Emergency Services On The Gulf Coast

Index of Information

2007-09-21T07:27:00.000-05:00

Welcome! This index will help you navigate this site far more easily for the information YOU need. As the site grows, so will the index. Please review ALL of the material, regardless of which emergency services sector you are in. Some of it may help trigger an idea for you to implement in your department.

Red is NEW Green is UPDATED Blue is Standard

Department Funding Opportunities
Grants for Non-Profits
Grants For Communities
2/11 DHS Equipment Funding
Fire Training Opportunity
LA Hospital Funding - Added 9/28
2 Government Grant Links
Domestic Violence Reduction Grant
EMS Training Grant through AHA

Departmental Needs
MS
Hancock County
Police
Fire
Disabled FF in need

LA
NOLA
Fire

Entire Gulf Coast
Ladder Trucks Needed For New Construction

Personnel Needed
Harrison County MS
Harrison County Jail Needs CO's
Hancock County - BSL Needs a Chief
http://katrinapolicefireambulance.blogspot.com/2007/07/bsl-fd-woes.html

Articles
Hancock County 911
http://katrinapolicefireambulance.blogspot.com/2007/07/hancock-county-911.html
NOLA DR Not Indicted
http://katrinapolicefireambulance.blogspot.com/2007/07/nola-physician-not-indicted.html
HomeLand Responder Videos
Article Index
Pictures and Videos Collected
Blogs To Follow
FEMA Information

For Individuals
Resource Pages
Grandfamily/Single Parent Resources
Family Resources
Medical Resources
LA Family Resources
Education Assistance
Businesses
Mortgage Resources
Furniture and More
Home/Utility
Elderly
Resources for Children/Childcare
Disabled
Grants for Individuals - does not include homeowner or repair grants
Dental

Other Sites Related to Gulf Coast Emergency Services
Katrina Networking
Hancock County Agency Information
Pearlington
Waveland
BayStLouis
Gulf Coast Artist Relief Blog
Real People Relief

Hancock County 911

2007-07-26T19:38:00.000-05:00

Supers rescue 911 program
By BENNIE SHALLBETTER
Jul 20, 2007, 16:42
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County Supervisors voted to help out the near-broke Emergency 911 system on Wednesday. But for a long-term solution all the entities in the county will have to step up to the plate to support the emergency lifeline for the county, said board president Rocky Pullman. While sending funds to the Emergency 911 bank account, supervisors also County Supervisors voted to help out the near-broke Emergency 911 system on Wednesday. But for a long-term solution all the entities in the county will have to step up to the plate to support the emergency lifeline for the county, said board president Rocky Pullman. While sending funds to the Emergency 911 bank account, supervisors also sent a letter to the cities of Bay St. Louis and Waveland advising them of the pending crisis.Funding will be provided through county government's gaming revenue. Appropriated funds of around $150,000 will go to pay past due system maintenance contracts to the tune of $60,000 and help pay operating expenses and salaries through the month of August. Without the emergency action, the 911 system was in danger of shutting down.Budget calculations show that the commission had already spent 95 percent of the funds dedicated to office employee's salaries and three quarters of the money budgeted to pay radio operators. The commission had already spent close to seven times the original amount budgeted for internet services.In other business:• Spokesperson for the Bay Area Recovery Team Chuck Jung presented ideas that he says his group – consisting of 75 area business leaders who say their mission is to create an environment where the door is always open to "thoughtful" development – would like to see implemented. Jung called for combining of all county building departments into one county wide authority that, he said, could work much like the county tax office. The move would promote uniform code and zoning throughout the county, said Jung. Also requested was that the county reconsider and approve an interim development ordinance that has gone back and forth between county agencies for months. District 3 Supervisor Lisa Cowand called for the approval of the ordinance immediately, but the motion died for lack of a second. The ordinance spells out, in detail, the standards for future development in the county. It places the cost of infrastructure improvements for large development projects, squarely in the laps of the developers proposing the projects and places stringent guidelines on the design of those projects. Since it was originally presented to the county planning commissioners, the ordinance has gone through several revisions, at the request of the commission and the Board of Supervisors. It is available for viewing at the county planning office.Jung also asked that Supervisors reconsider the idea of a marina at the foot of Main St. in Bay St. Louis that will cater to pleasure boaters. Plans for the marina date back to studies done in the 1980's, he said. Commercial fishing boats would not be allowed in the marina that the group is proposing. • Port and Harbor asked that Supervisors approve a change in a lease agreement that they have for a facility at Port Bienville. The original lease named Port of Paradise Bay, LLC dba Paradise Bay Properties LLC as lease owners for the facility. The Port asked that the name on the lease be changed to indicate that Mike Cure and Cure Land Company, LLC are now the owners of the lease. • The Glen Stockstill family was honored with a plaque commemorating his life and service to the community. Stockstill lost his life in Katrina. He served on the Kiln Water Board and as a chief at the Kiln Volunteer Fire Department.• Supervisors accepted, "with regret", the resignation of Constable Ernest Taylor. Taylor has accepted a job with the Attorney General's office.• SRS was accepted as low-bidder for continuing debris cleanup at the recommendation of Neel Schaffer Engineers.• Supervisors took under advisement a planning and zoning recommendation to allow a zoning change from C-2 to Industrial on Stennis Airport Rd. Not details were provided on the businesses expected in the new district. Cowand asked that detailed plans be submitted before approval. Board attorney Ronnie Artigues advised the board to make sure that the change would not open the door for an inappropriate business to move in to the area, which is near Hancock High School.• Supervisors discussed the incoming Katrina cottages. Cowand suggested that they be allowed one for one to replace FEMA trailers. District 1 Supervisor David Yarborough asked that they only be allowed on private property owned by the recipient. Cowand said that approval should be on a case by case basis through the planning department to allow for people to place a cottage on a friend or relative's property. The majority agreed with Cowand's suggestion.• With invoices for engineering services coming into the county from three firms, Compton, CDM, and Neel Schaffer, Supervisors asked that each one present, by a Monday deadline, a detailed explanation of the scope of work covered by each firm to avoid a duplication of services.
© Copyright 2007 Bay St. Louis Newspapers, Inc.

BSL FD Woes

2007-07-26T19:36:00.000-05:00

Bay advertising dept. chiefs’ positions
By MARY G. SEILEY
Jul 20, 2007, 16:48
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Bay city officials have decided to advertise vacancies at the top of the police and fire departments, throwing the slots up for grabs and possibly ending a troubling stalemate.
The ads also seek applicants for Fire Department captains, lieutenants and entry level personnel. That department has been in a high state of turmoil recently, undergone an administrative investigation, and still faces some unresolved volatile personnel issues.
A new chief building official, Tommy Keyts, is expected to be on the job July 21. His relocation from Winter Haven, Fla., was delayed by a couple of months, officials said, because he had troubles selling his home there.
Meanwhile, last Tuesday, as many as 18 of the Fire Department’s 21 fire fighters showed up at a City Council meeting in a show of concern of leadership within the force. About a third of the department is said to be on the search for jobs elsewhere.
The potential for personnel losses comes at a time when the department is supposed to be expanding to provide full coverage for a fire station to be built in the newly annexed area.
Controversy there came to a head with the retirement of Fire Chief Robert Gavagnie last month. Deputy Chief Pam San Fillippo has been placed in charge of the department by the mayor, although he has not appointed her as acting chief.
Fire fighters have met individually with the mayor, and some have sent correspondence to members of City Council seeking relief from what they see as an unsatisfactory work environment.
Mayor Eddie Favre said at one point he thought he had resolved the issues of concern to the force. But he later said the issues had gone way beyond what was originally presented to him. Last week, he promised to advertise the job, but didn’t say when.
“It’s a done deal,” said Municipal Clerk Harold G. “Buz” Olsen on Thursday, saying ads are to run in Bay St. Louis and Gulfport newspapers, as well as those in Jackson, New Orleans and Mobile. Notices also are to be posted in police and fire professional publications, Olsen said.
Olsen said the city is seeking applications for other posts in the Fire Department as well, because some of the force “have resigned or quit,” leaving some key vacancies.
Meanwhile, in the Police Department, the February retirement of Frank O’Neil from the chief’s slot led Favre to name then Deputy Chief Tom Burleson, immediately, to the position of interim chief.
He sought confirmation from City Council of that appointment, but a motion to confirm Burleson died for lack of a second during an executive session.
While council members said the city should advertise that position as vacant and consider applicants, Favre has refused to do so until this week.
An attorney general’s opinion recently surfaced, stating that City Council must affirm or reject all mayoral appointments to department head level. It also said council has that duty whether the appointments are permanent or “interim.”
In another opinion, the Attorney General’s office stated that once a mayor seeks appointment of a department head, council’s failure to confirm the appointee precludes reconsideration of that person for that slot.
Olsen said Thursday, however, that Burleson is eligible to apply for the chief’s slot because council never actually rejected him in a formal vote. Asked why Favre changed his mind on advertising the police chief’s job, Olsen said Favre simply wanted to “get it done.”
Favre was vacationing this week and not available for comment.
There are other personnel issues, meanwhile, within the Police Department. It has seen a series of resignations and retirements in recent months, draining decades of experience from the force.
There have been internal promotions on an “interim” basis, unconfirmed as yet. Those officers have assumed the duties of their new slots, but haven’t received raises to go along with the new duties.

NOLA Physician Not Indicted

2007-07-26T19:32:00.000-05:00

NEW ORLEANS —
A grand jury on Tuesday refused to indict Dr. Anna Pou, the cancer surgeon accused of murdering four seriously ill patients following Hurricane Katrina.
Pou and two nurses were arrested last summer after an investigation concluded they killed four people with a "lethal cocktail" at Memorial Medical Center during the chaotic conditions after the August 2005 hurricane.
Lawyers for the three said they acted heroically, staying to treat patients rather than evacuating.
Charges against nurses Lori Budo and Cheri Landry were dropped after they were compelled to testify last month before a grand jury, under legal guidelines that kept their testimony from being used against them. They waived their constitutional right against self-incrimination.
The grand jury had been investigating the charges since March.

Flood Safety Awareness Week

2007-03-19T19:43:00.000-05:00

March 19-23, 2007

Washington, D.C. -- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-sponsored 2007 National Flood Safety Awareness Week, takes place from March 19-23. Within this week, Thursday, March 22 is Flood Insurance Day-the perfect time to remind residents about their flood risks, how to prepare and protect themselves as winter rainy season ends, and spring thaw, snowmelt, and hurricane season begins.

According to the NOAA National Weather Service's spring predictions, the upper Midwest is currently in the middle of its snowmelt. Warmer than normal temperatures in recent weeks have increased the risk of flooding due to ice jams over portions of the region.

Flooding is the nation's number one natural disaster, occurring both inland and on the coast. It's important to note that flash floods, inland flooding and seasonal storms flood every region of the country. Twenty to 25 percent of all flood insurance claims are filed in low-to-moderate flood-risk areas.

Flooding causes damage and destruction across regions nationwide-wiping out homes, businesses and personal financial resources. Property owners and renters need to know that they can take steps to protect their property and financial security before disaster strikes. However, many eligible residents are unaware that they qualify or that affordable flood insurance is available.

Residents can begin to take steps now to protect their home and assets from rising floodwaters at any time.

* Reduce your home's flood risk through home maintenance or improvements:

* Make sure gutters and drains are cleared. Clean and maintain storm drains and gutters and remove debris from your property to allow free flow of potential floodwater.

* Move valuables and sentimental items to the highest floor of your home or business.

* Install backflow valves in waste lines to keep water flowing in one direction.

* Protect your well from contamination.

* Anchor or elevate fuel tanks and elevate the main breaker or fuse box and the utility meters above the anticipated flood level in your home or business, so that floodwater won't damage your utilities.

* Make sure you have the right insurance: Review your insurance policies and find out what they do and do not cover. Learn the difference between replacement cost coverage versus standard coverage, which only pays the actual cash value of insured property. Be sure that you have enough insurance to cover recent home renovations or improvements. Know that most homeowners insurance polices do not cover flood damage, so be sure to consider flood insurance for both your structure and its contents. There is typically a 30 day waiting period for a flood insurance policy to take effect.

* Learn your flood risk. Properties that are not located within high-risk areas can also flood. Find out your flood risk right now by entering your address at FloodSmart.gov "Assess Your Risk." Insurance agents can also help check your risk.

* Purchase a flood insurance policy. If you already have a flood policy, remember: your policy needs to be renewed each year.

* More than 20,200 communities in all 50 U.S. states and its territories voluntarily participate in the NFIP, representing about 95 percent of all properties in the nation's high-risk areas.

* Plan for evacuation: Plan and practice a flood evacuation route, ask someone out of state to be your "family contact" in an emergency, and make sure everyone knows the contact's address and phone number.

* Build an emergency supply kit: Food, bottled water, first aid supplies, medicines, and a battery-operated radio should be ready to go when you are.

* Inventory your household possessions: For insurance purposes, be sure to keep a written and visual (i.e., videotaped or photographed) record of all major household items and valuables, even those stored in basements, attics or garages. Create files that include serial numbers and store receipts for major appliances and electronics. Have jewelry and artwork appraised. These documents are critically important when filing insurance claims.

* Protect important financial documents: Store copies of irreplaceable financial and family documents in a safe place, preferably one that is protected from both fire and water. Documents include automobile titles, tax records, stock and bond certificates, deeds, wills, trust agreements, birth and marriage certificates, photos, passports and insurance policies. Keep originals in a rented safe deposit box. And don't forget the household inventory file!

NOAA's predictions state that portions of eastern South Dakota, eastern Iowa, southeastern Minnesota, southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois are at risk of flooding. In addition, high soil moisture over northeastern Ohio and northwestern Pennsylvania and extreme southwestern New York state could lead to flooding if additional heavy precipitation occurs. Also, there is a flooding potential for southeast Colorado because the soil moisture is high, due to the melting of an above normal snowpack, which resulted from record snowfall in the state in December and January.

Flood insurance is available through nearly 100 insurance companies in more than 20,200 participating communities nationwide. Everyone can purchase flood insurance - renters, business owners, and homeowners. The average flood insurance policy costs around $500 a year. And in low- to moderate-risk areas, lower-cost Preferred Risk Policies (PRPs) start at just $112 a year. Individuals can learn more about their flood risk and how to protect their property by visiting FloodSmart.gov or by calling 1-800-427-2419.

FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.

MO Fire and Rescue U

2007-03-08T13:35:00.000-05:00

University of Missouri Extension Fire and Rescue Training Institute

MU Extension main page - generator story for TV and other related items http://muextension.missouri.edu/
Tree damage web site http://extension.missouri.edu/webster/webster/gardening/trees.html
MU Ext EM program http://muextension.missouri.edu/cemp/
Eric S. Evans
201 S. Seventh,
240 Heinkel Bldg
Columbia, MO 65211
573/884-8984
1-800-869-3476
evanses@missouri.edu

Financial Group For You

2007-02-17T14:08:00.000-05:00

http://firstresponders.com/index.php

This group has mortgages, insurance, investment and savings options, credit cards and what they call Responder Rewards.
Becoming a member is free - but is ONLY for Police, Fire and Ambulance personnel - active, retired, disabled.

The rewards program saves about 40% on a couple hundred major retailers. There's a free plan and a $30/year plan.

Their "About Us" Page
Until First Responders Financial Services was established in 2005, there was not a financial company 100% committed to the exclusive interests of the millions of first responders and their immediate families.
Today with thousands of members nationwide, we’re able to offer first responders the best financial guidance and products possible.
And as our membership grows we will be able to bring better and more varied offering to the table of all first responders.
Our mission is to make the lives of our important American front line pros a little easier and better served by a company that cares only for them:
our firefighters,
law enforcement officers,
nurses,
paramedics/EMTs.
and their families

Our Mission
Our mission is simple yet critical. To bring financial services and products that are in the best interest of all first responders from every part of the country. And to do it with the same passion first responders bring to their jobs every day.
It’s our goal to make the financial lives of firefighters, police officers, EMTs, and nurses better than if they tried to go it alone.
First Responder Financial provides the following products and services:
Mortgages
Insurance
Investments & Savings
Credit Cards
Responder Rewards

NOPD's Communication Assistance

2007-02-16T22:29:00.000-05:00

Only 17 months after. What lightening speed we work with!
Sent from Jenni

NOPD RECEIVES FEMA FUNDS FOR COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT DAMAGED BY KATRINA

NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Louisiana Governor 's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness have announced $2.26 million in reimbursement funds for repairs to the New Orleans Police Department's communications equipment damaged by Hurricane Katrina.

When the storm hit, extensive flooding caused damage to the department's two-way radio systems. Funds recently obligated will reimburse the department for repairs and replacements of more than 560 radios used for emergency services after and since the disaster struck. These include hand-held, mobile and desktop radios used in both police vehicles and inside police divisions located on Broad Street , Canal Street , Moss Street and North Claiborne , among
others. In addition to the radios themselves, many of the antennas, high-capacity batteries, microphones and earpieces were also repaired or replaced.

"When disasters like Katrina strike, it is imperative that the local police force remain able to communicate with citizens who need their help," said Jim Stark, director of the Louisiana Transitional Recovery Office. "Money obligated by FEMA will continue to help rebuild the infrastructure of New Orleans , including reimbursing the Police Department for the tools they need to service the citizens of this city."

When projects are obligated by FEMA, the funds are transferred to the state. This allows the state to draw down the monies and distribute them to the local applicants. The state may require additional documentation from the applicant before disbursals are made.

The Public Assistance program works with state and local officials to fund recovery measures and the rebuilding of government buildings, roads and bridges, schools, water and sewer plants,
recreational facilities owned by government agencies, some facilities owned by nonprofit agencies and other publicly owned facilities. FEMA can set aside money to bring each project back to its pre-disaster function and capacity, and the state distributes the money. In order for the process to be successful, federal, state and local partners coordinate to draw up project plans, fund these projects and oversee their completion.

Personal Appeal - Disabled FF Needs Help

2007-02-15T09:35:00.001-05:00

My fiance,my two boys ages 3 and 12 and myself lost everything in Katrina as renters in Longbeach,Ms.We are now in our 3rd fema camper in Picayune,Ms.

My fiance is a disabled/retired fireman of 18 years and was injured in the line of duty saving someone from a wreck with the jaws of life in 1986. He has been disabled ever since and has had many surgeries on his back and knee.

We just cant afford the rent prices anymore so decided to spend every penny that we had saved to buy a piece of land to build a house.I am unemployed right now because the land will be my new job and source of income because it is a small blueberry farm,We have also started raising and selling American Bull Terrier Pups(www.rousekennels.com)but it will be a few years before either brings in much money.We only make $1300.00 a month and had to put $12,000.00 on the land downpayment,we are so broke.

The land is in bad shape and needs a lot of clearing we have started but it is more than we can handle with our tractor and chainsaw,plus it is killing Davids back,there is a lot of big trees
down from katrina and the land and the blueberries are grown up.

We are looking for help to clear the land and to get our utilities put in,electric and sewer but mainly with the clearing,we cant even get to where the septic tank is going to be yet. It will have community water but we will have to run the lines from the road which is a pretty long ways.

We are also looking for any kind of building materials espically lumber.If anyone knows of any help for us, please email me: lavignechanda@yahoo.com.

For more info, go to their page at:
http://realpeoplerelief.blogspot.com/2006/12/chanda-l.html

Pro Female FF's Helping Biloxi

2007-02-02T17:27:00.000-05:00

2/15 Fired up about rebuilding Women's touch helps Habitat
By LEIGH COLEMAN
SUN HERALD
A group of 22 women firefighters from across the United States arrived in South Mississippi this weekend to help rebuild homes with Habitat for Humanity.
The firefighters have been roofing, installing pavilions and framing storm-damaged homes in St. Martin this week. The group will work with the Biloxi Habitat organization until Feb. 20.
This is the first time a group of professional female firefighters has coordinated a nationwide volunteer rebuilding project in Mississippi.
"I wanted to get this group together because people from all over the United States came to help New York City after Sept. 11," said retired New York City fire captain Brenda Berkman. "When the Coast went through their disaster in the form of Katrina, I wanted to give back."
The firefighter workforce arrived from fire departments in New York, New Jersey, Washington, Florida, Ohio, Connecticut, Wisconsin, Kansas, Maryland and Illinois.
Berkman is coordinating the volunteer project with the Biloxi Habitat for Humanity. She is also the past president of the Women in Fire Service organization, a nationwide community service group of fire service women.
"I was asked by Capt. Berkman what we needed down here and I told her about how many homes still need rebuilding and before I knew it this group has grown into a nationwide effort," said Capt. Michelle Crowley, a 14-year veteran of the Biloxi Fire Department.
The firefighters are working out of and living in the Volunteer Village at Yankie Stadium in Biloxi. The Biloxi Fire Department donated its van to transport the visiting firefighters to their dorms and work sites.
Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization that seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world. The organization and its volunteers have built more than 200,000 houses around the world.
"It is great to see these women who put themselves on the line for their communities every day come together and help another community," said Berkman.
For information about how to volunteer or donate to Habitat, visit habitat.org or for information about the Women in the Fire Service organization visit wfsi.org.

Female firefighters to aid in rebuilding effort
More than two dozen female professional firefighters from across the country will be in Biloxi Feb. 11-20 to work with Habitat for Humanity to help rebuild homes.
The firefighters, who will be housed in the Volunteer Village at Yankie Stadium in Biloxi, are members of Women in the Fire Service, Inc. an organization that supports the worldwide community of fire service women through networking, special events and community projects.
Among the states expected to be represented in the effort, which has been a year in the works: New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Kansas, Washington, Illinois, Connecticut and Florida.
Several of the firefighters are expected to celebrate Mardi Gras in Biloxi on Feb. 20. Locally, the effort is being organized by Capt. Michelle Crowley of the Biloxi Fire Department.

From the Biloxi City News

DeWalt Generator Recall

2007-01-06T08:36:00.000-05:00

Generators Recalled for Shock Hazard
Jan 5, 2007 9:26 AM
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the DEWALT Industrial Tool Co. of Towson, Md., has announced a voluntary recall of about 13,000 portable electric generators. A ground fault circuit interrupter installed on the generator could fail to operate properly, posing a risk of electric shock, although no incidents or injuries have been reported.

The recall involves DEWALT DG2900 2900 watt gasoline-powered generators with date codes 200150 through 200635. The generators are black and yellow with "DEWALT" and "DG2900" printed on the them. A date code is stamped on the right side of the unit on the black plastic covering the rear of the control panel. Units with an "R" stamped on the name plate are not affected by this recall. The generators were at major home center and hardware stores nationwide from December 2001 through November 2006 for between $900 and $1,000.

Consumers with generators included in the should stop using them immediately and contact DEWALT to arrange for a free inspection and, if necessary, free repair. For more information, contact DEWALT toll-free at 888-742-9108 between visit the firm's Web site at www.dewalt.com.

NOLA Recovery Plan

2007-01-06T08:34:00.000-05:00

http://secure.cityofno.com/Resources/Portal51/NOLA%20Manual%20FINAL.pdf

I'm doing the link only because it's 80 pages. I'm sure you'll understand.

Cyanide Treatment Available

2006-12-28T17:12:00.001-05:00

FDA gives green light to cyanide treatmentUpdated 12/28/2006 12:01 PM ET
By Robert Davis, USA TODAY
Drug safety officials in the USA have approved an emergency treatment used in France for cyanide poisoning.
Beginning next month, a kit called Cyanokit can be used by U.S. paramedics to treat cyanide poisoning, which poses a terrorist threat and could play a role in thousands of deaths each year from smoke inhalation.
The Food and Drug Administration approved Cyanokit based on the French experience and on animal studies because of the danger that studying therapy for cyanide poisoning in humans poses to test subjects.
Cyanide kills quickly. But current cyanide treatment — which involves the use of amyl nitrite, sodium nitrite and sodium thiosulfate — is tricky, doctors say, because the fix can also kill. For that reason, doctors must be sure the culprit is cyanide. And the new Cyanokit allows medics to make an educated guess. "If you were wrong, you would likely make them worse and you may actually kill them with the old treatment," says Marc Eckstein, medical director for the Los Angeles Fire Department and associate professor of emergency medicine at the University of Southern California School of Medicine. He has worked as a consultant to EMD Pharmaceuticals of Durham, N.C., which won FDA approval for Cyanokit. "The Cyanokit offers a safe and pure treatment that a paramedic can administer in the field."
Cyanide kills by binding to an enzyme that helps cells use oxygen. When cyanide is present, the body is starved of oxygen. Heart and brain cells die fast. The FDA says that Cyanokit's active drug, hydroxocobalamin, binds to cyanide, which keeps it off the enzymes. This bond forms vitamin B12, which is expelled in urine.
Stephen Borron, an American toxicology expert who participated in the French studies, says, "The patient's effects from the cyanide are very rapidly diminished."
French scientists discovered the drug after Charles de Gaulle, who was head of the French provisional government in the 1940s, worried he was going to be poisoned. Cyanide is considered a terrorist threat because it is not hard to get, says Donald Walsh, Chicago's assistant fire chief for Emergency Medical Services. Mine and metal workers have access to cyanide.
Today, rescuers in Paris routinely use hydroxocobalamin to treat smoke inhalation. They report fire survival rates increasing 30% to 70%. And, according to the National Fire Protection Association, about 4,000 people die each year from fires across the USA.
The key to survival is speed.
"You really need to treat these patients at the scene of the fire for maximum benefit," says Borron, of the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, who has worked as an EMD consultant.
He says Cyanokit was approved under the Animal Efficacy Rule, which allows use of animal data for evidence of a drug's effectiveness for certain conditions when the drug cannot be ethically or feasibly tested in humans.
By focusing on cyanide's role in smoke inhalation, doctors have found that firefighters are also more susceptible to cyanide poisoning than was previously known. Modern combustibles spew toxins when burned. Cyanide is produced when common household materials, such as fiberglass insulation, burn.
Firefighters have been poisoned by cyanide even after the bulk of a fire has been extinguished, Walsh says. While working amid smoldering debris without their breathing gear, firefighters have been sickened by cyanide, he says.
"We're really starting to wake up the American fire service on this," says Walsh, an EMD consultant who traveled to Paris to see how the drug is used by the fire brigade.
"I think this will affect the numbers of morbidity and mortality for smoke inhalation," he says. French firefighters "were pulling people out of buildings in cardiac arrest who were burned, and they revived them."

NOLA Law Enforcement

2006-12-26T19:52:00.001-05:00

Guard, state troops in city past December
Sunday, December 10, 2006
By Ed Anderson

BATON ROUGE -- Gov. Kathleen Blanco said Saturday that she will order State Police and National Guard troops to remain in New Orleans past the end of the year, but stopped short of making a long-term commitment to backing up the storm-damaged city's strained police force.

Speaking with reporters after pitching her $2.1 billion spending-and-tax-cut agenda to the House Appropriations Committee, Blanco served notice that the Guard and added State Police will not remain in New Orleans indefinitely.
"There has been no decision made" on how long past the end of 2006 the 60 state troopers and 300 Guard troops will be assigned to police and security duties in New Orleans, Blanco said. "We can't do it indefinitely. If we tried to do this indefinitely, it would cost us an arm and a leg."

Blanco said she will not abandon the city, but stressed that "I want to see a plan" from New Orleans officials for ending reliance on the state help. State Police and Guard personnel "will be extended beyond December, but we will go month to month until I get a clear plan. . . . We want to see an exit plan," she said.
The Legislature has already appropriated almost $16 million to post the State Police and Guard in New Orleans since a surge of violent crime rocked the city in June.

"We don't have enough (State Police) forces on our highways," Blanco said.
Some New Orleans officials have said they would like to see the Guard and troopers remain in New Orleans for another six months.

Mayor Ray Nagin's spokeswoman, Ceeon Quiett, said Blanco "is well aware" of the continuing need for law-enforcement help in a recovering city with a police force that has lost hundreds of officers since Hurricane Katrina. "She has to understand the devastation and the magnitude of what we're dealing with," Quiett said, adding that the governor's decision "should not be difficult."

She deferred other comments to Police Superintendent Warren Riley, whose spokeswoman, Bambi Hall, said she did not have details on Blanco's remarks.
Blanco said she and her staff are talking with city officials about their needs and how long added police presence is needed, as well as how the city is fighting crime.

During the special 10-day legislative session, Blanco is seeking to raise the state supplement to the salaries of police and firefighters around the state from $300 a month to $450 a month, or from $3,600 a year to $5,400 a year.

Recent figures show the New Orleans Police Department has about 1,425 officers, with about 100 of them on leave. Before Hurricane Katrina, the department had 1,668 officers on its rolls. The department recently launched its first post-Katrina recruit class of 41 potential officers.

Nagin recently warned that with post-Katrina attrition, the number of police officers may drop to 1,000 or less. He said he would like to see the force level off at 1,600 officers, a level that will require training about 200 police cadets a year for the next three years.

Blanco said troopers who have been helping patrol the Central Business District and the French Quarter since June are needed for highway traffic enforcement and for crime-fighting in rural areas. The Guard has been rotating a command of 300 troops throughout the neighborhoods hardest hit by flooding after Katrina, usually areas with the fewest residents.

Blanco also pointed out that many of the Guard troops served in Iraq and then did hurricane duty in 2005 before being sent to New Orleans -- some with virtually no time off

Training Opportunity

2006-12-15T12:21:00.000-05:00

From a volunteer firefighter having just gone through the course:

If you have never been to a National Fire Academy class, here is another excellent opportunity. I am not familiar with the training center in Alabama but I can promise you the course work and opportunities to learn from other firefighters all over the country is great. The course and transportation are free. There is usually a very modest fee charged for meals.
------------------

December 13, 2006

Student Recruitment for Volunteer Incentive Program Courses at Noble Training Center

The United States Fire Administration (USFA), Department of Homeland Security, is currently accepting applications for a special offering of the National Fire Academy Volunteer Incentive Program (VIP) to be held at the Noble Training Center (NTC) at Anniston, Alabama.

The purpose of this initiative is to create more opportunities and offerings for VIP students. Four courses will be offered April 22-27,
2007:

* Fire Cause Determination for Company Officers (M811)
* Management Strategies for Success (Leadership I, II, III) (M824)
* Presenting Effective Public Education Programs (M826)
* Command and Control of Incident Operations (M831)

Information on these courses and the related student selection criteria is available on the USFA Web site at www.usfa.dhs.gov

The standard NFA student travel stipend will apply. Students not selected through the random selection process for courses at the National Fire Academy will be offered an opportunity to attend courses at Noble.

Further information can be obtained from the VIP Program Manager at 800-238-3358, x1402.

How to Apply

Students must complete a NETC General Admission Application (FEMA Form 75-5). The application is available on the USFA Web site. Applicants should not make plans to attend a course until notified in writing by the Admissions Office.

Mail To:
United States Fire Administration
Admissions Office - Room I216
16825 S. Seton Avenue
Emmitsburg, MD 21727

Fax To:
Completed applications may also be faxed to (301) 447-1441.

Harrison Cty ES Coordinator

2006-11-08T17:28:00.000-05:00

Spraggins ready made for crisis management
By WYNETA MILLER

The shock of a 1972 draft notice spurred 19-year-old Joe Spraggins to enlist in the United States Air Force. He went through basic training at Lackland AFB Texas just like any other airman, but he earned his commission in 1978 by hard work and education. When Spraggins retired as a brigadier general from the Air National Guard, he had more than 34 years of service — 27 of them in active duty. On Aug. 29, 2005, the day Hurricane Katrina hit the Coast, he began his new job as Harrison County’s director of Emergency Management.
The timing couldn’t have been worse; or, it couldn’t have been better. "Emergency and crisis management has been a large part of my military career," he said. "When the job was announced last year, I had already decided to retire from active military and had asked God to lead me in a new career. County Administrator Pam Ulrich and the Board of Supervisors offered the opportunity; and 29 August 2005, was decided as my start date. "Little did we know then what that day would bring," he said.
Ulrich said she knew immediately that Spraggins was the right person for the job. "With his military background, I knew he would keep us all informed, could handle pressure, make the right decisions and recommendations upon a disaster declaration," she said. "He enjoys a challenge, and I realized this was going to be one for him even before we knew what was ahead of us with Katrina. Harrison County is honored to have such a strong and dedicated person to guide us and assist in making the right choices for the safety and well-being of all citizens."
Even though Aug. 29 was his official day of work, Spraggins had been assisting Ulrich with the briefings and situations weeks before on his own time.
"This shows great character and he highly impressed me as it showed that he would be available whenever he was needed," Ulrich said. "I can truly say that Gen. Spraggins has been an asset to Harrison County. When he took over Emergency Management, there were only two other employees. He has recently increased his staff with some remarkable people and continues to improve the Emergency Operations Center."
In addition to being appointed director of Emergency Management, Spraggins also oversees Homeland Security. Just recently he was appointed as director of Emergency Communications (E911). Ulrich said this move will mean better communications and coordination efforts among all the cities, county, state and federal agencies.
Spraggins faced one of the greatest challenges in U.S history during Hurricane Katrina. In Katrina’s aftermath, he has no intention of changing careers.
"The challenges are too numerous," he said. "We still have years of rebuilding and preparation to get the Gulf Coast and Mississippi on its feet. I am focusing on recovery, rebuilding and preparing the Gulf Coast.
"If I wake up in the morning and know I have tremendous challenges in front of me, I can’t wait to get to work and try to solve them. I think I am happiest when the pressure is on and I have to perform to help others.
"The best thing about the work I do is that everyday is an opportunity to help someone," Spraggins added. "I enjoy helping others, and this is the perfect job to fulfill that enjoyment everyday. I try very hard to look at every decision and decide how I would feel, if I were on the receiving end.
"I have had so many great leaders in my life and learned valuable lessons from all of them," he added. "My father taught me that everything you do is a reflection of your life, so ensure you want your name on the decision."
Spraggins said he learned to pay close attention to the people he considered great leaders in his military and civilian career. They taught him that there is nothing wrong with making a mistake or learning a lesson; however, you should never have to do either twice. "I have learned … that respect, professionalism, and pride in everything you do will produce World Class results."
He has earned high praise from public officials. "Gen. Spraggins worked tirelessly during and after the storm to bring city leaders together to make decisions in the best interest of the citizens, the municipalities and the county," said Gulfport Mayor Brent Warr. "He is a great leader, and a great asset to our community."
From Mayor A.J. Holloway of Biloxi: "Brig. Gen. Spraggins’ military background played a big role in his being able to handle the urgent needs of the Gulf Coast left by Hurricane Katrina’s havoc. He worked well with Biloxi during this hectic time."
Connie Rocko, president of Harrison County board of Supervisors, said, "I can’t praise Joe Spraggins enough especially during the aftermath of the Katrina. He did a super job. I am proud to be able to work with him and he’s a joy to work with. The days and weeks were very long for himself and the incredible number of volunteers in the initial recovery stages, yet he always promoted a positive attitude. He brought all his communication skills from his former positions to the helm."
Prior to a storm this hurricane season, Spraggins said, "Everyone in Harrison County has to be prepared, have a plan and practice it, with their family, community, and work place; in order to ensure their safety for any crisis that may arise. We must learn from our mistakes and revise our procedures to ensure everyone has the capability of evacuating in time of disaster. Communication and coordination are key factors to have all entities prepared."
He also emphasized self-reliance. "Be prepared to take care of yourself first and whatever we have left is nice," Spraggins said. "We can replace almost anything monetarily, but the key is self-reliance."
Spraggins, born in Alexander City, Ala., in 1953, was the only son born to Donald and Faye Spraggins. There were already three girls in the family.
He did the usual activities at Benjamin Russell High School: football, track and wrestling. He, even, married his high school sweetheart, Judy Phillips.
His curriculum vitae goes on and on: officer school, aviation school, weapons systems officer and he completed more than 2,500 hours in his military flying. In 1987, he transferred to the Combat Readiness Training Center in Gulfport. As Combat Readiness Center commander, he was responsible for operations and training of more than 20,000 military personnel annually and oversight of a $75 million annual budget.
When he became commander of the 186th ARW, he was responsible for operations of an aircraft wing, with more than 1,000 personnel and a $48 million annual budget.
He was the first commander to have two units in the Mississippi Air National Guard simultaneously. He was sent to Andrews AFB, Maryland, in 2002 to run the Crisis Action Team for the Air National Guard and was transferred to Tennessee Air National Guard in 2006 as Chief of Staff responsible to the adjutant general for three flying wings and three mission support units. And if that weren’t enough, he also served as the air deputy commander, Joint Forces Headquarters, Tennessee National Guard and was attached as the Battle Commander for Air Force North, Tyndall AFB, Florida, responsible for ensuring the air sovereignty and air defense of the continental United States.
He was selected to the rank of brigadier general and confirmed by the United States Senate May 26, 2005.
Other accolades:
Selected as a Top Ten Community Leader for the Gulf Coast in 2005
Chosen the Goodwill Ambassador of the Year in 2005.
Serves on the Board of Trustees for Leadership Gulf Coast, Board of Directors of Red Cross, Board of Directors of Girl Scouts and Committee Chair for Gulfport Rotary Club. In his spare time, he enjoys golfing, hunting with friends, fishing, watching his favorite college team the Auburn Tigers and spending time with his grandson, “Tater Bug.” Spraggins said his wife, Judy, has been the inspiration for his life and always supports him in his endeavors. Well, maybe not always. She is not real keen on hunting.

MS Fugitive Sweep

2006-11-05T12:27:00.000-05:00

Feds, local police teamed up in sweep
By J.R. WELSH
jrwelsh@sunherald.com
BILOXI - A team of law-enforcement officers from several agencies recently closed in on fugitives in three Mississippi counties, clearing 49 warrants and arresting 30 people.
The raids were part of Operation Falcon III, an undertaking by the U.S. Marshals Service. Suspects were arrested in Jackson, Harrison and Hancock counties on charges related to sex offenses, narcotics and violent crime.
The operation ran from Oct. 22 to 28, said Justin Vickers, a supervisory inspector with the Marshals Service. It included sheriff's deputies from all three counties as well as city police-department members from Waveland, Biloxi, Long Beach and Bay St. Louis.
Vickers said participating local officers were temporarily deputized in the Marshals Service. "This allowed them to operate outside their own jurisdictions," he said.
Of the 30 arrests, Vickers said, 50 percent took place in Jackson County. Forty percent and 10 percent occurred in Harrison and Hancock counties, respectively.
Most of those arrested were wanted on outstanding warrants, although two people in Jackson County were being sought under criminal indictments charging sex offenses with juveniles.
Among those arrested under outstanding warrants, a number had skipped out on bail after being arrested, Vickers said.
"A lot of the warrants were issued on failure to appear for aggravated assault, narcotics and other charges," he said.
Operation Falcon III took place last week throughout the eastern United States. In total, team members east of the Mississippi River arrested 10,773 accused felons. Those included 1,659 alleged sex offenders and 364 documented gang members, the Marshals Service said.

Reduce Workplace Violence

2006-11-01T22:39:00.000-05:00

NIOSH and BLS Release Workplace Violence Prevention Results

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has released findings from a survey conducted for NIOSH on workplace violence prevention. Nearly five percent of the 7.1 million U.S. private industry business establishments had an incident of workplace violence in the 12 months preceding the survey. The majority of those establishments did not change their workplace violence prevention procedures after the incident. Results from the survey will provide researchers with information to develop educational interventions to improve workplace safety. Findings from the survey are available in detail on the BLS Web site, http://www.bls.gov/iif/osh_wpvs.htm.
More information on NIOSH research and recommendations for preventing and reducing workplace violence can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/injury/traumaviolence.html.

LA Family Recovery Corps

2006-10-21T11:55:00.000-05:00

The Louisiana Family Recovery Corps (LFRC) is an independent non-profit organization currently led by CEO Randy Ewing.
http://www.recoverycorps.com
The goal of the LFRC is to coordinate and mobilize a network of providers, organizations, and government agencies to deliver aid and services to displaced Louisiania families in transitional housing throughout the state.
The LFRC is dedicated to non duplication of services. To this end, all Family Liaisons will first refer clients to existing services within Government Agencies and private organizations that have capacity to handle the needs. If sufficient services are not available, however, or if the services do not exist, the LFRC will work with its regional partners to create or enhance direct services.

Are You in Need of Services?
The Louisiana Family Recovery Corps may be able to help you if you and your family meet these eligibility requirements:

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS (must meet all three):
·Families with minor dependent children (pregnant women in their 6th month of pregnancy who meet the income and hurricane affected requirements may also qualify)
·Household income is less than 200% of the federal poverty guidelines (based on current income)
·Household displaced/affected by Hurricane Katrina/Rita (if family is living in their pre-hurricane residence and living in substandard housing conditions, the family may qualify for assistance)

SERVICES INCLUDE:
·Comprehensive individual case management for Katrina/Rita affected families
·Family needs assessment
·4-Month Recovery Plan development
·Employment/Career assistance
·Agency referrals
·Emergency assistance (funds are limited)

WE CAN ASSIST WITH (must be enrolled in LFRC Recovery program):
·Living accommodations (2 month maximum)
·Transportation
·Childcare
·Job skills training and development
·Out-patient substance abuse treatment
·Mental health services

To access services coordinated through the Louisiana Family Recovery Corps:
Lake Charles area: Family and Youth Counseling Agency (337) 433-8258
Baton Rouge area: Catholic Community Services (225) 242-0348
Shreveport area: Volunteers of America, Northwest Louisiana(877) 221-8404
Alexandria area: Volunteers of America, Central Louisiana (800) 520-8026
Monroe area: Volunteers of America, Northeast Louisiana (866) 322-2272
New Orleans area:Catholic CharitiesArchdiocese of New Orleans(504) 210-7204
Family Service of Greater New Orleans(504) 421-8513 or (504) 361-0926
Kingsley House(504) 523-6221
Volunteers of America Greater New Orleans(504) 835-3005

MS EMS Funding Fraud

2006-10-20T17:06:00.000-05:00

Some funds meant to help Mississippi communities buy ambulances went instead toward high-tech gadgets and other items for the state Department of Health, a new auditor's report shows. It's your money - fight for it!

That spending includes $50,736 for satellite communication radios, $17,820 for hand-held global positioning computers for food and sewage inspectors, and $1,980 for two computer monitors for State Health Officer Dr. Brian Amy.
"That's a blatant misuse of money," said Wade Spruill Jr., who helped write the 1982 law that created the Emergency Medical Services Operating Fund and who ran the department's EMS Bureau until 2000.
A four-month investigation by The Clarion-Ledger uncovered a myriad of woes at the state Health Department, including increased costs charged to the fund, established in 1982 by the state Legislature to provide grants for ambulances, life-saving training and equipment to Mississippi communities.
"I cannot tell you a person died or a person's health was compromised, but these EMS providers were denied the tools they needed because somebody at the state Department of Health decided they needed a new desk," said state Sen. Nunnelee, R-Tupelo, whose Public Health and Welfare Committee has been holding hearings since August on department problems.
New hearings set for Nov. 8 and 9 will include testimony from Bryant on the EMS Operating Fund.
EMS funds went to purchase night-vision goggles and install high-band and satellite-based radios in personal cars.
Spruill said the EMS Operating Fund was never intended to pay for services such as ambulance inspections, much less high-tech devices and radios.
Health Department officials say such items played an important role in helping to rescue survivors of Hurricane Katrina, but many of these high-tech purchases took place prior to Katrina and were intended to aid the EMS Bureau in spying on EMTs and paramedics.
Since the mid-1990s, administrative costs have been steadily rising. In 1996, the department charged $194,089 to the EMS Operating Fund - 12 percent of the $1.57 million distributed to communities. By 2005, that number had risen to $1 million - 57 percent of the $1.76 million distributed.
After The Clarion-Ledger's stories appeared last summer, State Auditor Phil Bryant began a limited review of the fund. On Thursday, he made that report public.
State law allows the department to defray "costs of administration" for distributing the fund, but Nunnelee said he believes officials have gone beyond that.
"You have to operate within the rules, and you can't make up the rules to suit your fancy," he said.
Health Department officials say Bryant's report confirms the funds were spent according to law.
"Certainly, the Legislature has the option to change the law if it prefers to reduce the state-level EMS program and invest more funds into local EMS programs," said Liz Sharlot, the department's director of communications. "This is a policy call at the legislative level."
Health officials have construed those costs to include the entire EMS program. The report from Bryant's office recommends lawmakers change the law's wording so it's clear monies should go solely to the EMS fund.
His report also found:
· Monies from the EMS Operating Fund bought $285,013 in equipment - $35,655 of it on items unrelated to EMS.
The EMS fund purchased: a dozen satellite communication radios for $50,736; a dozen laptops for $24,226; 33 hand-held GPS (global positioning system) computers for $17,820; $12,597 for three Dell workstations; $8,350 for 10 DVD camcorders; $4,440 for 10 digital cameras; and two wireless headsets for $1,348.
These monies also bought: a desk for $2,578; a conference table for $1,353; a sofa for $900; a Navy chair for $723; and a leather chair for $660.
Department officials say they're repaying the EMS fund for the $35,655 spent on non-EMS items.
· The fund was used to "pay salaries of staff located outside of the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services."
"The ... governing statute is clear that the use of administrative funds be for the EMS program," the report says.
Fifteen employees had their salaries paid from the EMS Operating Fund. Since Aug. 22, the Health Department has quit using the fund to pay the salaries of four of those employees.
The department is paying back the EMS fund for those four salaries.
· $45,000 in missing equipment.
Department officials initially blamed the missing equipment on a vendor, but eventually found all but $3,880 of that equipment.
Still missing? Four DVD camcorders and a GPS computer.
Health Department officials are reviewing property controls to ensure such errors are eliminated in the future, Sharlot said.
· The department allowed the EMS Advisory Council, headed by Amy, to lapse.
That council makes recommendations to the state Board of Health about the EMS program.
"The only current member is the State Health Officer," the report says.
State law requires the council to meet once a year.
Amy told the auditor's office the council had met three times in 2003 and once in 2005. "In 2004, the EMS Advisory Council lacked a quorum by telephone poll," Amy wrote. "The next meeting is scheduled for Nov. 7, 2006."
That came as news to Spruill, who had been serving on the council.
"The last set of minutes I have were for December 2003," he said.
· The department doesn't keep track of the percentage of the EMS Operating Fund spent on administration.
Sharlot said the department is providing more services at the same time it has experienced a 39 percent decrease in state funding.
Nunnelee said most of the department's budget comes from federal funding.
Also, he said, "When you get less money, you don't go out and buy new furniture for the executive suites."

WHAT'S NEXT
State Auditor Phil Bryant will discuss his office's limited audit of the EMS Operating Fund when the Senate Public Health and Welfare resumes its hearings into the state Department of Health on Nov. 8

Jefferson Parish EOC

2006-10-18T10:10:00.000-05:00

Jefferson officials develop plan to build emergency operations center
By Meghan Gordon
West Bank bureau

With $4.8 million in gambling taxes off limits to build a new emergency center in downtown Gretna, Jefferson Parish is banking on the city unincorporating the land and then taking it back when the structure opens after 2009.

In June, state Sen. Derrick Shepherd, D-Marrero, stymied what the Parish Council thought would be an easy approval of their plans for a one-time exemption to use Boomtown Casino revenue for a project within city boundaries. State law dictates that the parish’s 32-percent share of taxes from the riverboat must be spent in unincorporated areas of the West Bank.

Council members pitched a spot in downtown Gretna across from the General Government Building as a strategic location to amass emergency equipment and officials who would protect all of Jefferson Parish. The parish currently uses an aging former incinerator in Marrero as its nerve center during emergencies.

But Shepherd made sure the legislation exempting the parish from the restriction against spending it in incorporated areas didn’t get out of committee. Council members said he did that after they rejected his request for $600,000 of the gaming taxes to use at the legislator’s discretion. West Bank council members had pooled the money that once served as a slush fund for their districts and dedicated it to joint flood control and hurricane protection projects.

Now attorneys from the parish and Gretna are negotiating an agreement to put the land — about a block wide — outside the city limits, possibly temporarily, so the parish doesn’t have to dip further into its general fund when it already expects a one-year windfall from the gaming revenue. The parish budgets an annual take of $2.4 million from the Harvey Canal riverboat casino, but the Parish Council voted to set aside $4.8 million of this year’s potential boon when it learned of a spike in demand for the slot machines and card tables.
Because the parish failed to receive an exemption within the state law, the administration would have to use the money on other projects, build the emergency hub elsewhere or persuade Gretna to unincorporate the proposed site.

Gretna Mayor Ronnie Harris said he welcomed negotiations to find a way to build the center on Derbigny Street and allow the parish to draw on the gaming money stream. He said he didn’t know how the transfer would work legally, but he expects it to require a vote of the Gretna City Council.

“I thought it was a travesty,” Harris said of the row during this year’s regular legislative session.

Jefferson Parish Councilman Chris Roberts said he would favor transferring the jurisdiction of the property back to the city when the center opens and tasking Gretna Police with providing security, as they do for the government building.

“Obviously they don’t want to give up boundaries,” Roberts said. “No city wants to give up jurisdiction.”

The Parish Council is expected today to lengthen a contract for design and engineer work on the emergency operations hub.

Councilman Byron Lee will ask his colleagues to approve a resolution amending Burgdahl and Graves Architects’ 1994 contract for improvements and construction to various public works buildings. The firm would have until Dec. 31, 2008, to complete design work on the emergency center for a $2.29 million fee.

The complex will include a new call center for 911 dispatchers, a slew of updated equipment, high-tech “war rooms” for parish leaders to watch approaching hurricanes and other amenities. A millage for 911 operations will finance the call center, and the parish will likely dip into its general fund for the balance of what the Boomtown money doesn’t cover.

Before Hurricane Katrina, the parish was on the verge of issuing bid packets for construction of an emergency center in Avondale. But they scratched the plans in favor of downtown Gretna on the theory that they would be able to access Baton Rouge by the Mississippi River if the West Bank is inundated. The location also would allow them to spare parish vehicles from flooding by parking them in the top floors of the parking garage across the street.

Deano Bonano, the parish’s emergency director, said the center isn’t expected to open before 2009. He said the parish received preliminary drawings from the design team of Burgdahl and Graves, Sizeler Architects, and Perrin and Carter, and would begin tweaking them this week.

Bonano offered few details about the construction timeline and projected cost.

Roberts said parish leaders would hold a ceremonial groundbreaking on June 1, the start of the 2007 hurricane season. He said administration estimates have construction wrapping up within a year to 18 months and costing $17 million to $20 million.

The council meets today at 10 a.m. in the Jefferson Parish General Government Building, 200 Derbigny St., Gretna.

New Site Being Established

2006-10-18T10:09:00.000-05:00

As some of you may know, I've registered with the Make a Difference Day initiative being held on October 28, 2006. First, I urge you to do the same thing - www.makeadifferenceday.com is where you can do this.

Next, I registered a project that I had been planning for some time, and had only just decided to initiate. Because I want the Gulf Coast to have as much focus as possible, I am delaying the project by about a week. My project is called - Real People Relief and the address will be www.RealPeopleRelief.blogspot.com. I have already registered the name, so no worries about a name change.

I know many of you work with individual families who, along with you, are struggling to find the money for their daily living and recovery efforts. I am able to highlight up to 1 family a week from each organization who contacts me - leaving the information of each family up as long as I receive 2 updates a month - whether from them or you. I am willing to post up to 3 current pictures (I'll touch them up if needed, and resize if needed) and will rotate pictures as new ones become available.

Individuals who contact me directly will be placed under my banner of Katrina Networking. All of you who send me information will have those families placed under YOUR organization's banner, along with your website and contact information, should a person choose who wants to help actually chooses to volunteer.

I will send you the links for each family (or person) whose information you send to me, so that you have me edit the information as needed. You will also be able to send this link to your reader/volunteer base so they can follow the information with less effort on your part.

Since I continue to receive an increasing number of emails from both organizations and citizens alike regarding the fact little money is trickling down to their level, I feel this is a very important thing to do. Add that most people are just wanting to know they are not forgotten, I feel this will be a very important emotional assistance to those we are all trying to assist.

With that, I will paste my questionnaire into this email and would great appreciate any participation on your part.

Sincerely,
Leslie Holly

Questionnaire For Inclusion On Real People Relief

Information Posted on Your Page
Name: - I would like first and last, but please note what you feel comfortable having posted for all to see.

Email: - only contact information public will have about you. You will decide if you want them to know your full information by emailing them.

Location: - where you were; where you are; where you plan to be in a year.

Number in Household: - Please include pets. First names, sex and age of each person.

Situation: – brief paragraph of what you’ve been through, who you’ve applied for help with, what has happened in the last year.

Current Living Arrangements: - FEMA Trailer, Apartment, House, Tent?

Help: - what help, if any, have you received thus far?

Photos: - Up to current photos – can be rotated through as new images are sent.

Needs: Please list preferences; if you’re going to want, you might as well want what you want! Below are examples and in the categories to be listed under.
Foods – non-perishable only
Paper Products – Napkins, Toilet Paper, Paper Towels, etc.
School Supplies – notebooks, pens, pencils, folders, etc.
Computer Supplies – paper, ink (give specific cartridges)
Clothing – list sizes and style color preference
Cleaning Supplies – Windex, Dishwashing liquid, Laundry detergent, etc.
Household Supplies – light bulbs, kitchen supplies (pans, pots, etc.)
Stores you shop at – for possible gift cards or gift registry

Information Not Posted
Full Name
Mailing Address
Phone Number

What I Need from you
Twice monthly updates: - The more often I can update your information, the more frequently your information will be reviewed. People view blogs like an ongoing story. They get hooked on new little tidbits. If I don’t receive regular updates, the information will be pulled after 8 weeks.

Emergency Services Events - MS

2006-10-07T19:00:00.000-05:00

Ocean Springs
FIREMAN'S PARADE
October 14, 2006
Parade is in conjunction with Fire Prevention Week
For more info, call O.S. Fire Dept. 228-875-4063 or 228-872-4407

NOLA House Gutting II

2006-10-06T08:15:00.000-05:00

From The Times Picayune
N.O. begins second phase of gutting law
It's reinspecting 3,400 buildings ordered to be cleaned, secured
Thursday, October 05, 2006
By Bruce Eggler
Starting today, the city will begin reinspecting more than 3,000 blighted New Orleans buildings whose owners have been warned that their properties, most of them ravaged by Hurricane Katrina's floodwaters, are public nuisances and must be cleaned up.
It's the start of the second phase of the city's campaign to enforce the requirement that foul-smelling and environmentally hazardous buildings must be cleaned, gutted and secured.
The city also will soon begin asking nonprofit organizations that offer free gutting services to low-income residents whether they want financial aid from the city for their efforts.
See the rest at
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-6/1160037688199750.xml&coll=1
-Nancy

Insuring Law Enforcement

2006-10-05T18:21:00.000-05:00

Insuring Sheriff's Force is CostlierDue To Lawsuits Against Jail
By J.R. WELSHjrwelsh@sunherald.com
GULFPORT - Liability-insurance coverage for the operations of Harrison County Sheriff George H. Payne Jr. is skyrocketing in premiums and deductibles and plummeting in coverage amounts, county records show.
County officials say a current $150,000 annual hike in premiums for law-enforcement liability coverage stems primarily from the risk of insuring the Harrison County jail, where lawsuits alleging mistreatment of prisoners keep bubbling up.
"To tell you the truth, I'm surprised we could get any coverage at all," said Larry Benefield, vice president of the Harrison County Board of Supervisors. He said "the number of claims and the amount of claims" against the jail were cited by the county's insurance carrier for a new policy, which became effective Oct. 1.
Under last year's policy, the county had liability coverage of $1 million per lawsuit filed against the sheriff's department, with a $100,000 deductible. The new policy that went into effect Sunday provides only $1 million per year for total coverage, regardless of the number of lawsuits. In addition, each case carries a deductible of $250,000.
"Once we reach that $1 million limit, we're basically self-insured," Benefield said.
Although the new coverage substantially decreased in payoff value, it will cost far more. Annual premiums for law enforcement liability will be $281,475, or about $150,000 more.
The higher costs are the latest in a mounting stack of frustrations for supervisors, who also pay the sheriff's attorney's costs from the county's tort fund. Those payments have reached about $326,000 during the past year.
Civil actions filed before Oct. 1 will fall under the old coverage limits, Benefield said. The new policy applies to all subsequent lawsuits.
Benefield said insurance-cost increases were exacerbated by the cases of Jessie Lee Williams Jr. and Kasey Alves. Williams' estate filed suit against the sheriff and county supervisors after Williams died from a beating he suffered at the county jail last Feb. 4. Alves filed a separate suit alleging he suffered kidney failure after being tightly strapped in a restraining chair at the jail for an extended period last January.
The higher rates leave county supervisors feeling helpless. The sheriff is an elected constitutional officer and although supervisors must fund his department, they have no actual authority over his operations.
Payne and the board of supervisors, all elected officials, have repeatedly clashed over policies and issues, and they no longer communicate.
The higher liability rates are part of an overall county insurance policy Benefield said changed little for the new policy year, except for the law enforcement premiums. The policy was purchased through Stewart Sneed Hewes, the county's longtime insurance carrier, and is written through Lloyd's of London Syndicate.
Loretta Worters, a spokesperson for the Insurance Information Institute in New York, said higher risk naturally brings higher policy costs.

Hancock County Sheriff Raise

2006-10-05T08:05:00.000-05:00

Supers reconsider raises
By DWAYNE BREMEROct 4, 2006, 09:03

Employees of the Hancock County Sheriff's department will have to continue to wait for raises requested by Sheriff Steve Garber, because for the second time in three weeks the board of supervisors delayed a vote on the issue on Monday.
The board cited concerns about other departments not receiving raises, and the possible long-term financial effects of the raises, as reasons for the delay.
"I'm not going to single out one department," Supervisor Steve Seymour said. "We need to sit down and look at the rest of the county.
"Several months ago, the sheriff's department received a grant of $2.549 million from the federal government. The Bay St. Louis and Waveland police departments also received money from the grant.The money is to be divided up over a three-year period. Some of the money was earmarked for overtime pay, and for salary supplements to allow local law enforcement agencies to recruit new officers and keep old ones.
Last month, the sheriff's department's administrator Ronnie Cuevas, asked the board to consider a $1 per hour raise for each employee of the sheriff's department. Cuevas said the money would be paid directly out of the grant for the next two years. He said the raises were necessary because other local agencies have used their grant money to give raises, and the sheriff's department needed to keep its qualified people. Currently, Waveland is paying $2 per hour more than the county and Bay St. Louis is paying $1 per hour more, he said.
He said the sheriff's department has $560,000 in grant money at its disposal. The raises would cost about $130,000 and there is additional money allocated for overtime. Several months ago, the board approved a raise for building official Mickey Lagasse. One of the reasons the board agreed to the raise is because the building department received a $500,000 grant, and the grant will pay for the raise, as well as new employees over the next two years.
"Mine is coming out of money that is available," Cuevas said. "If you don't use it, you lose it."
The board did not vote on the sheriff's raises at the September meeting, because board members Jay Cuevas and Steve Seymour had taken a trip to Green Bay, Wi. to attend a football game.
It did, however, approve the 2006-2007 budget at that meeting, with Jay Cuevas and Seymour voting by telephone.
The 2006-2007 budget featured a 12-percent cut across the board for all departments. Several departments, such as the building and sheriff's departments, have its grants added on to the money which was budgeted from the general fund.
The budget has no raises for county employees this year; however, several employees received raises prior to the budget, because they worked in departments in which the board had no control over the finances.
The raises caused a widespread uproar among county employees and supervisors alike, who felt it was unfair for some to get raises and not all. Board President Rocky Pullman said even though the requested raises are on a grant now, the grant will eventually run out.
The county comptroller told supers it would cost the county an estimated $300,000 to give all county employees a raise.The board agreed to look at the issue again at the Oct. 18 meeting.
Currently, Mississippi State University is conducting a salary analysis with the current job market in Hancock County.
"I would like to have a decision by next meeting," Seymour said.
© 2005 Bay St. Louis Newspapers, Inc.

Annexation Fire Impasse

2006-10-04T16:58:00.000-05:00

Efforts at fire protection deal hit an impasse
Covington official is fed up with talks
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
By Richard Boyd
Because of a disagreement over territory, the city of Covington and St. Tammany Parish's 12th Fire Protection District failed to sign a proposed intergovernmental agreement by their self-imposed deadline of Saturday.
District board Chairman Joe Mitternight said his board instructed him not to sign the document unless the city concedes a crucial question of which department will be designated as primary responder in certain areas.
City Councilman Trey Blackall said Monday he has lost patience and does not care whether the 12 District signs the agreement. "We are not giving up any jurisdiction, and that is the way it will be," he said.
Jurisdiction in the Claiborne Hill area just outside the city is the final sticking point in a long process aimed at ending double taxation of dozens of businesses. The businesses, annexed into the city over the past two years, were paying property tax to both the Covington Fire Department and 12th Fire District.
The proposed agreement would have made the Covington Fire Department the primary responder for pockets of the Claiborne Hill section that have been annexed by the city such as the Alpine Village subdivision. The 12th District would be the first responder for an unincorporated area east of West 21st Avenue and north to U.S. 190.
But Mitternight said the Fire District's board insists that their department be the primary responder for all of Claiborne Hill, regardless of annexation. "Unless we get that concession I don't see how we can sign this agreement," Mitternight said over the weekend.
But Blackall said, "We will not concede the jurisdiction question. It is a matter of control with Fire District 12, but we legally have an obligation to be the first responder for fire emergency calls in any area inside the municipal boundaries of the city."
In June, the two sides reached a tentative agreement, and the 12th District agreed to stop assessing 25 mills of property tax on some 42 businesses that the city had annexed. After being annexed, the businesses found themselves being taxed 25 mills by the fire district and another 10 mills by the Covington Fire Department, and many complained to Blackall, Mayor Candace Watkins and others on the City Council.
"They want to remain primary responders for annexed areas in Claiborne Hill because then they can continue to tax them," Blackall said.
A bill passed by the state Legislature earlier this year says that only the fire department designated as primary responder can assess an area with a millage. The act, authored by state Rep. Diane Winston, R-Covington, defines the Covington Fire Department as primary responder for any area annexed into the city.
"We don't need the intergovernmental agreement. We have the Winston bill and that accomplishes what we are seeking, which is to eliminate the double taxation," Blackall said.
After a two-hour session Tuesday, the two sides walked away without a settlement. Mitternight argued that since his department has a station at Louisiana 21 and Louisiana 36, it can reach all areas in Claiborne Hill south to the Abita River faster than Covington, which has to send units from Jefferson Street.
Therefore, the 12th District should be primary responder for all the area regardless of whether portions have been annexed, he said.
Blackall and Mitternight said there is no immediate plan to resume talks.
. . . . . . .
Richard Boyd can be reached at rboyd@timespicayune.com or (985) 898-4816.

NOFD Raises?

2006-09-30T22:18:00.000-05:00

11/9
New Orleans Firefighters Win Pay Raise Battle
By Bruce Eggler, Staff writerTimes-Picayune (New Orleans)

New Orleans firefighters Wednesday won another in a string of legal victories in their effort to get the city to pay them long-overdue, state-mandated longevity raises.
Civil District Judge Kern Reese ordered the city to immediately start paying the firefighters "the legally mandated rates of pay" or be found in "direct contempt of the orders of this court."
In his five-page judgment, Reese three times capitalized and underlined the word "immediately" in saying how soon he wants the city to carry out his order. Otherwise, he said, "swift and appropriate sanctions will be rendered."
Mayor Ray Nagin's administration has offered to pay firefighters $2.1 million in 2007 in longevity increases, and officials of Fire Fighters Association Local 632 said that amount would cover the raises ordered by Reese, although the city has disagreed with the union about the formula to be used to calculate raises for individual firefighters.
Under the city formula, union leaders said, some firefighters would get as much as a 25 percent raise and others would get nothing or would owe the city money.
Reese sided with the firefighters on the issue of which formula to use.
In offering $2.1 million in overdue longevity raises, however, the administration has refused to give firefighters an additional 10 percent across-the-board raise, which the city says would cost another $2.1 million a year. All other city workers, including police, got a 10 percent raise this fall.
Nagin repeated that position last week in presenting his 2007 budget proposal to the City Council, but both the council and the Civil Service Commission have voted to give firefighters both sets of raises.
Reese's decision Wednesday does not affect the issue of whether to give the 10 percent raise.
It also does not directly affect the city's largest obligation to firefighters: an estimated $100 million or more in lump-sum payments, ranging from a few thousand dollars to several hundred thousand dollars, that are due to about 1,000 current and retired firefighters or their heirs to cover lost raises going back to 1990. How the city will deal with that debt remains unknown.
Nick Felton, president of the firefighters union, said he was "elated" with Reese's ruling. "This is what we've been fighting for," he said. "This is the ruling we've been looking for."
Although the administration has estimated the cost of implementing the longevity increases at $2.1 million a year, Felton said he thought the cost would be $1.6 million or $1.7 million because of a sharp decline in the number of firefighters since Hurricane Katrina.
Felton urged the city not to try to appeal the case further. Lawsuits involving firefighters' pay have been working their way through the court system for many years, and the city has consistently lost.
City Attorney Penya Moses-Fields said she was studying Reese's ruling and would not comment on it until she had a chance to discuss it with Nagin and the City Council in executive session.
The dispute about firefighters' pay stems from the city's failure for many years to implement an automatic 2 percent annual raise for most firefighters that the Legislature mandated in the late 1960s but did not provide money to local governments to cover. No other local workers got the automatic raises.
The Supreme Court upheld the legality of the mandated raises in 2001, leaving the administrations of Mayor Marc Morial and then Nagin to try to deal with years of unpaid raises.
In his ruling, Reese said the pay dispute "has languished for over 25 years. The time has now arrived for the city of New Orleans and the Civil Service Commission to compensate its firefighters as mandated by law. This court fully expects this order to be implemented IMMEDIATELY."

From Times Picayune via Gary M.

City Council again bucks Nagin
It wants two sets of raises for firefighters
Friday, September 29, 2006
By Bruce EgglerStaff writer
For the second time in a month, the New Orleans City Council is breaking with Mayor Ray Nagin's administration and trying to give firefighters larger raises than the administration wants to approve. In this case, the council is agreeing with the firefighters that they should get $2.1 million in overdue longevity raises on top of, not in place of, a 10 percent across-the-board raise that all other city workers are getting.
The council' Budget Committee endorsed that position Thursday, and the full council is almost certain to follow suit next week. But the city's Civil Service Commission needs to agree as well before the raises can take effect.
The council first voted a month ago to support giving firefighters the same 10 percent raise that police officers were in line to get. Nagin had opposed such a raise because most firefighters, under a law passed by the Legislature many years ago, get automatic 2 percent annual raises that other city workers do not receive.
After the council's vote, the administration shifted its position, announcing two weeks ago that it favored giving a 10 percent raise to city workers in all departments and setting a minimum hourly wage of $7.50.
Instead of an across-the-board 10 percent raise for firefighters, however, the administration said it planned to increase the total payroll for the Fire Department by 10 percent, with some firefighters getting as much as a 25 percent raise and some less than 1 percent, and with all the increases counted against the millions the city owes firefighters for the state-mandated 2 percent raises that the city failed for years to implement.
The firefighters protested that position, saying they should get a 10 percent raise in addition to the 2 percent longevity increases they said the city already owed them.
Panel backed Nagin
The Civil Service Commission sided with the administration last week, voting to implement the 10 percent citywide raise and the $7.50-an-hour minimum wage, but saying the Fire Department should get only a 10 percent increase in its total payroll, with the money credited against the amounts the city owes individual firefighters for past-due longevity raises.
The Budget Committee's decision Thursday to reject that position followed a 90-minute closed-door meeting attended by five council members and several top administration figures, though not Nagin.
Councilman Arnie Fielkow, who made the motion to endorse the firefighters' position that they should get both sets of raises, described the closed-door session as a "very thorough and spirited discussion."
He said the council wanted to "reaffirm very loudly" that firefighters are entitled to a 10 percent raise in addition to the millions the courts have said they are owed for the longevity raises, which the city long refused to implement, claiming the state had no right to order such raises without providing money to pay them.
Committee Chairwoman Cynthia Hedge-Morrell and Councilwoman Stacy Head joined Fielkow in voting for the motion. Councilwoman Cynthia Willard-Lewis, who is not a member of the Budget Committee but attended the meeting, also indicated her support.
Dozens of firefighters attending the committee meeting responded with a standing ovation.
The full seven-member council is expected to adopt the same position at its Oct. 5 meeting and to send the issue back to the Civil Service Commission, which is to meet Oct. 23.
Six of the commission's seven members are nominated by the presidents or chancellors of local universities and appointed by the council. The seventh is appointed by the council from among three people chosen by city workers.
Blanket raise likely
The Budget Committee also endorsed the 10 percent raise for all other workers and the $7.50 minimum wage, which is nearly $1.50 an hour more than the lowest-paid city workers have been making. If the full council goes along, as seems certain, those raises would take effect Nov. 1, although the council has said it wants the firefighters' raise to be retroactive to Sept. 1, the same day police officers got a 10 percent across-the-board raise.
The 10 percent raise before the council applies only to classified workers, but the administration and council are expected to support an ordinance providing the same increase to unclassified employees, meaning mayoral appointees not covered by Civil Service.
Chief Administrative Officer Brenda Hatfield has said the total package of increases, including the already-implemented police raises, would cost the city $3.1 million for the last four months of 2006 and $11 million for all of 2007. Giving the firefighters the additional raise retroactive to Sept. 1 would cost about another $700,000 this year and $2.1 million in 2007.
Nagin's office issued a news release Thursday night saying that since 2003, the administration has increased city employees' pay by between 17.5 percent and 20 percent, including the new 10 percent raise. By contrast, it said, from 1990 to 2000 city workers received less than 2 percent a year in raises. Nagin took office in 2002.
But the release said nothing about whether Nagin will ask the Civil Service Commission to reverse its position and approve both sets of firefighters raises. It also did not note that firefighters were excluded from the raises other city workers got under Nagin.
Terminal leave pay
The Budget Committee took no action Thursday on two other pay issues.
One involves millions of dollars in terminal leave payments the city owes to thousands of workers who were laid off or have voluntarily left city government since August 2005, when Hurricane Katrina hit. The payments cover unused sick leave and vacation days and can amount to tens of thousands of dollars for longtime employees.
Assistant Chief Administrative Officer Cary Grant said the total bill for unpaid terminal leave probably is at least $8 million. He said the city plans to pay it if it receives word that the federal government has approved a second $120 million Community Disaster Loan to the city. That word could come today, he said. If the city doesn't get that loan, he said, it could turn to a $150 million line of credit that private banks have agreed to extend to New Orleans.
Asked by Fielkow whether he can guarantee that those owed terminal leave will get their money, Grant said, "Yes."
The second issue involved "emergency pay" for police and fire supervisors and other salaried city employees who are not eligible for overtime but who worked scores or hundreds of extra hours after Katrina.
The Civil Service Commission this summer approved a plan to give such workers extra pay in the event of another emergency, but the administration is balking at it.
Grant said the plan would have "a great financial impact" and would require the city to give workers both overtime and emergency pay. He said FEMA would reimburse the city for emergency pay but not overtime.
Hedge-Morrell said the committee will take up the emergency pay issue again after council members have a chance to talk with the administration about its concerns.
. . . . . . .
Bruce Eggler can be reached at beggler@timespicayune.com or (504) 826-3320.

A Pledge To EMS

2006-09-29T22:12:00.000-05:00

FEMA Director Pledges Support at EMS Expo Keynote Address
SUSAN NICOL KYLE
EMSResponder.Com News
LAS VEGAS -- FEMA Director R. David Paulison acknowledged that while EMS is the most utilized component in any disaster, it is the least recognized of all responders.
Watch Video: EMSResponder.com Interview with FEMA Director R. David Paulison - Wrap Up from Wednesday at EMS Expo (Windows Media Player) or View in Our Video Center
Paulison told several thousand people during opening ceremonies Wednesday at EMS Expo/Firehouse Las Vegas that he believes EMS needs to be represented and have a voice.
It's essential, he said, to develop and foster relationships with all the players before a crisis strikes. Without a cohesive agenda, FEMA will never gain public confidence.
He said it's unforgivable that officials didn't have the straight story about what was going on in the Superdome or the convention center. With the technology and logistics now in place, he said similar scenarios will not be repeated. Paulison pledged that there is a new FEMA in place.
Only experts with proven track records in EMS, law enforcement and emergency management are being selected for his team. "To get to FEMA, you must know what you are doing," he said.
And, those people will be deployed before the storm.
Paulison said FEMA's new approach is to act immediately rather than sit back and wait until local and state services are overwhelmed. "It was clear to me it didn't work," he said.
But, he added: "We're not coming in to take over. We're coming to offer you the support you need."
Tractor-trailer loads of MREs, medical supplies, water and other essentials stand ready and can easily be tracked as they are now GPS equipped. Technology is in place to assist with victim registration, so family members and others will know where their loved ones are.
There's a new way to distribute money to victims, and procedures have been implemented to prevent widespread fraud. Paulison said it's important to get money quickly to the right people.
The new FEMA director said he wants EMS to be part of the process as the National Response Plan is reviewed, adding that it will only be effective if all responders have a part.
Moments after Paulison made the offer and commitment, NAEMT President Ken Bouvier told the crowd his organization is more than willing and is already involved.
Bouvier said that he has spoken personally with Paulison, and that NAEMT leadership would be in touch to discuss the issues.
The NAEMT president, a paramedic in New Orleans, thanked the EMS audience for its assistance last year following Katrina. And, he reminded them that she created havoc for many areas in the south, not just his beloved hometown.
The EMS special operations liaison said he was getting a bad feeling this time last year as his organization was wrapping up its annual meeting as part of EMS Expo in New Orleans. Attendees raced to the airports to get out of town.
Many who stayed behind, rolled up their sleeves and pitched in to help during what he called the most fearful time in his city's history. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," he said.
The task was greater and more difficult than any had imagined. Yet, despite the horrific conditions, not one New Orleans EMS person walked off the job.
The crowd broke into applause in appreciation.
Bouvier said New Orleans had a plan. But, it went under when the levies failed. The situation brought out the best and worst in people. SWAT officers became water rescuers, firefighters and EMS crews started carrying guns. Civilians were desperate, angry and dying on the streets. People were eating raw foods because they didn't know how to cook the MREs. Photos of the starving, anxious stranded people were being shown around the world.
"The children will be remembered..." Bouvier said, adding that MRE boxes and crates were made into makeshift cribs.
The audience of several thousand was silent as the images of the hurricane victims stared from a wide screen. There was an emancipated nursing home patient abandoned in the middle of the street in their hospital bed, and a toddler sitting with a puppy in a tiny box.
The conditions were unlike any ever experienced. Bodies were everywhere. Some were covered, others were not. People are still suffering psychological issues, and Bouvier said the images will never be completely erased.
Things are on the mend in New Orleans. There's an EMS bike team, a swift water rescue crew, new ambulances, truckloads of supplies nearby and enhanced communications. But, Bouvier said nothing will ever be the same again in his hometown.

Fair Housing Advocates

2006-09-29T09:17:00.000-05:00

I am working on the Hurricane Relief Project of the National Fair Housing Alliance.
Hurricane affected homeowners needing assistance with mortgage and insurance matters can contact the following local fair housing centers:
Mississippi - contact the Gulf Coast Fair Housing Center in Biloxi at 228-396-4008.
Louisiana: - contact the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center at 504-596-2100
Alabama - Center for Fair Housing in Mobile at 251-479-1532
If now residing in Houston - contact Greater Houston Fair Housing Center 713-641-3247 or the fair housing centers listed above.

Diane Cipollone
Special Project Attorney
Hurricane Relief Project
National Fair Housing Alliance
1212 New York Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20005202-898-1661
www.nationalfairhousing.org

Hospital Funding - LA

2006-09-28T22:12:00.000-05:00

I don't know if EMS is through any of the hospitals, or if they employ medics, but hopefully a trickle down affect will occur, regardless.
Found on Katrinas Angels News Group:

HOSPITALS THROUGHOUT THE STATE WILL BENEFIT FROM LATEST FUNDS RELEASED BY FEMA
More than $8 million in funds to benefit area hospitals
LAKE CHARLES, La. – T
he U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today that another $8.2 million in funds has been set aside to help hospitals affected by Hurricane Rita recover from the disaster.
Approximately $675,000 has been set aside for the Lake Charles Hospital, which is owned by the Southwest Louisiana Hospital Association, for repairs that include buildings, labs, and mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems across the facility.
In Acadia Parish, nearly $33,000 has been set aside for the American Legion Hospital, money that will go towards replacement of carpet, floors, windows and fencing for its facilities in Crowley and Rayne. FEMA has already provided funds for emergency generators and lab equipment that the hospital used immediately after Hurricane Rita struck.
In addition to these and others, FEMA set aside $6.2 million for the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH). The money will pay for reimbursing extra personnel and for supplies used throughout the state during the evacuation of both patients and hospital personnel in the months after the disaster.
Under the Public Assistance program, FEMA money is distributed to the state in the form of grants. Once the applicant is determined to be eligible, the state is responsible for distributing the money.
FEMA's Public Assistance Program is one way federal assistance gets to the state and local governments and to certain private nonprofit organizations. These funds allow them to respond to disasters, to recover from their impact and to mitigate impact from future disasters. While this assistance is aimed at governments and organizations, the final goal is to help a community and all its citizens recover from devastating natural disasters.
FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
# # # Editors: For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov or www.ohsep.louisiana.gov .

St Tammany Fire Protection District

2006-09-27T18:35:00.000-05:00

Fire district asks voters for parcel fee
From the Times Picayune

Residents would pay $39 a year to help eliminate $8 million debt
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
By Christine HarveySt. Tammany bureau

When Hurricane Katrina swamped south Slidell, it destroyed several fire stations and caused a decrease in property tax revenue so severe that it put St. Tammany Fire Protection District No. 1 approximately $8 million in debt.

To help ease that burden, the district is asking residents to pay an annual $39 parcel fee for 10 years to prevent cuts in essential services.
The St. Tammany Parish Council agreed in July to include the proposition on the Sept. 30 ballot, after Fire Chief Larry Hess pleaded for relief. The district lost $3.3 million in tax revenue last year and expects to face a similar shortfall in collections this year as well, as residents who suffered a loss during the storm have been given a two-year tax holiday while they repair their homes and businesses, Hess said.
Property tax collections account for 97 percent of the district's revenue, a situation that Hess laments. Even before the storm, he was thinking of ways to diversify the district's income stream, and he believes levying the parcel fee will help accomplish that.
Hess also wants to make sure everyone who is getting the district's services is paying for them. Before the storm, 44 percent of the properties in the district were tax-exempt, while residents who lived on those properties received 57 percent of the district's services, he said. Hess expects the district to respond to about 6,000 calls for service in the coming year in an area that measures 122 square miles.
The parcel fee would not be homestead exempt and would be levied on each parcel of property on the district tax rolls.
The chief anticipates the fee will generate as much as $800,000 per year, for a total of $8 million during the next decade. The money would go toward repaying a $2.5 million Community Disaster Loan the district received last year, as well as a similar loan it will receive later this year.
In addition, the fee would help to repay a $2 million loan the district took out before the storm to replace fire trucks and buy other new equipment. It also would go toward the district's recently increased annual contribution to the state Firefighters Retirement System.
The Greater Slidell Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors has voted to support the parcel fee plan.
Initially, Hess feared he would have to shutter four of the district's seven stations and reduce his staff by more than a third, resulting in a loss of services and possibly a corresponding increase in insurance rates.
He quickly shelved the idea, however, concluding it wasn't his place to make the decision. Rather, he wanted residents to decide for themselves how to maintain the quality of life to which they've become accustomed in St. Tammany Parish.
Residents will not have to pay the fee if their property is vacant. However, residents will have to pay the fee multiple times if they own several properties scattered throughout the district.
If the fee doesn't pass, Hess said he would be forced to re-evaluate the district's ability to keep several programs in place. Options could include taking fewer calls requiring an emergency medical response, not responding to calls for hazardous material spills, not training firefighters in urban search and rescue, and scaling back the district's fire prevention bureau, he said.
Hess said he takes department finances seriously, pointing out that he turned a $500,000 deficit four years ago into a $1 million surplus before the storm. In addition, he has sold district-owned property to generate extra cash to help keep services intact.
. . . . . . .
Christine Harvey can be reached at charvey@timespicayune.com or (985) 645-2853.

NOPD Blog

2006-09-26T19:26:00.000-05:00

http://signal26.com/

http://signal26.com/2006/09/25/3rd-district-conditions--the-shame-of-the-department-or-sop.aspx#Comment

3rd District Conditions -- The Shame of the Department or SOP?

A loyal 26 sent forwarded to us an email that is so sickening that not to expose it here would make us open to a malfeasance charge. The message was from someone in Compliance/Inspections (sorry, I can't differentiate the two) reporting back to the rank of that division about recent checks done in the 3rd District. Nothing new there, and the men and women of the district proved to be doing their job well.
But what made this report different was its description of the physical working conditions of the 3rd. We all know that the city has made the NOPD last on its list of things to bring back into the 19th Century since the storm... no water, no equipment, no... anything, really. That's evidenced by the exodus of police from this job.
But this Compliance report was special... in a very bad way. It detailed what measures must be taken just for 349 to make a trip to the bathroom. The message was also sent to the 3rd District commander as well as Weathersby and those types. Just read it:
"While in the Third District several officers expressed concern about the following:
1) No repair work has begun in the Third District Station, and a walking tour of the station by Compliance Officers noted dead mice on the floor. The rest rooms, both men and women, while having no running water, should not be used. However, both rest rooms in the Third District Station had toilets full of fecal matter and in deplorable condition.
2) The administrative trailer has no running water, and the bathroom in there also does not work. These circumstances leave the officers of the Third District with no place to use the rest room, except the port-a-cans in the parking lot.
3) A check of the port-a-cans showed they were dirty, had no toilet paper, hand towels, or hand sanitizer available. They were also filled to the top of the holding tank and had not been emptied in about one to two weeks.
4) Third District Officers had to go other places when they had to use the rest room facilities. Some were going to the Shell Gas Station several blocks away to use the rest room, and the desk officer has to call a car in from the street in order to get restroom relief. This takes a unit off the street, which could be answering calls for service and fighting crime.
The above issues could also pose a potential health problem with fecal matter and dead mice in the station and should be addressed as soon as possible. The working conditions are worse than poor and were almost better just after the storm. The officers working in this district deserve better, and steps should be taken to address and correct this situation as soon as possible."

The policeman who wrote this report should be commended. I won't identify him unless he chooses to step forward, but this is a policeman who cares about his brothers. It would have been just as easy to report back with the checks that he made, advise his rank NVO and the whole thing would be NAT. This real police, however, went past that to demand that conditions change in the 3rd. It should demonstrate to you, also, that there are people in Compliance/Inspections who are more worried that things like this change than bitch boy issues such as wearing off duty leather on a detail. Captain Greg Elder should be ashamed that he's allowed this to continue. I don't know what he's done to right these wrongs in the past, but it obviously hasn't been enough. There was a time on this job when a commander — a white shirt — would take care of the people who worked for him. It inspires loyalty, which is something we see much too little of anymore. But that's not the fault of those of us wearing blue... er, black. We'll respect the rank, but that's as far as it goes.The superintendent should be ashamed that he's allowed this to continue — especially after saying publicly that morale is a priority for him. It's a ludicrous statement to make when you're working in Third World conditions. And of course Nagin should be ashamed. This is the man who snaps his fingers and things are done in this city. His obvious neglect of the department has resulted in this. Mayors of other cities would resign out of respect for things less than this.
Ultimately Mr. Mayor, this is your fault. You have choked the life out of the department and reduced it to a manpower of rapidly approaching half its pre-storm size. Your neglect has turned us into police who are working in conditions similar to those in Mexican cities.But there is no public outcry. There is no finger pointing. Life goes on as usual in the NOPD. We protect, we serve. We're hated, we're neglected. We're everyone's favorite bastard.
But in the middle of the night, when the crackhead is creeping in through your window, who will you call?
The mayor? The superintendent? No. You'll call a dedicated 911 operator who will get a dedicated policeman to your home to help you.
Who will help you when all the police have left?

MS Trauma System In Trouble

2006-09-26T19:07:00.000-05:00

Official: Mississippi's Trauma Care System 'Falling Apart'
POSTED: 11:17 am CDT September 26, 2006 (Biloxi News I think - sent by Gary)
JACKSON, Miss. -- State Health Officer Dr. Brian Amy said Mississippi's trauma care system is "falling apart."
He told lawmakers on Tuesday that problems with the system include under funding, a lack of some hospitals' participation and infrastructure problems caused by Hurricane Katrina.
Amy, who is executive director of the state Department of Health, said his agency needs $35 million for the system in the fiscal year that begins July 1.
The amount is part of a 71 percent increase in state funding the Health Department is requesting for fiscal year 2008.
Amy said the sizable increase for the trauma system will make a dent in the program's uncompensated care costs, which is treatment that is not covered by insurance, Medicaid or Medicare. Amy said uncompensated costs grew from $40 million in 2001 to $110 million in 2005.
The Trauma Care Act, passed by the Legislature in 1998, established a network of hospitals designed to treat people in the first hour after an accident.
Participation is voluntary, but all hospitals are encouraged to join. The University of Mississippi Medical Center is the state's only top-level trauma care hospital, capable of around-the-clock care of the most critically injured.
Rep. Steve Holland said he knows the system is troubled, mainly from under funding.

West Hancock FD Struggling

2006-09-21T07:23:00.000-05:00

2/7 - More informaton on West Hancock Fire and Rescue
http://pearlingtonrelief.blogspot.com/2007/02/west-hancock-fire-and-rescue.html

This was sent to me by a friend working closely with West Hancock VFD. I think it's an indication of what's to come with other FD's - Pay attention folks!

I got a message to call West Hancock last night. I spoke to Chief Jones. There are new FEMA players in town and they want to start over from scratch. Nobody is interested in there rhetoric. They are back to replacing in kind apparatus that was lost. In other words if you had a 1970 fire engine they will replace it with a 1970 fire engine. I don’t know what the probabilities are of finding a 1970 fire engine that is in good shape. I would be very leery of buying anyone else’s antique fire apparatus. West Hancock can not obtain fire apparatus more than 15 years old due to insurance restrictions.

Who ever is running this program doesn’t understand that there are certain requirements for fire engines and you can’t just go out and obtain old equipment. At one time the fire departments were promised new apparatus. This issue has see sawed more than an inner city play ground. I told the officials when I was down there that obtaining antique fire apparatus was dangerous and subjected the departments to liability since the equipment would not meet NFPA standards. Certainly no one on the US Fire Administration side of DHS/FEMA would condone such equipment being put on front line status.

My thoughts are to organize the fire departments into a single voice and have them talk to their Congressman and Senators. There is no reason for all this back and forth stuff and having to redo paper work that was redone only to find that original paperwork was adequate. FEMA is asking for paperwork from insurance companies that have been provided several times already. The insurance company, I am told, is refusing to supply the same paper work over and over and over. (OK Fire Departments - why AREN'T you organizing into a single voice? You used to have the most powerful lobby of all lobbies - much less emergency services)

The new FEMA faces are of course contractors. Storms seem to breed contractors to do all sorts of things, except get stuff done. Chief Jones told me that of all the fire departments down there, West Hancock was the only one to receive any money. They have managed to get around $40 - $45K so far.

I am also told that the cities (BSL and Waveland) are getting new apparatus but didn’t lose any. I’m avoiding that contest. Waveland says they lost apparatus and I’m not so sure the Bay didn’t either. (this is rumor only. They lost huge amounts of equipment, vehicles and buildings)

Home Repair Assistance MS Only

2006-09-20T18:01:00.000-05:00

Please look into at least one of these a week. I KNOW how overwhelming it is. But just being doing one a week, you'll get through the list in no time AND you'll find at least one thing that will assist you - more than worth the effort!
From Leslie - her Katrina Networking site...

Tax Assistance
Tax Assistance - new dates!
http://katrinanetworking.blogspot.com/2006/09/katrina-tax-relief.html
Tax site was updated in July of '06 - new dates for application and such.

8/2 Tax Assessors Office
Hancock County Board Tax Assessor Phone Number: 228-467-4425
Please consider contacted them to have your property reassessed. Otherwise you will have to pay taxes on the old assessed value!

7/25 MS Insurance Mediation Program - for Appealing Bad Insurance Rulings
http://katrinanetworking.blogspot.com/2006/07/insurance-mediation-program.html

Mortgage and Home Loan Assistance
8/21 MS Fraud Investigators
To learn more about the Hurricane fraud unit, or to file a complaint call 1-800-956-1846.
http://www.osa.state.ms.us/katrina-inv.htm

Home Corp
www.msHomeCorp.com
Mississippi Home Corporation at (601) 718-4636.
Mortgage giant Freddie Mac said that $40 million is being made available in low cost mortgages to Mississippi hurricane victims. Freddie Mac is the second-largest U.S. buyer and guarantor of home mortgages.

USDA Rural Assistance Grants
www.rurdev.usda.gov/
Homeowners 62 years and older are eligible for home improvement grants. Other low income families and individuals receive loans at a 1% interest rate directly from HCFP
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rhs/sfh/brief_repairloan.htm
HUD866-369-6302

http://www.mshomehelp.gov/
To qualify for the Katrina Homeowner Grant:
* The home must have been owner-occupied as of Aug. 29, 2005
* The home must be located in Jackson, Hancock, Harrison or Pearl River County.
* The home must be outside of the federally designated 100-year flood zone, yet flooded due to Hurricane Katrina.
* The owner must have had homeowners' insurance.

Salvation Army Homeownership Grants
- As a key piece of the plan, the Army, in partnership with Habitat for Humanity, will provide homeownership assistance grants to survivors throughout Louisiana and Mississippi for the purchase of new Habitat homes.
Slidell, LA – (985) 781-3580
Biloxi, MS - (228) 435-4893
Gulfport, MS - (228) 822-2281(Tuesday and Thursdays – for appointments)
Pass Christian, MS - (228) 452-2121
Pascagoula, MS – (228) 475-4421
MS Home Grants
http://www.mississippi.org/www.MsHomeHelp.gov
1.866.369.6302
(601) 359-3449
With the new grant amounts, MDA will be accepting new appointments from homeowners who did not previously apply for the Katrina Homeowner Grant because of previous award limits. To make an appointment for the original Katrina Homeowner Grant program, call 866.369.6302. Please note that Katrina Grants do not impact federal or state benefits being paid, such as veteran’s benefits or disability payments. MDA urges all eligible citizens to apply.The agency is finalizing details of the Public Housing Assistance Program, which will provide $100 million to the Mississippi Gulf Coast Housing Authorities in Jackson, Hancock and Harrison

Rebuilding Together
http://www.rebuildingtogether.org/
This national organization assists people in rebuilding after disaster as well as low income, disabled and others remodel or refurbish their homes when they have few other choices. Very good organization!

Relief Now Network
http://www.reliefnownetwork.org/A newer non-profit that acts as a clearing house of information to assist areas in getting other organizations to help in their recovery efforts. I'm not certain of how effective they are, but it can't hurt to check them out.

Utilities Assistance
LIHEAP
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/liheap/
The Department of Health and Human Services announced it was releasing a $12,466,278 block grant to Mississippi to help families in need pay their home energy bills. The funds are administered by the Administration for Children and Families through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

Insulation of Home Assistance
800-DIAL-DOE;
http://www.eere.energy.gov/weatherization/
Income Eligibility Requirements: up to $28,418 for a family of 4

Telephone Assistance
http://www.calling-plans.com/fcc/lifeline.html
The first link explains the assistance program.
FCC in giving $130 credit for cell phone bills - call your cell phone service provider!

Odds and Ends
8/21 Photo Restoration - by a professionalFirst photo is free, will discuss price from there.
http://katrinanetworking.blogspot.com/2006/08/photo-restoration.html
http://www.restorepict.com/
The Professional Photo Restoration Studio
PO Box 286157
New York, NY 10128
212-876-5012
Restorep@restorepict.com

Recycling Home Goods
http://www.throwplace.com/
Throw Place is where people can post their gently used items to be donated to organizations and individuals for little or no cost. You may just find something of significant use there!

Assistance For Families

2006-09-20T18:00:00.000-05:00

Please go through these and if any of them even only might pertain to you, call or look at the website. Any assistance is a good thing. And it's only that - assistance. Not a hand out!

General Assistance
New FEMA Call Center Open1-866-877-6075
A new Mississippi Maintenance/Applicant Support Call Center has been opened by FEMA to handle FEMA trailer maintenance problems and other issues. Is exclusively for applicants residing in Mississippi. Staff is on hand 24 hours a day, seven days a week to take calls.
7/25 LGBT Family Grants
http://katrinanetworking.blogspot.com/2006/07/lgbt-family-grants.html

Housing
For your information this is a good resource.
www.neworleans.craigslist.org - had housing on it - may still.

Assistance For Disabled
Help available in Bay St Louis/Waveland area through CityTeam Ministries
http://katrinanetworking.blogspot.com/2006/06/help-for-disabled.html
Also:7/25 Dental Assistance for Elderly and Disabled
http://katrinanetworking.blogspot.com/2006/07/dental-assistance.html
Mississippi Protection and Advocacy System, Inc
(228) 539-1793
(866) 467-2670
(228) 539-2022 (fax)
JMF Computer Giveaway Application
Do you have a disability? Are you in need of a free computer? The Jim Mullen Foundation is proud to provide free computers for people who have a disability.
http://www.jimmullen.com/ZoomSeq.asp?id=7948
Assistance For Children
8/21 Assistance from NYCFor more information, please contact Elizabeth Mullett, Ph.D. at (212)263-3682
Materials also can be downloaded from our website:
http://www.aboutourkids.org/.
Child Care Assistance
http://www.childcareaware.org/en/disaster/katrina.php
1-800-424-2246
For families displaced by Hurricane Katrina: There are over 800 local child care referral agencies around the country. If you have the zip code in which you are currently located, you can use this web site or call toll-free1-800-424-2246 to find out about child care resources in your new location.
Women, Infants and Children - food assistance
www.fns.usda.gov/fns/
Income Eligibility Requirements: $35,798/Yr for a family of 4
Tuition Assistance For Fishermen's Children
http://www.cfafish.org/
Father Sinclair Oubre, J.C.L.
aosusa@sbcglobal.net
(409) 982-5111.
Booklet on Helping Kids Cope With Disaster
http://childadvocate.net/disasterbooklet.pdf
Very great booklet you can DL and print out for yourself.
Free.
Article On Needs of Child in Distress
http://www.preparerespondrecover.com/childrensneeds/

Medical Assistance
Specific Medical Assistance 9/20
Go to this site and search for financial assistance for specific medical conditions (you can also search by state):
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/financialassistance.html
Prescription Assistance
https://www.pparx.org/Intro.php
There have been ads for this on TV.
If you need help, call them. A vetted organization with YOU in mind.

Senior Assistance with Medical Bills
800-MEDICARE
www.medicare.gov
Request information about Medicare Savings Programs by getting the publication, “Guide to Health Insurance for People with Medicare.”
Income Eligibility Requirements: up to $12,576/yr for a single and $16,872/yr for a couple
Medicade Waiver For Evacuees
http://www.lacanadvocates.org/
Any recipients who have been told their services will end, for being out of state, may contact the Advocacy Center (1-800-960-7705) for possible assistance in making sure this misunderstanding does not affect their services.
And from the Kaiser Commission:
http://www.lsuhsc.edu/HCSD/GrantsInfo/files/medicaid_waiver_analysis.pdf
It compares 10 different possible waivers available.

Emotional Assistance
8/21 Photo Restoration
http://www.restorepict.com/
The Professional Photo Restoration Studio
PO Box 286157
New York, NY 10128
212-876-5012
Restorep@restorepict.com

Project Recovery Mental Health Assistance Line 1-866-856-3227

Measuring Your Stress
http://katrinanetworking.blogspot.com/2006/03/measuring-life-stress.html
Your Cumulative Stress
http://katrinanetworking.blogspot.com/2006/03/cumulative-stress-test.html
Book - Full Catastrophe Living
by Jon Kabat-Zinn - just republished. Excellent guide on stress management during times of disaster - health or otherwise

Food Sources
Angel Food Ministries
http://www.angelfoodministries.org/hosts.php
Your cost - $25. Their cost - at least $75. Delivered monthly if in your area.
Second Harvest
http://www.secondharvest.org/zip_code.jsp
Find a food bank closest to you just select your state or zip code.

Articles
7/25 Grant Update Article
http://katrinanetworking.blogspot.com/2006/07/ms-grant-statistics.html
Post Katrina Depression in NOLA
The article is technical but shows how the chronic stress of living in such devestation is taking its toll. Read it and understand you're not alone.
http://projectdisaster.com/?p=473
Preparing For Disaster
Many links on how to prepare you and your family in the event another disaster strikes.
Will be adding to this post regularly
http://katrinanetworking.blogspot.com/2006/06/preparing-for-disaster.html

Areas I Need Information On

2006-09-14T18:25:00.000-05:00

In MS:
Hancock County Police and Fire - I have Police covered, but need information on Volunteer Fire
Harrison County Police and Fire - I have one contact number for Gulfport Fire, but that's it. I need all police agency contacts and all paid/volunteer fire agency contacts.
Jackson - I need it all
Stone - I haven't heard anything about this county being affected, but they're only 1 county north of the coast, as is Pearl River and am thinking they took damage.
George - same as Stone
Pearl River - I know they took a major hit due to being on the river and being due north of Hancock County.

In LA:
First, I need an idea of what parishes are consider NOLA and what aren't.
Next, any information for:
St Tammany
Tangipahoa - I'm guessing they took some damage, but haven't heard anything about them.
Livingston - ditto
Ascension - ditto
St John
Jefferson
Orleans
St Bernard
Plaquemines

I've contacted a couple of people in NOLA and who are working with NOLA relief in hopes of getting additional information. But, it takes time to set up these contacts. Please help!

Leslie

Katrina Tax Information

2006-09-14T18:10:00.000-05:00

What are the filing and payment deadlines for Hurricane Katrina victims?
There are two key dates –– Aug. 28, 2006, and Oct. 16, 2006.
To which returns does the Oct. 16 deadline apply?
Specifically, the IRS granted affected taxpayers in the counties listed below until Oct. 16, 2006, to file the following individual income tax returns:
2004 individual income tax returns, originally due on April 15, 2005, for which taxpayers obtained an extension of time to file until Oct. 15, 2005, and for which the previous grant of disaster relief postponed the due date to Aug. 28, 2006. Payments accompanying 2004 individual returns were due on Oct. 15, 2005. Relief from interest and failure to pay penalties is limited to one year, from Aug. 29, 2005, through Aug. 28, 2006. Thus, if payments are not made by Aug. 28, 2006, interest and failure to pay penalties may apply.
2005 individual income tax returns, originally due on April 15, 2006, for which the previous grant of disaster relief postponed the due date to Aug. 28, 2006. Interest and penalties will not apply to 2005 returns during this extension period.
Only the two individual income tax returns outlined above fall under the Oct. 16, 2006, deadline. (Affected taxpayers who need to file other types of returns, make other types of payments, or perform other time-sensitive acts should see information on the August deadline in the next FAQ.)
To claim this relief, affected taxpayers in the following counties and parishes should identify themselves by writing “Hurricane Katrina” in red at the top of their returns when filing or by calling the IRS Disaster hotline at 1-866-562-5227.
Affected taxpayers in the following counties may qualify for this relief:
Alabama counties: Baldwin, Choctaw, Clarke, Greene, Hale, Marengo, Mobile, Pickens, Sumter, Tuscaloosa and Washington.
Louisiana parishes: Acadia, Ascension, Assumption, Calcasieu, Cameron, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Mary, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Vermilion, Washington, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana.
Mississippi counties: Adams, Amite, Attala, Claiborne, Choctaw, Clarke, Copiah, Covington, Franklin, Forrest, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Hinds, Holmes, Humphreys, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Kemper, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Leake, Lincoln, Lowndes, Madison, Marion, Neshoba, Newton, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Pearl River, Perry, Pike, Rankin, Scott, Simpson, Smith, Stone, Walthall, Warren, Wayne, Wilkinson, Winston and Yazoo.
What about the Aug. 28 deadline?
With the exception of the two individual income tax returns identified above, individual and business taxpayers in the parishes and counties of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama have through Aug. 28, 2006, to file returns, make certain tax payments, and perform other time-sensitive acts that had a due date or extended due date on or after Aug. 29, 2005, and on or before Aug. 28, 2006. In addition, the failure to deposit penalty will be waived for taxpayers in these areas who are unable to make their deposits during this time period.
The postponement applies automatically to taxpayers in the following Louisiana parishes: Cameron, Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles and St. Tammany.
The postponement also applies automatically to taxpayers in the following Mississippi counties: Hancock, Harrison and Jackson.
Affected taxpayers in the Alabama counties, and the other counties and parishes in Louisiana and Mississippi listed above also qualify for the postponement. However, those taxpayers must identify themselves as impacted. They can do this by writing “Hurricane Katrina” in red ink at the top of the return when filing, or by calling the IRS Disaster hotline at 1-866-562-5227.
Do I have more time to make my quarterly estimated tax payments?
Yes. Affected taxpayers in the areas listed above have until Aug. 28, 2006, to make these payments.
Do businesses have more time to make payroll tax deposits?
Yes. Affected businesses in the areas listed above have until Aug. 28, 2006, to make federal tax deposit (FTD) payments without incurring a late deposit penalty. This relief applies to any deposit originally due on or after Aug. 29, 2005.
This relief applies to employers who deposit social security, Medicare and federal income taxes withheld from employee paychecks. Businesses who deposit federal excise taxes are also eligible for this relief.
This relief is intended for taxpayers who are unable to meet their deposit obligations because their (or their service provider's) records, computers, or other essential supporting services were damaged, or essential personnel were injured, by the hurricane or any subsequent flooding. Thus, although the waiver applies to all affected taxpayers, taxpayers that are reasonably able to make their deposits are encouraged to do so.
Where can I learn more about what other "time-sensitive" actions receive relief?
The IRS is giving victims of Hurricane Katrina until Aug. 28, 2006 to perform other time-sensitive actions described in Treasury Regulation § 301.7508A-1(c)(1) (PDF 160KB, 10 pages) Revenue Procedure 2005-27 (PDF 492KB, 38 pages).
Where can I find general information about tax-related assistance for hurricane victims?
The IRS has issued a new publication to assist individual and business victims of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. It explains the tax law changes and relief provisions available to those affected by the hurricanes. The publication lists the disaster areas for each hurricane and explains which areas are eligible for administrative relief from the IRS and which areas receive special tax breaks under recently enacted provisions of the tax law. It provides information for individuals on claiming unreimbursed losses, the tax favored use of retirement savings, and new rules regarding charitable giving. The publication also highlights the changes businesses need to know about, such as a special depreciation allowance for qualified Gulf Opportunity Zone property, an increase in the amount affected businesses can expense instead of depreciating and new net operating loss (NOL) rules for losses in the GO Zone.
For more information, go to Publication 4492, Information for Taxpayers Affected by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma (PDF 106.5K).
Where can I get information related to Gulf Opportunity Zone Act of 2005 and the Katrina Emergency Tax Relief Act of 2005?
The Gulf Opportunity Zone Act of 2005, in general, expands the provisions of the Katrina Emergency Tax Relief Act of 2005 to those affected by Hurricanes Rita and Wilma as well as Katrina. These two new laws provide certain tax breaks to help victims of the storms. The new laws alter the tax code to help individuals who suffered losses as a result of the hurricanes and to make it easier for individuals and companies to engage in charity to benefit those affected by the hurricanes.
More information is available at Fact Sheet 2006-12, Tax Law Changes Related to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma, and the KETRA page.
Can I contact the IRS for tax-related disaster assistance?
Victims of Hurricane Katrina can call the IRS toll-free disaster hotline at 1-866-562-5227 for assistance.
Are tax relief assistance payments taxable?
Usually, no.
People in a Presidentially-declared disaster area who receive grants from state programs, charitable organizations or employers to cover medical, transportation or temporary housing expenses do not include these grants in their income.
What if I have difficulty getting a copy of my W-2?
Some taxpayers affected by the hurricanes may have difficulty obtaining 2005 Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, and other 2005 information documents. For more information, see Fact Sheet 2006-8, Substitute Forms W-2 for Hurricane Victims.
How do I reconstruct records that I lost?
Reconstructing records after a disaster may be essential for tax purposes, getting federal assistance or insurance reimbursement. Records that you need to prove your loss may have been damaged or destroyed in a casualty. More information is available in Fact Sheet 2006-7, Reconstructing Your Records.
My home was damaged by the hurricane, and I don’t have insurance. Do I qualify for any special tax relief?
Yes. You may be able to deduct your loss on your federal income tax return without the limits that ordinarily apply to such losses. Ordinarily, to figure a deduction for a casualty or theft loss of personal-use property, taxpayers must reduce the loss by $100 and also reduce the total of their casualty and theft losses by 10 percent of their adjusted gross income. Only the excess over these $100 and 10 percent limits is deductible. Recent changes to the tax law remove these limits for Hurricane Katrina, Rita and Wilma losses of personal-use property so that the entire amount is deductible. Only losses not covered by insurance or other reimbursements are eligible. See Publication 4492, Information for Taxpayers Affected by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma.
Tax Topic 515 has more information about losses and theft.
Losses on business or rental property also qualify for tax relief. Different rules apply to figuring this deduction.
I heard that I can choose when to claim losses to property located in a disaster area. Is that true?
Yes. There is a special rule that applies to deductible losses on property located in a Presidentially-declared disaster area. Under this rule, you can choose to claim your losses on your 2004 return or claim them on your 2005 return. Taxpayers with hurricane-related losses have until October 16, 2006, to make this choice. See Notice 2006-17 for more information.
I want to claim my disaster losses on my 2004 return. Since I already filed my 2004 return, how do I do that?
You do not have to fill out your entire 2004 return all over again. Instead, file an amended return using Form 1040X. You use this form to claim your losses and show the items that need to be changed on your original return. Tax Topic 308 explains how to file an amended return.
What other kind of relief is available?
The IRS will waive the usual fees and expedite requests for copies of previously-filed tax returns for people who need them to apply for benefits or to file amended returns claiming disaster-related losses. Write the words “Hurricane Katrina” in red at the top of Form 4506, “Request for Copy of Tax Return,” or Form 4506-T, “Request for Transcript of Tax Return.”
People who are contacted by the IRS on a collection or examination matter should explain how the disaster affects them so that the IRS can provide appropriate consideration to their case.
Where can I get more information about the losses I've suffered?
Publication 2194, Disaster Losses Kit for Individuals ( PDF 860KB, 100 pages). Attention: Publication 2194 is being updated with new provisions of the Katrina Emergency Tax Relief Act of 2005. For information on these provisions, see News Release 2005-119, New Law Eases Loss Limitations for Katrina Victims
Publication 2194B, Disaster Losses Kit for Businesses ( PDF 943KB, 78 pages) — Contain various IRS publications and forms related to claiming disaster losses.
What if I've changed addresses or have an undelivered refund?
You should contact the IRS if you're a hurricane victim awaiting a tax refund that hasn't been received or to report a change of address.
A taxpayer expecting a refund check at an address where he or she no longer resides or who has not received an expected check because of mail delivery problems should contact the IRS disaster hotline at 1-866-562-5227 or the refund hotline at 1-800-829-1954.
In order to authenticate taxpayer identity, the IRS will ask callers to provide information from their last federal tax return, including name, address, taxpayer identification number and filing status. Taxpayers will also need to provide a current address where they can receive mail and a current telephone number.
How can I protect myself from falling victim to possible hurricane-related scams?
IRS cautions hurricane victims and people wishing to make donations to disaster-relief charities to avoid unscrupulous scam artists. While the IRS does not endorse any specific charity, you can use the IRS.gov search feature to find qualified charities for tax deduction purposes. Some organizations, such as churches and governments, may be qualified even though they are not listed. Since scam artists may falsely use legitimate charity names and or cloned Web sites, always be extremely cautious in giving out personal and financial information, such as Social Security or bank account numbers. Scam artists can use this information to steal your identity or gain access to your financial assets
The IRS has also established a toll-free, disaster assistance phone number, 1-866-562-5227, specifically for hurricane victims. If you are solicited by anyone, even someone claiming to be from the IRS, with promises of tax relief, tax refunds or disaster assistance, call the IRS’s disaster assistance number to verify the legitimacy of the solicitation before giving any personal or financial information to the solicitor. The IRS does not ask for personal identifying or financial information via e-mail or in unsolicited mail or telephone calls.
Related Items:
Help for Hurricane Victims
Fact Sheet 2006-06, IRS Offers Filing Season Assistance to Hurricane Victims
More FAQs for Hurricane Victims

NOLA Area Fire

2006-09-14T16:48:00.000-05:00

Found on http://thinknola.com

http://secure.cityofno.com/portal.aspx?portal=51
"The NOFD lost 22 of 36 houses and all of the equipment in those 22, and many firefighters continue to live and work from temporary quarters such as school houses, etc. Its unimaginable that in the United States of America that these guys shouldn't have been first in line for help."
Quote taken from:
http://wetbankguide.blogspot.com/2006/06/firebirds.html

News from Lakeview Civic Improvement Association:
http://www.lakeviewcivic.org/d5_news10.htm

New Orleans, LA. – Two firehouses servicing much of Lakeview were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, and Saturday local residents will come to the rescue of the firefighters with a fundraiser to help bring the firemen back home quicker.

This Saturday, from 8AM to 4PM, the District 5 Neighborhood Recovery Fund will sell specially-designed t-shirts and accept donations to bring Lakeview firemen home to Lakeview. Emblazoned with the firefighters’ logo and a stylized fleur-de-lis above.

Recently, some Lakeview residents were unable to hold homeowners policies or told that their rates would drastically increase. Insurance companies have informed Lakeview residents that due to the hurricane damage to firehouses there is a poor emergency response time in the area, increasing the risk for homeowner policies.

The Lakeview Civic Association and Lakeview residents on the mission to rebuild are steering the fundraiser. Lakeview resident Peter Graffeo, an organizer of the event stated, “We want to rebuild. We want to move home. But at the current insurance rates, it’s difficult to pay these outrageous yearly payments. Once the Lakeview firehouses are repaired, we believe this will drastically affect our payments and ability to return to New Orleans quickly.”

T-shirts will be on sale to the general public for $20 each at Fire Station #18 located across from the St. Dominic/Harrison polling place in Lakeview. Orders may be placed by email to jgraffeo@cox.net

More information as I find it.

Hancock County MS Fire

2006-09-12T21:49:00.000-05:00

Bay St Louis Fire
Latest from Pam for needs of the Fire Department

To make donations to the Bay Saint Louis Fire Department to relieve the expenses of operation you can help in the following ways:

Gift Cards
In the last nine months since Katrina we have found that gift cards to various vendors is the easiest way to maximize donations because our city comptroller and the fire department can be more accountable to the donor and the public with the use of the funds. There is no waiting on the charitable board to authorize the spending (sometimes up to 90-120 days) for supplies that are needed quickly, and there are no storage problems.

The following vendors are easy for us to access for various supplies:

Sam’s Wholesale Club – for the purchase of toilet paper, paper towels, office supplies and other paper goods, in bulk, for the best local prices.
Wal-Mart – for the purchase of fuel and emergency supplies.
Chevron or Shell gas cards for local fuel purchases.
Office Depot or Office Max for office supplies (much more expensive than Sam’s Club).
Anyone wishing to send the gift cards should do so in the following manner:

Mail, return receipt requested, to verify to the donor that the cards have been received, to City of Bay Saint Louis Fire Department, Attention: David Kolf, Comptroller, P.O. Box 2550, Bay Saint Louis, MS 39521-2550.

Anyone wishing to donate by check should make their check payable to City of Bay Saint Louis Disaster Relief Fund, Attention: David Kolf, Comptroller, P.O. Box 2550, Bay Saint Louis, MS 39521-2550. Be sure to indicate by letter or on the checks subject line, BSL Fire Department Operational Fund.

Anyone wishing to donate the following hard goods should have the goods shipped to the following address:
Bay Saint Louis Fire Department, 310 Old Spanish Trail, Bay Saint Louis, MS 39520 Attention: Deputy Chief Pam SanFillippo.
Toilet paper
Paper towels
Cleaning/dish towels
Dishwashing liquid
Liquid car wash soap for washing vehicles
Coffee cups/paper plates
Coffee, sugar, artificial sweetener, powdered cream, stirrers
Aluminum foil
Ziplock bags, all sizes
Shower and toilet cleaners
Industrial size mops and brooms
Mop buckets
Office storage boxes
Letter size copy paper
Legal pads
First class postage stamps
You can order stamps for them through the Post Office Website. There are some really great options. You can do a subscription of either a book of 20 or a coil of 100 stamps once or twice a month for 6-12 months. You can also order singular items, such as books of 20, 40 or coils up to 10,000. WOW!
http://shop.usps.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/TopCategoriesDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10152

City of Bay St Louis
PO Box 2550
Bay St. Louis, Mississippi 39521
Attn: Pam San Fillippo
228-467-4736 (work)

Waveland Fire

http://www.wavelandfiredepartment.com/
Waveland Fire Dept.
322 Gulfside Dr.
Waveland, MS 39576
mailto: Burnuup@intu.net

10/7 - heard through the grapevine WFD received 4 new engines. Why them and not disperse the equipment, I have no clue. Hopefully, they'll lend an engine to each major FD in Hancock County until their equipment starts arriving so all have better coverage.

What Assistant Chief Mike told me of their about their situation and needs:

Before the hurricanes hit, Waveland had 2 fire stations. 1 is now a slab and the other is destroyed but standing after taking on over 5' of water. All equipment was lost. Some has been replaced, but they are still in great need.

Amazing - during the hurricane, they evacuated from Station 2 to the waste water treatment plant next door, which already had a host of folks in it trying to escape the rising waters. 2 elderly women got stuck in the elevator from the first to the second floor, so the firefighters had to go back out into the storm to get equipment to rescue the ladies. Heroism at it's most basic.

Right now, Station 1 is being run out of a double wide trailer and Station 2 just got a single wide trailer to be able to post a shift of men there again. Until this, the town was being covered by only 1 station.

The stress on the fire fighters has been very high - similar to the police department. Some of them went to the destroyed Walmart, got bycicles so they could ride home to get their ATV's and have some form of transportation to assist the citizens during those critical first hours. But because Waveland is such an old community, and had gorgeous, huge old trees come down all over, the town was isolated for a very long time. Those ATV's literally became a lifeline for the entire community.

The Needs list:

Office Supplies
Pens, pencils, reams of paper, file folders, note pads, etc.
File Cabinets
Hurst "Jaws of Life rescue tools"
Positive Pressure Ventilation Fans
Hand tools for salvage operations
Wet/Dry Vacuum
Heavy Duty extension cords
Weed Eaters

I'm adding:
Heavy duty tire plug kits
Jumper cables
Tow Cables

West Hancock Volunteer Fire Department
I know they have needs, many have been addressed by Carbondale FD in CO. Will get a list and shipping information asap.

2/7 Updated information http://pearlingtonrelief.blogspot.com/2007/02/west-hancock-fire-and-rescue.html

Just got this update that was postdated July/06:

Old donated equipement is still the mainstay of the fire departments. West Hancock has a fleet of one new class A pumper, a donated engine, the 2,000 gallon tanker from Maryland, a 75 foot snorkel and 100 foor areial (neither in service) a special ops unit that I'm not sure what it is supposed to be (an old large ambo). There is a new tanker in the station but it isn't in service either. It seems no one is very interested in training right now.

Other VFDs in HC:
This is all I have - from a contact who's been working closely with them:
I know that Claremont Harbor, Bayside, East Hancock and West Hancock darn near got taken out with the ebb of the storm. I'm not so sure Clermont Harbor didn't. They lost two fire engines and their complete station and last I heard were still out of business.

Will get lists and shipping information asap.

Hancock County MS Police

2006-09-12T21:40:00.000-05:00

Hancock County Sheriff
I've heard from a friend in Hancock County that Nassau county Florida has been awfully good to Hancock county sheriff's office. Plus, after having spoken with the Sheriff, I was assured they are being taken care of by the Dept. of Homeland Security due to the Space Center.
No needs or contacts to list at this time.

Waveland City Police

City of Waveland
335 Coleman Avenue
Bldg. 8
Waveland, MS 39576

I am in semi-constant contact with Lt. Mac Cowand of the Waveland Police Department.

The List!

SIRCHIE
2-PART NUMBER MLP2020A- LATENT PRINT KIT
2-PART NUMBER SK700- TAPE MEASURE
2-PART NUMBER RMT03- MEASURING SCALES- ROLLER
2-PART NUMBER PEN 15- CRIME/ACCIDENT PHOTO EVIDENCE NUMBERS 1-15
2-PART NUMBER PEN1650 CRIME/ACCIDENT PHOTO EVIDENCE NUMBERS 16-50
1- PART NUMBER- ACFUME CYANOACRYLATE FUMING ENCLOSURE
2- PART NUMBER CNA2000- CYANOACRYLATE PACKETS
2- PART NUMBER PV001B- ANTI-PUTREFACTION SINGLE MASK
2- PART NUMBER EFR200- BIG NUMBER TRI FOLD REFERENCE SCALES
DICTAPHONE
2-COMBO 2753- STANDARD CASSETTE WRITER PLUS DICTATION AND TRANSCRIPTION VERSION WITH FOOT CONTROL, HEAD SET, AND HAND MIKE
2- HANDHELD 2225 RECORDER- DICTAPHONE STANDARD CASSETTE HANDHELD RECORDER
2- TELEVISION-DVD/VCR COMBO
VIDEO RECORDER
MAGNIFYING GLASS
MAGNIFYING GLASS FOR FINGERPRINTS
HEAVY DUTY PAPER SHREDDER
GUN SHOT RESIDUE KITS
RAPE KITS VICTIM/SUSPECT
5 – KODAC DIGITAL CAMERAS WITH CASES AND MEMORY CARDS (EASY SHARE Z730)
4 – LATENT PRINT KITS PART# 177L (SERCHIE)
4- PORTABLE BREATH TESTERS (CMI INTOXLYZER 300 LE307)
4 – METAL TAPE MEASURES 100 FT
6 – MICRO TAPE RECORDERS WITH CASES
8 – SETS OF LEG IRONS (S&W RS024)
4 – 15 FT TROOPER SPKIE STRIPS (LE339)
1 – BATTERY JUMP STARTER HEAVY DUTY ROLL AROUND

Bay St Louis Police

Mailing Address
City of Bay Saint Louis
P.O. Box 2550
Bay Saint Louis, MS 39521-2550

File labels
correction tape
phone message pads
letter size manila file folders
file folder fasteners
storage boxes
letter and legal size copy paper
white business envelopes
91/2"x12" and 6"x9" manila envelopes with clasps
sheet protectors
liquid paper
legal pads, yellow, 5"x8" and 81/2" x 11"
Bic mechanical pencils
yellow highlighter pens
black dry erase markers
dry erase cleaner
black sharpie - fine point
3"x3" post-it notes
packing tape
lithium batters for small torches
laser printer cartridge, ML 1710D3; HP 51645A, 51641A; 4127X; C8728A; 1823T; C8727 AN; C1823D; C1816A
fax/copier/scanner cartridges HP C4920A, C4921A, C4922A, C4923A, HP C5011DN, C5010DN.

One of our biggest expenses for the city is fuel. This is critical to our police and fire departments for obvious reasons.

Employee Relief Fund - donations can be made through the Bay Saint Louis Disaster Relief Fund, with checks earmarked specifically for this use. Our basic employee salary average is $22,500 per year, not including benefits. We currently have 105 employees. Donations to this effort can be made as follows: Checks made payable to Bay Saint Louis Disaster Relief Fund, check subject line: Employee Salary Fund and mailed to City of Bay Saint Louis, Attention: David Kopf, Comptroller, P.O. Box 2550, Bay Saint Louis, MS 39521.

Our city's resources are quickly drying up. There are no purchases being made that are not absolutely essential. This has been our business effort since Katrina, not just a newly instituted policy.We have been hoarding our money to keep our employees on full time with benefits. The few employees that have been added to help with the enormous workload are being paid through grant funds for six months only.

Funding Links

2006-09-12T21:35:00.000-05:00

http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/grants/fedguide/
The programs listed below have been complied by USFA from the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) to assist emergency services departments in locating resources provided by the Federal government. Approximately 130 programs and resources of interest to emergency services departments have been identified, including direct financial support in the form of grants, loans, donations and reimbursements; technical and operational assistance; training; and information resources. A guide on how to develop and write a grant proposal is also included.

http://www.firegrantsupport.com/safer/
The purpose of the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants is to help fire departments increase the number of frontline firefighters. The goal is for fire departments to increase their staffing and deployment capabilities and ultimately attain 24-hour staffing, thus assuring that their communities have adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards. The SAFER grants support two specific activities: (1) the hiring of firefighters, and (2) recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters. The hiring of firefighters activity provides grants to pay for part of the salaries of newly hired firefighters over the 5-year program. SAFER is part of the Assistance to Firefighters Grants and is under the purview of the Office of Grants and Training of the Department of Homeland Security.
http://www.firegrantsupport.com/afg/faq/06/faq_emer.aspx

NIOSH News

2006-09-11T22:21:00.000-05:00

Evaluation of physical and psychological symptoms following Hurricane Katrina.
NIOSH investigators responded to requests from union and management representatives to evaluate physical and psychological symptoms among employees of the New Orleans Fire Department and the New Orleans Police Department in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The full reports are available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/reports/pdfs/2006-0023-3003.pdf(NOFD) and http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/reports/pdfs/2006-0027-3001.pdf(NOPD).

Revised PPE Standards for Fire Fighters

Two Revised Standards Released by National Fire Protection Association The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recently released two revised personal protective equipment (PPE) certification standards. As part of a Memorandum of Understanding between NIOSH and NFPA, personnel from the NIOSH National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory serve as members of the NFPA committees revising the standards and contributed scientific, technical and user information that was critical to the revision process. NFPA 1994 Standard on Protective Ensembles for First Responders to CBRN Terrorism Incidents sets minimum levels of protection for emergency first responders to incidents involving chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) particulate terrorism agents. The revised standard sets ensemble protective performance of hazard environments requiring the use of respiratory protective devices approved to NIOSH CBRN respirator standards. NFPA 1971 Standard on Protective Ensembles for Structural and Proximity Fire Fighting now includes an optional protection category for CBRN hazards. More information on the revised standards can be found on the NFPA Web site, http://www.nfpa.org.

Ambulance Crash Research
Division of Safety Research (DSR) Incorporating design features based on NIOSH research of ambulance crash-related injury risk to emergency medical service (EMS) workers, the Winter Park, FL Fire Rescue Department has placed a new ambulance into service. In an EMSResponder.com article titled Florida Rescuers Design Safer Ambulance, Lt. A. J. Isaacs, the project manager, reported that some of the changes were made after reviewing NIOSH ambulance crash studies. Contact Paul Moore at PMoore@cdc.gov for more information on the NIOSH ambulance safety research. The EMSResponder.com article can be found at http://www.emsresponder.com/article/article.jsp?id=3519&siteSection=1.

Pod Casts on Working With Stress and Violence.
NIOSH videos available as audio pod castsThe NIOSH videos "Working with Stress" http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/video/stress1.html and "Violence on the Job" http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/video/violence.html were featured as audio pod casts in the unveiling of the new U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Pod cast site, http://www2a.cdc.gov/podcasts. These audio versions were adapted form the existing NIOSH videos of the same name http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/video. The new CDC Pod cast site features pod casts, transcripts and video versions of CDC publications.

9/11 Remembrance

2006-09-11T12:58:00.000-05:00

At 9:03 a.m., I marked in silence the moment when the second plane hit the World Trade Center. Yesterday, during the service at the Church of the Good Shepherd, J read the piece he wrote about being in Egypt on 9/11 and the death of his first cousin, Captain David T. Wooley, FDNY, Engine 54, Ladder 4, in the South Tower. So much has happened since that day. For good or ill, it will always be a day of remembrance for our family--and, I suspect, for you and yours.

Today we call to remembrance the 343 members of the Fire Department of New York who died at the World Trade Center; the members of the Port Authority Police and the New York City Police Department, who also gave their lives; the people whose only "crime" was to go to work in the Twin Towers that day (like all the folks from Cantor-Fitzgerald); those like Robert Elseth, who did their duty and reported for work at the Pentagon, only to lose their lives; and the people on Flight 93 who brought down the hijacked plane in an abandoned strip mine in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Whatever we may think of the subsequent "war on terror" and its many ill-advised components, or of the present administration's handling of the ensuing response to the 9/11 attacks, today is a day to remember those who died.

How ironic the passage of time can be: Today, at least here in East Lempster, New Hampshire, the sky is a clear, cloudless blue, following a night that left many valleys and hollows draped in heavy fog--so much like five years ago that when I got up this morning, all I wanted to do was cry. Jack and I have been avoiding the televised tributes to 9/11, so many of which seem to be attempts at revisionist history; but the beauty of the day is a pointed reminder that yes, bad things happened on a day very much like today, in our country, to people just like us, to families just like ours.

As people of faith, five years ago, we turned to one another for comfort, when our classes met the next day and the day after, to start up the fall's Disciple offerings. The comfort we shared was the belief that God does not plan such horrors; rather, they are a result of human sin, and are born of the free will with which God created us all. That message of faith is as valid today as it was five years ago.

Aside from all of the family and personal connections, the one person I will always remember is Father Mychal Judge, the Chaplain of the FDNY, who went on the call to the World Trade Center with his engine company and was killed when the body of a victim from high in the towers fell on top of him. I can only hope that if I am ever in such a situation, I will be with the people I care about, and will be faithful to my vocation, just as he was.

The work of peace-making must continue. The work of remembering is our legacy from the day none of us will ever forget. I wish we could be together--as we are, if only through the miracles of cyberspace.

With love to you all,
N

Benefit for Injured NOPD Officer

2006-09-08T16:46:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday, September 12, 2006, there will a fund raiser for P/O Kevin Thomas, at the HOUSE of BLUES with the doors opening at 7:00pm, and the show beginning at 8:00pm.
P/O Kevin Thomas, who was critically shot while attempting to stop looters on Gen. deGaulle & Shirley immediately after Katrina, suffered a gunshot wound to the head and still has many resultant complications.
The entry Fee will be $25.00, with all proceeds going to Officer Thomas.
Entertainment will be provided by DJ Captain Charles plus a number of other celebrity guests.

For additional information or any questions, contact P/O Daniel Dumas Carter or P/O Chris Davis at kthomasbenefit@gmail.com.
Or http://homepage.mac.com/asrodig1/kevinthomas/
Thanks for your support and we'll see you there!!!!
ONE NOPD
Mike Glasser
PANO President
504-416-0366
GlasserMD@aol.com

Emotional Assistance

2006-09-08T10:08:00.000-05:00

Clayton Cubitt's Ad for Emergency Services Workers

Call 1-800-789-2647 for assistance

World Suicide Prevention Day (From Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Review)September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day. Suicide was the 11th overall leading cause of death in the United States in 2003 (the most recent year for which final death data are available) and was responsible for 31,484 deaths (1), which equates to one suicide every 17 minutes. In addition, suicide attempts and other acts of self-harm that result in nonfatal injuries affect the health of many persons and families.

In 2004 (the most recent year for which final ambulatory hospital data are available), approximately 535,000 visits to U.S. emergency departments were made after attempted suicides or because of other self-inflicted injuries (2).Reducing the overall suicide rate of the population and the number of suicide attempts among adolescents are two of the 2010 national health objectives (objectives 18-1 and 18-2, respectively) (3). Integrated prevention strategies that address multiple relevant topics (e.g., substance-abuse prevention, family and peer support, and access to health services) are likely to be more effective in reducing suicidal behavior than programs that focus on a single factor (4).

Additional information about suicide prevention is available from the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at http://www.cdc.gov/injury. Additional information about World Suicide Prevention Day is available at http://www.med.uio.no/iasp.

Help Wanted Harrison County Jails

2006-09-06T21:19:00.000-05:00

Found on www.WLOX.com

The Harrison County Detention Center is short about 65 to 70 jailers.

The new warden, Donald Cabanna, has already made personnel and policy changes. Next up is recruiting new officers to help ease the work load of current jailers.
"They've been working 12 hour shifts since the hurricane hit and at some point in time, one of the reasons we want to get our full complement of officers up, is so we can get away from those 12 hour shifts," Cabanna explained.
Restoring public confidence in the jail tops Cabanna's priority list. He's already made changes in the booking area.
"We've made some procedural changes that I think will give us greater safeguards to make sure we operate within appropriate parameters," he said.
"We've got officers down there that I think are very committed and dedicated to doing things the right way," he added.
Dr. Donald Cabanna provided expert testimony last year before the "Commission on Safety and Abuse in America's Prisons."
One part of his testimony says: "I think the single most important issue in addressing these concerns is administrative accountability. There simply must be an effective way to hold prison officials accountable for the actions of staff."
"One of the things that we're working on now is putting some procedures in place that allows us to effectively monitor incidents involving use of force by staff. So that we can track for instance inmates who seem to be involved in multiple incidents over a period of time, as well as staff," he said.
The new warden says he's confident the public will see a "noticeably different institution" by the end of the year.
"Number one is to get the message out to the public, as Paul Harvey would say, the rest of the story is that 99 percent of the staff out here are dedicated, they're honest, they're hard working."
Donald Cabanna stopped short of calling the need for jailers critical, saying wardens are accustomed to dealing with staff shortages and personnel turnover. He says the jail will soon be actively recruiting to try and fill the vacancies.
By Steve Phillips

MS FD's - Take Note!

2006-09-06T13:22:00.000-05:00

Just in from a friend of mine....

On the area of apparatus, Curt Weldon is leading the band wagon to get surplus apparatus to local FD’s. Of immediate interest, the Navy base in Pascagoula closes effective 9/30. There was a Navy FD on that base.
Sen. Trent Lott is trying to keep all surplus equipment from that base closure in Mississippi. Weldon and Lott are strong so maybe they can make their influence known. How much and what type of equipment there is I can’t answer. It would take someone savvy in governmental affairs to call dibs on it. It could be done, but I think you would have to break bread with Mr. Lott frequently to be first in line.

Start calling them - find out what YOU can do to make it happen and HOW to get some of the equipment!

Fire People To Call To Get INK

2006-09-06T10:34:00.000-05:00

All for FireHouse Magazine
Start a letter writing campaign, send pictures, call them, let them know how much you need help.

Publisher
Larry Greenberger
3030 Salt Creek Lane
Suite 200
Arlington Heights, IL 60005
Phone: 847-454-2700
larry.greenberger@cygnuspub.com

Group Admin
Diana Kovarik
3 Huntington Quad
Suite 301
N Melville, NY 11747
Direct 631-963-6383
Diana.Kovarik@cygnuspub.com

Editor-in-Chief
Harvey Eisner
3 Huntington Quad
Suite 301
N Melville, NY 11747
Direct Phone: 631-963-6252
800-308-6997 ext. 252
Fax: 631-845-7218
harvey.eisner@cygnuspub.com

Associate Publisher
Jeff Barrington
Direct Phone: 631-963-6229
800-308-6397
ext. 229
Fax: 631-845-7218
jeff.barrington@cygnuspub.com

Managing Editor
Elizabeth Friszell-Neroulas
Direct Phone: 631-963-6230
800-308-6397 ext. 230
Fax: 631-845-7218
lizfn@cygnuspub.com

Production Manager
Jean Rank
Direct Phone: 631-963-6237
800-308-6397 ext. 237
Fax: 631-845-7218
jean.rank@cygnuspub.com

Art Director
Marianne McIntyre
Direct 631-963-6262
Marianne.McIntyre@cygnuspub.com

Ladder Trucks Needed Throughout Gulf

2006-09-03T18:08:00.000-05:00

From the Sun Herald...

Fire Rating Bureau recommends ladder truck

By KAREN NELSON
klnelson@sunherald.com

PASCAGOULA - The St. Martin community north of Ocean Springs already needs an aerial fire truck that can reach 75 feet, even before the new 165-foot-tall condo complex begins construction.
Jackson County supervisors were given this heads-up at a meeting Friday with a state Fire Rating Bureau representative. What's at stake is the area's good fire rating, which keeps homeowner and business insurance premiums down.
Local volunteer firefighters assured the supervisors that with the right equipment they'll work hard to keep the ratings good, even though a 75-foot ladder truck means more work.
Fort Bayou VFD assistant chief Lyle Crandall said his homeowner insurance doubled because of Hurricane Katrina, and he doesn't need to pay more for fire coverage.
He said he knows that with an unrated water system supplying water for firefighting in the St. Martin area it's harder to keep fire ratings good, but he vowed to do his best.
Larry Carr, with the state Fire Rating Bureau, met with county supervisors to deliver the news about St. Martin. He said even without proposed high-rise developments there are already enough commercial buildings, especially at the intersection of Interstate 10 and North Washington Avenue, to cause the Rating Bureau to recommend a ladder truck.
There are five commercial buildings, including hotels, that are three stories or more, and two apartment complexes. The 165-foot condos are coming and the supervisors approved another height variance for a hotel in the area Friday, the four-story Dew Drop Inn.
Supervisor Frank Leach, whose district includes St. Martin, pointed out that since Katrina there is more interest in building higher in the unincorporated areas of Jackson County.
He also wondered if the rating bureau might be able to help the Coast counties come together to tackle the height issue by saving money on how they purchase equipment, if nothing else.
Notice from the state of St. Martin's new fire protection needs won't be official until the area is officially inspected in 2007, Carr told the board. That gives Jackson County more time to come up with ways to pay for the equipment - a 100-foot ladder truck can cost up to $1 million and that doesn't include paying for trained, full-time firefighters or making improvements to fire stations to house the trucks.
Supervisors have included in the new budget, which starts Oct. 1, $500,000 for equipment improvements and have already begun to look at ways to finance the improvements that will have to be made around the county.
It's not just St. Martin, Carr and Jackson County Fire Coordinator Ray Watson reminded supervisors. The St. Andrews and Fountainebleau Fire District is moving fast toward needing a ladder truck and improvements as well.

ES Communications Problems

2006-08-29T21:36:00.000-05:00

First responders stymied by communication systems
Copyright 2006 The Times-Picayune Publishing Company
Bridging networks a 'Herculean' effort By DAVID WOODNewhouse News Service Times-Picayune (New Orleans)
WASHINGTON — The next time disaster strikes, chances are the crowds of emergency and rescue personnel racing to the scene still won't be able to do a fundamental task: talk to one another.
Despite years of meetings and billions of dollars in federal spending, many police can't communicate with fire departments from the next county or state, never mind the governor's emergency operations center, state cops or the National Guard -- a problem that became sickeningly evident on Sept. 11, 2001, and again during Hurricane Katrina.
Why, with lives at stake, can't the world's leading superpower fix this?
David Boyd, who manages the issue for the Department of Homeland Security, admits the federal effort has been "erratic, uncertain and until recently, uncoordinated." It can't be resolved, he said, without "serious leadership commitment" and "setting egos aside."
Still, almost everyone blames federal bumbling.
"The feds are killing us," complained Mike Nucci, director of emergency management in Philadelphia. "DHS loves to have meetings and meetings. We don't have the time."
Bypassing the squabble
DHS "threw a lot of money at trying to connect the dots, but all they did was create more dots," said Sgt. 1st Class Tim Yancey, a communications specialist with the South Carolina National Guard.
Yancey operates what may be a solution: the ACU-1000, a box of electronics, about the size of a two-drawer file cabinet, that can connect incompatible local radios with the touch of a computer screen.
Guard units across the country have dozens of these units, manufactured by Raytheon, and intend to invest in more. Best of all, the ACU-1000 bypasses the squabbling between Washington and some 80,000 emergency jurisdictions nationwide. Boyd calls it "probably the most efficient, most effective fix now."
Most of the time, emergency managers say, they don't need what they call "interoperability." As a result, they invest in whatever radio fits their particular style, culture and budget.
But in New York on Sept. 11, Port Authority police couldn't talk to the fire commanders, who were out of touch with 911 phone operators; some fire chiefs couldn't reach their dispatch centers, and World Trade Center command radios couldn't reach the NYPD, according to the Sept. 11 Commission's final report. Things didn't go much better at the Pentagon, where fire and police rescuers found their radio channels oversaturated with too many people trying to talk at once. And while some pagers worked, too few had them.
Four years later, the response to Hurricane Katrina was hampered by "massive communications failure," a bipartisan congressional investigation concluded.
"Long-debated and unresolved issues with interoperability among federal, state and local communications systems complicated the efforts of first responders and government officials to work together in managing the response to Katrina," the committee said in its final report.
Tough to network
With DHS help, some urban regions are building networks among the agencies that would show up in a big disaster or terrorist attack. But it's a Herculean task.
San Diego County, for instance, has a county sheriff, county police and fire departments, 18 city governments, harbor police, and 28 local police and fire departments and must communicate with hospitals, schools, California National Guard, California Highway Police, and state and federal agencies.
While the technical difficulties of networking everyone together are daunting, Boyd and others say the larger problems involve culture and even language.
Local fire and police departments often have unique "10-codes," or shorthand radio-speak. "Let's say I ask you for a hazmat team," Boyd said. "Am I going to get a chemical decontamination van with 10 guys in white biohazard suits, or two guys in a pickup with Kitty Litter and push brooms?"
Then comes turf. Once San Diego decided to set up its network, it took just 30 days to get the hardware up and running. Forging agreements on how to use it took two years, Boyd said.
"It sounds easy, but each local jurisdiction has a mission to protect its community and they don't want to lose control," said Boyd, a former Army tank officer who has a doctorate in decision sciences.
Dozens of links
A quicker solution is the ACU-1000, which can be packed in a National Guard van or, in a sleeker version, flown in by cargo plane or chopper, together with equipment to link two dozen different communications devices for phone, Internet, satellite and video-conferencing capability on the spot.
This is what enabled Katrina's gruff military commander, Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, to bellow blistering orders and verbal backslaps in cross-talk with the 82nd Airborne Division, New Orleans cops, Texas firefighters, civilian and Marine Corps helicopters, and Guard units from a dozen states.
On a touch-screen laptop computer, a Guard technician works like an old-fashioned telephone operator, connecting this fire chief to that FEMA official or National Guard outpost. And the entire system can be joined "daisy-chain" style to others to double or triple its capability.
But the trick in setting up emergency communications systems, experts say, is to ensure the system isn't overloaded with too many people trying to talk at once.
"This is the most dangerous piece of equipment ever invented," asserted Master Sgt. Dennis Goodman, who operates an ACU-1000 for the Virginia National Guard. "You connect everybody together, everybody can talk. And nobody can hear."

EMS Training Grant - AHA

2006-08-29T21:19:00.000-05:00

The American Heart Association and the Center for Research in EMS Education have teamed together to provide research grants that are directed towards improving the quality of training to EMS professionals.

Q. What is involved in the grant application process?
A. The application process is very reasonable. We’ll ask you to provide a brief overview including the specific aims of the project, a budget, and list of anticipated resources required for the project.
Q. How are proposals evaluated?
A. Each proposal is evaluated by an expert panel according to the following criteria:
• Relevance to the goals of the grant program
• Quality and value of the project
• Background and experience of the researcher
Q. Where can I find additional information about the grant program?
A. We invite you to visit the following website for additional information:
www.americanheart.org/emseducationresearch
www.nationalemsacademy.com

Submit Proposals to:
EMS Education Research Grant Proposals
Project Coordinator
American Heart Association
7272 Greenville Avenue
Dallas, Texas 75231-4596
214-706-1430

© 2005 American Heart Association KJ-0260 01/05
The American Heart Association is committed to improving the Quality of Healthcare through
Research, Training, and Education.

Funding To Reduce Domestic Violence

2006-08-29T20:59:00.000-05:00

http://www.usdoj.gov/ovw/ovwgrantprograms.htm

The STOP (Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grants are awarded to states to develop and strengthen the criminal justice system’s response to violence against women and to support and enhance services for victims. Each state and territory must allocate 25 percent of the grant funds to law enforcement, 25 percent to prosecution, 5 percent to courts, and 30 percent to victim services. The remaining 15 percent is discretionary within the parameters of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).Read More

The Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies and Enforcement of Protection Orders are designed to encourage state, local, and tribal governments and state, local, and tribal courts to treat domestic violence as a serious violation of criminal law requiring the coordinated involvement of the entire criminal justice system. Grant funds may be used for implementing mandatory or pro-arrest programs and policies; developing policies and training in criminal justice agencies to improve tracking of domestic violence and dating violence cases; and creating centralized domestic violence units consisting of police, prosecution, or other criminal justice agencies. Read More

The Rural Domestic Violence and Child Victimization Enforcement Grants are designed to enhance services available to rural victims and children by encouraging community involvement in developing a coordinated response to domestic violence, dating violence and child abuse. A state is considered rural if it has a population of 52 or fewer persons per square mile or the largest county has less than 150,000 people. In rural states, eligible applicants are state and local governments and public and private entities. Non-rural states may apply on behalf of rural jurisdictions in their states. Eligible applicants also include tribal governments in rural and non-rural states. At least five percent of the funding for this program must be available for grants to Indian tribal governments.Read More

The Campus Program is designed to strengthen the higher education community’s response to sexual assault, stalking, domestic violence, and dating violence crimes on campuses, and to enhance collaboration between campuses and local criminal justice and victim advocacy organizations. Eligible applicants are institutions of higher education.Read More

Grants are awarded to each state domestic violence coalition and sexual assault coalition for the purposes of coordinating state victim services activities and collaborating and coordinating with Federal, state, and local entities engaged in violence against women activities.Read More

The Training Grants to Stop Abuse and Sexual Assault Against Older Individuals or Individuals with Disabilities Program is designed to train law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and court personnel to recognize, address, investigate, and prosecute cases of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation and violence against individuals with disabilities, including domestic violence and sexual assault, against older or disabled individuals.Read More

The Education and Technical Assistance Grants to End Violence Against and Abuse of Women with Disabilities Program is designed to improve services to individuals with disabilities who are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Grantees will provide training, consultation, and information to service providers, including independent living centers, disability-related service organizations, and domestic violence programs providing shelter or related assistance about responding to violence against women who are individuals with disabilities. Eligible applicants are States, units of local government, Indian tribal governments, and nongovernmental private entities.Read More

The Transitional Housing Assistance Grants Program focuses on a holistic, victim-centered approach to provide transitional housing services that move individuals into permanent housing. Grants made under this program support programs that provide assistance to individuals who are in need of transitional housing or housing assistance as a result of fleeing a situation of domestic violence, and for whom emergency shelter services or other crisis intervention services are unavailable or insufficient. Grants may be used for programs that provide short-term housing assistance, including rental or utilities payment assistance and assistance with related expenses, and support services designed to enable individuals to locate and secure permanent housing, as well as integrate into a community. Grantees will provide a broad range of individualized services such as transportation, counseling, child care services, case management, employment counseling, and other assistance. Eligible applicants are States, local units of government, Indian tribal governments, and nongovernmental private entities.

DHS Funding

2006-08-29T20:52:00.000-05:00

2/11 - Assistance To Fire Fighters Grants
http://www.firegrantsupport.com/docs/2006SAFERguidance.pdf

http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?content=5803

DHS Announces Opening of Application Period for Fiscal Year 2006 Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010
August 16, 2006

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today that it is seeking applications for the fiscal year 2006 (FY 2006) Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program (CEDAP). The FY 2006 program is slated to provide more than $32 million in equipment to first responders in selected rural and smaller communities who are typically not eligible for funding through the department’s Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) grant program. The application period officially opened today and will close September 22, 2006.

CEDAP provides smaller communities and rural areas with technology and equipment, together with training and technical assistance, to help enhance first responder capabilities throughout the nation. CEDAP provides resources such as communications interoperability equipment, information sharing technology, chemical detection devices, sensors, personal protective equipment, and rescue tools and training in how to use the equipment, devices, and technology.

“The threat of terrorism or other hazards extends beyond major metropolitan areas. Emergency response agencies in smaller communities must also be prepared to respond to all threats that may impact their citizens,” said Under Secretary for Preparedness George Foresman. “CEDAP supports local partners in smaller jurisdictions with essential equipment and training that they might not otherwise afford. CEDAP also contributes to national preparedness efforts by building regional response networks, fostering mutual aid between communities and enhancing communications interoperability capabilities.”

Eligible applicants include law enforcement agencies, fire, and other emergency responders who demonstrate in their application that the equipment will be used to improve their ability and capacity to respond to a major critical incident or improve their ability to work with other first responder.

Since its inception in FY 2005, more than $35.2 million worth of equipment and training have been awarded to nearly 2,000 law enforcement and fire departments through CEDAP. With over, 5,400 organizations competing for one of 2,000 awards during FY 2005, CEDAP is highly competitive.

To submit an application for an FY 2006 CEDAP award, applicants should visit www.rkb.mipt.org/. Once submitted, the application undergoes several steps, including approval by the applicant’s respective State Administrative Agency (SAA), and a review board composed of subject matter experts.