MRC GEM

If you weren't at our retreat, now you can see the fun you missed.
If you were, play this and see if you can find yourself.

At our annual holiday luncheon on December 10, 2011, a number of our members were honored for their special contributions to the health and safety of our community.

Homeland Security Affairs, the journal of the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security, presents a special collection of essays in remembrance of the ten-year anniversary of September 11, 2001. Featured are essays by Janet Napolitano, Michael Chertoff, Tom Ridge, and Paul Stockton.

MRC GEM participated in various ways in the development of radiation emergency response plans and training tools. This article on FirstResponder.gov highlights one of these tools, the Virtual Community Reception Center (vCRC) software. See the article at http://www.firstresponder.gov/Pages/FRArticle.aspx?AID=50

In “Balancing the Risks, Benefits, and Costs of Homeland Security,” authors John Mueller and Mark G. Stewart assert that the over one billion dollars spent on U.S. domestic homeland security over the decade since 9/11 cannot be justified by the likely benefit. See more at http://www.hsaj.org/?article=7.1.16 in Homeland Security Affairs, the journal of the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security.

According to a Washington Post article, a 2010 DHS assessment concluded that “Current capabilities can only handle a few radiation injuries at any one time.” The assessment goes on to say “there is no strategy for notifying the public in real time of recommendations on shelter or evacuation priorities.” Click here to view the full story.

Armin Ansari, PhD, CHP, a long-time MRC GEM member, was recently elected President of the Health Physics Society. The Society, formed in 1956, is a scientific organization of professionals who specialize in radiation safety. Its mission is to support its members in the practice of their profession and to promote excellence in the science and practice of radiation safety. Today its nearly 6,000 members represent all scientific and technical areas related to radiation safety including academia, government, medicine, research and development, analytical services, consulting, and industry in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The Society is chartered in the United States as an independent nonprofit scientific organization and, as such, is not affiliated with any government or industrial organization or private entity.

Victims of the 11/30/2010 Buford tornado express their gratitude to EMA and other Gwinnett first responders: http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/letterstotheeditor/headlines/LETTERS_To...

Click to see the latest issue of the Gwinnett, Newton, and Rockdale County Health Departments' Partners in Preparedness newsletter. There's a wealth of interesting material, including a regular section about MRC GEM.

Don't forget to check the Gwinnett, Newton, and Rockdale County Health Departments web site for up-to-date information on our communities' health status, restaurant inspection reports, and a wealth of other useful information.

The American Red Cross and American Heart Association today announced changes to guidelines for administering first aid. Among the revisions are updated recommendations for the treatment of snake bites, anaphylaxis (shock), jellyfish stings and severe bleeding. The First Aid Guidelines are being published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today released The National Health Security Strategy, the nation’s first comprehensive strategy focused on protecting people’s health during a large-scale emergency.

MRC GEM held its third annual Volunteer Appreciation Picnic on Sunday, September 13. Despite predictions of rain, we had a gorgeous day. Nearly seventy members and relatives turned out for what we hoped would be The Four F's: Food, Fun, Fellowship, and Free seasonal flu shots. Apparently, a good time was had by all! Click here to see picnic photos or check out our "Photo albums" page for photos of many of our events by clicking the link on the left."

New information and links about pandemic influenza/H1N1 have been posted on our reference page http://mrcgem.com/reference

Trust for America's Health (TFAH), the Center for Biosecurity, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) analyzed the initial response to the H1N1 outbreak and found that U.S. officials executed strong coordination and communication and an ability to adapt to changing circumstances, but also found that the nation's core public health capacity would be overwhelmed if an outbreak were more severe or widespread. See the full report at http://healthyamericans.org/reports/?reportid=64