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N E W S    R E L E A S E

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For more information, contact Jessica Davies 308.487.3600 or 1-866-701-7173

It’s the intersection between the unlikely and the unimaginable – a school shooting, a catastrophic forest fire or a hazardous chemical spill near a railroad siding. Most people don’t like to think about disasters and public health professionals don’t want to cry wolf – but they do caution citizens to be prepared to help themselves and their neighbors if disaster does strike close to home.

"We can't control when or where disasters happen, but we can control our response to them,” Jessica Davies, regional coordinator for the Panhandle Citizens Corp Network said, quoting an anonymous source. To assist the general public in being prepared, the PCCN is offering a Citizen’s Emergency Response Training in Scottsbluff, June 27-29.

“Citizen corps members are specially trained for the purpose of enhancing a community’s ability to recognize, respond to and recover from a catastrophic event or disaster,” Davies said. “By using citizen corps volunteers to support local emergency responders, we make our community safer, less vulnerable and better prepared to respond to disasters, threats of terrorism, public health issues and crime.”

Various types of volunteer opportunities are available in a disaster situation. A list of options is listed below. Through training, citizens can manage utilities and put out small fires; open airways, control bleeding, and treat for shock; provide basic medical aid; search for and rescue victims safely and to organize themselves and spontaneous volunteers to be effective.

Local citizen corps councils include the Deuel County Neighborhood Watch Program, Ponderosa Search & Rescue and the Scotts Bluff County Citizen Corps Council.

Registration for the June CERT training in Scottsbluff is available online at www.panhandlepartnership.com or by calling Panhandle Public Health District in Hemingford, 308.487.3600 or 866.701.7173.  

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N E W S    R E L E A S E

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For more information, contact Rebecca Thompson, 487-3600 or 1-866-701-7173
Sound bites of Rebecca Thompson, Environmental Health Coordinator for PPHD:
1.  Finding the virus...
2.  Simple Precautions... 

Panhandle Public Health District is preparing for the 2008 West Nile Virus season through the collection of dead birds and trapping of mosquitoes.  “Finding the virus in birds gives public health officials an indication of the level of virus in the area and the risk to human beings of contracting the disease,” said Rebecca Thompson, Environmental Health Coordinator for PPHD.

Citizens may call PPHD at 308-487-3600 or toll free at 866-701-7173 if they see a dead bird, especially of the corvid or raptor variety. Raptors include hawks and eagles. Corvids include crows, Jays and magpies. If you are unsure about the bird’s species, Thompson advises calling anyway and a public health staff member will respond.  All dead birds are entered into a state data base, with those listed above sent on for testing.  Testing will only be conducted on birds that are in good condition, with no evidence of maggots or rotting.

West Nile is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito that has picked up the virus by feeding on an infected bird.  In turn, the mosquito can pass the virus to humans.  Mosquito trapping for additional surveillance will begin in early June, Thompson said, to determine if the virus is present in the area. Only one type of mosquito, the common Culex variety, carries the virus.

West Nile includes flu-like symptoms such as fever and muscle weakness.  Symptoms of West Nile encephalitis include inflammation of the brain, disorientation, convulsions and paralysis.  People over 50 and those with weak immune systems are especially vulnerable to the disease.

“Simple precautions are available to “fight the bite,” Thompson said.

For additional information about West Nile Virus, visit www.pphd.org. 

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