This title paraphrases an article I just read about the degree of security given to various national monuments around the United States. However, I wanted to read the article for what I thought it was going to talk about – symbolism and its relationship to emergency situations.
Now, haven’t you gone somewhere and saw the symbol to something and wondered what the heck it was trying to say? Here are some examples...
Giant snowflake. When I lived in Germany, a German friend pointed at the sign and said, “Look out! A giant snowflake!” Agreed.
Semi-truck-trailer (rear view) on its two side wheels with an arching arrow over it. A truck should be tipping over, but, wait, a force field is making it flip back the other way!
A star-burst with a line straight to a person’s eyes. I think that is supposed to warn of a laser beam or some other light source, but it really looks like the person is shooting lasers FROM his eyes.
The flying deer. Why is it flying? Why not running? I remember the excitement I had as a kid because I thought it was the area where one could see Santa’s flying reindeer. Imagine my disappointment...
The kangaroo. Honestly, it looks like it is barely hopping, yet the deer is shown flying through the air. Having grown up in Michigan, I know deer can jump, but I suspect a kangaroo can out-jump a deer any day.
The giant exclamation mark. Angry? Loud? Cursing?
Door Open/Close. This is the most confusing for me. In an elevator there are two buttons, each with two triangles. One has the sides together and the other has the points together. To me, the sides together looks “closed,” and so the two arrows together look “open.” So, guess what happens when someone rushes to get in the elevator that I am in and I reach for the button to hold the door open.... !
The clarity of symbols is extremely important in emergencies. Symbols need to be fluent in every language and culture. Exits and paths need to be clearly marked. Where to find help or activate alarms should not take Indiana Jones or Robert Langdon to figure out. So, if you are in charge of signs for your family or your community, make sure that they make sense to everyone. The last symbol you need in an emergency is ?
Monday, September 26, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
You First Aid Kit--Probably NOT what you think...
This message was originally a CSU Fullerton Great ShakeOut Message No. 6, sent to all CSUF faculty and staff on Sept. 16. I really try to bring brand new material to this blog every week, but the flu got the better of me and, honestly, my brain cells are on strike. Please enjoy, even if you have read this before...
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I recently looked at my first aid supplies at home. The Power Puff Girl bandaids looked a little old, so I replaced them with Phineas and Ferb. I have to stay with the times at the very least. I was feeling pretty good, too, as I checked the expiration date on the OTC medications, and added other things my 92-year-old mother would need, such as LOTS more bandages and incontinent pads (sigh...), when it hit me. The most important thing in my first aid kit wouldn’t fit at all. That’s because that thing is me!
After playing in a soccer tournament all weekend, I was reminded by my muscles (loudly, I might add) that I am not as young as I used to be. Doing a push-up is nearly impossible and forget chin-ups – something that just a few years ago was a simple task. It’s not as though I could not do these things with a little time and effort. I just got busy, you know? Busy with work, busy with teenagers, busy with family. Too busy to keep myself as fit as I could be. So, if an emergency arose right now, what would I be capable of doing?
We respond to incidents often by reflex. We rush to help a child or an elderly person who has fallen. We’d grab our napkins to help sop the hot coffee from the person’s lap next to us. We do these things because we can.
Now let’s go to a much more serious situation. A 7.0-plus earthquake. Heavy things have fallen on people, a colleague needs help walking. What is in you – your personal first aid kit – that can help?
We all have limitations on what we can do and that range is quite large. But, what we should do is prepare ourselves to be in the best personal state possible in case a disaster or emergency occurs. We start taking care of ourselves and our family so we can handle a disaster, physically and mentally. Here is a list to help you assess yourself.
1. Don’t worry, be happy! (Sing it, Bobby!) Serious situations require a serious demeanor, but try to make all those other times a bit lighter. A positive attitude is actually a strength builder.
2. Eat better. No one loves chocolate cake more than I do, but that can be tempered with lots of fruits and vegetables.
3. Exercise more. We are not elite athletes, but there are probably things all of us can do, regardless of our personal limitations, to be in better shape and a little stronger. Walk more than drive. Bend your knees as often as you can to pick up something. Stretch your arms high over your head. Breathe deeply.
4. Avoid antibacterial soaps and cleaners. “WHAT? Don’t I need to kill those germs?” Yes, but regular soap is equally effective at killing bacteria and do not encourage antibiotic-resistant strains to flourish. Dr. Marcelo Tolmasky, Professor of Biology here at CSUF, has done extensive study on this growing problem (http://calstate.fullerton.edu/news/inside/2006/tomalsky.html). It cannot be stressed enough that antibacterial products should only be used in very specific situations, and that they often cause more problems with allergies and disease than they prevent. And in times of stress, we will be more susceptible to disease.
For all the other things for your First Aid Kit (the things that DO fit!), get some good ideas at http://prepare.fullerton.edu/GSOMsgs/7FirstAid.pdf, or from the American Red Cross at http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/lifeline/fakit.html.
Good health to you all!
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I recently looked at my first aid supplies at home. The Power Puff Girl bandaids looked a little old, so I replaced them with Phineas and Ferb. I have to stay with the times at the very least. I was feeling pretty good, too, as I checked the expiration date on the OTC medications, and added other things my 92-year-old mother would need, such as LOTS more bandages and incontinent pads (sigh...), when it hit me. The most important thing in my first aid kit wouldn’t fit at all. That’s because that thing is me!
After playing in a soccer tournament all weekend, I was reminded by my muscles (loudly, I might add) that I am not as young as I used to be. Doing a push-up is nearly impossible and forget chin-ups – something that just a few years ago was a simple task. It’s not as though I could not do these things with a little time and effort. I just got busy, you know? Busy with work, busy with teenagers, busy with family. Too busy to keep myself as fit as I could be. So, if an emergency arose right now, what would I be capable of doing?
We respond to incidents often by reflex. We rush to help a child or an elderly person who has fallen. We’d grab our napkins to help sop the hot coffee from the person’s lap next to us. We do these things because we can.
Now let’s go to a much more serious situation. A 7.0-plus earthquake. Heavy things have fallen on people, a colleague needs help walking. What is in you – your personal first aid kit – that can help?
We all have limitations on what we can do and that range is quite large. But, what we should do is prepare ourselves to be in the best personal state possible in case a disaster or emergency occurs. We start taking care of ourselves and our family so we can handle a disaster, physically and mentally. Here is a list to help you assess yourself.
1. Don’t worry, be happy! (Sing it, Bobby!) Serious situations require a serious demeanor, but try to make all those other times a bit lighter. A positive attitude is actually a strength builder.
2. Eat better. No one loves chocolate cake more than I do, but that can be tempered with lots of fruits and vegetables.
3. Exercise more. We are not elite athletes, but there are probably things all of us can do, regardless of our personal limitations, to be in better shape and a little stronger. Walk more than drive. Bend your knees as often as you can to pick up something. Stretch your arms high over your head. Breathe deeply.
4. Avoid antibacterial soaps and cleaners. “WHAT? Don’t I need to kill those germs?” Yes, but regular soap is equally effective at killing bacteria and do not encourage antibiotic-resistant strains to flourish. Dr. Marcelo Tolmasky, Professor of Biology here at CSUF, has done extensive study on this growing problem (http://calstate.fullerton.edu/news/inside/2006/tomalsky.html). It cannot be stressed enough that antibacterial products should only be used in very specific situations, and that they often cause more problems with allergies and disease than they prevent. And in times of stress, we will be more susceptible to disease.
For all the other things for your First Aid Kit (the things that DO fit!), get some good ideas at http://prepare.fullerton.edu/GSOMsgs/7FirstAid.pdf, or from the American Red Cross at http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/lifeline/fakit.html.
Good health to you all!
Monday, September 12, 2011
The Importance of Teaching
This is the story of a teacher who believed that teaching and practicing what you teach is the most important thing you can do. And he gave his life for it.
Rick Rescorla was born a British citizen in 1939, and was a member of the British Army. He eventually came to the United States and enlisted in the U.S. Army and fought in Viet Nam, where he received several decorations for valor. In the early 80’s he joined Dean Witter Reynolds, which eventually became Morgan Stanley in 1997, as the Vice President for Security.
The company was located in the World Trade Center and as early as 1992, he warned the New York Port Authority (WTC owner) that it was vulnerable to terrorist attack. His warning was unheeded and the following year, terrorists attacked on the WTC with a truck bomb. Rescorla was there, however, and he helped lead the building occupants to safety.
Rescorla reasoned that the threat was still very real, so he tried to convince management to move from the WTC. Astonishingly, he even speculated that the towers would be terrorist targets for a plane crash. Unfortunately, the lease with the WTC was not due to expire for several more years and costly to change, so they refused to move. Since they were staying, Rescorla insisted that he be allowed to practice a building evacuation every 3 months so that every employee would be well versed on how to safely get out of the building. And he did. He practiced every 3 months, all 2700 employees, down from the 47th floor to the ground level. Everyone. No exceptions.
September 11, 2001. A plane hit Tower 1 and WTC management told everyone to Shelter In Place in Tower 2 to avoid falling debris from Tower 1. Rescorla immediately saw the danger in staying so he ordered an evacuation of all Morgan Stanley employees. He grabbed his bullhorn and sang patriotic songs to employees to calm them as they walked down the stairs.
In the end, all 2700 Morgan Stanley employees survived, along with the 1000 or so others who came with them. The last time anyone saw Rick Rescorla was when he and 5 other employees went back into Tower 2 to try to rescue more people.
This is why we practice emergency drills. It is why we disrupt your class, your test, and your meeting. We need to learn emergency procedures, and know them so well, we could do them without even thinking. We all need to learn what Rick gave his life for – to learn how to do what is needed during times of crisis, to know where and how to evacuate, or drop, cover and hold on, or shelter in place.
Learn more about Rick Rescorla's incredible life in the book "Heart of a Soldier" A Story of Love, Heroism, and September 11th" by James B. Stewart.
An opera of the same name just opened this fall at the San Francisco Opera. Read all about it at the Opera's Website.
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This piece was originally published by me on August 11, 2011, as Great ShakeOut Message No. 1 at California State University, Fullerton.
Rick Rescorla was born a British citizen in 1939, and was a member of the British Army. He eventually came to the United States and enlisted in the U.S. Army and fought in Viet Nam, where he received several decorations for valor. In the early 80’s he joined Dean Witter Reynolds, which eventually became Morgan Stanley in 1997, as the Vice President for Security.
The company was located in the World Trade Center and as early as 1992, he warned the New York Port Authority (WTC owner) that it was vulnerable to terrorist attack. His warning was unheeded and the following year, terrorists attacked on the WTC with a truck bomb. Rescorla was there, however, and he helped lead the building occupants to safety.
Rescorla reasoned that the threat was still very real, so he tried to convince management to move from the WTC. Astonishingly, he even speculated that the towers would be terrorist targets for a plane crash. Unfortunately, the lease with the WTC was not due to expire for several more years and costly to change, so they refused to move. Since they were staying, Rescorla insisted that he be allowed to practice a building evacuation every 3 months so that every employee would be well versed on how to safely get out of the building. And he did. He practiced every 3 months, all 2700 employees, down from the 47th floor to the ground level. Everyone. No exceptions.
September 11, 2001. A plane hit Tower 1 and WTC management told everyone to Shelter In Place in Tower 2 to avoid falling debris from Tower 1. Rescorla immediately saw the danger in staying so he ordered an evacuation of all Morgan Stanley employees. He grabbed his bullhorn and sang patriotic songs to employees to calm them as they walked down the stairs.
In the end, all 2700 Morgan Stanley employees survived, along with the 1000 or so others who came with them. The last time anyone saw Rick Rescorla was when he and 5 other employees went back into Tower 2 to try to rescue more people.
This is why we practice emergency drills. It is why we disrupt your class, your test, and your meeting. We need to learn emergency procedures, and know them so well, we could do them without even thinking. We all need to learn what Rick gave his life for – to learn how to do what is needed during times of crisis, to know where and how to evacuate, or drop, cover and hold on, or shelter in place.
Learn more about Rick Rescorla's incredible life in the book "Heart of a Soldier" A Story of Love, Heroism, and September 11th" by James B. Stewart.
An opera of the same name just opened this fall at the San Francisco Opera. Read all about it at the Opera's Website.
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This piece was originally published by me on August 11, 2011, as Great ShakeOut Message No. 1 at California State University, Fullerton.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Water – Elusive Elixir and Unwelcome Invader
Over 12 million people are suffering from the worst drought in sixty years in an area known as the Horn of Africa – Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya. The drought has severely impacted food supplies so that now around one million are facing starvation. Hundreds of people are dying every day, and nearly half of those are children.
In an almost surreal event, Vermont was hit by a hurricane last month. An astonishing one-and-a-half inches of rain fell every hour for a while, pushing river water to record levels. Homes were destroyed and many historic bridges and roads were washed away. Several towns were flooded in several feet of water and 5 million people were without power. In the end, the storm cost $45 billion dollars and the lives of 40 people. Recovery will take weeks to months, with many things lost forever.
Water is absolutely necessary for life. We need it to move nutritional elements and essential salts through our bodies. Blood is about 8% of our body weight and about 50% of that is plasma, which is mostly water. This vital fluid moves through our heart and kidneys and filters out the bad and unwanted material. As the amount of water in our body shrinks, the delicate balance of fluid composition is disrupted and the body becomes much more susceptible to infection and disease.
On the other hand, too much water can dilute your body’s electrolytic balance and neurons can no longer fire and cells miss important messages. While we are all sadly aware of drowning, a person can literally die from consuming too much water as well. This is extreme, to be sure, but it can and has happened.
Once water has seeped into your home, your carpets, and your walls, it often prepares a perfect spot to host undesirable elements such as mold, mildew and fungus. It is so difficult to rid of them that sometimes the wet objects (keepsakes to furniture to houses) can only be thrown away or completely replaced.
Water, so necessary and yet so dangerous. We cannot tell Mother Nature where to drop this life-giving/life-threatening elixir, but we can look at our own lives and think, “What if...” then “What can I do to protect this...”
For those who want to find some way to help those in need in the Horn of African, go to: http://www.wfp.org/stories/horn-africa-10-ways-you-can-help.
In an almost surreal event, Vermont was hit by a hurricane last month. An astonishing one-and-a-half inches of rain fell every hour for a while, pushing river water to record levels. Homes were destroyed and many historic bridges and roads were washed away. Several towns were flooded in several feet of water and 5 million people were without power. In the end, the storm cost $45 billion dollars and the lives of 40 people. Recovery will take weeks to months, with many things lost forever.
Water is absolutely necessary for life. We need it to move nutritional elements and essential salts through our bodies. Blood is about 8% of our body weight and about 50% of that is plasma, which is mostly water. This vital fluid moves through our heart and kidneys and filters out the bad and unwanted material. As the amount of water in our body shrinks, the delicate balance of fluid composition is disrupted and the body becomes much more susceptible to infection and disease.
On the other hand, too much water can dilute your body’s electrolytic balance and neurons can no longer fire and cells miss important messages. While we are all sadly aware of drowning, a person can literally die from consuming too much water as well. This is extreme, to be sure, but it can and has happened.
Once water has seeped into your home, your carpets, and your walls, it often prepares a perfect spot to host undesirable elements such as mold, mildew and fungus. It is so difficult to rid of them that sometimes the wet objects (keepsakes to furniture to houses) can only be thrown away or completely replaced.
Water, so necessary and yet so dangerous. We cannot tell Mother Nature where to drop this life-giving/life-threatening elixir, but we can look at our own lives and think, “What if...” then “What can I do to protect this...”
For those who want to find some way to help those in need in the Horn of African, go to: http://www.wfp.org/stories/horn-africa-10-ways-you-can-help.
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