Where is @rusnivek?

Emergency Management, Emergency Services, & Disaster Spox

Calling Hours and Funeral Service for retired Shaker Heights Fire Lt Shaun Probert

Posted on November 6, 2013 by rusnivek

For those inquiring about Shaker Heights Fire Lt Shaun Probert funeral details, see below.

Calling Hours: Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Hours: 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Di Cicco Funeral Home
5975 Mayfield Road
Mayfield Heights, OH 44124
440-449-1818

***

Funeral Service: Thursday, November 7, 2013 at Di Cicco Funeral Home
Service begins at 11:00 a.m.
Cemetery: Acacia Park Cemetery
1880 SOM Center Road
Mayfield Heights, OH 44124
440-442-0666
***
Reception: Lyndhurst Community Center (after the Funeral)
1341 Parkview Drive
Lyndhurst, OH 44124
440-449-5011

SHAUN D. PROBERT, age 45. Retired Lieutenant Shaun Probert passed away Saturday after a long battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). Shaun retired from the Shaker Heights Fire Department in May of 2010 due to his illness. Beloved son of Evelyeen and the late Charles, dearest father of Becky, Jessie and Katie; loving fiancee of Debbie (nee McNellie); dear brother of Todd (Laura); uncle of Jonathon and Danielle; special friend of Debbie’s children Brooke, Spencer and Jensen. After retiring from the fire department, Shaun did not leave his commitment to serving people; instead, Shaun set out on a track to raise awareness for debilitating neuro-muscular diseases. Shaun worked closely with the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) and traveled speaking to individuals and firefighters about the importance of raising awareness to help find a cure for these diseases. His travels eventually took him in 2012 to the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) National Convention in Philadelphia. There he spoke to thousands of firefighters from around the nation. The International Association of Firefighters then named him the IAFF MDA National Spokesman. Shaun has touched many lives and many people throughout his life. Shaun will be dearly missed. Funeral service 11 am Thursday November 7 at the funeral home. Interment Acacia Park Cemetery. The family will receive friends at THE DiCICCO AND SONS FUNERAL HOME 5975 MAYFIELD RD. MAYFIELD HTS.,(at Lander Rd.) WEDNESDAY 2-4 AND 6-9 PM.

@rusnivek

@rusnivek’s Top-6 Public Safety / PIO social media tips…for free

Posted on November 5, 2013 by rusnivek

I had a thought this AM..I need to provide you more public safety social media tips. And since you only have 30 seconds to spare, maybe less, I’ll keep it very short.

SO, here’s part-1 of my top 6 SM tips for public safety professionals / Public Information Officers (PIOs). And yes, it’s free for you.

@rusnivek Social Media Tip-1: Post it first (because they don’t interview the runner-up).

If you don’t post it first, someone else will be first to tell your story.

And that’s going to suck…because only you tell your story the best.

It only takes a few minutes to tell your story.

It takes a TON of money and time to fix the wrong story, and then to tell it right.

To put things in perspective, “There are no points for second place.”

Tip-1: Post it first (because they don’t interview the runner-up).

@rusnivek

Cleveland Fire death announcement

Posted on November 4, 2013 by rusnivek

I am deeply saddened by the horrific shooting and death of Cleveland Fire Lt. William Walker in Cleveland, Ohio. My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone impacted by this senseless tragedy, especially his family and loved ones.

Will was a seasoned EMS instructor and was well liked by all of us in the Fire/EMS community…But most importantly, Will was a friend.

As local law enforcement agencies continue to respond to and investigate this tragic event, all emergency services in here in NE Ohio will provide any support necessary in the ongoing investigation.

For more details, Cleveland Police and Cleveland Fire will hold a presser in 30 minutes (11/04/13 at 1200 EST).

@rusnivek

####

Breaking news…get a chair and do this now #Fallback

Posted on November 3, 2013 by rusnivek

It takes less than 15 seconds…and you have to do this now.

Seriously, do it now.

Fall back = Change your smoke detector batteries and set your clocks back.

Thank you for helping yourself in staying alive.

@rusnivek

#Firefighter Roof Operations hands-on training in December?

Posted on November 2, 2013 by rusnivek

Who’s excited for some Firefighter Roof Operations hands-on training in December?

Cutting holes in roofs the right way!

Can you handle it? Are you tough enough? Or are you just afraid of truck operations…

Standby for details…

@rusnivek

Free safety tips for all your Halloween shenanigans …I mean fun #trickortreat

Posted on October 30, 2013 by rusnivek

Halloween is here in NE Ohio, and safety is still the most important part of the Halloween operation.

To aid in your shenanigans I mean Halloween activities, here are some tips for you and your family to use during trick-or-treat fun:

Check your local newspaper, municipality’s website, or social media feed to get updates on times for trick-or-treating.
Make sure you have several working flashlight and so that everyone traveling in your party can be seen.
Only visit houses with porch lights that are turned on.
Be vigilant while crossing the street – look both ways before you cross and ALWAYS company children.
Stay in groups and keep an eye out for each other while trick-or-treating.
Hopefully your costumes are bright and reflective. If not, consider affixing reflective stickers or buttons to your costume to make you more visible to motorists.
Your costumes accessories should be made from soft pliable materials.
Do not eat any candy until you return home to your parents.
All parents should inspect and review all candy collected before allowing children to consume.
Discard any candy that show signs of tampering and throw away any candy that is not sealed or in the original packaging.
After you eat a ton of candy, don’t forget to brush your teeth.

If you are driving this Halloween season, DRIVE SLOWLY! Never text while driving – it is a distraction and likely illegal in many cities. Children will be out and about – so keep a sharp eye for everyone on the street.

Hope you have a fun Halloween this year.

@rusnivek

Proof that Godzilla is real! #Cleveland #footprint

Posted on October 29, 2013 by rusnivek

Well, it finally happened….Proof that Godzilla is real!

Check out his footprint.

Forget Zombies…forget hurricanes…forget locusts…forget tornadoes…..forget birds…forget it all.

All my years talking about emergencies and disasters…it has finally happened.

Irasshaimase Cleveland Godzilla-san! We hope you have a good time.

@rusnivek

Firefighter on Truck Company rescues cat from house fire

Posted on October 25, 2013 by rusnivek

It’s Friday…and I bet it’s been quite a week for everyone.

We all need a few moments of hope and smiles for this weekend.

Fresno Firefighter Cory Kalanick chalks another one in the save column with this interior rescue effort using a GoPro Camera.

Even if you don’t like cats (or kitten savers), you just gotta love it.

Way to go Brother.

Best. Job. In. The. World.

@rusnivek

Free tips and reminders for dealing with snow today

Posted on October 24, 2013 by rusnivek

Hello snow!

NE Ohio had its first dose of snow last night. Started at about midnight, various reports have 2-8 inches on the ground.

At this time, the National Weather Service Cleveland Office has issued a lake effect snow advisory in effect until 1300 EST (aka 1:00pm EST). Snow will be heavy with high water content. This can cause damage to trees and power lines.

There are some dangers associated with wintry weather. Here are a few free tips to keep in mind while dealing with snow.

Walk carefully on snowy, icy walkways.
Avoid overexertion when shoveling snow. Overexertion can bring on heart attack – a major cause of death in the winter. If you must shovel snow, stretch before going outside.
Keep dry. Change wet clothing frequently to prevent a loss of body heat. Wet clothes loses all of its insulating value and transmits heat rapidly.
Heavy snow will bring down trees and power lines. NEVER touch any downed power lines…even if you think they are safe, they are usually not. Keep everyone far away from downed lines.
Heavy snow will make trees sag and collapse. Be careful with trees are old or frail, they tend to collapse under the weight of the snow and have killed unknowing children.
Watch for signs of frostbite. These include loss of feeling and white or pale appearance in extremities such as fingers, toes, ear lobes, and the tip of the nose. If symptoms are detected, get medical help immediately.
Watch for signs of hypothermia. These include uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness, and apparent exhaustion. If symptoms of hypothermia are detected, get the victim to a warm location, remove wet clothing, warm the center of the body first and give warm, non-alcoholic beverages if the victim is conscious. Get medical help as soon as possible.
And of course, don’t eat yellow snow.

Use these tips to keep you and your family safe this fall….er….snowy season.

@rusnivek

My notes from the webinar today #PrepPartners

Posted on October 23, 2013 by rusnivek

I had an hour this afternoon to listen/participate in a Webinar.

What did I learn?

Physical equipment/barriers are great attention-getters for attendees.
Teach your participants to use simple objects to enact the most change (use during evacuation).
“See Something, Say Something” or “See Something, Do Something”.
Once temperatures reach certain thresholds, offer free cup water to anyone at any concession stand.
Buy-in from various All-Hazard agencies is key to working together. Even more important, having them attend your in-person briefings.
During a disaster: Safety agencies meeting for the first time = not so good.
During a disaster: Radio/phone to Radio/phone = OK.
During a disaster: Working together Face-to-face in the EOC = priceless.
Despite funny looking, Water Monsters (ie cooling stations) are VERY important.
At least 4 redundant radio communications needed for large scale pre-planned events. Amateur Radio is 5th line backup for regional comms.
No tailgaiting drinking at OSU games…I guess that’s why Browns fans don’t often attend OSU games early.
The timing of exercises is key and public perception and should always be considered.

Use the tips above to keep you and your peeps safe.

Special thanks to Columbus Public Health and Ohio State University for hosting.

@rusnivek