Your pet needs an emergency preparedness kit too! Check out the one I have – ready to go #Prepared2014 #NatlPrep #Woof

It’s finally Friday in this third week of 2014 National Preparedness Month

“Be Disaster Aware, Take Action to Prepare”

#FridayFurDay right? Or is that #FridayFunday ?

This week’s theme is consistent with FEMA’s National Preparedness Campaign: Build an Emergency Kit

#19: Your pet needs an emergency preparedness kit too! Check out the one I have – ready to go #Prepared2014 #NatlPrep #Woof

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Dry dog food (3 days worth). I have Kacy’s food parceled out into individual easy servings. This way, we don’t over feed her.

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Two (2) bottles of water – which is enough for her for 3 days.

Pet identification (3×5 notecard in zip lock bag which makes this waterproof) which includes our contact cell phones and twitter handles, pet name, date of birth, current vaccinations, county dog registration, vet address, vet phone, and of course a short description of what she looks like. Also in the zip lock bag is Kacy’s pet medications (heart worm pills and flea and tick meds).

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Small bowl to eat and drink.

Dog identification tags that includes her name tag, county dog identification, rabies vaccination information, our contact information, and home address.

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Pet First Aid kit – I got this from a community fair thanks to the local health department. This is a necessity! It will make minor injuries easier to manage.

Extra static 6ft leash…and yes, it’s labeled w/ duct tape with her name on it.

Packable raincoat because in case it rains, we are prepared for adverse weather! Also the “wet dog smell” isn’t the most fragrant aroma.

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Favorite pet toys for Kacy which includes two Nylabone chew toys and a bright orange rubber tennis ball from Target.

*******All of the above items fit nicely in a dog carry pack. *******

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Incidentally, this pack/harness has a handle on the topin case I need to emergently pick her up and go. I also have a green glow stick (break activation) that attaches via carabiner to the top for easy identification during night travel/evacuation.

The pack has several zippered outside pockets so I can separate the medications/Identification from the food.

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These simple and easy basic supplies make up my pet preparedness kit. Keep in mind that everyone’s pet preparedness kits should be different depending on the size and breed of the animal…but it should have the basics like food, water, and medications.

I was reminiscing about my deployment during Hurricane Katrina/Rita in 2005 – our Task Force saw SO many abandoned pets in Louisiana’s Lower 9th Ward.

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In case of an emergency or disaster, PLEASE take the time to prepare/evacuate with your pets as they are part of your family.

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For more information on how you can put together your pet preparedness kit, check out this free FEMA Ready.Gov link on pet preparedness.

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For those wondering, Kacy is a rescue dog. Best. Dog. Ever.

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Special thanks to my dog Kacy for helping out in today’s preparedness post. #woof

@rusnivek

All-Hazardy participation and collaboration for flooding

Great first day in our flood course here at Ohio EMA in Columbus.

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I am fortunate that the participants in this class have outstanding stories from previous declarations and experiences from local, state, and regional responses during emergency flooding.

Some have shared their 500 year flooding stories from just the past 7 years (and clearly, it’s time to revisit the categorization and re-term these floods). 

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Here, FEMA staff, Ohio EMA staff, Ohio National Guard, and local Fire/Rescue services collectively discuss creative options to better serve numerous vulnerable population communities during an emergency evacuation during flooding.

IMHO, I really enjoy seeing this type of All-Hazardy professionals at the table.

Collaborating early can only strengthen joint response during any disaster.

@rusnivek

 

LODD Captain Bowen’s Story by Randy Mantooth #Firefighter

Definitely a worthwhile video to watch pertaining to the Asheville Fire Department Captain Jeff Bowen Line Of Duty Death (LODD) in 2011.

http://vimeo.com/101231318

*Personal note: Capt Bowen was one of my students in my Firefighter class.

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Video produced by Randy Mantooth and sponsored by Masimo.

Jeff: Keep an eye out for all of us at the elevated IC.

@rusnivek

Toledo LifeFlight under the microscope for non-life threatening aeromedical transport #EMS

So it seems like Toledo LifeFlight and Put-In-Bay EMS just made WKYC’s news last night. I’m not quite sure who this investigative report is intended to pin the blame, but to me it sounds like Toledo LifeFlight is under the microscope because of non-life threatening aeromedical transport.

(Pertaining to EMS calls) “We don’t want to go short on the staff here.” – Keith Kahler, PiB EMS.

“…anxiety attack that looks very similar to a chest pain” – Dr. Daniel Schwerin, Toledo LifeFlight Medical Director.

Watch WKYC’s investigative story here

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Did WKYC cut Dr. Schwerin clip a bit short? Did the spokesperson from PiB EMS give contradictory statements? Or did Tom Meyer get too excited just by reading police reports?

Let me know what you think.

@rusnivek

Hold the phone…literally!

Hold the phone…literally!

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With the weekend upon us, this should serve as your Friday public safety message to start the weekend.

#smem #socialmedia #safety #ems #emt #paramedic #ema #emergency #management #fire #firefighter #police #law #dept #rescue

@rusnivek

Gawking at a beautiful Mack Baker Aerialscope #Fire #Truck

Hold the phone…is that a Mack Baker Aerialscope?

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I think I’m in love. Check out those stabilizers!

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I would say that this is pretty much pristine condition.

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Bonus points for the gold bulldog too! (Note: The company’s trademark is the bulldog. It can be found on the front of almost all Mack trucks. A Mack truck with a gold-plated bulldog indicates that the entire truck is made of Mack components. Trucks with another manufacturer’s transmission, engine, rear axles or suspension are given the chrome-plated bulldog.)

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So Chief-when you get your new engine/tanker in, let me know and I’ll be happy to take this off of your hands…you know, make room on your bay floors. I’d also be happy to bring it back anytime you needed it for a parade and stuff too.

Phleeeeeezzzzzeeeee!

Ahem.

Special thanks to Tipp City Fire Chief Steve Kessler and crews – Outstanding job to all of Tipp City Fire Department on preserving a true gem of fire service history.

BTW-here’s their new Ladder that replaced it.

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It’s really nice.

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@rusnivek

Did you do it? Are you safe? #SpringForward #preparedness2014

Did you do it? Are you safe? #SpringForward #preparedness2014

Smoke

If you haven’t, then get on it right now!

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Why should you have a working smoke detector?

A properly installed and maintained smoke alarm is the only thing in your home that can alert you and your family to a fire 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Whether you’re awake or asleep, a working smoke alarm is constantly on alert, scanning the air for fire and smoke.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in properties without working smoke alarms. A working smoke alarm significantly increases your chances of surviving a deadly home fire.

Keeping my favorite peeps (that’s you) safe this Spring…

@rusnivek

Ice and Water Rescue in NW Ohio – All-Hazards Full Scale Exercise

Spending a bunch of time in NW Ohio with several emergency services agencies focused in on Water/Ice Rescue.

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Did some GPS coordinate work, observation and recon work, and of course some grid search pattern work.

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A few of my peeps testing their newly acquired National Incident Management System (NIMS) Incident Command System (ICS) concepts.

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Had a chance to interact with a few of the NW Ohio water rescue resources as well as a few aeromedical agencies too.

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I’m glad to see so many willing all-hazards participants involved in this exercise.

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Also glad to see local and regional law enforcement participation in the day’s events too.

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Despite relatively colder temps, all crews managed to say jovial and warm.

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Thanks again to my cadre of ICS Subject Matter Experts in Operations, Logistics, Public Information, Communications, and Air Operations who assisted today with evaluation.

@rusnivek