- Written by Jennifer King
- Category: Hot Topics
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 12, 2017
Contact; Nancy Nydam, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
DPH Urges Safety Precautions After Irma
Keep Yourself and Your Loved Ones Safe By Following Basic Safety Tips
ATLANTA – Hurricane/tropical storm Irma is no longer a threat but recovering from the storm will take weeks, and even longer in some parts of the state. The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) is urging Georgians to use extreme caution particularly in the next few days as residents return to their homes, power is restored and damage assessments are made. The storm may be over, but that doesn’t mean the danger is.
Be careful near damaged buildings
Stay away from power lines
Avoid floodwater
Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Identify and throw away food that may not be safe to eat
Check water quality
Protect yourself from animals and pests
Prevent mold
For more information go to:
https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes/hurricane_irma.html
https://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/refridg_food.html
https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-05/documents/epa816f05021.pdf
https://www.cdc.gov/mold/images/mold_infographic.jpg
http://www.gema.ga.gov/Pages/default.aspx
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About the Georgia Department of Public Health
The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) is the lead agency in preventing disease, injury and disability; promoting health and well-being; and preparing for and responding to disasters from a health perspective. For more information visit: www.dph.georgia.gov
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- Written by Jennifer King
- Category: Public Service Announcements
Safety Tips from the CDC
Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless gas that can cause sudden illness and death if inhaled. When power outages occur during emergencies such as hurricanes or winter storms, the use of alternative sources of fuel or electricity for heating, cooling, or cooking can cause CO to build up in a home, garage, or camper and to poison the people and animals inside.
Every year, more than 400 people die in the U. S. from accidental CO poisoning.
Exposure to CO can cause loss of consciousness and death. The most common symptoms of CO poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. People who are sleeping or who have been drinking alcohol can die from CO poisoning before ever having symptoms.
Important CO Poisoning Prevention Tips
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Never use a generator, pressure washer, or any gasoline-powered engine inside your home, basement, or garage or less than 20 feet from any window, door, or vent.
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Never use a gas range or oven to heat a home.
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Never leave the motor running in a vehicle parked in an enclosed or partially enclosed space, such as a garage.
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Never run a generator, pressure washer, or any gasoline-powered engine inside a basement, garage, or other enclosed structure, even if the doors or windows are open, unless the equipment is professionally installed and vented. Keep vents and flues free of debris, especially if winds are high. Flying debris can block ventilation lines.
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Never use a charcoal grill, hibachi, lantern, or portable camping stove inside a home, tent, or camper.
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If conditions are too hot or too cold, seek shelter with friends or at a community shelter.
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If CO poisoning is suspected, move to outside air, call 911 or your local Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222 or consult a health care professional right away.
Businesses can help ensure your customers’ safety by placing important information about protecting oneself from CO poisoning in the direct vicinity of generators they are selling.
- Hits: 3032
- Written by Jennifer King
- Category: Public Service Announcements
Safety Tips from the CDC
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NEVER touch a fallen power line.
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Do not drive through standing water if downed power lines are in the water.
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If you believe someone has been electrocuted, call or have someone else call 911 or emergency medical help.
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After a hurricane, flood or other natural disaster you need to be careful to avoid electrical hazards both in your home and elsewhere.
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Never touch a fallen power line. Call the power company to report fallen power lines.
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Avoid contact with overhead power lines during cleanup and other activities.
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Do not drive through standing water if downed power lines are in the water.
If a power line falls across your car while you are driving, stay inside the vehicle and continue to drive away from the line.
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If the engine stalls, do not turn off the ignition.
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Warn people not to touch the car or the line.
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Call or ask someone to call the local utility company and emergency services.
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Do not allow anyone other than emergency personnel to approach your vehicle.
If electrical circuits and electrical equipment have gotten wet or are in or near water, turn off the power at the main breaker or fuse on the service panel.
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Do not enter standing water to access the main power switch.
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Call an electrician to turn it off.
Never turn power on or off yourself or use an electric tool or appliance while standing in water.
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Do not turn the power back on until electrical equipment has been inspected by a qualified electrician.
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All electrical equipment and appliances must be completely dry before returning them to service.
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Have a certified electrician check these items if there is any question.
If you see frayed wiring or sparks when you restore power, or if there is an odor of something burning but no visible fire, you should immediately shut off the electrical system at the main circuit breaker.
Consult your utility company about using electrical equipment, including power generators.
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Do not connect generators to your home's electrical circuits without the approved, automatic-interrupt devices.
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If a generator is on line when electrical service is restored, it can become a major fire hazard and it may endanger line workers helping to restore power in your area.
If you believe someone has been electrocuted take the following steps:
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Look first. Don't touch. The person may still be in contact with the electrical source. Touching the person may pass the current through you.
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Call or have someone else call 911 or emergency medical help.
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Turn off the source of electricity if possible. If not, move the source away from you and the affected person using a non-conducting object made of cardboard, plastic or wood.
- Once the person is free of the source of electricity, check the person's breathing and pulse. If either has stopped or seems dangerously slow or shallow, begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) immediately.
- If the person is faint or pale or shows other signs of shock, lay him or her down with the head slightly lower than the trunk of the body and the legs elevated.
- Don't touch burns, break blisters, or remove burned clothing. Electrical shock may cause burns inside the body, so be sure the person is taken to a doctor.
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- Written by Jennifer King
- Category: Media Releases
North Georgia – Get your flu shot to go at one of six public health Drive-by Flu Shot Clinics coming soon to North Georgia. Just roll in, roll up a sleeve and arm against the flu this season while helping prepare communities for disaster!
Since 2008, public health departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties have conducted the annual Drive-by Flu Shot Clinics, serving residents safely, quickly and efficiently as they remain in their vehicles.
The four-in-one quadrivalent flu vaccine and the Fluzone High Dose vaccine for people sixty-five and older will be available at the clinics.
Quadrivalent flu vaccine protects people against four different strains of flu, including two influenza A viruses and two influenza B viruses.
The Fluzone High-Dose flu vaccine is for people 65 years of age and older because it has four times the amount of protective antigen for immune systems that tend to weaken with age.
The cost of the quadrivalent flu shot is $25 and the Fluzone High-Dose flu shot is $65. Cash, Medicare, Medicaid, Aetna, BlueCross BlueShield Health and United Healthcare Insurance will be accepted along with other forms of payment and insurance, depending on the county.
The Drive-by Flu Shot Clinics are for people ages 18 and over.
While arming residents against the flu at the Drive-by Flu Shot Clinics, public health staff and community partners test their plans for standing up a temporary Point of Dispensing (POD) to rapidly administer medication during a public health crisis. Participating community partners include local law enforcement, volunteers, businesses and first responders such as the county Emergency Management Agency, Emergency Medical Services and Fire Department.
This year, the Drive-by Flu Shot Clinics are scheduled in each county, as follows:
Cherokee: Tuesday, September 26th, 9 A.M. – 2 P.M., *Woodstock City Church: 150 Ridgewalk Parkway, Woodstock, GA. Call (770) 928-0133 or (770) 345-7371 for more details.
*Please note this NEW Location for the Drive-By Flu Shot Clinic in Woodstock!
Pickens: Wednesday, September 27th, 8:30 A.M. – 3:30 P.M., Mt. Zion Baptist Church: 1036 North Main Street, Jasper, GA. Call (706) 253-2821 for more details.
Fannin: Thursday, September 28th, 9 A.M. – 3 P.M., The Farmers Market: East First Street, Blue Ridge, GA. Call (706) 632-3023 for more details.
Whitfield: Tuesday, October 3rd, 9 A.M. – 5 P.M., Dalton Convention Center: 2211 Dug Gap Battle Road, Dalton, GA. Call (706) 226-2621 for more details.
Gilmer: Thursday, October 5th, 8 A.M. – 3 P.M., Pleasant Grove Baptist Church: 115 Pleasant Grove Road, Ellijay, GA. Call (706) 635-4363 for more details.
Murray: Tuesday, October 10th, 8 A.M. – 6 P.M., Murray County Parks and Recreation Department: 651 Hyden Tyler Road, Chatsworth, GA. Call (706) 695-4585 for more details.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), flu vaccination can reduce flu illnesses, doctors’ visits, and missed work and school due to flu, as well as prevent flu-related hospitalizations. The more people who get vaccinated, the more people will be protected from flu, including older people, very young children, pregnant women and people with certain health conditions who are more vulnerable to serious flu complications.
The single best way to prevent the flu is to get a flu vaccination. The most convenient way to get that vaccination in North Georgia is at the nearest public health Drive-by Flu Shot Clinic.
For additional details about the Drive-by Flu Shot Clinics, call the local county health department or log onto www.nghd.org. To learn more about influenza and flu protection, log onto the CDC’s website at www.cdc.gov/flu/.
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