Celebrating 20 Years of EMD

December 17, 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:     Megan Silverstrim, Cumberland County

                        717.729.7019

Cumberland County 9-1-1 Celebrates 20 Years of

Life Saving Medical Protocol

Cumberland County, Pennsylvania– In 2013 Cumberland County Department of Public Safety (DPS) will celebrate 20 years of Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD).  EMD is a nationally recognized program that relies on a series of standardized questions and instructions that provide dispatchers with a consistent approach to medical emergencies.  With EMD, dispatchers are able to determine caller location, nature of the emergency, triage the emergency and determine the seriousness of the incident.  With this information dispatchers can then determine the appropriate response, as well as offer pre-arrival medical instructions to the caller.

In 1993, Cumberland County Department of Public Safety played an integral part in introducing the life saving program to the 8 counties that comprise the Emergency Health Services Federation (EHSF). The mission of EHSF is to develop, maintain and improve the EMS system within the 8 county region. Cumberland County was the first in EHSF to actually adopt the program.  At the time EMD was a contentious concept but 20 years later all 8 counties in the region utilize the life saving protocol. 

All Cumberland County 9-1-1 dispatchers are EMD certified through a 32 hour course when hired.  Dispatchers must obtain continuing education credits and retest for their certification every two years.  Since its inception, dispatchers have successfully navigated callers through the steps to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), child birth and a variety of other medical conditions.  On February 5th, DPS will officially mark this 20 year anniversary with an interactive program that will be open to the public.  For more information on Cumberland County 9-1-1, visit www.ccpa.net/publicsafety                                                                    

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Cumberland and Dauphin 9-1-1 Collaboration

December 10, 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:    Megan Silverstrim, Cumberland County

                        717.729.7019

Cumberland & Dauphin County 9-1-1 Collaboration

Assistances in HACC Assault Case

Cumberland County, Pennsylvania– The quick and thorough actions of a 9-1-1 dispatcher is often the first step to a successful police investigation and the recent abduction and assault that began on the Harrisburg Area Community College campus is a prime example.  Dispatchers from Dauphin and Cumberland County worked together to obtain vital information that aided officers in the initial moments of the incident and provided assistance to the victim until first responders arrived.     

                                                                                                         

This incident began in Dauphin County, and the initial 9-1-1 call was routed to Dauphin.  The Dauphin dispatcher realized the victim was in fact in Cumberland County and quickly patched the call to Cumberland 9-1-1.  Dispatchers from both counties remained on the line working diligently to calm the victim and determine her location, as she was unfamiliar with her surroundings.  With information received from the victim, dispatchers were also able to contact PennDot, to obtain a more detailed vehicle description and license plate number for the vehicle the suspect was to be traveling in. 

This “across the river collaboration” is not a rare event, but rather a daily occurrence as crime knows no boundaries and incidents occur requiring the assistance of resources from both Dauphin and Cumberland County.  This partnership involves various technological elements allowing the collaboration between both 9-1-1 centers to occur in an efficient and impactful manner.  For details on Dauphin County 9-1-1visit www.dauphincounty.org/government/EMA-911.  For more information on Cumberland County 9-1-1 visit www.ccpa.net/publicsafety.

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Beware of Disaster Fraud and Scammers

Anytime a disaster happens, you can be sure that instances of fraud and scams will increase.  Below are some tips from the folks at FEMA to help you protect yourself as you recovery from Sandy!

• There is never a fee to apply for FEMA disaster assistance or to receive it. 
• There is no fee for FEMA or U.S. Small Business Administration property damage inspections. 
• The only ways to register for FEMA help are to call 800-621-3362 (TTY: 800-462-7585) or visit www.DisasterAssistance.gov. Or visit m.fema.gov from a smartphone or Web-enabled device.
• Government workers will never ask for a fee or payment. They wear a photo ID. Watch out for middle men who promise you will receive money, especially if they ask for an up-front payment.
• Get three written estimates for repair work. Then check credentials and contact your local Better Business Bureau or Chamber of Commerce to learn about any complaints against the contractor or business.
• Before work begins, make sure you get a written contract detailing all the work to be performed, the costs, a projected completion date, and how to negotiate changes and settle disputes. 
• Make sure the contract clearly states who will obtain the necessary permits. Consider having a lawyer review the contract if substantial costs are involved. Keep a copy of the signed contract. 
• If the contractor provides any guarantees, they should be written into the contract clearly, stating what is guaranteed, who is responsible for the guarantee and how long the guarantee is valid. 
• Pay only by check or a credit card. A reasonable down payment may be required to buy materials for some projects, but don't pay anything without a signed contract. 

Cumberland County DPS is here to help you as you recovery from any damage that resulted from Sandy.  Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions. 

County Departments Close

October 29, 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:    Cumberland County Commissioners’ Office

                        717.2470.6150

Cumberland County Closes Offices

Cumberland County, Pennsylvania– The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners has announced that the Cumberland County Departments will be closing at noon and will remain closed tomorrow.  Commissioners will meet at 2:00 pm today as scheduled for a brief meeting, after which the Courthouse will be officially closed.

Cumberland County is experiencing flooding and high winds associated with “Sandy.”  Stay tuned to media reports for continued weather and flooding updates as well as other emergency information.  Cumberland County Department of Public Safety will also be posting updates via Facebook (www.facebook.com/cumberlandcountydps) and Twitter (ccpa_net_dps911).

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Cumberland County Commissioners Declare Disaster Emergency

October 29, 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:    Megan Silverstrim, Cumberland County

                        717.218.2804

Cumberland County Declares Disaster Emergency As “Sandy” Moves Through Pennsylvania

Cumberland County, Pennsylvania– The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners has signed a Disaster Emergency Declaration for Cumberland County.  This declaration is pursuant to the provisions of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Services Code.  

This declaration authorizes the Cumberland County Department of Public Safety to take all appropriate actions needed to effectively mitigate and respond to the current disaster situation.  This declaration also allows Cumberland County officials to purchase needed supplies, employ temporary workers and enter into contracts and agreements with vendors without the “time- consuming procedures and formalities normally prescribed by law.” 

Cumberland County is experiencing flooding and high winds associated with “Sandy.”  Stay tuned to media reports for continued weather and flooding updates as well as other emergency information.  Cumberland County Department of Public Safety will also be posting updates via Facebook (www.facebook.com/cumberlandcountydps) and Twitter (ccpa_net_dps911).

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Preparing for Sandy

October 26, 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:    Megan Silverstrim, Cumberland County

                        717.729.7019

Cumberland County Emergency Management Officials Urge Residents to Prepare for Hurricane Sandy

Cumberland County, Pennsylvania– The Cumberland County Department of Public Safety (DPS) is urging residents to take time this weekend to prepare for Hurricane Sandy.  While forecasters are still uncertain of Sandy’s path or impact, the potential exists for Cumberland County to see large amounts of rain and high winds. 

If this storm tracks into Central Pennsylvania, widespread utility outages are possible.  Area utility companies are already busy preparing for potential outages and have auxiliary crews on standby ready to respond.  Residents should take the time before the storm to prepare for these outages by stocking their disaster supply kits with items including but not limited to flashlights, water, non-perishable foods, prescription medications, blankets and spare batteries. 

The threat of flooding exists with this storm, so residents are also urged to avoid traveling through flooded areas and have an evacuation plan in place if they live in a flood prone area.  DPS staff is preparing for this event and will be providing important updates and safety tips to residents.  For more information visit www.ccpa.net, www.twitter.com/ccpa_net_dps911, or www.facebook.com/CumberlandCountyDPS.

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Cyber Predators

This week, as part of Cyber Security Awareness Month, our staff had the opportunity to sit down with Senior Supervisory Special Agent (SSSA) Craig LeCadre from the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General and talk about Cyber Crime.  SSSA LeCadre has 24 years of law enforcement experience, starting out with the Harrisburg Police Department, and then transitioning to the Office of the Attorney General.  SSSA LeCadre’s primary focus is education and outreach and we are so very thankful to him for the great information he provided us!  He gave us some great data on cyber predators and we wanted to share it with you!    

What we learned about cyber predators…

-          Cyber/internet predators are an issue we face across Pennsylvania.  Currently the Office of the Attorney General has 8 agents and 2 attorneys that investigate individuals who target children online for victimization.  In 2005 alone their office arrested 313 offenders and to date have a 100% conviction rate!

-          The laws governing internet activities cannot keep pace with changing technology, making the fight against cybercrime and cyber predators challenging.

-          Cyber predators find their young victims in chat-rooms, social networking sites, live audio/visual sites like Skype and through online gaming. 

-          Cyber predators will work to find out personal information through seemingly harmless conversations, imitates emotional status in hopes of befriending child and fabricates mutual interests.

-          These predators use the internet to seek out their victims because it allows them to be anonymous and assume fake identities (such as other children).  It gives them easy access to personal information that children may have posted on sites and offers geographic locations through “geo tagging” markers on pictures and posts. 

-          Most cyber predators are male, often married with children, professionals and in good standing in the community, usually involved in activities that provide access to children, possess above average intelligence, and highly motive to get access to their victims (will travel far).

-          Children targeted by cyber predators are typically, BUT NOT ALWAYS those who spend a large amount of time online, has more technical skills that parents, has few friends and poor interpersonal skills, may not spend much “quality” time with parents, posts pictures, videos or private info online, and lack parameters regarding internet use.  

How to protect our children from cyber predators…

-          Use internet filters to block inappropriate or adult websites

-          Limit texting/camera features on kids cell phones

-          Use internet tracking software to see where your kids are surfing

-          Place computer in a visible location in your home, that allows you to frequently view what your child is doing

-          Monitor and periodically check your child’s social networking page for inappropriate photos or info

-          Maintain an open dialogue with your children so that they would feel comfortable enough to share something important with you

-          Establish parameters for responsible use of technology

-          Educate kids on cyber predators and the dangers that exist

SSSA LeCadre shared some other great information with us that we hope to share with you over the next week, so stay tuned!

Cybersecurity Awareness Month

October 1, 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Megan Silverstrim, Cumberland County

                            717.218.2900

Cumberland County Proclaims Cybersecurity Awareness Month

Cumberland County, Pennsylvania– Cumberland County Board of Commissioner proclaimed October as Cybersecurity Awareness Month in the county during an evening meeting in Lower Allen Township.  This month will be dedicated to highlighting the importance of cybersecurity at home and the workplace. 

Cumberland County Information Management and Technology Office and Department of Public Safety will spend October focusing on educating county employees, residents and businesses on the importance of cybresecurity through a variety of programs.  Each week will focus on a different theme that will address a assortment of topics including  general cybersecurity, cyber-crime, workforce cyber education and much more! 

Cybersecurity Awareness Month is an initiative developed and sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).   For more information on this DHS program visit www.dhs.gov.  For more information on Cumberland County’s cybersecurity efforts visit www.ccpa.net.

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PROCLAMATION

Cybersecurity Awareness Month

October 2012

WHEREAS, Cybersecurity Awareness Month is an opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of cyber safety and to encourage all Americans to take the necessary steps to protect themselves and their information;

WHEREAS, every American has a stake in securing our networks and personal information against a multitude of potential threats and cyber incidents, such as unauthorized changes to hardware and software, social engineering, phishing, or unauthorized access to data that may result in extensive damage to cyber infrastructure, disruption in services, major security breaches, and may cause other adverse impacts upon the general population of Cumberland County;

WHEREAS, The Stop.Think.Connect. Campaign (www.stopthinkconnect.com) is a national effort coordinated by a coalition of private companies, non-profits and government organizations to help all digital citizens stay safer and more secure online;

WHEREAS, the Commissioners of Cumberland County along with the Information Management and Technology Office, the Department of Public Safety and other Federal, State, County, and local officials participate in and support month-long Cybersecurity Awareness designed to raise awareness and the need to take protective actions to secure  information, networks and cyber infrastructure;

WHEREAS, in recognition of the need to adequately secure, call upon the people of Cumberland County to recognize the importance of securing and observe this month by participating in cybersecurity awareness events, activities, and programs at home and in the workplace;

NOW THEREFORE, the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners do hereby proclaim October 2012 as CYBERSECURITY AWARENESS MONTH IN CUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

It's National Preparedness Month

It’s September, which means… It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!  Ok, so maybe National Preparedness Month (NPM) wasn’t what Andy Williams was signing about, but it is what we’re talking about this month!  NPM is a nationwide initiative that aims to promote personal, home, community and business disaster preparedness!  Try as we might, we can never stress enough how important preparedness is!  The impact a disaster has on you, your family and your workplace can be diminished significantly with even a small amount of preparedness.  Not sure what you need to do to prepare?  We’ve got you covered!  We’ll be spending the month posting important tips that will get you, friends, family, co-workers and neighbors disaster ready!  We encourage you to engage in the discussion all month, ask us questions and help spread the preparedness message!  The fun begins today!  Happy National Preparedness Month…GET A KIT, MAKE A PLAN, BE INFORMED!

PennDOT Traffic Advisory- August 25, 2012

PennDOT Traffic Advisory

Aug. 22, 2012

PennDOT to Remove Bridge over I-83 Near Harrisburg, Aug. 25I-83 to be Detoured through Lemoyne Saturday Night into Sunday

Harrisburg – PennDOT District 8 today announced that on Aug. 25 crews will begin to remove the bridge that originally carried Lowther Street over Interstate 83 in Lemoyne Borough, Cumberland County. A temporary structure was set in place on July 21 to carry Lowther Street over I-83 while the existing bridge is demolished and a new bridge is built.

This work is part of a nearly $8 million contract that was awarded March 28 to Susquehanna Valley Construction Corporation of New Cumberland, Cumberland County, and includes: installation of a temporary bridge, removal of the existing Lowther Street bridge, and construction of a new two-span bridge large enough to accommodate four lanes of mainline I-83 as well as three ramps underneath with 20-feet 10-inches of vertical under clearance.

PennDOT advises motorists traveling I-83 and Route 581 in Lemoyne that Aug. 25, weather permitting, they will first encounter a traffic shift and single-lane restrictions in each direction after 9 p.m. followed by a six-hour overnight detour starting around 11 p.m. as crews begin removal of the Lowther Street bridge over I-83. The detour will be in place until 5 a.m. the following morning. However single-lane restrictions may remain in place until 6 a.m. for the removal of barricades and signs.

I-83 North will be directed off at Brandt Avenue, turn right onto Lowther Street through Lemoyne back to I-83 North. I-83 North traffic headed to Route 581 West will also follow Brandt Avenue to Lowther Street and continue on I-83 North across the Susquehanna River into Harrisburg and be directed off at Exit 44-A for 13th Street to I-83 South back across the Susquehanna River to Route 581 West.

I-83 South will be directed off at Exit 42 for Lemoyne, follow Lowther Street over the interstate, turn left at 10th Street and back to I-83 South.

Route 581 East traffic headed to I-83 South will be directed to I-83 North to Exit 41-B for Highland Park, turn right onto Lowther Street through Lemoyne over the interstate and turn left at 10th Street to I-83 South.

Throughout the course of construction it will be necessary to detour I-83 traffic on five occasions: to set the temporary structure, to demolish the existing bridge, twice to set new bridge beams, and finally to remove the temporary structure. PennDOT will issue travel advisories when this work is scheduled.

The existing single-span concrete bridge that carries Lowther Street over I-83 was built in 1952 and is considered functionally obsolete. This structure is a major contributing factor to the bottleneck on I-83 North approaching the City of Harrisburg and Route 581 West. I-83 cannot be widened until this structure is removed.

Once the original structure is demolished a new bridge will be constructed over I-83. 

PennDOT expects work on the new Lowther Street bridge to be completed by the end of May 2013.

For more information on the Lowther Street bridge replacement project over I-83 in Lemoyne go to www.penndot8.com.

Preparedness Month Proclamation

August 20, 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Megan Silverstrim, Cumberland County

                            717.218.2900

Cumberland County Proclaims Preparedness Month

Cumberland County, Pennsylvania– Cumberland County Board of Commissioner proclaimed September as Preparedness Month in the county during their regular meeting today.  This is Cumberland County’s 6^th year participating in this nationwide initiative that promotes personal, home and disaster preparedness. 

The Cumberland County Department of Public Safety (DPS) will spend September presenting various disaster preparedness programs to groups around the county as well as providing preparedness tips and statistics on their various social media sites.  This year DPS will also be hosting it’s first ever Disaster Chef Cook-Off on September 14^th at their facility.  Disaster Chef’s will work to prepare a culinary delight using only preselected non-perishable items.  Chef’s will also only be allowed to use a gas grill for cooking purposes, as there are no ovens, stove tops and microwaves during disasters!  Their dishes will then be put to the test by a panel of judges who will crown a Cumberland County Disaster Chef 2012.  Community members and first responders are invited to attend and watch the cook-off.

National Preparedness Month is sponsored by the Ready Campaign, a Homeland Security initiative.  For more information on this program visit www.ready.gov.  For more information on Cumberland County’s preparedness efforts visit www.ccpa.net.

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Disaster Chef Cook-Off

National Preparedness Month (September) is right around the corner and we have some exciting stuff planned.  This year we will be hosting our first ever Disaster Chef Cook-Off!  There’s no reason you can’t eat well during a disaster and our Disaster Chef’s will try prove it!  Each chef will be given a list of non-perishable ingredients to work with and will prepare a meal that will be taste tested by a select panel of judges!  The winner will be crowned the 2012 Cumberland County Disaster Chef! 

Over the coming weeks we will need your help in preparing the list of ingredients!  We will be taking to Twitter and Facebook to get your feedback on the list, so feel free to join the fun and we hope to see you at the cook-off on September 14^th! 

Stay Tuned!

Exelon Generation TMI Information

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TMI Responds to Monitoring Well Sample

Londonderry Twp., PA- (July 25, 2012) Chemistry technicians at Three Mile Island Nuclear

Generating Station have found a slightly elevated level of tritium in one monitoring well on

the site near the plant structure. This level is contained onsite, poses no health or safety

risks, and is located in an area where groundwater is re-circulated back into the plant.

The monitoring well is one of 55 on the island that samples groundwater. All groundwater in

the area of the monitoring well is captured by industrial wells that pump the water back into

the plant where it is used for non-potable purposes throughout the facility.

The slightly elevated level was identified in a monitoring well sample and confirmed by an

independent laboratory. Subsequent samples show declining concentrations. Tritiated water

at Three Mile Island is stored in tanks and carried by pipes. A team of technical and

environmental experts is working to track down the source.

“TMI’s groundwater monitoring program is very comprehensive and it worked exactly as

intended,” said Rick Libra, TMI Site Vice President. “We identified this one sample quickly

and we’re working hard to find the source and keep our stakeholders informed.”

Three Mile Island has a comprehensive radiological monitoring program that includes 55

wells and five additional sampling stations. No unusual levels of tritium have been found in

the other wells or stations.  Local and state officials and the NRC have been notified.

Tritium occurs naturally in the environment, can be found at very low levels in nearly all

water sources and is among the weakest of all radionuclides. It is produced in greater

concentrations in commercial nuclear reactors and is monitored carefully under industrywide

programs. Tritium eventually breaks down into helium, the same gas used to fill

balloons.

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Exelon Corporation (NYSE:EXC) is the nation’s leading competitive energy provider. Headquartered in

Chicago, Exelon has operations and business activities in 47 states, the District of Columbia and Canada.

Exelon is the largest competitive U.S. power generator, with approximately 35,000 megawatts of owned

capacity comprising one of the nation’s cleanest and lowest-cost power generation fleets. The company’s

Constellation business unit provides energy products and services to approximately 100,000 business

and public sector customers and approximately 1 million residential customers. Exelon’s utilities deliver

electricity and natural gas to approximately 6.6 million customers in central Maryland (BGE), northern

Illinois (ComEd) and southeastern Pennsylvania (PECO). Learn more at: www.exeloncorp.com.

HOT WEATHER SAFETY TIPS

Extreme heat happens when temperatures are much hotter and/or there is more humidity than normal. The following tips and links will help you and your loved ones stay safe during dangerous heat waves.

• Stay indoors in air conditioning as much as possible.

• Drink plenty of water during the day – don’t wait until you are thirsty!

• Outdoor workers should drink between two and four cups of water every hour while working.

• Avoid drinks with caffeine, alcohol or large amounts of sugar.

• Limit your outdoor activity to mornings and evenings and rest often in the shade.

• Wear light-colored and loose-fitting clothing, a hat, sunglasses and an SPF15 or higher sunscreen.

• Check on those who may be more at-risk from high temperatures like:

  o Infants and young children

  o People aged 65 or older

  o People with chronic medical conditions

• Never leave your children or pets in a vehicle.

• Know the following symptoms of heat stroke, a life-threatening, heat-related illness:

  o An extremely high body temperature (above 103°F)

  o Red, hot and dry skin (no sweating)

  o Rapid, strong pulse

  o Throbbing headache

  o Dizziness

  o Nausea

  o Confusion

  o Unconsciousness

• If you think someone has heat stroke:

  o Call for emergency medical attention

  o Get the victim to a shady area

  o Cool the person rapidly (put them in a tub of cool water, place them in a cool shower, spray them with a garden hose, sponge them with cool water, etc.)

  o Do not give the victim any fluids (like water) to drink

2

• Know the symptoms of heat exhaustion:

  o Heavy sweating

  o Paleness (skin is a lighter color than normal)

  o Muscle cramps

  o Weakness

  o Dizziness

  o Headache

  o Nausea or vomiting

  o Fainting

• Help the victim cool off and seek medical attention if:

  o Symptoms are severe

  o Symptoms last more than one hour

  o The victim has heart problems or high blood pressure

* If you do not have air conditioning at home, consider visiting public facilities that do have air conditioning to cool off for a few hours (libraries, malls, community centers)

DPS Trainer Recieves National Recognition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:    Megan Silverstrim, Cumberland County

                        717.218.2913

Cumberland County Emergency Services Training Awarded National Certification

Cumberland County, Pennsylvania– The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners recognized Michele Parsons today during their regular meeting.  Parsons is the Cumberland County Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) Emergency Services Training Coordinator.  Parsons was recently recognized as a Bronze Level Trainer by the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP).  This is Parsons third time receiving this award.

To be eligible for this recognition first responders must become Indirect Authorized Trainers (IAT) for the CDP and complete an intense Train-the-Trainer course.  Upon completion of this program, responders return to their local jurisdictions in an effort to deliver a higher standard of training to area first responders.  The Bronze Level IAT recognition is awarded to trainers who deliver 10-14 courses that meet IAT training criteria within the federal fiscal year.

DPS facilitates and advertises hundreds of first responder courses each year.  DPS also conducts and participates in several dozen exercises each year as well.  For more information on the DPS training program visit www.ccpa.net/publicsafety

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Commissioners Proclaim EMS Week

Today, during their regular Monday afternoon meeting the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners proclaimed May 20th- May 26th as Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week!  The purpose of this week is to recognize those in all steps of the EMS process from the dispatcher taking the initial call and offer pre-arrival instructions, to the EMT's and Medic rendering pre-hospital care, then the Emergency Room staff at hospitals.

Pennsylvania is fortunate to have a well trained, creative and top notch EMT and Paramedic force and is known for this across the nation.  T his top notch force is the product of Pennsylvania's large rural population.  There are not hospitals around every corner in most areas of our state, in fact for many people it's a 20-30 minute ambulance ride to a hospital.  That being said, patient care and a patients life is often in an EMT and paramedic's hands for sometime, meaning they have to be on top of their game and confident in their skills.

Cumberland County EMS units were dispatched to 29,419 calls in 2011.  These calls were not only in Cumberland County, but also to provide mutual aid services to several neighboring counties.  The EMS force in Cumberland County is comprised of volunteer and career EMS staff and firefighters and police officers with varying levels of EMS training.  Cumberland County is currently served by 11 EMS companies which staff 22 individual stations.

In light of EMS Week, the Board of Commissioners also recognized 10 EMT's who will soon be receiving Clinical Save Commendations from the Emergency Health Services Federation.
The following EMT's were recognized:

East Pennsboro Ambulance Service

Christopher Bowers, EMT (2 Clinical Save Commendations)

Jonathan House, EMT

John Myers, EMT

West Shore EMS

Mark Boland, EMT-P

Dewitt James Cline, EMT

Janette Cota, EMT

Devin Flickinger, EMT-P

Robert Houser, EMT

Steven Stilo, EMT-P

Charlene Wood, EMT-P (2 Clinical Save Commendations)

A “clinical save” as defined by the Emergency Health Services Federation must meet the following criteria to be considered for commendation.

-          Must be primarily involved in the pre-hospital clinical care of a patient

-          Patient initially presented to pre-hospital personnel pulseless and/or apneic

-          Appropriate ALS and/or BLS intervention and treatment were rendered

-          Patient was transported to the hospital and subsequently discharged from the hospital without significant neurological impairment

Be sure to thank an EMS provider next week!  Twitter hashtag #ThankAnEMT

Intern Insight- Gary's Last Week

This week I followed along to a 9-1-1communications group meeting held by the South Central Task Force. In case I didn’t describe what the task force is in my previous blogs, the SCTF is a regional emergency preparedness task force that coordinates both public and private sector resources when disasters happen. During the meeting they went over different public notification systems and other public outreach programs. I thought it was nice to see a government group being fiscally responsible while they were trying to come up with solutions for some of the issues that they have.

Back in week 2 during my stay here as an intern, I talked about going to a college in the area and how I attended a meeting about an exercise. Well this week we followed up with the college and discussed the exercise a little bit more. I found out that an exercise of this level normally takes around a year to fully prepare a plan, and then exercise that plan. This college is going to be doing the exercise in half that time and I thought it was great to see that everyone was on the same page when discussing future times for meetings and deadlines.

This is my last week here at Cumberland County Public Safety. I really enjoyed all the experiences I had and all the people I got to meet. I believe I got the chance to see behind the scenes activities that regular people never get the chance to see. I have a much better understanding of the importance public safety in our communities. I don’t know how this country would survive without all the great people who are in these types of fields.

Thanks for reading!!!!

Gary Hoffman.

When a Plan Comes Together- #1

When it comes to emergency services to old adage of “practice makes perfect” could not be any more appropriate!  We train, drill and exercise on all different types of levels all year preparing for the next bad day.  This training we plan and/or participate in involves an insane amount of planning and work from the very beginning.  We’ve deciding to bring you a long for the trip of planning an exercise from start to finish for an exercise we will be coordinating with Cumberland Goodwill EMS!  We will be blogging about each planning meeting, the organizations involved, the actual exercise and the after action review process! 

Last Friday Michele Parsons (our stupendous Training Coordinator) and I met with Cumberland Goodwill EMS to kick off the planning of an exercise.  First meetings in the exercise planning process always revolve around one topic, what are you trying to test?  The “what” typically involves an emergency plan or protocol/procedure.  For Cumberland Goodwill the “what” is their response plan to a large emergency incident during a car show event hosted by Carlisle Events. 

Because it is nearly impossible to test an entire plan in one exercise, Michele worked with the folks from Cumberland Goodwill to narrow down a more specific part of the plan that they wish to test.  With several specific objectives set, a few more items needed settled to really get the planning ball rolling! 

The next important step in the initial planning meeting is the “who” of the exercise.  It is important to create a list of relevant groups or agencies that would realistically respond to such an event to participate in the exercise.  Again, practice makes perfect, and the more we practice together the better off we are.  So a list of several emergency services agencies in the Carlisle area was created, along with DPS staff and a few of our special teams!  During this part of the planning phase a “planning team” was also created.  It is important to get input on exercise planning from other agencies to make sure you are planning a realistic exercise.  It is also important though to limit the number of folks on the planning team, so that there is an element of surprise when the exercise occurs, that will allow us to truly assess responders. 

This initial meeting is also the best opportunity to discuss a lot of exercise logistics, such as budget, possible dates and the desired length of the exercise.  The next step in the process will be to contact the potential participants, start designing a scenario and a schedule set up for the monthly meetings that will be involved in this planning process. 

So that in a nutshell was our first meeting.  Stay tuned and we’ll take you through this whole process with us! 

Intern Insight- Gary Week 4

            Throughout week 4 I spent most of my time working on the post-traumatic stress disorder project (PTSD). This project is very detailed, and I’m trying to make sure I include stress relieving activities that the employees at this facility could do as a team. I spent a little bit of time in the mobile command unit and learned that Cumberland County was one of the first counties in the area to get a mobile command unit.

            Once you walk into the mobile command unit you see that it is filled with laptops, radios, and some flat screen televisions. This unit would be used if for some reason the main center would lose power or something would happen that would force them out their building.

            As I said I spent most of my week working on a project about PTSD, and this is the same project I wrote about last week in my other blog. I have done 2 drafts, and for the most part the paper is done. But I am now working on flyers that will be handed out to the employees. These flyers will be about team activities to help improve communication, reduce stress, and improve team work. An example of an activity that I came up with was having teams build free standing towers. They will have a week or so to build their towers. When the competition is over they can vote on whose tower they liked more and why. This activity will help improve all the things I discussed above. That has been my week at Cumberland County Public Safety.

Thanks for reading!!!

Intern Insight- Gary- Week 3

As a student when I went through high school I was always told not to drive intoxicated for the obvious reasons. But the schools I went too showed 1990’s videos with horrible actors and the videos were easier to laugh at than it was taking them serious. Well, in week 3 of my time at Cumberland County Public Safety I attended a mock accident at Carlisle high school. The driver’s education teacher had the students who were soon attending their prom watch emergency responders (fire fighters, police, ambulances, and even a medevac helicopter) perform their responsibilities at a fake crash. This mock accident was the closest you could ever get to a real accident, and I think it was great to see a school take steps like this to help their students understand the consequences of driving drunk. I think the students at high schools who see these types of mock accidents will always get more out of it than they would videos.

For most of the week I have been working on a project about post-traumatic stress disorder and how it affects responders and dispatchers. For those who don’t know, Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an emotional illness that is classified as an anxiety disorder and usually develops as a result of a terribly frightening, life threatening, or otherwise highly unsafe experience. Because those who work as a dispatcher are exposed to constant traumatic events, or go through a series of traumatic events they could begin to develop PTSD. I think this project is important because dispatchers work 12 hour shifts and they deal with traumatic calls every day. I have been trying to come up with different activities that can be done to help dispatchers cope with the everyday events, and how they could lower their stress levels. PTSD and the way it affects dispatchers is one of the biggest lessons learned in my time at Cumberland County Public Safety.

Intern Insight- Gary, Week 2

My second week here was great. I got to see more behind the scene operations, and was able to attend some meetings which were very helpful. Before this internship I did not know about all the work people in emergency management do on a day to day basis. There is so much time and effort put in to make sure counties are ready for even the worse of disasters.

This week I got to attend a meeting where several counties got together and discussed projects and exercises that each county was currently working on. I enjoyed this meeting because it showed how coordinated central Pennsylvania is. The counties that were involved in this meeting are also planning on doing a group exercise which again shows how coordinated and together our area is. After attending this meeting, I feel pretty comfortable that if a disaster or tragic event were to occur then the situation would be handled the best it could.

Personally I would love to be an emergency management coordinator for my county or have a job that has responsibilities in this field. This week I was able join in a meeting where a new coordinator was being brought up to speed with his/her responsibilities and different materials that would be needed. It was great to have the ability to see how well important information is transferred to new personnel.

Lastly I was able to tag along to one of Pennsylvania’s premier college’s and attend a meeting about an exercise that would test the preparedness of the emergency personnel and the school officials. I don’t think people really know how much thought schools put in to exercises or events that could possibly happen in real life and take the lives of students and faculty. It was such a great experience and it was nice to know that schools do worry about these types of situations and take steps to protect their students and faculty.

Intern Insight- Gary, Week 1

Our new intern has arrived and is excited to be blogging to tell you about his experience with us!  Gary comes to us from Central Penn College and is majoring in Homeland Security!         

My first week at Cumberland Counties Communication Center was a great experience. I like most people did not know what really goes on a 9-1-1 call center. I also did not know what to expect when I got a tour of the facilities. I want to try to describe the facility so you can get a picture of what this place looks like. Imagine a building that has a bunch of offices, where many of the staff members have multiple monitors. I thought it was cool to see the Emergency Operation Center. For those who don’t know what an Emergency Operation Center is, it’s a huge room where emergency management officials handle long term issues that arise from a disaster. This room has more computers than a College computer lab. This room is filled with huge smart boards, which during the time of an emergency would display just about every important detail needed by the officials that would be in the room. The 9-1-1 center which is the next room over is just as amazing. In the 9-1-1 center there are a number of stations. Each station has a different duty. For instance, one station might deal with the fire department and EMS, while another station would deal with the police department. Then there are stations that backup other stations that need help because they are getting too many calls at one time. Each station worker has the ability to read real time information that would be on 1 of his/her multiple monitors.

I hope I detailed the facility enough that you could possibly have a decent picture in your mind. Trust me this facility is a thing of beauty, which I think is great. This week after I met many of the faculty members and got myself situated and I began doing some work. I began a project that has a good deal of importance. I began sending by mail a couple papers to organizations or facilities in the County that save lives or help the elderly. These papers include needed information about the generators they use, and if they never thought about having a generator maybe now they would begin to think about obtaining one. Generators are very important because during an emergency if power would go out they would need a backup to keep their facilities running. This week I also attended my first staff meeting. The staff meetings here are much different than the ones I have had at other jobs. The meetings are not simple 5 minute greeting meetings. Instead they are filled with key information that enables the staff members to be on the same page like training dates and details on different projects that are going on.  The County has a great group of people that love their jobs, and are very serious about the work they do here.

Wildfire threat...again!

As we post yet again this morning about the wildfire threat, I felt it an important time to look a little deeper into the threat we’ve been facing in Cumberland County.  I’ve had several people ask me why there is a threat.  “It just rained the other day” and “everything looks green” are two of the common comments I’ve heard.  Don’t let rain and your green lawn fool you…this threat is very real!

As much as we at DPS and most residents in Cumberland County enjoyed a mild, almost snowless winter, it comes at a price.  Each year the leaves fall from the trees and blanket the mountain and forest floors.  As winter moves into the area and snow begins to fall and accumulate in these areas that leafy blanket becomes saturated with moisture and begins to decay.  What does not decay remains pretty moist as we transition into the spring months.  This damp and decaying layer is not optimal for wildfires and almost offers protection until the wooded areas become lush and green again. 

The lack of snow this year means this dead leafy ground cover is dry and thick and prime to catch fire and burn.  Dry leaves are a great fuel source for fire and the refreshing breezy spring air will stoke a fire and help it spread rapidly.  It does not take much to start a fire in these conditions; a small spark will do the trick. 

This threat is likely to remain unless our area starts seeing large amounts of saturating rain.  We are asking residents and visitors to be responsible and take precautions.  Remember to avoid the burning of trash and debris, properly extinguish and dispose of cigarettes and when visiting our beautiful state parks, be responsible campers when partaking in campfires and meal preparation.  Yep folks, Smokey is right…Only you can prevent wildfires!   

Final Words- TCW-2012

As we close out Telecommunicator Week in Cumberland County we just want to express once more our sincere appreciation for the men and women staffing our 9-1-1 center.  They do a job most people would not want to do, and provide a service that is often taken for granted.  They are here day in and day out, holidays, weekends and nights not excluded.  They diligently answer a call for help and experience the joys of hearing a new born baby crying for the first time and the lows of a listening as a person takes their final breath before help can arrive.  They are rarely thanked and often deal with yelling, frantic and sadly sometimes short tempered callers.  This job is not for the faint at heart. 

We hope you will remember these 9-1-1 dispatchers, not just during Telecommunicator Week, but every week.  Every time you see a fire truck responding through your town, a police officer drive by or an ambulance heading to a hospital, take a second to think about the dispatcher that sent them.  Think of that dispatcher that answered a call for help during someone’s darkest moment and the dispatcher that made sure that help was on the way.   

We at DPS witness the good these individuals do on a daily basis and can assure you that if you ever have to dial 9-1-1 you are in good hands!

THANK YOU CUMBERLAND COUNTY 9-1-1 DISPATCHERS TODAY, TOMORROW AND ALWAYS!