Friday Roundup – News and noteworthy
It has been a while since our last Friday roundup, but we have some good news stories to share with our readers. First up is a passing of the emergency preparedness torch in Canada. From there we go to two articles about how online and apps are helping spread the word and we finish with some good advice. Let’s get started.
Canada’s “Canadian Centre for Emergency Preparedness (CCEP) to close” reads the headline. Sounds like negative news doesn’t it? Don’t fear, because all the knowledge and understanding learned over 20 years is being passed over to the Emergency Management and Public Safety Institute (EMPSI) of Centennial College, Toronto, Ontario. “CCEP has done what it set out to do,” said Sean Tracey, chair of the CCEP Board of Directors, “and now it’s time to hand over the benefits of our collective knowledge, expertise and experiences to an organization that will not only uphold CCEP’s heritage and mandate, but also build on our accomplishments for a safer and more resilient Canada.” “We are excited by the opportunity to integrate CCEP’s body of work and technical knowledge into our own curriculum, while ensuring CCEP’s legacy endures and thrives well into the future,” said EMPSI Manager Ginette Soulieres. Sounds like a win-win in Canada!
How about an app that saves lives? The PulsePoint app alerts users who indicate that they’re CPR trained of incidents in public places where CPR is urgently needed. How cool is that? After someone calls 9-1-1, the app uses location-based services to direct citizen rescuers to the exact location, and also displays where they can find the nearest automated external defibrillator (AED). Now that is more useful than Angry Birds don’t you think?
A new online video game speaks to the younger crowd to help educate and heighten awareness of disaster preparedness.The American College of Emergency Physicians has created an online video game — called “Disaster Hero” — that aims to help children prepare for emergency situations and common disasters. The game aims to teach children: The basics of preparedness; Danger signs; The effects of common disasters; and How to deal with certain injuries. It targets children in grades one through eight and includes three levels associated with children’s reading ability. Another one I like!
Finishing this weeks roundup is a call from the Santa Barbara office of Emergency Management for residents both in and out of flood zones to make sure their insurance is up to date as they head into the rainy season. From 2001-2010 floods in the United States caused nearly $2.7 billion in flood losses. Almost 40% of businesses that were flooded never reopened their doors again. Yikes!
Hope you enjoy the information and have a great weekend.
