Monday, September 7, 2020

September 8, 2020 Starts. New Free Online Course in Disaster Human Services Case Management -- Register Today!

Disaster Human Services Case Management being offered by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Human Services Emergency Preparedness and Response (OHSEPR).

This free online course will be available next week on September 8, 2020!

The course is interactive and is structured to highlight the value of case management, connecting survivors to services.

To enroll in the course, please click on the link for the Request for Access to DHSCM Courses form.

Once registered, you will receive a link to take the course beginning September 8, 2020.

Friday, September 4, 2020

September 2020. High School and College Students. COLLEGEREADINESSPLAN.ORG

https://collegereadinessplan.org/

COLLEGE READINESS PLAN

ABOUT US

Our History

College Readiness Plan is a non-profit organization (501C3) dedicated to preparing the future for success in their career choices and educational goals. For more than 15 years our College Readiness Plan has led as an essential contributor in the professional fields of business, industry, education, law, science, technology, medicine and the fine and performing arts. Our in-service presentations are empowering, informative and stimulating. The College Readiness Plans core values are self-Love, Honesty, Hard Working, Integrity and Excellence. Our values are the cornerstones that have successfully carried the College Readiness Plan through many years.

Research and Development

Please assist us in the process of sharing many scholarship opportunities available through our College Readiness Plan with student’s grades preschool through 12. Our research is proven reaching students during early development is very effective with children beginning in preschool. Our representative is available for motivational speaking, financial aid, career, and College Readiness Plan in service at fairs held at schools, organizations, recreation centers and churches.

College Tours

The College Readiness Plan also includes monthly College Tours.

We have committed to parents and the community to disseminate the educational opportunities the College Readiness Plan is offering.

Critical Infrastructure. Agriculture & Food. COVID-19 and beyond. Countries must offset the soaring costs of healthy foods September 2020

Weekly Digest

Issue #36

Countries must offset the soaring costs of healthy foods

There is ample food for everyone—but not everyone can afford it. Countries must offset the soaring costs of healthy foods, says Máximo Torero, chief economist of the Food and Agriculture Organisation.

LEARN MORE →

Wednesday, September 2, 2020

Water Security. California. U.S. EPA Orders Water Utility in Kern County to Reduce Arsenic in Drinking Water

For Immediate Release: September 2, 2020
Media Contact: Soledad Calvino, 415-972-3512, calvino.maria@epa.gov

U.S. EPA Orders Water Utility in Kern County to Reduce Arsenic in Drinking Water

NORTH EDWARDS, Calif. – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently ordered North Edwards Water District to address ongoing arsenic violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act. The California’s State Water Resources Control Board – Division of Drinking Water (DDW) referred the system to EPA for enforcement.

"A number of smaller drinking water systems in the Central Valley struggle to provide consistently safe drinking water,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator John Busterud. “EPA will work closely with this Kern County system to ensure its 600 customers have the benefit of alternative drinking water until the North Edwards Water District can supply water safe to drink."

The North Edwards Water District system serves approximately 600 residents through more than 200 connections. The system's current source of drinking water is groundwater from two wells.

Arsenic, a naturally occurring mineral found throughout the United States, can be found in groundwater. Drinking high levels of arsenic over many years can increase the risk of lung, bladder, and skin cancers, as well as heart disease, diabetes, and neurological damage. Arsenic also inhibits the body’s ability to fight off cancer and other diseases.

As part of EPA’s order, North Edwards Water District must comply with the arsenic maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 micrograms per liter no later than April 30, 2023. The system has been serving water with arsenic levels above the MCL since at least 2013.

The District must provide a compliance plan by the end of October 2020 outlining how it will comply with the arsenic MCL standard. North Edwards Water District is also required to provide EPA with quarterly progress reports and participate in quarterly meetings with EPA and California DDW on its progress towards compliance. The District has applied for funding from the California State Water Resources Control Board – Division of Financial Assistance to provide residents with alternative water until the system complies with federal and state drinking water requirements.

EPA will continue to monitor North Edwards Water District’s efforts to provide safe drinking water and may levy penalties if the utility fails to meet the compliance provisions in the order.

For more information on EPA's drinking water program, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/sdwa

Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region.

Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Preparedness Month. Mobile App. ERG 2020 (Emergency Response Guide 2020). Training & Workshops.

https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat/erg/erg2020-mobileapp

ERG2020 MobileApp

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has developed a free, mobile web app of its Emergency Response Guidebook 2020 (ERG). The new safety tool provides the nation's emergency responders with fast, easily accessible information to help them manage hazardous material incidents. This software is available from the Apple iTunes store for iPhone, and from the Google Play website for Android.

ERG 2020 for Android

ERG 2020 for iPhone

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Hazardous Materials Transportation Training One-Day Workshops

PHMSA's Hazardous Materials Safety Assistance Team conducts workshops specialized to meet the needs of industry or the public safety community. These free one-day events are scheduled across the nation to help meet the needs of local communities.

Transportation workshops provide a basic overview of the regulatory requirements - what they are, how they apply, and how to comply with them - for shipping and transporting Hazardous Materials. The workshops address the same information as the Hazmat Basics track given at the Multimodal Seminars and include overviews of the Training and Security Requirements.

Public safety workshops are specifically designed to help emergency responders understand the Hazardous Materials Regulations as set forth in CFR 49. The seminars cover the use of the Emergency Response Guidebook, locating emergency response information, and information that every emergency responder should know in order to safeguard themselves and the public.

One-Day Workshop Calendar and Details

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Webinars

PHMSA offers Hazmat transportation training workshops and webinars throughout the year. These free training opportunities are for anyone who offers or transports hazardous materials in commerce, or has a desire to learn more about DOT's Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR).

PHMSA conducts webinars specialized to meet the needs of industry or the public safety community. Transportation webinars provide a basic overview of the regulatory requirements - what they are, how they apply, and how to comply with them - for shipping and transporting Hazardous Materials.

To register for any of the webinars below, please use the following link:
https://opsweb.phmsa.dot.gov/hm_seminars/default_webinar.asp

How to Use the HMR

This session will help you understand the 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and help you to use the Hazardous Material Table to help make sure you are shipping hazmat correctly. At the end of the session attendees will be able to describe the purpose of the 49 CFR; Identify basic roles and responsibilities of shippers; and How to locate reference numbers in the HMR for both Hazard Identification and Packaging Requirements. Time commitment: 90 minutes. Learning Level: Beginner.

The following learning aids will be used during the webinar:

eCFR:

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=9066bf422d632df74cb60b99e8a77437&mc=true&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title49/49tab_02.tpl

How to Use the HMR brochure:

https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/training/hazmat/how-use-hmr

Training and Security

This session will help you to understand everyone's responsibilities and roles when hazardous material is on the move in the transportation system according to the 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). We will explore testing, recordkeeping and training sources and then end up learning how to discuss threat assessment through a written plan. Time commitment: 90 minutes. Learning Level: Beginner.

The following learning aids will be used during the webinar:

eCFR:

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=9066bf422d632df74cb60b99e8a77437&mc=true&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title49/49tab_02.tpl

Security Requirement brochure

https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/training/hazmat/security-requirements-brochure-english

Transportation Training Requirement brochure

https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/training/hazmat/hazmat-transportation-training-requirements

Guide to Developing Hazmat Training Program brochure

https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/training/hazmat/guide-developing-hazmat-training-program

Do You Know If You're Shipping Hazardous Materials? brochure

https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/training/hazmat/do-you-know-if-youre-shipping-hazardous-materials