In 2010, over 10,000 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes that involved at least one driver or motorcycle rider with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher.   The average cost for a DUI ticket is $8,000 to $10,000 or more!  A cab ride is much cheaper!

We are also asking all party hosts to discourage their guests from drinking and driving. Take the keys from guests who plan on drinking. Make that extra effort to be sure that everyone who will be drinking has assigned a sober designated driver. That you are serving more food than booze, and have plenty of non-alcoholic beverages available as well. Remember – coffee does not sober people up.

We want everyone to make the right decision for this weekend – don’t let a day of fun end in tragedy. Expect extra law enforcement to be patrolling our roadways. If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact your local law enforcement by calling 9-1-1!   NFL Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk.

CERT Drill at Parkyway Plaza El Cajon

Are you prepared for a disaster?  Earthquake or firestorm? Consider attending a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) academy.

The  CERT Program educates people about disaster preparedness and the hazards that may impact the area they live. These FREE CERT lessons will train you in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training taught in the classroom and during drill exercises, CERT members will be better prepared to also assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following a disaster or other unexpected event when professional responders are not immediately available.

Check with the San Diego Office of Emergency Services for more CERT programs around the county.

Read on for more information on what to bring to these “free” disaster preparedness training classes once you are registered.

• For the first class please bring your own 1-1/2″ binder to the class for your CERT manual.  Bring a pencil and pen for note taking.
• Dress casually – certain classes may get you a little dirty – we’ll let you know which. Please, always wear sturdy shoes or wear tennis shoes – NO opened toed shoes, flip-flops or sandals please.
• Please bring a pair for good work gloves to the 4th class
• Please bring your own snacks/food & beverages. (like coffee, juice or water)
• Our classes are taught by members of Heartland Fire & Rescue – serving El Cajon, la Mesa and Lemon Grove, and Santee Fire Departments.
• Please Note – our classes have been in big demand and are open to those serious about being prepared for a disaster, so if you register – please show up. If you have registered for a class and find you cannot make it please call so someone else can take your place – thank you.

*When academies are full, please check with our local American Red Cross, they also offer “free” disaster preparedness classes.

Learn how to better protect yourself and your family.  These classes are free - but what you’ll learn is priceless!

• There are several other CERT programs available in the county! Click here – CERT Council for a complete list of other CERT programs.
• Lakeside Fire is also offering CERT Classes – click on the following link:  http://www.lakesidefire.net/lks_cert.php

*A Teen CERT program is also offered:

If you are interested in this training, the City of Julian will be providing this class as an ongoing program. This is an excellent opportunity to provide your community with trainers for the CERT/TEEN CERT program. We are excited to assist in any way we can. Contact Johhny and Diane Hake, CERT/TEEN CERT Julian/Cuyamaca at (760) 310-0976 or at (760) 310-0206. The American Red Cross also offers free training.

Prepare Now – San Diego County Has Combinef Emergency Websites

The San Diego County Office of Emergency Services has combined their three former individual websites (Ready San Diego, San Diego Emergency and San Diego Recovery) into one website.  The new website is: www.sdcountyemergency.com.  This website contains great information on preparedness, information during an emergency and information on recovery. During an emergency, the public will be directed to this website for information.  Sign
up for “Reverse 9-1-1.” Keep this website handy when a disaster occurs.

In addition:

• If you would like disaster preparedness information now – please visit 72hours.org or www.alertsandiego.org
• Most recent earthquake activity? Click here: http://pasadena.wr.usgs.gov/recenteqs/Quakes/quakes0.htm
• Additional Disaster Information: From Fed Health – FED HEALTH
  Disaster Supplies: American Red Cross – American Red Cross – San Diego
  *****************************************************************
  •CERT Team Members for a great Earthquake Drill held at New Frontier Mobile Home Community – See the article in the Union Tribune: East County CERT Holds Earthquake Drill June 19th, 2004
  *****************************************************************
  CERT is an excellent opportunity to learn many important life saving skills to better protect yourself, your family and your neighbors in the event of most disasters. This translates into saved lives and less panic.   CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency Take a look at the Los Angeles CERT Program:
  www.cert-la.com

Other CERT Programs:

• CERT San Diego Program Manager
  (619) 533-3075
  (program) CERT@sandiego.gov
  Fax:(619) 544-9351

Frequently Asked Questions About CERT

Q: How do CERT members maintain their skills?
A: CERT members and the sponsor work together to maintain team skills. It is suggested that the sponsor conduct refresher classes and an annual exercise where all CERT members are invited to participate. Some response agencies have conducted joint exercises with CERT team and operate as they would during an actual disaster. The last point does bring up a lesson learned. Besides training CERT members, it is also important to train members of response agencies about CERTs, the skills that teams have and the role that they will have during a major disaster. One way to develop this trust is by encouraging agency personnel to participate in classes as instructors and coaches and activities involving CERTs.

Understanding that CERTs may operate independently following a disaster. CERTs can practice this independence by taking some responsibility for their training. Teams can design activities and exercises for themselves and with other teams. Some members can be rescuers, some victims, and some evaluators. After the event, there can be a social so that teams get to know each other

Q: What if I want to do more than just the basic training?
A: CERT members may attend classes provided by the community agencies on animal care, special needs concerns, debris removal, utilities control, advanced first aid, Automatic External Defibrillator use, CPR skills, and others.

CERT members are a potential volunteer pool for the community. They can help with special projects like distributing preparedness material, staffing medical booths during special events, and assisting with installation of smoke alarms for seniors or special needs households. Some CERT members have sought additional training opportunities in shelter management, community relations, and donations management.

HOW DID CERT START?

1985: The idea to train volunteers from the community to assist emergency service personnel during large natural disasters began. In February of 1985, a group of Los Angeles City officials went to Japan to study its extensive earthquake preparedness plans. The group encountered an extremely homogenous society that had taken extensive steps to train entire neighborhoods in one aspect of alleviating the potential devastation that would follow a major earthquake. These single-function neighborhood teams were trained in either fire suppression, light search and rescue operations, first aid, or evacuation.

In September of 1985, a Los Angeles City investigation team was sent to Mexico City following an earthquake there that registered a magnitude 8.1 on the Richter scale and killed more than 10,000 people and injured more than 30,000. Mexico City had no training program for citizens prior to the disaster. However, large groups of volunteers organized themselves and performed light search and rescue operations. Volunteers are credited with more than 800 successful rescues; unfortunately, more than 100 of these untrained volunteers died during the 15-day rescue operation.

The lessons learned in Mexico City strongly indicated that a plan to train volunteers to help themselves and others, and become an adjunct to government response, was needed as an essential part of overall preparedness, survival, and recovery.

1986: The City of Los Angeles Fire Department developed a pilot program to train a group of leaders in a neighborhood watch organization. A concept developed involving multi-functional volunteer response teams with the ability to perform basic fire suppression, light search and rescue, and first aid. This first team of 30 people completed training in early 1986 and proved that the concept was viable through various drills, demonstrations, and exercises. Expansion of the program, however, was not feasible due to limited City resources, until an event occurred in 1987 that impacted the entire area.

1987: On October 1, 1987, the Whittier Narrows earthquake vividly underscored the threat of an area-wide major disaster, and demonstrated the need to expedite the training of civilians to prepare for earthquakes and other emergencies.

Following the Whittier Narrows earthquake, the City of Los Angeles took an aggressive role in protecting the citizens of Los Angeles by creating the Disaster Preparedness Division (now the Disaster Preparedness Unit) within the Los Angeles City Fire Department.

1993: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) decided to make the concept and program available to communities nationwide. The Emergency Management Institute (EMI), in cooperation with the LAFD, expanded the CERT materials to make them applicable to all hazards.

2002: In January 2002, CERT became part of the Citizen Corps, a unifying structure to link a variety of related volunteer activities to expand a community’s resources for crime prevention and emergency response.

2004: As of January 2004, 50 states, three territories and six foreign countries are using the CERT training.

“It’s all about being prepared for a disaster!”

Following a disaster what should you do?  The following links will take you to a valuable guide helping you on the road to recovery following a major disaster.  But this information is a “must read” before a disaster occurs…so your recovery is smoother and faster.

http://www.theredguidetorecovery.com/

http://www.theredguidetorecovery.com/TRG_condensed_v8.3.pdf

http://preparesandiego.org/SafeSanDiego.aspx

Are You Ready?

An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness

Take the quiz to see if you are truly prepared.

Are You Ready? An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness is FEMA’s most comprehensive source on individual, family, and community preparedness. The guide has been revised, updated, and enhanced in August 2004 to provide the public with the most current and up-to-date disaster preparedness information available.

To download your copy of this important preparedness guide:

http://www.fema.gov/areyouready/

Learn How You Can Create Defensible Space Around Your Home

The following websites from the CALFIRE and the California Department Forestry explains defensible space:

Preparing for wildfire:

Guidelines:

http://www.fire.ca.gov/cdfbofdb/pdfs/4291finalguidelines2_23_06.pdf

also:

http://www.scfd9.org/DefensibleSpace1.pdf

Get a simple 3-step plan to proect your home and family from wildfire at www.ReadyForWildfire.org from CAL FIRE.  The time to prepare is now!

Right-click image to download PDF

Right-click image to download PDF

Desert lightning

When stormy conditions hit - will you be prepared?

• Visit this website – http://www.prepare.org and see all the things you can do to be prepared if there’s flooding, or if you lose power.  Conserve energy – avoid doing laundry, turn off lights etc.
• Also visit www.readySanDiego.org for more information in preparing for a disaster.
• Making a plan – go to: http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/oes/ready/make_a_plan/ – now is the time to prepare – before a problem or disaster occurs.
• Don’t forget the number to call for emergency-evacuation shelters “2-1-1″!  Also have a battery operated radio for emergency information during a power outage.
• SANDBAGS – Visit the County website for information on sandbags – www.sdcounty.ca.gov or visit places like Home Depot or RCP for sandbags.  You can easily make your own sand bags by using small plastic trash bags filled with sand or dirt.   As of November 18, 2010 – here is the County’s information on obtaining sandbags.
• During daylight hours, if it’s safe to travel, consider going to an indoor mall or library. When driving – “never” go through a barricaded area.  Your vehicle can easily be swept away.  If you go through barricades and you have to be rescued – you may be charged with the cost of that rescue. But most important – you are risking your life!  During heavy rains/storm conditions – don’t travel. But if you do drive – make sure you and your passengers are buckled-up and reduce your “speed” please – and do not tailgate.  Keep a safe distance from the car ahead of you…and be patient.   Speed is the number cause of collisions during rainy weather.
• American Red Cross website – http://www.redcross.org/en/ for excellent information.
• Power outage checklist (PDF file)
• San Diego Gas & Electric
• What to do and who to call
• If you see a downed power line “DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TOUCH IT!” Call 9-1-1!
• Avoid danger – do not allow your children to play in or near storm drains, storm channels etc.  They can easily be carried away by the fast moving water and drown.  Camping is not a good idea due to flooding and the possibilty of flash floods – especially in the desert areas.   Retreat to higher ground.  Be safe and exercise common sense during these storm conditions.

Just the Facts:

• AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that 41 percent of drivers admit to having fallen asleep behind the wheel.
• Drowsy driving is responsible for about 17 percent of all crashes.
• The results are based on a phone survey of about 2,000 U.S. residents.

WASHINGTON — In a scary new study that should make Starbucks happy, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that 41 percent of drivers admit to having fallen asleep behind the wheel. The study results indicate that drowsy driving is a bigger factor in crashes than previously thought, according to researchers. Drowsy driving is responsible for about 17 percent of all crashes, said the study — making it as serious a risk factor for traffic fatalities as speeding, drunk driving and distracted driving.

The results are based on a phone survey of about 2,000 U.S. residents. More than one in four adults admits to having driven when they were “so sleepy that [they] had a hard time keeping [their] eyes open within the past month.”

Drivers aged 16-24 were the most likely to report having fallen asleep at the wheel within the past year. Men were much more likely than women to have fallen asleep, and 56 percent of respondents said their last instance of falling asleep behind the wheel occurred on a multilane divided highway.

The federal government has been waging a high-profile war against distracted driving. The U.S. Department of Transportation has held two distracted-driving summits in the past two years. No word on whether the feds will tackle the problem of drowsy driving.