FEMA and Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency staff at the St. Croix Emergency Operations Center work together both in-person and virtually with their territorial and federal partners on St. John and St. Thomas during a hurricane preparedness exercise. Last week, federal and territorial partners focused on strengthening hurricane preparedness focus areas during the Capstone Exercise Series across the territory. (Photo by FEMA/Mark A. Walters)

Colorado State University is calling for a “well above-average Atlantic basin hurricane season” in its latest forecast, released Thursday.

The probability of at least one major hurricane – meaning Category 3 or higher – tracking into the Caribbean is 65 percent, compared to an average of 42 percent for the last century, according to the new forecast.

That probability is 76 percent for the entire continental U.S. coastline (average is 52 percent), 51 percent for the U.S. East Coast, including the Florida peninsula (average is 31 percent), and 50 percent for the Gulf Coast from the Florida Panhandle westward to Brownsville, Texas (average is 30 percent), according to the forecast.

“We have increased our forecast from early April and now estimate that 2022 will have 10 hurricanes (average is 7.2), 20 named storms (average is 14.4), 95 named storm days (average is 69.4), 40 hurricane days (average is 27.0), five major (Category 3-4-5) hurricanes (average is 3.2), and 11 major hurricane days (average is 7.4). The probability of U.S. major hurricane landfall is estimated to be about 145 percent of the long-period average,” the report stated.

Colorado State’s forecast is in line with that of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which is calling for 14 to 21 named storms, with six to 10 of them becoming hurricanes with sustained winds at or above 74 mph, and three to six of them turning into major hurricanes. A major hurricane has sustained winds of 111 mph or above; that is, it is a Category 3, 4 or 5.

Thursday’s extended forecast, by Philip Klotzbach, Michael Bell and Alex DesRosiers of the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State, attributes the increased threat to warmer than normal Atlantic sea surface temperatures, combined with weak La Niña conditions that are expected to persist through the peak of the season from August to October.

When El Niño dominates, strong upper winds from across the Atlantic shear storms before they can develop. When La Niña dominates, those winds are weaker.

“Sea surface temperatures averaged across portions of the tropical Atlantic are above normal, while most of the subtropical and mid-latitude eastern North Atlantic is much warmer than normal. We anticipate an above-normal probability for major hurricanes making landfall along the continental United States coastline and in the Caribbean,” the report states.

“As is the case with all hurricane seasons, coastal residents are reminded that it only takes one hurricane making landfall to make it an active season for them. They should prepare the same for every season, regardless of how much activity is predicted,” the report states.

To that end, the Virgin Islands government, its agencies, and federal partners from across the country gathered in the USVI last week to finalize preparation efforts in advance of hurricane season. In a simulation of real-life hurricane response, participants worked from Emergency Operations Centers on St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas and Federal Emergency Management Agency facilities in the territory while practicing their ability to work together over a large area with degraded communications, according to a press release on Thursday from FEMA.

“For over two years, we’ve had lots of practice working with the federal government to beat COVID-19, and we know that practice will make our response better if a hurricane brings its winds and rains to our shores,” said Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. “Last week, GVI, led by VITEMA, worked together with FEMA to conduct multiple exercises to test and practice our hurricane response plans, and I have been briefed on their plans for the season. While we always have more work to do, I’m confident we are moving the territory in the right direction.”

The weeklong series of exercises was the capstone event of a nearly six-month-long planning effort to prepare for the 2022 hurricane season, the release stated. Preparedness is an ongoing process and last week’s event provided opportunities to integrate lessons learned from the Irma/Maria response efforts in 2017, address gaps with territorial or local resources and then identify federal resources necessary to respond to destructive storms in the territory, it said.

Territorial Airport Manager Jerome Sheridan, right, of the V.I. Port Authority leads federal air operations and FEMA logistics on a walk-through of Cyril E. King Airport in Lindbergh Bay on St. Thomas during a hurricane response exercise. (Photo by FEMA/Eric Adams)

Topics covered included food/water distribution, patient movement, route clearance, debris removal, temporary power and power restoration, emergency responder communications as well as public information and warnings.

Virgin Islanders should prepare to be self-sufficient in the immediate aftermath of a hurricane and take steps to protect their property, the release stated. Those with disabilities and others with access and functional needs might have additional considerations, it said.

Build a Kit

Families should be prepared to shelter in a secure and safe location for up to five days after a disaster. Remember, roads might be impassable, gas stations and grocery stores could be closed, power might be out, and communications could be interrupted.

▪ Store a gallon of water for each person per day for five days, for drinking and sanitation.
▪ Gather a five-day supply of nonperishable food and medications.
▪ Have enough antibiotic ointment, hygienic products, diapers and wipes available.
▪ Store supplies to meet the needs of individual family members, including infants and young children, seniors, persons with disabilities, and pets or service animals.
▪ The V.I. Health Department has recommended people include additional items in their kits to help prevent the spread of coronavirus or other viruses and the flu. Items can include cloth face coverings (for everyone ages 2 and above), soap, hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes to disinfect surfaces.
▪ Protect important documents such as vital records, insurance policies, medical information and property and financial records, by storing copies in a safe deposit box or another location separate from your home. These items might be necessary for survivors who could be eligible to apply for disaster assistance.
▪ Keep your home and vehicle insured against wind and flood damage. Also, remember to update your property insurance to cover current construction costs and be aware that a property insurance policy does not offer coverage for flood damage. For more information about getting flood insurance, visit floodsmart.gov.

Make a Family Communications Plan

Identify alternate ways of staying in touch with loved ones.

▪ Choose an out-of-town friend or relative as a point of contact.
▪ Ensure children have emergency contacts memorized or saved in a secure place.
▪ Determine a safe, familiar place the family can go for protection or to reunite.
▪ Make sure the location is in a central and accessible location for all family members, including family members with disabilities.
▪ If you have pets or service animals, make sure the location is animal-friendly.

Officials advise that residents have a battery or solar-powered radio to receive disaster notices and updates. Follow VITEMA on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/vitema), Twitter (@readyusvi) and on TikTok (vitema_usvi) to receive up-to-date preparedness and emergency information. Also, sign up for emergency alerts and notifications on www.vitema.vi.gov. You can get emergency alerts delivered to you via text message or email.

Download the FEMA app on your smartphone and receive real-time alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations nationwide. Check the settings on your mobile phones to make sure you can receive Wireless Emergency Alerts, which require no sign-up.

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

Staff photo by Clay Schuldt
Eric Warmka presented a history of funeral services, which includes vintage funeral equipment. The display included a tux belonging to former New Ulm funeral director Elmer Pollei during the 1930s and 1940s.

NEW ULM — The Brown County Historical Society’s Lunch and a Bite of History program featured a presentation on a topic as old as human civilization.

Minnesota Valley Funeral Homes general manager Eric Warmka spoke on the history of funeral services. His presentation focused on the history of funeral services in Brown County but touched on the entire history of the industry.

“I’ve always been proud of this job I did — this calling that got me into this industry,” Warmka said, “but after doing a little research on the founding fathers of the industry in Brown County, I have a new level of respect for those men.”

Warmka began the presentation by explaining funeral rites are as old as human culture and likely predate modern homo sapiens. Evidence has been found of funeral rituals beginning conducted on neanderthals.

Funeral rites are always changing, but Warmka listed five key aspects that remain the same. They all contain symbolism, community, ritual, cultural heritage and care for the deceased.

Symbolism has changed over the eras, based on religion and culture. For a time, widows would wear all black for a year after her husband’s death.

Community involvement in funerals has always been important, but Warmka said this was lost during the COVID pandemic, as large gatherings were not possible.

“No one got to be together as a community, and it showed,” Warmka said. It was one of the hardest times to be a funeral director. He said it was difficult for families to lose that community support.

In Brown County, most funeral customers came from the European tradition and are mostly based in the Christian religions. In the pioneer days, before established cemeteries, the burials would happen on the farm.

Embalming became a major component of funeral services 160 years ago. The main reason for embalming is to disinfect, prevent the spread of disease and slow down decomposition.

In the United States, it became popular during the Civil War. Early in the war, soldiers who died in battle were embalmed and returned home for burial.

At the end of the war, President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated and was himself embalmed. Thousands turned out to see Lincoln’s funeral procession and saw how well he was preserved. This gained national attention for the embalming process.

The modern funeral homes started with furniture stores. The idea is that if a business could construct furniture they could construct a coffin.

In New Ulm, the first person to advertise coffins was Charles Wagner, which is sold in his furniture store.

Louis Buenger’s furniture store was the first in the area to have a funeral parlor, a display casket room and a fully equipment morgue and chapel.

The Forster brothers opened a funeral and undertaking business in 1900. The businesses stayed in the Forster family for many years. Members of the Forster family were among the first to become licensed funeral directors.

In 1927, the Gerber-Gedstad Funeral Home of New Ulm started operating on North Broadway. Warmka said early ads for the funeral home promoted a “lady assistant” working for the parlor. The lady in question was Mrs. Ida Mae Gedstad, a local hairdresser who helped at the parlor.

Warmka said historically, the funeral directors industry was a male-dominated field, but that is changing. He said currently 80% of graduates from funeral director schools are women.

Minnesota Valley Burial Associate was founded in 1929. In 1938, Minnesota Valley purchased the home of Dr. J.H. Vogel to create a funeral home. This is near its current location today.

Warmka said Minnesota Valley started as a cooperative funeral home. This is a rarity in the funeral industry. Warmka said there are only two cooperative funeral homes in the nation. The idea is for the funeral home be a nonprofit cooperative. If the business makes a profit, the profit goes back to the families that were served that year.

Minnesota Valley maintained books documenting every funeral they held. Warmka donated the historic books documenting funerals to the BCHS for genealogy purposes.

Warmka closed by asking what will funeral services look like in the future. He said cremation was on the rise. Around 55% of Minnesota Valley’s funerals are cremations.

Warmka believed that no matter the method, it was important to have a way to say goodbye.

“There is a psychological thing since the Egyptians of saying goodbye to a person,” he said. “There is a reason we do this. There is a reason we have funerals to bring in the public to say goodbye to that person.”

He encouraged the audience to teach the next generation about the importance of funeral services and to communicate with loved ones what they want in a funeral service.

“Tell your family what things are important to you, what symbols what and what things you want to be remembered for and why we do these things,” he said.

Warmka will serve as the guest currator for a BCHS exhibit. A space on the BCHS second floor will feature antique equipment from the history of funeral services. The artifacts will be on display for the next two months.

Today’s breaking news and more in your inbox

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

Last week, the Government of the Virgin Islands, its agencies, and federal partners from across the country gathered in the U.S. Virgin Islands to finalize preparation efforts in advance of hurricane season. In a simulation of real-life hurricane response, participants worked from Emergency Operations Centers on St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas and FEMA facilities in the territory while practicing their ability to work together over a large area with degraded communications.

“For the over two years, we’ve had lots of practice working with the federal government to beat COVID-19 and we know that practice will make our response better if a hurricane brings its winds and rains to our shores,” said Governor Albert Bryan Jr. “Last week, GVI, led by VITEMA, worked together with FEMA to conduct multiple exercises to test and practice our hurricane response plans and I have been briefed on their plans for the season. While we always have more work to do, I’m confident we are moving the territory in the right direction.”

“FEMA is committed to helping Virgin Islanders before, during and after a disaster,” said Mark A. Walters, FEMA’s Virgin Islands Caribbean Area Office Coordinator. “A partnership with a focus on year-round planning with real-time response exercises puts the federal government and the territory in a position to respond to hurricanes that approach the U.S. Virgin Islands. FEMA is ready to support the U.S. Virgin Islands with requests to support the territory with its response to storms and all hazards.”

“For the past six months, we have worked closely with USVI territorial agencies and our FEMA partners to get the territory ready for hurricane season,” said Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency Director Daryl Jaschen. “As Director of VITEMA, my goal is to continue to build on our successes and identify opportunities to improve. As we continue to prepare, VITEMA reminds the Virgin Islands community to Be Prepared, to Stay Informed and Be Vigilant. VITEMA knows that the USVI community understands the importance of preparedness and moving forward, we will use new and innovative ideas to keep our community engaged and strengthen our core capabilities.”

This weeklong series of exercises is the capstone event of a nearly six month-long planning effort to prepare for the 2022 hurricane season. Preparedness is an ongoing process and last week’s event provided opportunities to integrate lessons learned from the Irma/Maria response efforts, address gaps with territorial or local resources and then identify federal resources necessary to respond to destructive storms in the territory.

Topics covered during the event included food/water distribution, patient movement, route clearance, debris removal, temporary power and power restoration, emergency responder communications as well as public information and warning.

Virgin Islanders should prepare to be self-sufficient in the immediate aftermath of a hurricane and take steps to protect their property. Those with disabilities and others with access and functional needs might have additional considerations.

Build a kit. Families should be prepared to shelter in a secure and safe location for up to five days after a disaster. Remember roads might be impassable, gas stations and grocery stores could be closed, power might be out, and communications could be interrupted.

• Store a gallon of water for each person per day for five days, for drinking and sanitation.
• Gather a five-day supply of nonperishable food and medications.
• Have enough antibiotic ointment, hygienic products, diapers and wipes available.
• Store supplies to meet the needs of individual family members, including infants and young children, seniors, persons with disabilities, and pets or service animals.
• The Virgin Islands Department of Health has recommended people include additional items in their kits to help prevent the spread of coronavirus or other viruses and the flu, items can include:
  • Cloth face coverings (for everyone ages 2 and above), soap, hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes to disinfect surfaces.
• Protect important documents such as vital records, insurance policies, medical information and property and financial records, by storing copies in a safe deposit box or another location separate from your home. These items might be necessary for survivors who could be eligible to apply for disaster assistance.
  • Keep your home and vehicle insured against wind and flood damage. Also, remember to update your property insurance to cover current construction costs and be aware that a property insurance policy does not offer coverage for flood damage. For more information about getting flood insurance, visit floodsmart.gov.

Make a Family Communications Plan. Identify alternate ways of staying in touch with loved ones.

• Choose an out-of-town friend or relative as a point of contact.
• Ensure children have emergency contacts memorized or saved in a secure place
• Determine a safe, familiar place the family can go for protection or to reunite.
• Make sure the location is in a central and accessible location for all family members, including family members with disabilities.
• If you have pets or service animals, make sure the location is animal-friendly.
• For more information on making a family communication plan go to Family Communication Plan.

Stay Informed. Listen to local officials’ bulletins for the most up-to-date information before, during and after a disaster. It’s a good idea to have a battery or solar-powered radio to receive disaster notices and updates.

Follow VITEMA on Facebook, Twitter (@readyusvi) and on TikTok (vitema_usvi) to receive up-to-date preparedness and emergency information.

Also, sign up for emergency alerts and notifications on www.vitema.vi.gov . You can get emergency alerts delivered to you via text message or email.

Download the FEMA app on your smartphone and receive real-time alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations nationwide. Check the settings on your mobile phones to make sure you can receive Wireless Emergency Alerts, which require no sign-up.

Read more at FEMA

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

Diarrhea and other gastrointestinal (GI) problems are sometimes symptoms of influenza (flu), although not every person with the flu experiences them.

While the flu is a common cause of respiratory illness, it only sometimes causes diarrhea. Researchers do not know why or how this may occur.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), diarrhea during the flu is more common in children than in adults.

This article looks at why influenza may cause diarrhea, stomach flu, and vomiting. It also looks at other flu symptoms and treatments.

The flu virus typically infects people via a respiratory route. However, GI symptoms, including diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, sometimes occur. GI symptoms can indicate severe flu and represent a secondary infection.

It is common for the flu virus to spread to the GI tract after a respiratory infection. However, researchers do not know how it is spread.

Researchers suggest that a person with the flu may experience diarrhea as a result of taking flu medications, which can irritate the gut, or because of a direct viral effect or secondary bacterial infection.

Researchers that identified flu viruses in feces estimate that these reach and affect the GI tract due to:

• the flu virus replicating in the intestinal cells
• a person swallowing the flu virus
• affected intestinal immune cells

Stomach flu, also known as viral gastroenteritis, is a highly contagious intestinal infection. Symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach cramps.

Stomach flu is not the same as influenza, which primarily affects the respiratory system. Stomach flu mainly affects the intestines and stomach.

A person can develop stomach flu from different viruses, including:

• rotavirus, which is most common between April and December
• norovirus, which is the most contagious form of stomach flu
• astrovirus, which typically affects people with weakened immune systems
• adenovirus, which can cause a wide range of symptoms

A person will usually develop symptoms following contact with someone who has the stomach flu. They may also develop symptoms from food and water containing the virus.

Other symptoms of the flu may include:

• fever
• chills
• headaches
• stuffy or runny nose
• cough
• muscle aches
• sore throat
• fatigue

Individuals most commonly treat the flu at home with over-the-counter (OTC) medications, such as painkillers, decongestants, and cough medications.

Resting, ensuring enough fluids, and managing body temperature can also help reduce the severity of symptoms.

In some instances, a doctor may prescribe antiviral drugs that can reduce the severity of flu symptoms. They can also reduce the overall amount of time a person is sick by 1 or 2 days. The drugs work most effectively if a person takes them within 2 days of getting the infection.

People who are at high risk of serious complications from flu viruses might especially benefit from antiviral medication. People at higher risk of complications include:

A person can usually treat diarrhea using OTC medications, such as bismuth subsalicylate (Kaopectate or Pepto-Bismol) and loperamide (Imodium).

However, if a person has a fever or notices blood in their stools, it may indicate a different type of infection, such as bacteria or parasites. For instances such as these, a doctor may not recommend OTC medications.

It is important to treat dehydration, which can result from diarrhea. A person should drink plenty of water to replace lost fluids and consider other options to replace electrolytes, including:

• sports drinks
• caffeine-free soft drinks
• broths
• fruit juices

If diarrhea lasts longer than 2 days, a person should consider contacting a doctor.

There are several ways a person can actively prevent the flu. These include:

• Flu vaccines: Flu vaccines protect against the most common flu viruses. Anyone 6 months or older should receive a flu vaccine, as it can also help prevent high risk people from serious flu complications and illness.
• Stopping the spread: Individuals should avoid contact with people who are sick with the flu, if possible. Similarly, if a person has the flu, they should limit their contact with others. Covering the nose and mouth while coughing or sneezing and not touching the face can also limit the spread of the flu.

People should also wash their hands thoroughly and regularly as well as disinfect surfaces.

Some people with the flu may experience diarrhea as a symptom. The flu virus may spread to the GI tract as a secondary virus and cause diarrhea. Researchers are unsure of exactly how and why this occurs.

Stomach flu, or viral gastroenteritis, differs from the flu. Stomach flu primarily affects the intestines and stomach, while the flu primarily affects the respiratory system. The two viruses have different causes.

A person can usually treat the flu and diarrhea at home using OTC medications. However, if complications occur and symptoms become severe, they should seek medical attention.

A person may prevent the flu by avoiding contact with the virus and by receiving a flu vaccine.

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

NEIL SPERRY

Dear Neil: I planted these Knockout roses two years ago. They did fine for a while, but this year they have struggled. I treated them with a name brand insecticide and fertilized and watered them as well, but with no improvement. They are watered with drip irrigation. Do you have any suggestions?

A: This is not a nutritional problem, nor do I think insects have been involved. I would suspect two things. It could have been black spot fungus. Some of the Knockout varieties are susceptible. If the leaves had large yellow blotches with dark brown spots in their centers, black spot was involved. You would need to spray weekly spring and fall with a labeled fungicide. Second, looking closely at the stems of the plant on the left, I see what look like an unusual number of large thorns. That’s a prime symptom of the fatal rose disease known as rose rosette virus. That disease is spread by a microscopic mite for which we have no control. Knockout roses seem especially vulnerable to it. I wish I had better news if that is the case. Plant pathologists and professional rosarians tell us that we must dig out rosette-infected plants, roots and all, and send them to the landfill.

People are also reading…

Dear Neil: I have weeds that have extremely deep roots growing in my lawn. I prefer not to use chemicals. My neighbors are sending condolences to me. Is digging them out by hand the only remedy?

A: Having a good lawn begins with good lawn care. Regular mowing will discourage most types of weeds, especially broadleaf weeds like the one in your photo. Keeping the lawn properly watered and fertilized also will help. However, when water curtailments arise, we must do the best we can. While I do encourage people to use herbicides prudently, I’ve always made it my policy not to push people beyond their comfort zones. Perhaps spot-treating with a broadleaf weedkiller directly to the weeds and only to the weeds could be a compromise, but you are the one to make that decision.

Dear Neil: What can I plant in a row in my vegetable garden to attract bees and butterflies that will have nectar by mid-April?

A: I’m assuming you want plants that are blooming in mid-April and that attract pollinators, and I’m assuming you want pollinators for your vegetables. Since you didn’t ask for a large assortment of plants, I’m going to stick with just one genus, Salvia. My choice would be autumn sage (Salvia greggii) in all of its colors. It blooms for a long period, starting by late winter and going into the summer, then resuming in fall. It is also a woody perennial, so you can leave it in place year after year. However, there are many other fine salvias that also bloom in spring. Remember that bees travel more than just a few feet. You don’t have to plant immediately beside your vegetables. You could have annuals and perennials that bees like elsewhere in your landscape. Also, there are plants that are pollinated by mechanical agitation (wind or vibration) and not by insects at all. That’s the case for tomatoes. Having a hive of bees right beside a row of tomatoes won’t help their pollination at all. They need to be out in the breeze. Corn needs wind to carry its dusty pollen. Know your crops and how they are pollinated.

Dear Neil: A neighbor planted grape vines that have now grown over onto our property. They are beginning to cover our cedars, pecans and oaks. Will grape vines harm or kill our trees?

A: They could, and they won’t do anything beneficial to your trees. Shade trees require full sun to grow to their best potential, and when vines like grapes or kudzu encroach on the trees’ canopies, it’s only a matter of a couple of years until the trees start to decline rapidly. I would head the grape vines off at your mutual property line.

Dear Neil: We have three healthy Bradford pears that have random dead branches. What causes this?

A: This is fire blight. Many have asked about it in recent years. We didn’t see much of it on ornamental pears until 10 or 15 years ago. Now it’s fairly common. Of course, it’s a huge problem with our fruit-producing pear varieties — limiting with some of the best types like Bartlett, keeping us from growing them in Texas. Prune it out with a long-handled pole pruner. Trim several inches into the healthy wood to be sure you get rid of all of each infection. Disinfect your loppers in a bucket of 10 percent chlorine bleach and 90 percent water between each cut. Next spring spray the trees while they’re in full bloom, using agricultural streptomycin to prevent its entry into the new growth.

Dear Neil: Why would my red oak have dropped leaves spontaneously already this spring? It seems to have stopped now, but I’m puzzled by what would cause otherwise healthy, new leaves to shed. Can a tree have too many leaves?

A: Our pecans have been doing the same thing. In some cases it’s because the leaves have insect galls on them. In other cases there has been enough wind, hail or driving rain to knock them loose. (Parts of Texas would like to get a share of that driving rain.) Sometimes trees do over-produce leaves when we have a cool, moist spring. And birds will sometimes pluck them loose. But the good news is that it’s usually of absolutely no concern.

Have a question you’d like Neil to consider? Mail it to him in care of this newspaper or e-mail him at [email protected]. Neil regrets that he cannot reply to questions individually.

For the holidays: Get inspiring home and gift ideas – sign up now!

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

All Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coastal areas are subject to hurricanes or tropical storms, the Texas Department of State Health Services reminded on opening day of hurricane season, June 1. The Atlantic hurricane season lasts from June 1 to Nov. 30, with the peak season from mid-August to late October.

Hurricane categories are based on their wind speed, central pressure and damage potential. Although Category Three through Five hurricanes are considered major storms, all hurricanes are extremely dangerous and warrant your full attention, the agency further acknowledges. Hurricanes and tropical storms can also spawn tornadoes and microbursts, create storm surges along the coast, and cause extensive damage from wind, heavy rainfall and flooding.

The State Health Services department suggests planning before a disaster strikes.

Before a hurricane: Secure your property. Ensure trees and shrubs around your home are well trimmed. Clear loose and clogged rain gutters and downspouts. Create your Disaster Supply Kit and keep it in an easily accessible place. Ensure a supply of water for sanitary purposes such as cleaning and flushing toilets.

According to the state agency, permanent storm shutters offer the best protection for windows, but a viable second option is to board up windows with five-eighths of an inch marine plywood, cut to fit and ready to install.

Consider installing straps or additional clips to securely fasten your roof to the frame structure. Secure outdoor furniture, potted plants, lawn ornaments, and barbecue grills – and don’t forget to moor boats if applicable.

Turn off propane tanks, and fill the bathtub and other large containers with water, especially if you plan to ride out the storm and not evacuate.

For those that stay during a hurricane, the state agency advises getting out the family’s pre-prepared Disaster Supply Kit, and monitoring radio, TV and social media for important information.

“Turn off utilities if instructed to do so,” the agency further details. “Otherwise, turn the refrigerator thermostat to its coldest setting and keep its doors closed.”

It is advised that those riding out a hurricane avoid using the phone, except for serious emergencies and checking in with family and friends with location and safety status.

Although there are best practices to follow when staying behind during a hurricane, Texas emergency management officials urge people to evacuate if local authorities advise it.

Mobile homes and other temporary structures are particularly hazardous during hurricanes, no matter how well fastened to the ground. Also, hurricane winds are stronger at higher elevations such as in high-rise buildings and apartments.

For those unable to evacuate: “Stay indoors during the hurricane and away from windows and glass doors. Close all interior doors – secure and brace external doors. Keep curtains and blinds closed. Calm winds do not indicate the end of the storm. As the eye of the storm passes over, winds will become still and then reverse as the backside of the hurricane moves over the area. Remain calm.”

After a hurricane, Texas Department of State Health Services officials detail, dangers such as high water, downed electrical power lines and broken gas mains are major safety threats.

“Do not return home until given permission by local emergency management,” according to the agency. “Use extreme caution when entering damaged homes or structures. Beware of unstable trees and limbs. Falling tree limbs are a major cause of injury and death following hurricanes.

“Downed power lines are a serious electrocution hazard. Never touch downed power lines or any objects that are in contact with them, including water. Do not enter flooded homes if the electricity may still be on. Report electrical hazards to authorities.

“Wear sturdy shoes or boots, long pants, long sleeves and gloves when cleaning up.

“Help avoid injuries when using chain saws and power tools by learning how to operate them properly, and always follow recommended safety procedures. Whenever possible, use battery-powered flashlights and lanterns instead of candles.

“Discard food from your refrigerator if it has reached room temperature. If in doubt, throw it out. Drink bottled water or water that has been purified until authorities say tap water is uncontaminated and safe. You can also disinfect water with chlorine or iodine, or with ordinary household bleach – one-eighth teaspoon per gallon of water.

“Never use generators, camp stoves, or charcoal grills inside your home, garage, or near open windows, doors or vents. Carbon monoxide is a colorless and odorless gas that can build up and cause sudden illness and death. If you feel dizzy, light-headed, or nauseous, seek immediate medical attention.”

As Southeast Texans who have been through a hurricane before will attest, weather conditions following hurricanes are usually very hot and humid and it’s quite common not to have air conditioning for a long period of time.

“Avoid heat-related illnesses by drinking plenty of fluids and taking care not to overexert yourself when cleaning up and repairing damage,” state health officials urge. Also, look out for broken glass and exposed nails when clearing debris, and seek medical attention for any puncture-type injuries.

Learn more at https://texasready.gov/be-informed/natural-disasters/hurricanes.html.

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

Shanghai’s two-month hard lockdown officially lifted yesterday (1 June)—but cultural venues have been received no timeframe for reopening.

A majority of Shanghai residents are now allowed free movement, and most restaurants, factories and offices instructed to resume operation.

But a municipal press release said art spaces, alongside gyms and theatres, would remain shuttered until further notice, and now have to await permission from the Culture and Tourism Bureau.

While tourism sites have reopened, they have done so with restrictions on capacity. Visitors are required to provide a contact-tracing venue code and wear masks, as well as provide documentation of a negative PCR test within 72 hours. These protocols will likely be required for cultural spaces as well.

“We’re waiting for a further notice from the Culture and Tourism Bureau, and then will need to apply for a special venue code,” says Grace Cheng, media manager of Bank, a contemporary art gallery on the Anfu Lu arts street. “Only then can we reopen.”

Official bodies affiliated with the Chinese government has offered rent relief or subsidies to cultural spaces impacted by the months of enforced closure, but only certain galleries can apply, Cheng says.

“Only the spaces funded by the government or national corporations can apply, for a maximum six months,” Cheng says. “Bank is not that lucky.”

But some state-owned museums are also subjected to the same wait and uncertainty. “We are still waiting for the direction from the Culture and Tourism Bureau on the opening date for the museum, but our staff should be able to go to office next week and disinfect and prepare the museum,” says a Yuz Museum spokesperson. “Once we know when we can open, we’ll post it on WeChat. I think all the museums should be opening around the same time.”

A UCCA Edge spokesperson adds that they will be able to begin installing exhibitions again soon, so the museum is ready to open as soon as permission is issued.

Even as the city of 26 million hobbles back to life, the reminders of two months of lockdown remain. A number of Shanghai’s neighbourhoods who have recorded recent positive Covid cases remain locked down, with some enclosed in green fences or plywood walls. Several compounds resumed isolation after cases were detected yesterday.

Several of the mass quarantine centers, where all confirmed Covid patients are held, remain operational. This includes the largest centre, which has a 50,000-person capacity, held at the National Convention and Exhibition Centre, according to state media. The number of people still held there are no longer being released.

Throughout lockdown, numerous Shanghai art venues. including the West Bund Art & Design Centre, were requisitioned and repurposed into quarantine camps. These also appear to remain in operation. Several galleries located within the complex confirmed they continue to be denied access to their spaces, and have not been given any timeframe for future access. Outdoor areas of the M50 arts complex, however, are open to the public and workers from yesterday, though its galleries cannot open yet.

The first day of Shanghai’s opening brought fresh chaos with crowded hours-long queues at test sites for the PCRs required within 48 to 72 hours for access to various sites.

Beijing, meanwhile, continues to have lockdowns and mass removals of some neighborhoods, but with some movement still permitted for much of the city. Most Beijing galleries and museums closed to the public in May, with staff working from home. But UCCA reopened 1 June after a 28-day closure, and M Woods’ 798 location reopens 3 June.

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

Photo: Evikka (Shutterstock)

As far as pets go, chickens are incredibly useful to have around: A pet chicken will lay eggs, eat food scraps and common garden pests, and their poop can be used for compost. Raising chickens is also a good way for kids to learn about where their food comes from, and the work that is involved in getting those eggs to the table. But if you live in the city, and lack any amount of significant land, you may think it’s not really an option for you—but you might be wrong.

Can you raise chickens in the city?

If you live in a city and want to raise chickens, the first thing to do is check your local laws, which might be more amenable than you think. For example, in the city of Houston, where you might think chickens would be a big “no,” you are legally allowed to have up to 30 of them, provided you have a coop that isn’t within 100 feet of a church, school, or neighboring home. (You just can’t have a rooster, because of the noise.)

It would be advisable to talk this over with your neighbors beforehand, though. Even if it is legal, it’s courteous to at least give them a heads up (and promise to gift them with fresh eggs).

Have a dedicated chicken coop 

If you are going to raise chickens in the city, you will need a dedicated chicken coop, one with space for them to roam around and a place up high where they can roost. In addition to giving them a dedicated space to lay eggs, the coop will protect them from predators. The types of predators you’ll need to be concerned about are in different in the city versus the country—think rats, raccoons, hawks, dogs, or even humans—but they do exist.

If you want your chickens to be able to roam around a little bit (and eat the pests from your garden), you’ll want a tall fence to keep them from escaping your yard—and it’s best to only let them out for short periods of time, such as in the evening when you are around.

Chickens need fresh food and water, plus a clean coop 

When it comes to keeping your chickens healthy and happy, they need fresh food and water, plus a clean coop to will help prevent the spread of any diseases. Ideally, they should be given fresh food and water every day, although there are some feeders that will allow you to refill the food every week. In addition to chicken feed, chickens will eat fruit and vegetable scraps, bread, and insects.

You’ll want to clean and disinfect the food and water containers regularly, about every week or so. The fresh water is especially critical in the summer, as chickens are prone to overheating. In the coop, you’ll want to replace the hay about once or twice a week, and twice a year, you should perform a deep clean.

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

Today, June 1st, is the official start of the 2022 hurricane season, and all U.S. forecasting models expect another busier-than-average season. For those with special healthcare needs, having thorough preparedness plans in place is vitally important.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is predicting 14-21 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which 6-10 will become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), and 3-6 will strengthen into major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher).

Just like the previous two years, every hurricane kit should still be stocked with some COVID-19 pandemic necessities, experts agree. That includes hand sanitizers, disinfectant wipes and at least two face masks for everyone in your household — this is especially important if you and your family live in evacuation zones and must relocate to designated public shelters to ride out a hurricane. 

For crucial information, here are the official South Florida hurricane preparedness sites for Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe Counties. Additionally, here is the state of Florida’s list of eligible items that qualify for the 2022 Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday through June 10, 2022.

“It only takes one storm to damage your home, neighborhood and community,” stated Richard W. Spinrad, Ph.D., NOAA administrator. “Preparedness is key to resilience, and now is the time to get ready for the upcoming hurricane season.”

Have a Plan for Sheltering

Individuals who require electrical equipment for at-home medical care should be ready for power outages if a storm approaches.

“People with medical needs should anticipate losing power, which usually happens with hurricanes,” says John Braden, M.D., Baptist Health South Florida’s medical director for emergency preparedness. “If you have electrically dependent equipment, such as oxygen concentrators, monitors, CPAP machines for sleeping or other equipment, you need to find evacuation centers that are going to be able to support you and hopefully have back-up power ready to go if needed.”

Emergency preparedness experts stress the importance of being thoroughly prepared early in the Hurricane Season with emergency food, water, medications and any necessary medical supplies.

Avoid Pre- and Post-Storm Injuries

Before and after a storm, everyone should continue to treat diagnosed conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, because the additional stress from preparing for and riding out a storm can have an impact on one’s health. Moreover, getting your prescribed medication refills may be difficult or impossible immediately after a storm.

All residents should be very cautious when preparing a home before the storm, especially when putting up shutters or moving large items around the home. After the storm is when most of the area’s emergency rooms become busy with injuries that can be avoided, such as mishaps that occur while removing debris or climbing ladders to remove shutters or doing minor roof repairs.

“When I was working in the ER after Hurricane Irma (in 2017), there were so many people that went outside in the dark that fell over debris and hit their heads,” recalls Dr. Braden. “They didn’t have adequate flashlights. So, make sure you are careful and have good flashlights.”

Tips from the CDC

Here are more hurricane preparedness tips from the CDC:

• Pay attention to local guidance about updated plans for evacuations and shelters, including potential shelters for your pets and shelters for any family members with special medical needs.
• If you may need to evacuate, prepare a “go kit” with personal items you cannot do without during an emergency. Include items that can help protect you and others from COVID-19, such as several clean face masks for everyone age 2 or older. They should not be used by people having trouble breathing, or who are unconscious, incapacitated, or unable to remove the mask without assistance.
• If you need to go to a disaster shelter, follow CDC recommendations for staying safe and healthy in a public disaster shelter during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tags: hurricane preparedness

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

2022 JUN 01 (NewsRx) — By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News — According to news reporting originating from Alexandria, Virginia, by NewsRx journalists, a patent by the inventors Sturgess, David (Chesterfield, GB), Waterson, Vincent (Ventura, CA, US), filed on July 25, 2019, was published online on May 10, 2022.

The assignee for this patent, patent number 11328802, is Videokall Inc. (Bethesda, Maryland, United States).

Reporters obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors:

“Field

“Various embodiments of the invention relate generally to medical health care technology, and more particularly, to providing remote tele-health services.

“Related Art

“Conventional medical services and care are experiencing increased demand as a result of the increasing age of the population. Additionally, medical care is becoming increasingly more expensive and unavailable for a large portion of the population.

“Prior Art includes U.S. Patent Application No. 2010/0222649. An engagement is brokered between a consumer and a medical service provider; a request from a user to consult with a medical service provider having a service provider profile that satisfies at least some attributes in a set of attributes that define a suitable service provider is received in a server computer system; an available medical service provider satisfying at least some of the attributes in the set of attributes is identified; a communication channel is provided to establish an electronic, real-time communication between the user and the medical service provider; a measurement from a sensor configured to measure a physiological parameter of the user is received over the communication channel. This method requires the consumer to own vital signs monitoring devices and be proficient in their use and to also have access to a broadband internet system and own a computer with interfaces which will support connection of these devices.

“Prior Art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,047. An ambulatory (in the home) user health monitoring system is disclosed wherein the user is monitored by a health care worker at a central station, while the user is at a remote location. The user may be a person having a specific medical condition monitored or may be an elderly person desiring general medical surveillance in the home environment. Cameras are provided at the user’s remote location and at the central station such that the user and the health care worker are in interactive visual and audio communication. A communications network such as an interactive cable television is used for this purpose. Various medical condition sensing and monitoring equipment are placed in the user’s home, depending on the particular medical needs of the user. The user’s medical condition is measured or sensed in the home and the resulting data is transmitted to the central station for analysis and display. The health care worker then is placed into interactive visual communication with the user concerning the user’s general wellbeing, as well as the user’s medical condition. Thus, the health care worker can make “home visits” electronically, twenty-four hours a day.

“Prior Art includes U.S. Pat. No. 7,778,852. A remotely programmable and accessible medical device system including an interface unit and a medical device connected to a user is disclosed. Through a transceiver, such as a telephone or computer, a person may obtain status reports from a remotely located medical device in audible, electronic or paper form. In addition, the person may change a protocol associated with the medical device or be alerted at a remote location of an alarm associated with the medical device.

“A conventional medical device, such as a blood glucose monitor, is designed to be held in the hand by a user. The user lances a finger to draw a small amount of blood, which is applied to a disposable glucose test strip previously inserted into the monitor by the user. The results are displayed on a screen on the monitor and may also be sent via data cable to a computer for archive. The conventional blood glucose monitor cannot be used without handling by a user so that in an unmanned micro clinic it would not be possible to determine if the last user properly cleaned the monitor, using for example a medicated wipe. A medical device, which is visibly dirty (e.g., portions of the device covered in chocolate, grease from food, dirt, etc.) may be so uninviting to the next user that the user would not wish to clean the device manually, and so the device would need to cleaned automatically.

“Automatic cleaning systems would require the blood glucose monitor to be immersed or sprayed with a liquid disinfectant. The receptacle in the monitor which accepts the test strip, however, cannot be immersed or sprayed with a disinfectant.

“In view of the foregoing there is need for systems for providing affordable and accessible health care. What is needed is a remotely accessed tele-health system providing a plurality of vital signs monitoring devices in a secure, sanitized public access cabin connected to a Medical Call Center (MCC). Users of a tele-health system may be provided with convenient and affordable access to primary healthcare without having to travel a significant distance for care.”

In addition to obtaining background information on this patent, NewsRx editors also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent: “In an embodiment, tele-health services cabin includes a plurality of vital signs monitoring devices, a patient chair including a motorized seat back and at least one sensor encapsulated in the seat back, a cabin management unit, and videoconferencing hardware via which a remote practitioner in a remote medical call center videoconferences with a patient in the cabin to diagnose symptoms of the patient. The cabin management unit includes a processor that controls equipment in the cabin, a data input at which patient data is provided from the vital signs monitoring devices, a data output to control the vital signs monitoring devices, and a transmitter connectable to a communication link for bi-directional communication between the cabin management unit and the medical call center, where the transmitter transmits the patient data to the medical call center.

“The plurality of vital signs monitoring devices may include a stethoscope and a height measurement device. The at least one sensor encapsulated in the seat back may be communicatively coupled to the stethoscope. The motorized seat back may include at least actuator that moves the at least one sensor to a position corresponding to a position of the patient’s lungs.

“The processor may determine the position of the patient’s lungs using the following formulas:”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A tele-health services cabin comprising: an automatic cleaning system comprising a cleaning chamber; a cabin management unit comprising: a processor that controls equipment in the cabin; a data input at which patient data is provided from a medical device; a data output to control the medical device; a transmitter connectable to a communication link for bi-directional communication between the cabin management unit and a remote medical call center, wherein the transmitter transmits the patient data to the medical call center; wherein the processor includes instructions to perform the following steps: deploying the medical device for use by the patient within the cabin; determining that the medical device has been used and requires cleaning; retracting the medical device into the cleaning chamber; cleaning the medical device within the cleaning chamber; and videoconferencing hardware via which a remote practitioner in the medical call center videoconferences with a patient in the cabin to diagnose symptoms of the patient.

“2. The tele-health services cabin of claim 1, wherein the automatic cleaning system further comprises: a winch disposed above the cleaning chamber, the winch comprising a motor, a cable spool or pulley, and a cable, wherein: one end of the cable is connected to the medical device and the other end of the cable is communicatively coupled to the cabin management unit, and the medical device is suspended in the cleaning chamber via the cable.

“3. The tele-health services cabin of claim 1, wherein the automatic cleaning system further comprises: a first bowl-shaped flap hingedly disposed at a bottom of the cleaning chamber; a first actuator operable to open and close the first flap; a base plate disposed below the bottom of the cleaning chamber, the base plate comprising a second flap hinged disposed thereon; a second actuator operable to open and close the second flap; and a locking mechanism to lock the first flap and the second flap closed.

“4. The tele-health services cabin of claim 3, wherein the automatic cleaning system further comprises: a wash cycle reservoir connected to at least one spray nozzle; a wash cycle pump that pumps cleaning solution from the wash cycle reservoir to the at least one spray nozzle; and a drain pipe coupled to the first flap and the wash cycle reservoir to drain cleaning solution from the cleaning chamber back into the wash cycle reservoir.

“5. The tele-health services cabin of claim 4, wherein the automatic cleaning system further comprises: a primary reservoir connected to the wash cycle reservoir; a clean solution pump that pumps cleaning solution from the primary reservoir to the wash cycle reservoir; and a clean solution pump that pumps cleaning solution from the primary reservoir to the wash cycle reservoir; a first pipe coupled to the wash cycle pump and the at least one spray nozzle, wherein the wash cycle pump receives cleaning solution from the wash cycle reservoir and feeds the cleaning solution through the first pipe to the at least one spray nozzle; and a second pipe coupled to the cleaning chamber and the wash cycle reservoir to return run-off cleaning solution from the cleaning chamber back to the wash cycle reservoir.

“6. The tele-health services cabin of claim 5, wherein: the wash cycle reservoir holds an amount of cleaning solution sufficient for one cleaning cycle; the wash cycle reservoir comprises an outlet to dispose of used cleaning solution to a waste solution reservoir; the automatic cleaning system further comprises: a filter disposed at an inlet to the wash cycle pump to collect debris, wherein the collected debris on the filter is cleared when the used cleaning solution is disposed to the waste solution reservoir.

“7. The tele-health services cabin of claim 4, wherein the cleaning solution comprises water, microbial disinfectants, and detergents.

“8. The tele-health services cabin of claim 1, wherein the automatic cleaning system further comprises an air drying system, the air drying system comprises: an intake fan that draws ambient air into the air drying system; a heater configured to heat the ambient air and to deliver the heated air to the interior of the cleaning chamber.

“9. The tele-health services cabin of claim 1, wherein the processor includes instructions for performing the following steps for cleaning the medical instrument: measuring an amount of cleaning solution required to clean the medical device; retracting the medical device to a predetermined location at the top of the cleaning chamber; determining whether a primary reservoir has a sufficient amount of cleaning solution for a wash cycle; determining whether a waste reservoir has sufficient capacity to hold waste from a wash cycle; pumping cleaning solution from the primary reservoir to a wash cycle reservoir; pumping cleaning solution from the wash cycle reservoir to at least one spray nozzle to decontaminate the medical device; performing the wash cycle for a predetermined amount of time; performing a drying cycle for a predetermined amount of time.”

For more information, see this patent: Sturgess, David. System and method for remote tele-health services. U.S. Patent Number 11328802, filed July 25, 2019, and published online on May 10, 2022. Patent URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=11328802.PN.&OS=PN/11328802RS=PN/11328802

(Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.)

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here