Corner Store ConversationsA recent press release from Governor Jeb Bush's office praises the immense contribution of volunteers and volunteer organizations that played roles during the 2005 hurricane season. The press release stated: "During the record-breaking 2005 hurricane season, volunteers logged more than 4.7 million hours of service with the total value of voluntary efforts and in-kind donations totaling more than $105 million. Volunteers and voluntary organizations donated more than $16.8 million worth of food and more than $1 million worth of ice and water to assist millions of Floridians recover from the storms." Florida Lieutenant Governor Toni Jennings was quoted: "Businesses, individuals and community and faith-based organizations continue to work tirelessly with great compassion in the wake of natural disasters. They are a testament to the good in each of us." We could not agree more. Thank you to all those SART members who were involved in volunteer endeavors that contributed to these awesome numbers. Read the whole press release of the Lieutenant Governor's press release statements. USDA Incident Command System Training Materials Posted on SART Web SiteA new subsection has been added to the Training Materials portion of the SART Web site entitled "SART-Approved Training Materials." The first addition to this subsection is the United States Department of Agriculture's National Incident Management System (NIMS), Incident Command System (ICS 100, ICS 200, and ICS 300), and National Response Plan (NRP) on-line training modules. A brief description of each is located under the links. Each module has the training texts, reviews, and posttests. Please note that to take the post-test and receive credit, you must be on-line to link to the server that hosts the USDA training modules. SART will accept any certificate, or similar proof of successful completion of these modules to satisfy the forthcoming certification requirements to become a SART responder. To see the new SART-Approved Training Materials, click <http://www.flsart.org/library/index.htm>. [top] BMPs for Honey Bees Now AvailableThe defensive and aggressive traits of Africanized Honey Bees (AHB) are spreading within the state of Florida. Securing and maintaining the strength of the apiary industry of Florida while giving the citizens of Florida confidence in a responsible and safe honey bee industry is imperative. To protect Florida beekeepers and Florida agriculture, a set of Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Maintaining Gentle and Safe European Honey Bee Colonies and Best Management Practices for Producing Honey Bee Queens in Florida have been developed and are posted online at <http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/pi/plantinsp/apiary/apiary.html>. These BMPs have been developed as voluntary guidelines for keeping honey bee colonies and honey bee queens produced free of AHB traits for as long as possible. For additional information, contact Mr. Jerry Hayes at <hayesg@doacs.state.fl.us>. -- Contributed by Jerry Hayes, Assistant Chief, Bureau of Plant and Apiary Inspection, Division of Plant Industry, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services -- Adapted from Disaster Research, 443, Natural Hazards Center, University of Colorado, Boulder [top] Web Site Housekeeping: Multiple Log-Ins AboundAs part of the routine upkeep of the SART Web site, we have begun to delete people with multiple memberships. Sometimes it happens that you forget your password and create a new log-in. Or you forget that you signed up in the first place. In order to keep our member area neat and up-to-date, these multiple log-ins are being removed. Please take a moment to check the Member List and see if you suffer from multiple memberships. If you do, please contact us, and we will work with you to determine which log-in(s) to delete. Special thank you to those who have already removed their "multiple personalities!" [top] 2006 Advisory Board Meetings ScheduledThe quarterly meetings of the
SART Advisory Board have been scheduled.
If you are a Board Member and have not received any communications regarding these dates, please contact Liz Wang at <wange@doacs.state.fl.us>. [top] University of Missouri Extension Offers New Online Course for Fire ServiceColumbia, MO - To bring the sister agencies of fire and emergency management closer together, the University of Missouri Extension, through the Fire and Rescue Training Institute, has developed a new online course to provide education to the fire service on the basic principles and practices of emergency management. Local emergency responses are a common occurrence, but when an event escalates into a disaster, it is important that all agencies understand how local, state, and federal governments work together in a collaborative way. This course was designed to provide that type of knowledge to fire service personnel. Eric Evans, an emergency management specialist with the university, developed this course to provide a complete and cohesive educational experience. According to Evans, "the whole idea behind this course was to provide anyone in the fire service with a down-to-earth, and easy to understand, course on basic emergency management." "We know that there is gap in a broader understanding and acceptance of emergency management within the fire service. We hope this course will alleviate some of that gap and confusion," Evans said. The new online course was adapted from a classroom version developed by Evans. Topics within the course include basic principles that guide emergency management as a discipline, a review of the roles of the different levels of government, and how the fire service fits into the bigger picture of disaster response. This course can be taken to receive continuing education units (CEUs) or can be taken for recommended credit as provided by the American Council on Education (ACE). The course is also a required component of the Fire Officer Certificate program developed by the institute and has become a course recognized by the Columbia College for its new Associates Degree in Fire Science Administration. "Anyone interested in learning the basic principles of emergency management are welcome, but this course was particularly written with the fire service in mind," Evans said. "The convenience of an online course was particularly written with the fire service in mind," Evans said. "The convenience of an online course like this, allows firefighter the flexibility to work on the course at the station of at home." The course went online February 7th and can be accessed through the university's Center for Distance and Independent Study. For more information contact:
-- As reported in press release emailed to Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) delegates. NOTE: Please contact the appropriate Florida officials to determine this course's potential acceptance and fulfillment of educational credits [top] The SART SENTINELEditor: Elizabeth Wang, SART Coordinator, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Animal Industry Associate Editor: Gregory S. Christy, DVM, State ESF-17 Coordinator, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Animal Industry The SART SENTINEL is an e-mail newsletter prepared monthly by Elizabeth Wang and the staff of the Florida State Agricultural Response Team. Past issues of the Sentinel are archived on the Florida SART Web Site: <www.flsart.org>. If you have a story or photo that you would like to have considered for publication in The SART SENTINEL, contact the Editors at SARTNewsEditor-L@lists.ifas.ufl.edu. [top] For additional information on agriculture, animals, and disaster, visit: Florida SART Home Page: <www.flsart.org> For a complete list of all SART participating agencies, visit the Florida SART Web site: <www.flsart.org>. [top] Tip
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Printer-Friendly PDF Version| Practicing your team's and community's response capabilities during the hurricane off-season should be a priority. Finding exercises to do just got easier, too! A new public health preparedness database has been launched by RAND Corporation, a nonprofit research organization. The database is searchable by exercise type (drills, tabletops, orientations, functional, and full-scale exercises) and agent (infectious and noninfectious biological agents, chemical agents, and others). The exercises come with applicable reports and evaluations. Check out the database at <http://www.rand.org/health/projects/php/>. |
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