Health and Safety Podcast Transcript: May 19, 2009
Hello, and welcome to the Fairfax County Health and Safety Podcast for May 19, 2009. I’m Jim Person, Fairfax County emergency information officer. Coming up, learn about H1N1 Influenza, or swine flu, mosquito and tick season, and hurricane preparedness. Links to topics mentioned in this podcast can be found online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov.
The H1N1 influenza – or swine flu – which while not as serious as health officials may have first believed, is still a cause of concern. The Fairfax County Health Department encourages residents to follow the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including:
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
- Stay home if you get sick.
For more information, visit cdc.gov or www.fairfaxcounty.gov.
Mosquito and tick season is here and the Fairfax County Health Department is placing mosquito traps at 70 different locations in the county – the majority in parks, on school properties or other “public” properties.
The traps are clearly marked with the words “MOSQUITO TRAP” and have other markings to let people know what these devises are. Health Department staff collecting the traps will be in marked county vehicles and will be wearing county-issued Health Department identification.
One of the traps is about the size of an office trash can and is set on the ground. The other trap is hung from a tree and is about 5 feet long. Both of these traps are placed under a tarp suspended in the trees.
In addition, Clarke Mosquito Control will be treating storm drains with a larvacide. The drivers of the white, Clarke Mosquito Control trucks will be tossing a small packet into the storm drain inlets as they drive along county streets. In some areas, Clarke Mosquito Control staff will be doing treatments on bicycle.
If you have questions about mosquito traps or treatment, call 703-246-8482.
National Hurricane Preparedness Week is May 24-30, an excellent opportunity to take three simple, low-cost steps to get ready: get a kit, make a plan and stay informed. This year, the Ready Virginia campaign is focusing on teaching families how to make a plan. For hurricane season, families should learn their designated evacuation routes, decide on an evacuation destination and collect emergency contact information. Go to www.ReadyVirginia.gov for downloadable family plan worksheets.
Residents can benefit from Virginia’s Hurricane Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday, set for May 25-31. During that week, no sales tax will be charged on the purchase of many items that can be used to prepare homes for hurricane and flood season and to fill emergency supply kits. Among the exempt items are bottled water; flashlights; batteries including cell phone batteries; food and beverage storage coolers; battery-powered or hand-crank radios, two-way radios, weather band radios and NOAA Weather Radios; cell phone chargers; carbon monoxide and smoke detectors and fire extinguishers; first-aid kits; tarps, plastic sheeting, drop cloths and duct tape; artificial ice; empty gas, propane or diesel fuel tanks or containers; and generators. For a complete list and details go to www.tax.virginia.gov.
For additional hurricane preparedness information, visit the Fairfax County Office of Emergency Management online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/oem, or call 571-350-1000.
That’s it for this edition of the Fairfax County Health and Safety Podcast, produced by the Fairfax County, Virginia government. Thanks for listening. Additional information about health and safety topics and emergency preparedness may be found online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov. And remember, if you have a police, fire or medical emergency, call 9-1-1. For non-emergency needs, call 703-691-2131.