Grundy County Health Department
1716 Lincoln / Trenton, MO 64683
PH: 660.359.4196 FAX: 660.359.5470
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Grundy County Health Department 1716 Lincoln / Trenton, MO 64683 PH: 660.359.4196 FAX: 660.359.5470
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Public Health PostApril - June 2004
Contents Community Emergency Response Team Breastfeeding Benefits Mother & Child
Community Emergency Response TeamIn a disaster or emergency, everyone in the community is called upon to assist, but how can ordinary citizens help in a disaster situation? A Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is a group of volunteers trained in disaster survival and basic rescue skills. During a disaster, our emergency personnel, fire, ambulance, and law enforcement may need additional assistance with basic first aid or search and rescue. In our small communities where resources are scarce, CERT volunteers can be invaluable. The CERT concept was developed in Los Angeles in 1985. In an emergency, trained volunteers would be able to assist their fellow citizens and provide support to emergency personnel. By 1993, more than 8,000 people and 225 teams had been trained. Because of its success in California, the Federal Emergency Management Agency expanded the program nationwide. During March, 2004, twelve people in our community participated in a CERT Train the Trainer course. These individuals are now certified to train community members as CERT volunteers. Those trained were: John Beier, Tony Ralston, Steve Tracy, Bill Meeker, Phil Sayer, Cindy Gott, Sylvia Berry, Eric Huffstutter, Lance Croy, Jeff Still, Kim Oaks, and Elizabeth Gibson. The course was taught by Arthur McCarthy, the regional planner for bioterrorism serving Grundy county. The CERT course is a 24-hour course that covers disaster preparedness, fire suppression, disaster medical operations (two parts), light search and rescue, and disaster psychology. Following the course, volunteers will participate in a disaster exercise to test their skills. The next step is to train volunteers and organize CERT teams to serve Grundy county. Classes have already begun in the Galt community and will begin on April 6 in Trenton. For more information about CERT or to sign up, please call John Beier at 359-5154.
Ready in ThreeBeing prepared for an emergency can help protect your family. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has developed a program called Ready in 3. There are three important steps in preparing your family for any kind of emergency:
The Department of Health has developed an excellent Family Safety Checklist designed to help you be ready--come to the Grundy County Health Department to pick up a copy.
Don't Skip Your BreakfastAccording to the American Dietetic Association, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Despite the healthful benefits, breakfast may be the meal that is most often neglected or skipped. Eating breakfast not only aids in weight management, it fuels the body to help provide energy, better concentration and problem-solving ability throughout the day, according to the food and nutrition experts at the American Dietetic Association. Why breakfast? Breakfast is the first chance the body has to refuel its glucose levels, also known as blood sugar, after eight to 12 hours without a meal or snack. Glucose is essential for the brain and is the main energy source. Blood glucose also helps fuel the muscles needed for physical activity throughout the day. During National Nutrition Month 2004 and all year long, the American Dietetic Association suggests simple ideas to help add breakfast to your daily eating plan.
Refrigerator Safety QuizTest your knowledge on refrigerator safety. Circle the correct answer. 1. Is it safe to leave perishable foods at room temperature for longer than TWO hours TOTAL time? Yes / No 2. Is it OK to refrigerate foods while they're still warm? Yes / No 3. How soon should you eat refrigerated leftovers for safety and quality? 1-2 days, 3-5 days, 5-7 days 4. At what temperature should you keep your refrigerator set? <40 degrees, 41-43 degrees, 44-46 degrees 5. Can you always see, smell or taste bacteria that cause food-borne illness? Yes / No ANSWERS (1) No. Refrigerate perishable foods so the TOTAL time they're at room temperature is less than TWO hours. At room temperature, just ONE bacterium in these foods could grow to 2,097,152 in 7 hours! (2) Yes. Just leave the container cover slightly cracked until the food has cooled. Refrigerate foods in shallow containers to speed cooling. (3) Eat refrigerated leftovers within 1-2 days. (4) Keeping your refrigerator at 40 degrees F or lower slows bacterial growth. Keep your freezer at 0 degrees F or lower, which stops most bacterial growth. Freezing DOES NOT kill bacteria. Keep an appliance thermometer in your refrigerator and in your freezer to assure they stay at these recommended temperatures. (5) No. When in doubt, toss it out! You can't always see, smell or taste bacteria that cause food-borne illness. It takes from 1/2 hour to 6 weeks before you get sick from contaminated food.
developed by University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension in Lancaster County and Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department
Breastfeeding Benefits Mother and ChildPregnant women must make lots of choices concerning their new baby. Many women consider breastfeeding their infant because of the many benefits it provides for the child but there are many advantages for the new mother as well:
Some of the benefits to the baby:
The benefits of breastmilk can be given to your baby even if you decide to breastfeed for just a few weeks or months. For breastfeeding support and information, contact our Certified Breastfeeding Educator, Sherry Searcy, RN, at the Grundy County Health Department.
Ticks Spread DiseaseTicks flourish when warm weather returns. In Missouri, ticks are responsible for the following diseases: tularemia, Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), ehrlichiosis and Lyme disease. Protect yourself from ticks by using an insect repellent containing DEET and wearing long sleeves, long pants, and boots when walking in grassy areas where ticks thrive. If you discover a tick, remove as soon as possible. Follow these steps when removing ticks from yourself or a pet. 1. Disinfect the site. 2. Grasp the tick close to the skin using tweezers. Do not handle ticks with bare hands. 3. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. DO NOT twist or jerk so mouthparts don’t break off in the skin. 4. Do not squeeze, crush or puncture the tick, its body fluids may contain infective agents. 5. After removal, disinfect the bite site and wash hands with soap and water. 6. Dispose of the tick by placing it in a container of alcohol or flushing it down the toilet. from MoDHSS
Car Seat ProgramThe Grundy County Health Department offers a prenatal care incentive program that provides infant car seats to Grundy county pregnant women that receive prenatal care in the first trimester. There are no income guidelines for eligibility. Program participants must have their physician certify that they received prenatal care within the first three months, attend a parenting class (topics covered are baby care basics, SIDS, and shaken baby syndrome), and watch a video about car seat installation. It is estimated that 80% of car seats are incorrectly installed. GCHD receives support for this program from the Church Women United. Molly Long, Jennifer Westcott, and Sherry Searcy from the Grundy County Health Department have been trained by the Missouri Highway Patrol as registered installers. They can show you how to correctly install your child's car seat and check for a possible recall even if you didn’t receive your car seat through our program.
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Grundy County Health Department is an Equal Opportunity
Provider.
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