Emergency Preparedness and Response

Medical Reserve Corps CPR Class

26 Feb 2009 00:00:00 EST

The Montgomery County MRC is offering a Red Cross Adult CPR/AED class on Tuesday March 31 from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM. The class will be held at 401 Hungerford Dr. in the Tan conference room on the ground floor. This four hour course will provide both instruction and practice in CPR and the use of an automatic external defibrillator (AED).

The instructor is MRC member Georgia Martin, RN, MSN, JD, PhD. The MRC is subsidizing the cost of this course for its members. The cost to each participant will be $25.00. Please bring cash or a check to the class session. Class size is limited to 15 participants.

A light dinner will be served beginning at 5:30 PM.

To enroll, log in to your ACTIV account, click on training, click on the course code (MRC3-09), and then click on the blue "enroll" button on the right. You will be sent a confirmation by email.

Emergency Action Team Trainings

18 Feb 2009 00:00:00 EST

We've set up two new Emergency Action Team trainings:

First Aid and Emergency Preparedness

March 26, 2009 from 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Wheaton Library Large Meeting Room
The purpose of this training is to provide EAT members will an understanding of very basic first aid and preparedness skills. EAT members will be able to use these skills to help their families and their neighbors prepare for emergencies.

Hotline Training

June 11, 2009 from 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Germantown Library Meeting Room
This training will be conducted by the Montgomery County Mental Health Association for EAT members to learn how to successfully handle calls to a public health hotline.

To register for these trainings, please log into ACTIV – https://activ.montgomerycountymd.gov. If you do not have your username or password, feel free to contact Michael.Goldfarb@montgomerycountymd.gov or Laura.Aceituno@montgomerycountymd.gov. You can also call Michael Goldfarb at (240) 777-2621.

Deadly Tornados Hit Oklahoma

11 Feb 2009 00:00:00 EST

Eight people are dead after tornados hit Oklahoma. The National Weather Service issued a warning and the tornados hit about 10 minutes later. It just goes to show how important it is to prepare well ahead of time, as there is often little warning before a dangerous storm hits.

More news on this story is available here.

To donate or offer assitance, visit http://www.redcross.org.

Virginia Reports Widespread Flu Outbreak

02 Feb 2009 00:00:00 EST

Today's Washington Post reports that Virignia is the first state to report a wide-spread flu outbreak this year. The CDC reports localized outbreaks in Maryland. Based on experts interviewed in the article, it appears that the season could spread into early spring.

You can read the article by clicking here.

Preparing for Winter Storms

28 Jan 2009 00:00:00 EST

Last night's ice storm left Montgomery County's roads, sidewalks, and parking lots covered in ice. We're you prepared? Montgomery County's Office of Emergency Management has suggestions on what everyone should do before, during, and after a winter storm. Tips include:

Before the storm, check your portable radio, smoke detector, and flashlights to ensure batteries are working. Ensure your car is winterized and has a blanket and snow shovel.
During the storm, only travel when absolutely necessary
After the storm, watch for downed power lines. Do not touch downed lines. Contact your local utility company.

To read the full list, visit the Office of Emergency Management's winter storm page.

EAT Orientation - February 18, 2009

27 Jan 2009 00:00:00 EST

The Emergency Action Team will hold an orientation for new members on Wednesday, February 18, 2009 from 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm at the Volunteer Center (401 Hungerford Drive). We will offer an overview of roles and responsibilities, as well as review ACTIV and take pictures for badges.

EAT members who are not new but would like a refresher are welcome to attend. We will hold these orientations approximately quarterly. RSVP by logging onto ACTIV. Under the 'Training' header, click 'Training Curriculum'. Select the EAT Orientation class, then click on 'Enroll' at the bottom of the page.

If you just want your picture taken for your badge, you can stop by the Volunteer Center anytime between 8:30 am - 5:00 pm Monday - Friday.

The next training will be held in March. More on that in the coming weeks.

Welcome to our Blog

05 Jan 2009 00:00:00 EST

Welcome to the Montgomery County Volunteer Center's Emergency Volunteer Blog. This blog will offer Emergency Action Team and Medical Reserve Corps members an opportunity to receive information and news about the teams and preparedness in general.

We hope this blog will help reduce the amount of e-mail you receive to just the most important information. We will still send training announcements and mobilization messages through ACTIV.

We also invite you to take part in the conversation by offering feedback, comments, and questions about postings or other issues. Please send comments by clicking on the picture of the envelop at the bottom-right corner of this post. Or, you can always e-mail Michael.Goldfarb@MontgomeryCountyMD.gov. We will post feedback and questions regularly.