Vol. 10, No. 07, July 2014 |
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Announcing the 2015 SART Planning Meeting
The seminar and workshop agenda for the 4th Florida SART Planning Meeting is being carefully crafted around the theme SART – Turning Visions into Action. Scheduled to begin at 1:00 pm on Monday, January 12, it will conclude by noon on Wednesday the 14th. The host hotel is the Embassy Suites, Lake Buena Vista South - 4955 Kyngs Heath Road, Kissimmee 34746.
One of the scheduled speakers for the 2015 SART Planning Meeting is FSU’s David Merrick (see below). Another is John Williamson, Administrator, Bureau of Radiation control, Florida Dept. of Health, who will show some of the latest radiation monitors (photo at right) and also discuss “Radiological Training Opportunities.” |  |
Merrick, David Merrick
Shaken, not stirred. FSU’s David Merrick has been invited to present at the 2015 Florida SART Planning Meeting in January. Merrick (MS) is Director for the Center for Disaster Risk Policy (www.cdrp.net) and Deputy Director of the Emergency Management and Homeland Security Program at FSU. His research and interest areas include social media and emergency management, disaster logistics, crisis mapping, terrorism and homeland security policy, and information technology and emergency management.
Merrick developed, and now oversees, CDRP’s Disaster Incident Research Team (DIRT), which deploys to the field and performs field research on disaster and emergency management in situ. This team consists of staff and students with research agendas. David Merrick teaches in the Emergency Management & Homeland Security Program which is part of FSU’s College of Social Sciences and Public Policy. Students in the EMHS Program may select classes covering a range of topics, from the core principles of Emergency Management to related areas in Public Health and Terrorism Studies. EMHS courses are also offered online. |  |
Merrick currently teaches Foundations of Emergency Management, Disaster Systems and Emergency Management Planning and Policy, and routinely lectures on logistics, technology and cyber security in other EMHS courses. Check out his blog at http://em.fsu.edu/mura/index.cfm/about-us/faculty-staff/david-merrick/merricks-blog/.
Wine from Florida – A Sunshine State Agricultural Highlight
Did you know there are currently 24 independently owned Certified Farm Wineries (and 15 additional non-certified wineries) registered with FDACS in the state of Florida? In 2012, Florida produced nearly 2 million gallons of wine – a significant amount, but tiny compared to California’s output of 668 million gallons.
Many Sunshine State wineries rely on indigenous muscadine vines, hybrid bunch grapes or exotic and citrus fruit varieties to produce table, sparkling and dessert wines, from dry white and red to sweet and fruity. Most Florida wineries offer wine tasting, interesting winery tours and special events, often with live music to enhance a local day trip or weekend visit. http://www.tryfloridawine.com/ The Florida Grape Growers Association http://www.fgga.org/ was established in 1923.
Unlike many farms and dairies, Florida wineries generally encourage visitors:
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Florida SARC Schedules Courses
Small Animal Emergency Sheltering – Awareness Level
The Florida State Animal Response Coalition is teaching this course to promote effective response for animals during disasters. Registration is required, but due to grants from Florida Division of Emergency Management and U.S. Department of Homeland Security, no fee is charged for attendance. This course is certified by FDEM as course code FL-003-RESP.
Date & Time: Sunday, August 10, 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
Location: American Red Cross Capital Area Chapter
1115 Easterwood Drive, Tallahassee
Florida SARC Train the Trainer Workshop
If you have been an assistant trainer or administrative support person at a SARC class or if you have taken the SARC Awareness Level Small Animal Emergency Sheltering course and thought, “I would love to help teach this course,” here is your opportunity, says Florida SARC Director of Training Consie von Gontard.
SARC will hold a Train the Trainer class for those who would like to learn to be a Lead Instructor or to assist in teaching this class. Instructors and trained responders are needed in every region of Florida. [Illustrating the interest in such a class, registration has filled rapidly. SARC is accepting registration for a standby list.]
Date & Time: Saturday, August 9 (9:00 am to 5:00 pm) to Sunday,
August 10 (9:00 am to 3:00 pm)
Location: Cat Depot, 2542 17th Street, Sarasota
For information and registration go to http://www.flsarc.org/Training.html or contact Melissa Forberg training@flsarc.org (352) 658-1224, Pam Burns pamburnssarc@gmail.com, Andy Bass training@flsarc.org or Consie Von Gontard training@flsarc.org.