Here is the usual depiction of the United States, from
(Alaska as US Minor Outlying Island)
Here is the first one I’ve seen with Alaska and Hawai’i is approximately correct alignment with regard to the other states.
(from http://www.thefire.org/)
13 Tuesday Jun 2006
Posted maps
inHere is the usual depiction of the United States, from
(Alaska as US Minor Outlying Island)
Here is the first one I’ve seen with Alaska and Hawai’i is approximately correct alignment with regard to the other states.
(from http://www.thefire.org/)
12 Monday Jun 2006
Posted business, H5N1, questions for other students, sciencing
in≈ Comments Off on Business Emergency Supply Checklist (be Homeland Secure)
I was hoping for additional information guides for local businesses to use in their preparations. I thought the Mentoring Initiative from Ready.GOV (Homeland Security, home of FEMA) would be useful.
Designed as a call-to-action for business leaders, the Ready Campaign has created Ready Business Mentoring Initiative. This new initiative is designed to help owners and managers of small and medium-sized businesses prepare for emergencies.
Here is the entire text of the (on-line in pdf format) Business Emergency Supply Checklist –
http://www.ready.gov/business/_downloads/emergency_supplies.pdf
Emergency Supplies
Talk to your co-workers about what emergency supplies the company can feasibly provide, if any, and which ones individuals should consider keeping on hand. Recommended emergency supplies include the following:
- Water, amounts for portable kits will vary. Individuals should determine what amount they are able to both store comfortably and to transport to other locations. If it is feasible, store one gallon of water per person per day, for drinking and sanitation
- Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
- Battery-powered radio and extra batteries
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- First Aid kit
- Whistle to signal for help
- Dust or filter masks, readily available in hardware stores, which are rated based on how small a particle they filter
- Moist towelettes for sanitation
- Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
- Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
- Plastic sheeting and duct tape to “seal the room”
- Garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
- Emergency Supplies
Those of you who believe in always getting ready can explain the errors in the above to those awaiting further instructions from the governments, schools, churches, health corp. (about whether and what to do in emergencies).
[another source of business planning is from FluWickie
http://www.fluwikie.com/pmwiki.php?n=Consequences.WorkplaceContinuity
11 Sunday Jun 2006
Posted birds, H5N1, questions for other students, sanitation
inIn early March 2006 the Federal agencies announced their bird sampling activity for the summer. An immediate question from the communities here was—what to do with dead birds? (If the birds are dead from a highly pathogenic virus, no one wants to leave them on the tundra, right?) The BrdFlu [sic] Hotline did not then have an answer, except that the carcasses should be disposed of. “Do you mean fling them away?” (We are off the road system. There are no sanitary landfills. Dead birds will be found away from Villages and who wants to bring them home to throw in the dump?) The hot line was going to get back to me with a consensus.
In the meantime, down below is what other areas have suggested. These suggestions (double- bagging) are mostly for areas with few occurrences of multiple dead birds and with access to landfills. The state of Alaska suggestions are for poultry farms. I still don’t know enough to provide suggestions. Here are some things to consider (keep in mind the idea is to lessen risk)—
Any other suggestions? Any other questions to ask so we could figure out a plan of action for ourselves?
Be sure to read the post about raw meat which I will post later (do not feed to dogs, either the post or the uncooked meat).
By SHEILA RHOADES Friday, May 19, 2006 10:34 PM EDT
With West Nile virus and now the threat of a global bird flu, the Wabash County Health Department has released some instruction on what to do if you find a dead bird….
Wild birds die for a variety of reasons, but most wild bird deaths have no impact on human health. A natural death is considered to be the death of a bird due to a naturally short life span, severe weather, predators and competition between species.
An accidental death could be an impact with power lines, or colliding into aircraft, windows or buildings.
Death can also be caused by either legal or illegal pest control, accidental pesticide exposure, environmental contamination from chemical or other spills, leaks or releases.
Spoiled grain crop residues are a primary food source for many wild birds. But bacteria, fungi and molds can grow on crop residues left in the field and some of the organisms can cause death.
Dirty bird feeders can also be to blame for some wild bird deaths. The same organisms found in spoiled crop residues can also be found in backyard bird feeders if not kept clean.
Most wild bird diseases present no threat to human health. However, there are two wild bird-related diseases Hoosiers are most worried about… West Nile virus and the avian flu….
This is general advice if one finds a dead bird which must be removed—
Dead wild birds should not be handled with bare hands. If necessary to dispose of a dead bird, use gloves or a plastic bag turned inside out over your hand to pick up the bird. Fold the bag over the carcass. Place into a second bag. Either bury it or dispose of it in the trash.http://www.wabashplaindealer.com/articles/2006/05/20/ local_news/local1.txt
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For Alaska—this guidance is for poultry farmers and is in pdf format.
Recommended Disposal:
The intent in disposing of diseased carcasses is to limit the spread of the disease and to destroy the disease agent. The most protective disposal methods do both. The State of Wisconsin has proposed four tiers of disposal methods (Tier 1 being the most protective) with recommended on-site measures that include alkaline tissue digestion, high temperature controlled incineration, and dedicated on-site landfilling. Alaska does not have any large-scale poultry operations that would call for corresponding large-scale disposal measures. Since there are less [sic] than 20 small scale (600-1000 birds) commercial growers and an undetermined amount of private “backyard” bird owners, on-site burial is the most protective measure since it it does not require the transportation of infected birds and materials off the site, thereby limiting the possible spread of disease. However, the State Solid Waste Program has no regulatory authority to require private landowners to bury carcasses on their property. Private landowners may be hesitant to dispose of carcasses on their property, and may have to temporarily store carcasses pending arrival of equipment to excavate a burial pit. Whether carcasses are disposed on site or transported off-site for disposal, proper containment of carcasses and the availability and proper use of personal protective equipment are paramount for protection of public health. With these issues in mind, the following disposal options are offered in priority order….
Read the rest here (pdf file)
09 Friday Jun 2006
Posted birds, H5N1, public involvement
inThis just came in through my Google news alert. I cannot find any mention on the state’s flu pages.
http://www.avianflu.alaska.gov/ or here http://www.pandemicflu.alaska.gov/ or here http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/news/dept_releases.php
“Article Last Updated: 06/09/2006 12:49:03 PM AKDT
Bird testing in Alaska reveals no sign of flu
Associated PressA spokesman for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game says no highly pathogenic avian H5N21 flu virus has been found in Alaska birds sampled so far. About two-thousand samples have been collected and tested.
Division of Wildlife Conservation director Matt Robus says most of the birds tested were killed by hunters in southwest Alaska and there are no indications that the virus has reached the state.”
Read the rest here–
http://www.ktva.com/alaska/ci_3919388
08 Thursday Jun 2006
Posted preparedness, sanitation
in≈ Comments Off on Mold Prevention Strategies and Possible Health Effects in the Aftermath of Hurricanes and Major Floods
MMWR Recommendations and Reports
Volume 55, No. RR-8, June 9, 2006
Extensive water damage after major hurricanes and floods increases the potential for mold contamination in homes and other buildings. Although undisturbed mold is not a substantial health problem, the fungus is a greater hazard for persons with impaired host defenses or allergies. This report presents information on how to prevent the growth of and limit exposure to mold and how to prevent mold-related health effects.
06 Tuesday Jun 2006
Posted maps
inGuess where the hub of Alaska is? Guess where Alaska Air headquarters is?
http://www.alaskaair.com/www2/destinations/RouteMap_FullSize.asp
02 Friday Jun 2006
Posted birds, blogging, H5N1, info sources
inOne of my list-servs I subscribe to for news to share with schoolteachers (see link to side ΣΧ FYI for Sci TEK teachers) is ISEN-ASTC-L a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions. More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://www.astc.org
A posting from today’s issue is
Currently we have on of our exhibit developers, Karen DeSeve up in the Bering Strait, doing work in anticipation of future experiences for the International Polar Year [IPY]
Continue reading
01 Thursday Jun 2006
Posted H5N1
inProMED Digest Monday, June 5 2006 Volume 2006 : Number 263
Seeing the H5N1 situation in Indonesia, I wonder whether “integrated” fish farming plays an important role in sustaining H5N1 [a concern conservationists have raised. I received an email regarding a truck load of chicken manure being dumped into a Vietnamese lake each day
as fish food. At one time, FAO promoted such farming methods].Not that fish catch the flu, but dumping manure and carcasses into ponds and having them eaten by fish possibly results in ponds that can be reservoirs for flu virus [and possibility of transfer via farm fish, in bellies, on skins, or with water if live fish are transported?].
See also “Chicken dung used to feed fish may help spread bird flu” in 20051228.3697, as well as Mod. MHJ’s commentary in 20060518.1396: “…depositing poultry faeces into the pond water would put any wildfowl swimming in those waters at a real risk of becoming infected…Birds faeces repeatedly trucked in for fish food would act in the same way as a constant risk to birds flying into and out of the fish pond areas”.
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My conclusion is that migratory birds acquire infection and either die if susceptible or serve as transitory shedders, establishing rolling infections among diverse species. Once HPAI is introduced into an area, deficiencies in biosecurity, including primitive farming practices and live bird sales requiring movement by itinerant traders, disseminates infection. Humans with sialic acid 2-3 glycan receptors are unfortunately zapped.
======================================================
Date: Wed, 31 May 2006 14:31:33 -0400 (EDT)
From: ProMED-mail
Source: AP 6 May 2006 [edited] [This arrived a while ago but as it was not urgent I awaited a suitable opportunity to post it. – mod.MHJ]Muntilan, Indonesia:
When chickens began dying at his local market, Darmanto gratefully collected them from vendors, chopped them up and tossed the raw meat to his pet catfish.
He never wore gloves, and remembers smoking a cigarette with a bloody hand as he watched hundreds of fish greedily gobble up the scrawny black carcasses.
The thought of bird flu never crossed Darmanto’s mind, it couldn’t. He had never heard of it until he himself became ill, hospitalised with a burning 41 C fever [105.8 F], a racing heart and a tightness in his chest that left him struggling to breathe….
“If I had known about bird flu, I would have done a lot of things differently, I would have taken precautions to protect myself and my family,” said the father of 2, who does not understand even today how he could get sick from dead chicken, or how he survived.
Darmanto, 46, attributes his good fortune to “traditional herbal medicine, a strong spirit, and the will to live.”
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