Grassroots Science

from Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society

“Science in the News” is produced daily by Sigma Xi as a service for its members and the public. It highlights science and technology news stories appearing in the mainstream media. The accompanying Web links provide access to the full text of the articles on the Web sites of the individual media outlets from which they are taken. For more about the service, visit American Scientist Online.

If you experience any problems with the URLs (page not found, page expired, etc.), we suggest you proceed to the Science in the News section of American Scientist Online, which mirrors the daily e-mail update.

June 30, 2008

Arctic Could See First Ice-Free Summer This Year
from ABC News

The distinct possibility that the North Pole could be free of sea ice — for the first time in recorded history — may become a cold reality this summer.

The Arctic’s thick, resilient multiyear sea ice (frozen sea surface), which usually accumulates and lasts through the annual melting season, has started to give way to thinner, vulnerable first-year ice.

Satellite data gathered by the … National Snow and Ice Data Center showed that young sea ice, which is no more than about 60 inches deep and much more susceptible to melting away, now makes up only 72 percent of the Arctic ice sheet. Using that estimate, scientists at the center see a 50 percent chance that ice at the highest point in the Arctic will melt by the summer’s end.
http://snipurl.com/2qgra
see previous Where is… Bethel ice pack

1. Where is… transport hub of the world « Grassroots Science
2. How low can it go? Arctic meltdown « Grassroots Science
3. Animated Arctic ice retreat for 2007: watch the melt rushing by « Grassroots Science
4. Arctic ice pack difficult to “heal” massive Beaufort fractures « Grassroots Science

Sea of Trash
from the New York Times Magazine

Off Gore Point, where tide rips collide, the rolling swells rear up and steepen into whitecaps. Quiet with concentration, Chris Pallister decelerates from 15 knots to 8, strains to peer through a windshield blurry with spray, tightens his grip on the wheel and, like a skier negotiating moguls, coaxes his home-built boat … through the chaos of waves.

… A 55-year-old lawyer with a … private law practice in Anchorage, Pallister spends most of his time directing a nonprofit group called the Gulf of Alaska Keeper, or GoAK (pronounced GO-ay-kay).

… In practice, the group has, since Pallister and a few like-minded buddies founded it in 2005, done little else besides clean trash from beaches. All along Alaska’s outer coast, Chris Pallister will tell you, there are shores strewn with marine debris, as man-made flotsam and jetsam is officially known. Most of that debris is plastic, and much of it crosses the Gulf of Alaska or even the Pacific Ocean to arrive there.
http://snipurl.com/2nmjt
see previous Where is… duckie invasion

Arctic Volcanoes Found Active at Unprecedented Depths
from National Geographic News

Buried under thick ice and frigid water, volcanic explosions are shaking the Arctic Ocean floor at depths previously thought impossible, according to a new study.

Using robot-operated submarines, researchers have found deposits of glassy rock—evidence of eruptions—scattered over more than 5 square miles of the seabed.

Explosive volcanic eruptions were not thought to be possible at depths below the critical pressure for steam formation, or 2 miles. The deposits, however, were found at seafloor depths greater than 2.5 miles.
http://snipurl.com/2qgu2

With spring and break-up just around the corner (please, please, please!) one thing we often forget until too late are family heirlooms, photos, records, manuscripts and so on. Heritage Emergency National Task Force special day is aimed at more formal institutions, but every home or tribal office would benefit from considering emergency preparedness for tangible cultural resources.

If you are in Alaska, contact the state museum in Juneau which has a grant to help local museums with preservation and documentation efforts. Bruce Kato, Chief Curator (bruce DOTkato AT alaska DOTgov),
Telephone: (907) 465-4866, http://www.museums.state.ak.us

April is also Alaska Archaeology Month. This year’s theme is archaeology associated with travel along the National Historic Iditarod Trail.

Archives, libraries, museums, and historic preservation organizations across America are setting aside May 1 to participate in MayDay, a national effort to protect collections from disasters…. Here are some ideas from the Heritage Emergency National Task Force:

• * If you have a disaster plan, dust it off and bring it up to date.
• * If you don’t have a plan, make a timeline for developing one.
• * Get to know your local firefighters and police. Invite them to tour your institution and give pointers on safety and preparedness. A poster outlining tips for working with emergency responders ( www.heritagepreservation.org/catalog/) is available from the Task Force.
• * Identify the three biggest risks to your collection or building (such as leaking water pipe, heavy snow, or power failure) and outline steps to mitigate them.
• * Conduct a building evacuation drill and evaluate the results.
• * Update your staff contact information and create a wallet-size version of your emergency contact roster. See the Pocket Response PlanTM (PRePTM) at www.statearchivists.org/prepare/framework/prep.htm.
• * Eliminate hazards such as storage in hallways, blocked fire exits, or improper storage of paints or solvents.
• * Provide staff with easily accessible disaster response information, such as www.heritageemergency.org.
• * Join forces with nearby institutions and agree to assist each other in case of a disaster.
• * Establish a method of identifying objects that are most important to your mission, irreplaceable, or most fragile, making evacuation simpler when disaster hits.
• * Register for a free course to learn how your institution fits into existing emergency response protocols. A list is available at www.heritagepreservation.org/lessons/courses.html…

Heritage Preservation is offering its popular Field Guide to Emergency Response and Emergency Response and Salvage Wheel at special MayDay sale prices from April 15 to May 31.

Related posts–
Cangerlaagpiit (Epidemics) — historical lessons
Alaska History reading list
Alaska history books
Alaska Territorial Guard celebrates 60th anniversary
Lydia T. Black 1925 to 2007
Letters from 1918 SW Alaska British Columbia
Dog-Team Doctor 2
another sneeze video
Jesse Lee Home, Alaska and the pandemic of 1919
More historical resources (Brevig Mission)
More historical pandemic resources (Michigan archives)
Online curriculum for Alaska high school students about their state

Site Search Tags: deadline, preparedness, museums, heritage, photos, libraries, holiday, Katrina

We’re fortunate we are behind (north of) the Ring of Fire but that doesn’t leave us impervious. I’m not sure what effect the loss of ice on the Arctic Ocean or on land may do in the future as the Earth’s surface adjusts. But for now, pay attention to the alerts and Be Prepared. When in Anchorage, read the emergency directions in each hotel’s telephone book.

For the alert map for the Pacific, see Where is… Bethel’s Tsunami

Governor Sarah Palin is asking coastal residents in Alaska to make sure they’re prepared for a potential tsunami. She’s declared this week “Tsunami Awareness Week” to mark the anniversary of the largest earthquake ever recorded in North America. The nine point two magnitude earthquake hit on Good Friday, 1964 and was followed by a series of deadly tsunamis.

Lori Townsend, APRN - Anchorage (mp3)

Site Search Tags: tsunami, preparedness, Palin, earthquake

[thimk, nota bene: my 2 cent opinion]

Senate Bill 289 would allow middle-income Alaskans to get grants and loans to make their homes more energy efficient. The bill is sponsored by Senator Lyman Hoffman of Bethel.

This will certainly be of help to many homeowners and to landlords such as Sen. Hoffman. I’m not so sure it can be effective in existing rental housing if landlords aren’t interested in upgrading. Bethel has no minimum standards for housing safety, even though it collects taxes on rentals. Thus, even “new” housing -may never become more economic for tenants [moldy or lacks insulation or is packed with electrical heating tape because the rehabbed ASHA (Alaska State Housing Authority) buildings don't have reality-based pipe systems (this is a cold region, folks, without standards for the flush-haul system of water delivery and sewage pick-up)]

True Voices left an interesting comment at an APRN.org story on the Alaska senate bill to give rebates to make middle-income homes “greener”.

I hope that this bill will also help in moving up or move away from the ever eroding river banks… very old wiring, old paper style plywoods, all windows cracked & drafty, etc. And can’t QUALIFY to fix or get a livable dwelling, still trying to be independent.

The comment is a succinct summary of what many face. If communities must be moved, the entire community is best moved together (the Davis Inlet to Natuashish incremental move had problems, especially for the older people, Remaining Innu of Davis Inlet feeling Abandoned). But TrueV points out what many individuals also face– imminent house collapse. The “home equity mortgage” bad loans do not work in many parts of the rural areas (housing may be expensive but it isn’t worth much as collateral). Older people in rural and frontier areas frequently don’t have excess/any retirement income. As in Bethel, there may not be any elder housing for 100s of miles (not even for assisted living or nursing homes). Weatherization and rehab funding often works best for situations outside of rural and remote places, with greater population density and civic resources.

The regulations written for emergency housing and relocation at the federal level (e.g., assistance from USDA Rural Development or Natural Resources Conservation Service) haven’t yet been translated into terms that allow rural areas to receive funding. For example, Homeland Security and Army Corps money might be applied if a highway collapse cuts off a town from its grocery stores. But we haven’t yet pointed out how collapsed stairways or river channel siltation also does the same thing, to the same proportion of people, even though the groceries are hunted. Electrical systems are critical homeland infrastructure– whether on a household or a city basis; the relative impact is the same. The applied funding and expertise isn’t. The long-term costs of not attending to adequate housing are so much more than the short-term expenses.

Thus, house by house a community melts into the river and initiates a constant family by family move into ever more crowded homes, ready themselves to collapse.

It may “take a village” to raise a child– a future citizen to assume statewide, national, and global responsibilities. But we don’t have genuine communities when older people must leave home or be trapped in substandard conditions.

How ever did the simple realization that a stitch in time saves nine become the regulatory: don’t call us if it’s less than a 500 million dollar or 500 thousand population crisis?

Site Search Tags: USACE, Army+Corps, energy, weatherization, elderly, relocation, erosion, FEMA, HUD, opinion, APRN.org, emergency, USDA, NRCS, legislation, aging+in+place, climate+change, Davis+Inlet, Innu, Canada, Natuashish, note+bene

VPSO task force issues report on village safety was reported on APRN statewide public radio, Tue, January 29, 2008. There was a follow-up discussion by several listeners. One, Eric W., mentioned:

I submitted a draft bill to Rep. Harris’ office last year (and again this year) which would change the state statutes and allow for armed, volunteer reserve peace officers for the various agencies around the state. Currently, there is no such law allowing for or giving authority to reserve peace officers.

To continue the discussion, I am posting the draft bill here. The numbers in the left margin are only for reference for discussion purposes. If you have questions or suggested changes on the draft, simply mention the line numbers so others may follow along. For example, “Lines 79 to 83 are the last paragraph of the draft”.

Please read/listen to the original discussion, then add your suggestions or comments to http://aprn.org/2008/01/29/vpso-task-force-issues-report-on-village-safety/. Comments stay open until March 23, 2008. You may also comment here, in the blocks below.

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION BY
Offered:
Referred:
Sponsor(s):

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED ALASKA RESERVE POLICE OFFICERS ACT

“An Act relating to Minimum Standards for Police Officers.”

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

1. *Article 1. 13 AAC 85 is amended to add:
2. 13 AAC 85.025 Reserve police officers authorized. (a) A law enforcement agency
3. may authorize reserve police officers.
4. (b) A person who meets the minimum standards under13 AAC 85.010 for
5. appointment as a peace officer may be appointed as a reserve police officer.
6. (c) An agency establishing a law enforcement reserve force
7. shall adopt and publish a manual setting forth the minimum qualifications, minimum
8. training standards, and standard operating procedures for reserve police officers.
9. Prohibition on reduction of full-time officers. A local government may not reduce
10. the authorized number of permanent law enforcement officers through the
11. appointment or utilization of reserve officers.
12. 13 AAC 85.055 Basic reserve police officer training program required. (a) No
13. reserve police officer may be authorized to function as a police officer of a law
14. enforcement agency performing general law enforcement duties after 14 months
15. from the original appointment unless the reserve police officer has satisfactorily
16. completed a minimum 88 hour basic training program which must include but need
17. not be limited to the following course content:
18. (1) introduction and orientation–1 hour;
19. (2) police ethics and professionalism–1 hour;
20. (3) criminal law–4 hours;
21. (4) laws of arrest–4 hours;
22. (5) criminal evidence–4 hours;
23. (6) administration of criminal law–2 hours;
24. (7) communications, reports, and records–2 hours;
25. (8) crime investigations–3 hours;
26. (9) interviews and interrogations–2 hours;
27. (10) patrol procedures–6 hours;
28. (11) crisis intervention–4 hours;
29. (12) police human and community relations–3 hours;
30. (13) juvenile procedures–2 hours;
31. (14) defensive tactics–4 hours;
32. (15) crowd control tactics–4 hours;
33. (16) firearms training–30 hours;
34. (17) first aid–10 hours; and
35. (18) examination and testimony–2 hours.
36. (b) The law enforcement agency is responsible for training its reserve police officers
37. in accordance with minimum training standards established by the Alaska Police
38. Standards Council.
39. Status of reserve officer upon appointment. Upon being appointed by the chief
40. law enforcement administrator of the agency and only while on assigned duty a
41. reserve officer is vested with the same powers, rights, privileges, obligations, and
42. duties as any other peace officer in the state.
43. Limitations on activities of reserve officers. (a) A reserve police officer may only
44. be appointed on the orders and at the direction of the chief law enforcement
45. administrator of the agency.
46. (b) A reserve police officer may act only in a supplementary capacity to the agency.
47. Minimum Service Hours. A reserve police officer must serve a minimum of 16
48. hours per month or an aggregate of 192 hours per year to maintain certification as a
49. reserve police officer. Reserve police officers failing to meet this minimum standard
50. will have their certification revoked and must complete the minimum basic training
51. program prior to being reinstated.
52. Restrictions on carrying weapons. (a) No reserve police officer may carry
53. weapon:
54. (1) while on assigned duty until the reserve police officer has qualified on the firing
55. range with a weapon in compliance with the firearms qualifying course conducted
56. by the Alaska law enforcement academy; and
57. (2) until authorized by the agency chief law enforcement administrator to carry a
58. weapon.
59. (b) Reserve police officers:
60. (1) are subordinate to permanent law enforcement officers; and
61. (2) may not serve unless supervised by a permanent law enforcement officer whose
62. span of control would be considered within reasonable limits.
63. Reserve police officer change in residency. A reserve police officer may change
64. permanent residency to another part of the state and remain a reserve police officer
65. of the agency to which the reserve police officer was appointed or transfer to a new
66. agency provided that:
67. (1) the statutory basic training requirements have been met;
68. (2) the probationary period established by the law enforcement agency is completed;
69. and
70. (3) approval for continuing membership or transfer is granted by the chief law
71. enforcement administrator controlling the reserve unit.
72. Termination of reserve police officers. Reserve police officers serve at the
73. discretion of the chief law enforcement administrator and may be terminated by
74. written notification at any time by the chief law enforcement administrator without
75. any cause.
76. Prohibition on participation in certain pension and retirement systems. A
77. reserve police officer may not participate in any pension or retirement system
78. established for permanent law enforcement officers.
79. Provision of workers’ compensation coverage. Each law enforcement agency that
80. utilizes reserve police officers shall provide full workers’ compensation coverage for
81. the officers while they are providing actual service for the agency. The agencies
82. shall pay to the insurer an appropriate premium, as established by the insurer, to
83. cover the insurance risk of providing coverage to the officers.

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Site Search Tags: police, Alaska, law+enforcement, public+safety, VPSO, VPO, , village+police, legislation, APRN.org, reserve+officer, criminal+justice, justice, community+values, ethics, rural+justice

It is important that we understand how we coped in the past with pandemics in order to learn what is important to us as a people and to cope with future disasters. The Spanish Flu or world influenza pandemic of 1918 didn’t devastate Alaska until 1919. See related posts here

• Alaska History reading list
• Alaska and Eskimo data in 1920 British report
• Alaska history books
• Cangerlaagpiit (Epidemics) historical lessons
• Excerpts hearings on Alaska influenza devastation
• Flu history and research database
• Influenza in Alaska 1919 Hearings
• Letters from 1918 SW Alaska British Columbia
• More historical pandemic resources (Michigan archives)
• More historical resources (Brevig Mission)
• New historic pandemic resources available
• The National Archives: Influenza Epidemic of 1918
• Timeline of Human Flu Pandemics
• What he knew in 1918 could save millions of lives today
• More history to follow up
• Historical analyses help plan for future pandemics

There are some written records, but many histories have yet to be written. Fortunately, Raymond L Hudson has recently published a history of the Jesse Lee Home. This was an Alaska orphanage set up, like so many, to care for children orphaned by illnesses in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Jesse Lee Home was originally established in Unalaska/Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands. See Where can one hear both verses of state song? .

In an editorial, the Anchorage Daily News noted,

The Jesse Lee Home occupies a special place in Alaska history: It is the birthplace of Alaska’s flag. Thirteen-year-old Benny Benson lived at Jesse Lee when he entered a schoolchildren’s contest to design a territorial flag in 1927. His design won, and the first place it flew as Alaska’s official flag was the Jesse Lee Home.

Beyond the Benson connection, the Jesse Lee Home has a special meaning to Alaska Natives. Early in the 20th century, epidemics ravaged many Native areas and left behind many orphans. The Jesse Lee Home, which moved from Unalaska to Seward in 1925, sheltered and raised many of the youngsters left behind.

The chapter is kindly reprinted by permission, all rights reserved. Raymond L. Hudson 2007 Family After All: Alaska’s Jesse Lee Home, Vol. I, Unalaska, 1889-1925. Walnut Creek, CA: Hardscratch Press. ISBN 978-0-9789979-0-8. (www.hardscratchpress.com)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 30 The Pandemic of 1919

By the time World War I ended with the signing of the armistice on Nov. 11, 1918, an influenza epidemic had crossed the United States and arrived on the west coast. In two years this pandemic would claim 50 million victims worldwide, including 675,000 Americans. Thousands of revelers in San Francisco wore protective face masks as they danced in the streets to celebrate the peace. Officials in Alaska were understandably worried. At Unalaska the dance halls and pool rooms were closed. Sailors were not allowed ashore.

The winter was stormy, but the general health of the people at Unalaska remained good. By spring, the threat seemed to have passed and life returned to normal. Dr. Newhall made a slightly ironic list of things to be thankful for: the local boys who had served in the war were unharmed; the flu had spared the village; snow was only five feet deep between the two Jesse Lee Home buildings; it was too stormy to dig clams, but plenty of clams were still waiting on the beach; the store was out of white sugar and table salt, but soft coal was only $25 a ton.

As May drew to a close, the weather cleared. The U.S.S. Saturn was in port to service the Navy radio station. Father Khotovitskii returned from visiting one of the outlying villages. Then on Friday, May 23, people began falling ill [1]. The speed with which the flu permeated the village was phenomenal. By Monday the influenza was epidemic, and the commanding officer of the Saturn wired Captain F.E. Dodge on the Coast Guard cutter Unalga anchored in Seredka Bay on Akun Island [2]. As Dodge took the Unalga toward Unalaska, a wire came from Dr. Linus H. French at the Kanakanak Hospital that the entire Bristol Bay region was being ravaged by influenza. On anchoring at Unalaska and inspecting the village, Dodge decided to remain at Unalaska. He wired Coast Guard headquarters in Washington, the governor of Alaska, and Dr. French about his decision.

Continue reading ‘Jesse Lee Home, Alaska and the pandemic of 1919′

Once again, babies are sick, but this time in the YK Delta. Inflammation can lead to scarring of lungs; high fevers can stop children’s bone and tooth growth for a short while; other infections may take advantage of weaknesses.

• Give germs the boot, not our babies: unwashed hands make everyone sick (see comments and post)

[revised 1] and not just for babies–

Virus that struck Our Island Home no longer concern
Nantucket Independent, USA -
10, four of the home’s residents, aged 71 to 96, are believed to have succumbed to respiratory syncytial virus, a virus so common most children have been [...] http://www.nantucketindependent.com/news/2008/0220/Other_news/007.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Virus hits Western Alaska children hard, ALEX DeMARBAN, Tundra Drums
February 19, 2008 at 4:55PM AKST

State health officials are warning Alaskans to scrub hands frequently to help stem a nasty respiratory illness that’s walloping children in Western Alaska.

Health-care providers said they believe more than 82 children have contracted respiratory syncytial virus, known as RSV, in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta since Jan. 1. At least 47 children have been hospitalized, according to a written statement from the state Department of Health and Social Services.
…
More than one-fourth of RSV-infected infants and young children develop bronchial inflammation or pneumonia, according to physicians. Recoveries may take two weeks or more.

The Bethel-region hospital, the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corp., has flown some children to Anchorage hospitals because beds overflowed with sick youngsters [...]

• http://thetundradrums.com/news/show/1499

[revised 2] At http://aprn.org/2008/02/20/y-k-virus-targets-infants/ you can hear that this year’s RSV is the worst since 1995 (presumably number of cases) and that RSV in our region is not seasonal but nearly a year-round infection. There hasn’t been any mention of the implication of lack of local hospital beds for pandemics or serious epidemics such as seasonal influenza.

It is difficult to change one’s habits but it can be done. See these posts and comments for further references and suggestions

• Sanitizers — Handwashing
• Kung-fu-choo Do it in your sleeve
• Song to time hand washing for hygiene and disease prevention
• Baby care handwashing
• Why cover sneezes?

Site Search Tags: RSV, pneumonia, bronchitis, hands, handwashing, respiratory, bed+capacity, YKHC, Yukon, Kuskokwim, Tundra+Drums, seasonal, babies, infants, virus, APRN.org, preparedness

The Unorganized Borough can’t wait for others to prepare for us. Why? Track the entries at
The Voices of New Orleans, http://www.chinmusicpress.com/books/doyouknow/voices/ especially for the terms FEMA and Army Corps (and for Newtok, Alaska). The archive list of titles is News Archive - http://www.chinmusicpress.com/books/doyouknow/voices/news/ (Unfortunately there is no search function other than your browser’s for titles.)

“While the United States government is immune for legal liability for the defalcations alleged herein, it is not free, nor should it be, from posterity’s judgment concerning its failure to accomplish what was its task,” the judge wrote. “This story — 50 years in the making — is heart-wrenching. Millions of dollars were squandered in building a levee system with respect to these outfall canals which was known to be inadequate by the corps’s own calculations.”

Though the ruling spotlighted many missteps by the corps over the years, it made little of other possible factors, including culpability of former local officials overseeing levees and drainage, and particularly their rejection of the corps’s original plan for floodgates on the drainage canals that so devastated the city. [emphasis added]

http://www.chinmusicpress.com/books/doyouknow/voices/news/ 2008/02/nyt_of_course_the_suit_was_thr.html

Site Search Tags: NOLA, Katrina, preparedness, self-reliance, lessons+learned, FEMA, Army+Corps, Newtok

Disaster Preparedness Training for Tribal Leaders http://www.occup-med.com/content/pdf/1745-6673-3-2.pdf (pdf file format)

Describes a disaster preparedness training program for tribal leaders conducted in Arizona. Discusses the role of cultural competency, respect for tribal sovereignty, solicitation of historical examples of indigenous preparedness, and incorporation of tribal community networks in the success of the program.

Date: 2008
Journal: Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology Volume: 3 Issue: 2

from The Rural Assistance Center– a collaborative effort of the University of North Dakota Center for Rural Health, and the Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) funded by a grant through HRSA’s Office of Rural Health Policy. All listings contained in this e-mail can also be accessed from the Rural Assistance Center Web site, Go to http://www.raconline.org/listserv/health/011708.html

• http://www.raconline.org

The Challenges section is very important– pointing out the disadvantages of the “usual approach” to working with tribes (and why grassroots science or community-based programs would be better)

Challenges
There were several challenges to implementing the trainings in the field. These were mostly created by the very short timeline for the project due to funding restrictions. This meant there was little time to visit in the field with key stakeholders and to further encourage participation. As a result, the identification of the training participants was left almost entirely to the BT Coordinator for each tribe. Given the newness of many of these individuals to a newly created role, not all of these coordinators were well integrated into their local public health system. Some were not based within their health programs, but rather operated out of their emergency management departments. As a result several trainings had limited public health personnel participation.

Additionally the scope of the project was very broad as it encompassed all five regions within the state, and required cooperation between tribal, county and federal agency counterparts. Fragmentation within each local public health system resulted in some communication breakdowns and last minute requests.

Other challenges to participation in the training included limited resources available to the tribes. In some cases there were no travel funds for relevant personnel to attend the training session. In other instances, public health emergency preparedness and issues of bioterrorism were not considered priorities particularly compared other competing needs facing under-funded tribal health programs. Subsequently, there were several of the tribes whose BT coordinators and public health personnel were not represented at the training.

In regards to the curriculum, a “one-size fits all” approach created some challenges to meeting the needs of the audience. Due to the diverse backgrounds, roles and skills sets of the participants it was difficult to find the right pitch for all. For some it was too basic and for others too advanced. The content areas required for each module were very broad and it was difficult to present all the content comfortably in three half-day sessions.

Related content (off-site)–
Cooperative Extension Work in Indian Country
Public involvement how-to readings
Developing Minority Community Capacity in Environmental Health & Hazardous Substances
Biocultural Dimensions of Environment and Health

Site Search Tags: RAC, training, HRSA, HHS, planning, tribes

Special Populations: Emergency and Disaster Preparedness

from the great Bringing Health Information to Communities (see sidebar, BHIC)

A new Web page that addresses emergency and disaster preparedness and special populations has been added to the National Library of Medicine (NLM) Enviro-Health Links to selected Web sites featuring emergency preparedness for special populations. This includes people with disabilities, people with visual or hearing impairments, senior citizens, children, and women. Links to information in languages other than English are also provided.

• Special Populations: Emergency and Disaster Preparedness
  http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/outreach/specialpopulationsanddisasters.html

* Disabled
* Seniors
* Hearing Impaired
* Visually Impaired
* Women and Gender
* Pregnancy
* Children
* Diabetes
* Native Americans
* Foreign Language Materials
* Información en Español
* Guidance for Organizations and Governments
* Guidance for Employers
* Law and Policy
* Lessons Learned from Prior Disasters
* Searches from the National Library of Medicine

See related resources
Top 50 reading list for emergency managementFederal toolkit to promote local pandemic preparedness

Site Search Tags: BHIC, NLM, NIH, handicapped, accessible, planning, disaster, Katrina, elderly, readings, reference+materials