Care Providers Action - March 28, 2008
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Severe Weather Awareness Week and Statewide Tornado Drill DayBy Doug Beardsley Is your nursing facility or assisted living community prepared for severe weather? Do you know that entire Minnesota nursing facilities and housing establishments had to be evacuated due to natural disasters in 2007? The Minnesota Department of Public Safety has announced April 21-25 as “Severe Weather Awareness Week.” The Department encourages the public to learn more about the following topics during the week: Monday April 21: Thunderstorms, Hail, Straight-Line Winds, and Lighting – Click here http://www.severeweather.state.mn.us/Lightning.asp to learn more about these topics. Tuesday April 22: Severe Weather Warnings – Severe weather warnings are prepared and issued to the public by the National Weather Service. Highlights include the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and NOAA all-hazards weather radio. Click here: http://www.severeweather.state.mn.us/Images/2004mn-nwr-circles.gif to learn the NOAA radio frequencies in your area, and click here: http://www.severeweather.state.mn.us/WeatherWarnings.asp to learn more about severe weather warnings. Severe weather warnings are issued by the National Weather Service . . . does your operation have a NOAA (National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration) weather alert radio available where it can be monitored 24/7/365? A good place to look for NOAA radios is the Weather Radio Store http://www.weatherradiostore.com/category.asp?cat=1. Facilities should have at least one portable NOAA radio that can be moved into a storm-safe area during an alert. Wednesday April 23: Floods, Flash Floods – Some nursing facilities and assisted living communities experienced flash floods first-hand in 2007, including full-building evacuations. Click here: http://www.severeweather.state.mn.us/SWAW_Floods.asp to learn more about these topics. Click here: http://www.severeweather.state.mn.us/FloodPhotoGallery.asp to view pictures of some 2007 and 2006 Minnesota floods. Thursday April 24: Tornado Drill Day – The statewide tornado drill is held on Thursday April 24th. The National Weather Service will simulate a tornado watch beginning at 9 a.m. Two tornado drills are planned. The first will take place statewide at 1:45 p.m.; all jurisdictions will activate their warning systems. This first drill allows schools, businesses, and hospitals to practice their sheltering plans. The second drill, at 6:55 p.m., is voluntary (Click on the following link to see a map of participating counties). The evening drill will allow families and second-shift workers an opportunity to practice their sheltering plans. Uncertain about where your safest building areas are? Click on the following link to view a guide to assist in determining the safest areas in various building types. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management have a brief online survey for organizations that participate in the statewide tornado drill. After you have participated in the drill, click here: http://www.severeweather.state.mn.us/OnlineQuestionaire.asp to complete the brief online survey. Friday April 25: Heat Waves – Heat related deaths outpace fatalities in several severe weather categories. Based on a 10 year average from 1992-2001, excessive heat claimed 219 lives each year. By contrast, floods killed 88, tornadoes 57, lightning 52 and hurricanes 15. Does your operation have any systems in place to help encourage hydration during periods of extreme heat? Click on the following links for additional heat wave related information: Heat wave brochure [PDF] – Courtesy of the National Weather Service – Chanhassen Official Heat index chart [PDF] – Courtesy of the National Weather Service - Chanhassen Office Heat Symptoms [PDF] – Courtesy of the Minnesota Department of Health Keep Cool [PDF] – Courtesy of the Minnesota Department of Health Hot Weather Kills [PDF] – Courtesy of the Minnesota Department of Health Also remember that nursing facilities have heat related regulations. Federal regulations require facilities initially certified after October 1, 1990 to maintain a temperature range of 71°- 81°F in resident areas. A facility must show what actions they will take when residents complain of being hot or cold, as well as when building temperatures fall below 71° or exceed 81° F. Facilities initially certified prior to October 1990 are required to maintain “safe and comfortable temperature levels.” Minnesota nursing home rules also require comfortable humidity levels in nursing homes, but no specific humidity level or threshold is referenced. Facilities may need to consider additional fans to improve airflow and temporary air conditioning units for extreme temperature situations. Organizations should make sure that their staff and clients are aware of what to do in natural disasters. Are your emergency plans in place? Doug Beardsley
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