Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Ed and Training Opportunity. FREE...Public Health Principles in Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response.

http://phpidccouc.conted.ox.ac.uk/
ccouc

Public Health Principles in Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response.  Whilst Asia is ranked as the most disaster prone region of the world in both natural and man-made disasters, research and training in the Asia-Pacific region is limited. We believe that better understanding of the disaster epidemiological profile and human health implications of disasters will enhance the response and preparedness capacity to mitigate future adverse human health impact.

A child carrying a disaster response bag in a remote, disaster-prone village in China. Photo by CCOUC 2011 - Some rights reserved
Course Overview
The "Public Health Principles in Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response" online course was developed by CCOUC in an attempt to make lessons learnt from previous disasters available and comprehensible to key stakeholders in disaster risk mitigation and the civil society. Students enrolled in the course will gain insight and theoretical understanding of the public health issues related to disaster and be empowered personally and professionally to take necessary actions in the individual, community, and national levels to reduce the health risk posed by the increasing frequency and intensity of disaster.
Course Features
  • The course teaching assistant may assist students in solving any challenges regarding the course content and answer any questions in the process;
  • The course is supported by a mobile application available for download  here;
  • The course enrich students' learning with the use of real disaster case studies, online tools and relevant international publications;
  • The course offers exceptional flexibility for participants to manage their study schedule with course material accessible online anytime, anywhere!
Target Audience
The target audience for this course is individuals studying and working in health, policy, education and humanitarian sectors. Students may be civil servants, healthcare personnel, frontline disaster relief practitioners, and postgraduate students of closely-related disciplines. 
Tuition
As part of CCOUC’s knowledge transfer endeavour, this course is offered free of charge.
Course Completion and Certification
Students who obtain 60% or above in the final assessment will be issued a printable certificate in recognition of completing the course.   
Access to the Course
Cohort 2 of the course is available to registered students only until 15 June 2015. Cohort 3 is now available and will be open for new registrations until 15 November 2015.  To access Cohort 3 of the course, you will first need to register and create an account. Once you have registered, you will be able to access the course from this page by clicking on the Cohort 3 course title below and logging in using the account details you created. The first time you access the course you may be asked to click a button to enrol yourself.


Course Structure and Delivery Format
The course is delivered through an online virtual learning space developed by the Technology-Assisted Lifelong Learning unit of the Department for Continuing Education of Oxford University. 
The course involves a total of 7 lessons, 4 short quizzes and one final assessment. Each lesson requires about one to three hours of study. All assessments are in the form of multiple-choice questions to be completed online with unlimited attempts. To progress through the course, students must obtain 80% or above in each short-quiz. Students enrolled in the course may access all learning materials and go through all learning activities online within a maximum period of six months. Topics covered in the course are as follows:
  • Lesson 1: Public Health Approaches to Medical Disaster Response
  • Lesson 2: Disaster Concepts and Trends
  • Lesson 3: The Impact of Disasters
  • Lesson 4: The Human Health Impact of Disasters
  • Lesson 5: Responding to Health Needs in Disaster (I)
  • Lesson 6: Responding to Health Needs in Disaster (II)
  • Lesson 7: Public Health Emergency Preparedness 

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Situation Awareness. Liberia reports 2 new Ebola cases. 25 March 2015

http://www.aa.com.tr/en/rss/483684--liberia-reports-2-new-ebola-cases#.VRRR5HmLGlg.linkedin


    Liberia reports 2 new Ebola cases

    25 March 2015 16:38 (Last updated 25 March 2015 16:43)

    The new cases have deflated hopes that Liberia might soon be declared Ebola-free







    By Evelyn T. Kpadeh
    MONROVIA
    Liberian authorities on Wednesday reported two new Ebola infections, bringing the total number of new infections in the West African country to three and putting its goal of being declared Ebola-free further out of reach.
    Sompson Sieh, the country's deputy Ebola incident manager, said one of the two cases involved an 18-year-old girl who was taking care of her 44-year-old mother who recently tested positive for the virus.
    The mother used to sell food at a local community school before being taken to hospital on Friday after showing signs of the virus and later testing positive.  
    Liberian health workers are currently monitoring more than 80 people from the infected woman's community.
    The second new case, Sieh said, was that of a young man whose girlfriend is said to be involved in cross-border trade from the New Kru Town community.
    "We are still questioning the young man and trying to convince him to tell us who he has come into contact with," Sieh told the Anadolu Agency.
    "He lives in the New Kru Town area, but was seen in the Clara Town area vomiting blood – that was how he was collected and taken to the Ebola treatment unit," the official said.
    The new cases have deflated hopes that Liberia might soon be declared Ebola-free.
    The country had another 13 days to achieve Ebola-free status before the latest infections were reported.
    Liberia discharged its last known Ebola survivor, Beatrice Yardolo, on March 5.
    The country's first Ebola case was reported on March 24 of last year in Lofa County.
    Since then, Ebola – a contagious disease for which there is no known treatment or cure – has killed nearly 10,194 people, mostly in West Africa, according to a March 11 status report issued by the World Health Organization.
    In Liberia alone, the virus has claimed at least 4,264 lives.

    Friday, May 22, 2015

    FREE Training Opportunity. Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Training. September 2015.

    FYI…. EVEN FOR DIASPORA MEMBERS

    Highly recommend both training courses for community level nonprofits, faith-based organizations to attend.  CERT training at the county, city, neighborhood level is the key to establishing resiliency and sustainability in our community.  Each level has different requirements and needs, and FUNDING opportunities available.

    Having two to four members from your community to attend the program manager and train-the-trainer courses will ensure that your neighborhood program is off to a good start. 

    CERT team concepts are being practiced in the Caribbean and promoted by emergency managements agency\offices of members of the CDEMA (Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency).

    Plan now to attend.  One family, one neighborhood and community at a time.  Only we can resolve our issues, in our communities.

    BEMA.

    2015 Training Dates


    Course Name: E0427 Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program Manager

    September 17-18, 2015
    This course prepares participants to establish and sustain an active local CERT program.

    Course Name: E0428 Community   Emergency Response Team (CERT) Train-the-Trainer

    September 9-11, 2015
    This course prepares participants to deliver FEMA’s CERT Basic Training course.

    Monday, May 18, 2015

    Homeland Security Academic Advisory Council (HSAAC) Membership.

    http://www.dhs.gov/homeland-security-academic-advisory-council-hsaac

    Homeland Security Academic Advisory Council (HSAAC)

    About the HSAAC

    The Homeland Security Academic Advisory Council (HSAAC) provides advice and recommendations to the Secretary and senior leadership on matters related to homeland security and the academic community, including: student and recent graduate recruitment; international students; academic research and faculty exchanges; campus resilience; homeland security academic programs; and cybersecurity.

     HSAAC Members

    Homeland Security Academic Advisory Council (HSAAC) Members:
    Dr. R. Bowen Loftin, Chairman
    • Dr. R. Bowen Loftin, Chancellor, University of Missouri
    • Dr. Joseph E. Aoun, President, Northeastern University
    • Dr. Lezli Baskerville, President & CEO, National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO)
    • Ms. Carrie L. Billy, President & CEO, American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC)
    • Ms. Molly Corbett Broad, President, American Council on Education (ACE)
    • Dr. Walter G. Bumphus, President & CEO, American Association of Community Colleges (AACC)
    • Dr. David M. Dooley, President, University of Rhode Island
    • Dr. Royce C. Engstrom, President, University of Montana
    • Dr. Antonio R. Flores, President & CEO, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU)
    • Dr. Peter J. Fos, President, The University of New Orleans
    • Dr. Rufus Glasper, Chancellor, Maricopa Community Colleges
    • Dr. Patrick T. Harker, President, University of Delaware
    • Ms. Marlene M. Johnson, Executive Director & CEO, Association of International Educators (NAFSA)
    • Dr. Eric W. Kaler, President, University of Minnesota
    • Hon. Ruby G. Moy, President & CEO, Asian American & Pacific Islander Association of Colleges and Universities (APIACU)
    • Dr. Mohammad H. Qayoumi, President, San José State University
    • Rear Admiral Sandra Stosz, Superintendent, U.S. Coast Guard Academy
    • Mr. David Adams (Ex-Officio), Senior Policy Advisor for Law Enforcement, U.S. Department of Justice
    • Mr. David Esquith (Ex-Officio), Director, Office of Safe and Healthy Students, U.S. Department of Education
    • Mr. Edward Ramotowski (Ex-Officio), Deputy Assistant Secretary for Visa Services, U.S. Department of State

    DHS. June 2015. National Infrastructure Quarterly Business Meeting.

    http://www.dhs.gov/national-infrastructure-advisory-council

    Meeting Information

    The next NIAC Quarterly Business Meeting (QBM) will be held:
    Tuesday, June 30, 2015, 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. EDT
    The Auditorium (First Floor)
    2451 Crystal Drive
    Arlington, VA  22202

    National Infrastructure Advisory Council

    The National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC) shall provide the President through the Secretary of Homeland Security with advice on the security of the critical infrastructure sectors and their information systems. The council is composed of a maximum of 30 members, appointed by the President from private industry, academia, and state and local government

    Saturday, May 16, 2015

    CERT CON 2015. June 20-21, 2015. MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD.


    CERTCon 2015


    The Final Countdown to CERTCON 2015 Begins!

    It’s hard to believe that June is just around the corner and that CERTCON 2015
     is only weeks away.  While the time has flown by, our team has been hard at
    work to bring you a conference rooted in the concept of going
    “Beyond Expectations.” 

    You can expect to see a focus on foundational CERT […]

    Register at:     http://certcon.org/registration/  

    How Mark McEwen Came to be our Keynote Speaker

    If you’ve recently visited the CERTCON 2015 website, read our Facebook, or
    seen our latest Tweets, then you know that the keynote speaker for
    CERTCON 2015 this June 20 and 21 will be the former CBS Early Show
    weatherman and stroke survivor Mark McEwen.


    Registration Opens!

    Starting on March 1, 2015, all CERT-trained individuals, team members
    and anyone else wanting to learn more about emergency management or
    preparedness will be able to register for CERT conference, which will be
    hosted by Montgomery County, MD CERT. The conference will be held in
    Rockville, MD at the Universities at Shady Grove. The conference […]


    About CERTCON 2015
    The Montgomery County (Maryland) Community Emergency Response Team 
    (CERT) is sponsoring a two-day conference to provide advanced education 
    and hands-on disaster preparedness training to CERT teams in the mid-Atlantic 
    region and to provide an understanding of CERT capabilities to emergency 
    management personnel, Saturday, June 20 and Sunday, June 21, 2015.
    WHEN:Saturday, June 20 and Sunday, June 21
    WHERE:Universities at Shady Grove
    Rockville, Maryland 20850
    HOSTED BY:Montgomery CERT
    Montgomery County, MD

    Wednesday, May 13, 2015

    Workshop. Hazard Mitigation Grants. Next location Atlanta, Georgia

         Are hazard mitigation grants available in your state, county, and community?

         Better to plan to reduce the effects of the hazards in your community (mitigation),            before they occur.  Plan for the resiliency and sustainability of your community. 

         BEMA

    05/11/2015 08:34 AM EDT

    ATLANTA—The Georgia Emergency Management Agency/Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency will hold one workshop on June 10, 2015 to explain a hazard mitigation program that funds projects that reduce or eliminate damage from future disasters.

    A portion of the federal funding made available for disaster response and recovery from the February winter storm is allocated for the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). 

    The program provides grants to state and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation projects.

    Friday, May 8, 2015

    Support and promote water usage and purification in your community.


    WATER.  One of the most essential compounds needed for all life.

    Support and promote water conservation, and purification in your community, and support others throughout the world in the importance of water.

    Remember only 1-percent of the water in the world is available for human consumption.

    BEMA

    CDC. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC 24/7: Saving Lives. Protecting People.
    http://phil.cdc.gov/phil/details_linked.asp?pid=8229



    PHIL Image 8229

    This photograph depicts a young Ghanaian woman holding a pipe filter that she wears draped on a cord about her neck. Pipe filters are individual filtration devices, similar to a straw, which allow people to filter their water to avoid contracting Guinea worm disease (GWD) while traveling or working in the field. Persons become infected by drinking water containing copepods (water fleas) harboring the infective stage larvae of Dracunculus medinensis. Once inside the body, the stomach acid digests the water flea, but not the larvae, which find their way to the small intestine, where they penetrate the wall of the intestine and pass into the body cavity. 

    During the next 10 - 14 months, the Guinea worms mature to a full size adult 60 - 100cm (2 - 3ft) long, and as wide as a cooked spaghetti noodle. Adult worms mate inside the abdomen. After which, the male dies and the female worm migrates to the site where she will emerge, usually from lower limbs.

    Provide communities with safe sources of drinking water (such as from borehole or hand-dug wells), or have existing dysfunctional ones repaired. Because Guinea worm disease (GWD) can only be transmitted through drinking contaminated water, educating people to follow these simple control measures can completely prevent illness and eliminate transmission of the disease:
    - Prevent persons with an open Guinea worm ulcer from entering ponds and wells used for drinking water.
    - Always filter drinking water, using a household cloth filter or pipe filter, to remove the water fleas which harbor the infective Guinea worm larvae.
    - Treat unsafe sources of drinking water with an approved larvicide, such as ABATE®, that kills water fleas.
    - Provide communities with safe sources of drinking water (such as from borehole or hand-dug wells), or have existing dysfunctional ones repaired.




    RECOMMENDED READING LIST

    Search This Blog

    ARCHIVE List 2011 - Present