Pending approval, the helicopter will be based at Stonewall Jackson Hospital in Lexington. Carilion is partnering with Med-Trans Corporation to provide the service.

    Carilion Clinic officials say the new Lifeguard 12 will also serve Alleghany County and Bath County in Virginia as well as Pocahontas County, Greenbrier County, and Lewisburg in West Virginia.

News Release from Carilion:

CARILION CLINIC ADDING THIRD HELICOPTER TO AIR MEDICAL FLEET

Carilion Clinic Patient Transportation (CCPT) selects Med-Trans for air medical service

ROANOKE, Va. (2/2/12) Carilion Clinic will add a third helicopter to its fleet of medical aircraft serving southwest and central Virginia and sections of West Virginia and North Carolina.  The helicopter, called Carilion Life-Guard 12, will be based in the Rockbridge County area. Its presence will further extend Carilion’s ability to serve the region, which includes Allegheny County, Bath County, Pocahontas County, Greenbrier County and Lewisburg. Life-Guard 12  will significantly reduce response and transport time, providing fast, efficient critical care air services to those in need.

       Life-Guard 12 will join Life-Guard 10 which covers the Roanoke Valley region, and Life-Guard 11, which responds in the New River Valley region from its base at Carilion New River Valley Medical Center.

       While planning for the expansion, Carilion sought a partner who was best aligned with the organization’s needs and mission and selected Med-Trans Corp. based out of Dallas, Texas.

       “We are pleased to be partnering with Carilion Clinic and able to contribute to their team’s continued commitment of caring for critical patients in need of air medical transport.  Carilion’s air medical bases will continue to be a regional asset and industry leader providing an invaluable service,” stated Fred Buttrell, President/CEO of Med-Trans Corp.

       Pending approval by the appropriate local agencies and government officials, Carilion plans to construct a permanent base for Life-Guard 12 at Carilion Stonewall Jackson Hospital in Lexington.

       “We are extremely excited to provide a home for Life-Guard 12,” said Vice President and CSJH Administrator Chuck Carr. “By basing operations in Lexington, Carilion Clinic Patient Transportation can provide critical, life-saving air transport to a wider area.”

       In addition to Life-Guard 12, CCPT plans to relocate Life-Guard 10 to a newly planned facility in the Westlake area of Franklin County.   Roanoke Life-Guard base will continue to serve all three helicopters.

           “A base in Franklin County will improve response times in our service area south of Roanoke. This is particularly important to Heart Alert and Stroke Alert, and trauma patients whose outcomes can depend on timely treatment,” said Paul B. Davenport, Carilion Clinic Vice President for Emergency Services.

       From its new base Franklin County base, Life-Guard 10 will significantly improve response and transport times for Henry County, Patrick County, Bedford County, Pittsylvania County, Martinsville and Danville.

       Carilion Life-Guard 12 is expected to begin flying in April of 2012.

About Carilion Clinic
Carilion Clinic is a not-for-profit healthcare organization serving nearly one million people in Virginia through hospitals, outpatient specialty centers and advanced primary care practices. Led by multi-specialty physician teams with a shared philosophy that puts the patient first, Carilion is committed to improving outcomes for every patient while advancing the quality of care through medical education and research. For more information visit www.carilionclinic.org/about.

About Med-Trans
Med-Trans Corporation, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is a leading provider of air ambulance programs throughout the United States. A proven solution to our partners, Med-Trans offers an array of customized air medical program designs including hybrid models, community based models or traditional hospital-based models. The company’s extensive fleet rapidly delivers teams of highly trained professionals to patients, striving to provide the patient with the best possible outcome.  For more information, please visit:   www.med-trans.net

The second deadly accident occured Monday night January 30th when a man from Alabama died after the tractor trailer he was driving rear ended another tractor trailer that had broken down around mile marker 196 in the construction zone of the north bound lanes, approximnately 6 miles noth of Lexington. The accident occurred at 6:10 p.m. The driver died after his truck caught fire and the fire spread to the other truck that had been hit in the rear. The vehicle that caught fire was carrying shredded aluminum and the vehicle that was struck was carrying fresh produce. The interstate was closed for 14 hours while crews worked to clean up the incident. A detour was in place for all north bound traffic.

A local woman from Fairfield was killed around noon on Tuesday when the vehicle she was driving crashed in the 1800 block of North Lee Highway. The vehicle hit a tree, rolled over and struck another tree before coming to rest.

On Thursday February 2nd another tractor trailer incident in Botetourt County impacted travelers on I-81 in Rockbridge County. Shortly after 2:00 a.m. a tractor trailer crashed on I-81 at mile marker 167 north bound spilling the contents of his load, the truck was then struck by another tractor trailer. The driver who was from Pennsylvania died as a result of the accident and the interstate in both directions remain closed while haz-mat crews clean up the spill. The truck was carrying trioglycol which is a poisonous material.

As budgets continue to shink and the taxpayers are demanding more, this makes sense for those in the first responder community. Local government should look at this as the model for improvement and cost saving while providing the necessary services to its citizens. In rural areas of the country this makes sense due to the lack of a significant tax base.

Governments must continue to be forward thinking and stay one step in front or they will find themselves with outdated and inefficient dispatch centers, and this in the long run will cost the taxpayers more of their hard earned money. Citizens will continue to demand services from their emergency services and this is a way to stay on the cutting edge.

New EOC Facilitates Multiagency Coordination.

 Virginia Department of Emergency Management

10501 Trade Court, Richmond, VA 23236 l

(804) 897-6510 l www.vaemergency.gov

 CONTACT:           Bob Spieldenner        

(804) 674-2400                                                       Nov. 28, 2011

                                bob.spieldenner@vdem.virginia.gov

 Winter came early – were you ready?
Winter Preparedness Week is Dec. 4-10

 RICHMOND, Va. – Old Man Winter paid an early visit to many Virginia communities at the end of October with snow accumulation and cold temperatures.  The Virginia Department of Emergency Management and the National Weather Service remind Virginians that Winter Preparedness Week, Dec. 4-10, is a great opportunity to make a plan for handling severe winter weather.

“Making a plan is the most important thing that Virginians can do to ensure their family’s safety,” said Michael Cline, state coordinator of emergency management.  “Making a plan doesn’t cost anything, and it can greatly reduce the potential loss of life and property during the winter months.”

Snow and ice storms can cause lengthy power outages, life-threatening low temperatures and dangerous road conditions.  Injury and death from hypothermia, heart attack, stroke and traffic crashes are all too common during the winter season. Start emergency planning with a free family plan worksheet and an online fill-in version at http://www.vaemergency.gov/readyvirginia/makeaplan. 

Being prepared to stay where you are until conditions improve is another important part of winter planning. 

 “Last winter’s severe weather caused power outages that shut down schools, offices and businesses,” said Bill Sammler, NWS Warning Coordination Meteorologist in Wakefield.  “There’s always a good chance that every winter we will see severe weather somewhere in Virginia.  Some years the snow and cold temperatures are widespread.  So everyone, no matter where they live in Virginia, needs to be sure they are properly prepared for winter weather.”

VDEM TIPS FOR WINTER WEATHER PREPAREDNESS

• Get a kit. You’ll need emergency supplies on hand at home, in the car and at work. 
• For home, start with these basics: three days’ food and water; a battery-powered and/or hand-crank radio with extra batteries; and a family emergency plan. After getting these supplies, add a first aid kit, medications if needed, blankets and warm clothing, supplies for special members of your household, and pet items.
• For your car, start with some bottles of water and food bars; bag of sand or kitty litter to provide traction under tires; hats, gloves and blankets; and cell phone charger.
• For your office, have some bottles of water and food bars and a radio to hear local information about whether or not it is safe to travel.  Officials may advise staying in place until it is safe to travel.
• Make a plan. Choose an out-of-town relative or friend to be your family’s point of contact for emergency communications. Decide on a meeting place if your family cannot return home because of closed roads. Discuss with your family what you would do in case of severe winter weather in your area.
• Stay informed. Before, during and after a winter storm, listen for up-to-date information from your local media and emergency officials. Local media will give instructions from local, state and federal agencies that cover road conditions, winter storm watches and warnings, power outages and health information. Make sure your battery-powered radio is working and you have extra batteries in case the electricity goes out.

ADDITIONAL WINTER SAFETY TIPS

• Keep space heaters at least three feet from other objects. Never leave space heaters unattended. Install a smoke detector in every bedroom and on each level of your home. Check the batteries monthly, and replace them once a year at the same time every year.
• In case of power outages, use flashlights instead of candles for light.
• Use generators only outdoors and only in well ventilated areas.
• Make sure outdoor pets have adequate shelter, unfrozen water and food.
• If your household includes someone with special needs (has a disability, requires electricity to operate home medical equipment, needs to go to dialysis, etc.) call your local emergency manager to let them know where you live and what you will need during an emergency.
• Driving is most dangerous when the temperature is at or under 32° F. If the road is wet, patches of ice are possible, especially on bridges and curves. Avoid using cruise control in winter weather conditions.
• Keep a safe distance of at least five seconds behind other vehicles and trucks that are plowing the road.
• Don’t pass a snowplow or spreader unless it is absolutely necessary. Treat these as you would emergency response vehicles.
• Keep an emergency winter driving kit in your car.

For more on preparing for winter weather in Virginia, visit www.ReadyVirginia.gov and click on Stay Informed.

 The alarm was raised by Maersk Line on 18 October when it informed the World Shipping Council’s Safe Transport of Containers Working Group that it had recently experienced three cases in which refrigeration units had exploded for no apparent reason.

 While the precise causes of the explosions are still under investigation, Maersk said it had ascertained that all three refrigeration units involved had received gas repairs in Vietnam between late March and late April and advised other lines that had had similar gas repairs or maintenance to refrigeration units in Vietnam to identify and investigate those units.

 Observers say all the major reefer machinery brands – Carrier, Daikin, Thermo King and Star Cool – are potentially affected by what is suspected to be the introduction of contaminated or otherwise unsuitable refrigerant gas into the system that causes a chemical reaction when it comes into contact with R134a, oil or air, creating a flammable/explosive mixture.

 At least two Carrier ThinLINE and one Star Cool unit are reported to have suffered compressor ruptures in separate incidents in Brazil, China and Vietnam, while refrigerant gas from a Daikin LXE10E unit is said to have spontaneously combusted when exposed to air.

 On 21 October, Carrier Transicold, the world’s biggest reefer container machinery manufacturer, sent an urgent safety bulletin to all its authorised service centres reporting that four reefer units are now known to have experienced compressor ruptures.

 Carrier said Maersk, CMA/CGM, Hapag-Lloyd and others have identified at least 900 refrigeration units that they suspect may contain contaminated refrigerant and have quarantined those units.

 As part of the quarantine, Maersk has given instructions to cross stuff cargo where possible, unplug the suspect reefers and store them in an isolated location with the machinery units facing away from people or traffic or stacked with the units facing each other.

 Carrier advised its service centres to contact reefer customers and request that they immediately implement a reefer quarantine policy that follows the Maersk guidelines for units that have had refrigeration system work performed in Vietnam during 2011 and recommended that no work be carried out on reefers until the reefer owner or lessee can provide service records verifying that the reefer did not have any refrigeration system service work completed in Vietnam during 2011.

 This BASIC FALL CLASS designed for Community Emergency Response Team members (CERT) had a class of 15 attendees who took time to learn about Disaster Preparedness / Fire Safety and Utility Control Awareness / Disaster Medical Operations /Disaster Psychology/Light Search and Rescue /CERT Organization /Terrorism and CERT

 Participants received instruction from Firefighter/EMT-B Gary Smith with the South River Volunteer Fire Department and Emergency Management Coordinator Robert Foresman.

 The goal of the CERT class is to have community citizens that are trained in the basics of emergency response so that they can assist in their neighborhoods when disaster strikes and first responders are overwhelmed with the events of the disaster. These individuals are there to assist as needed whether it is during a hurricane, snowstorm, a fire, or some man-made event. Having citizens trained to help during times of disasters allows us as a community to build and enhance our capacity to help ourselves said Robert Foresman, Rockbridge County Emergency Manager.

 Rockbridge County Resident CERT Volunteer and Disaster Preparedness Educator Peggy Selden supplied the class with supplemental materials and Grab-N-Go Kit ideas and brochures full of educational material.  It is hoped that this class will become the second phase of Rockbridge County’s Ambassadors promoting Disaster Preparedness among their family and friends.  The first phase of Rockbridge CERT began with a training session in late 2010 with 25 people finishing their class in November of 2010.  Formation of Rockbridge CERT officially started in January 2011.  The graduates of the fall 2010 class spent time developing the organizational structure for the group, once the structure was in place the group could then move forward with promoting community preparedness. CERT members have been active in Public Events like participating in 2010 Christmas Food Basket / Glasgow’s Emergency Services Day / Glasgow’s Riverfest / Rockbridge Community Festival / Rockbridge Baths Labor Day Celebration/ Vesuvius Community Meeting and most recently SNAP FITNESS Health Fair.

 Interested organizers of local groups or clubs wishing to obtain “free’ CERT Training can contact the Office of Emergency Management for time and date of the next class offering.

What public safety leaders need to know about how to make the move to Next Generation 9-1-1 services, and how best to take advantage of the benefits these services provide.

The FCC estimates that 70% of 9-1-1 calls are placed by wireless callers. Couple that with the increase in Voice Over IP (VoIP) phone services and you can quickly see that being able to fix a phone number with a specific location is nowhere near the majority of these calls anymore. Furthermore, the increased capabilities associated with these wireless and VoIP networks has led to the idea that we should use data, images and video to improve the effectiveness of transmitting a 9-1-1 “call” to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP).

 That idea has been driven into fruition by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), under the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), who has developed the Next Generation 9-1-1 initiative (NG9-1-1). Through the initiative, the NHTSA is looking to incorporate these new technical capabilities and drive the marriage of them with existing PSAPs.  Yet being able to tie Emergency Services IP Networks (ESInets) to legacy networks, and ensuring that PSAPs can handle video, streaming, data, texting and voice, plus obtain the location of a mobile phone and/or a VoIP phone, is a potentially daunting task.  But with the right tools, it is possible. 

So what do public safety leaders need to know about how to make the move to next-generation 9-1-1 services?  And how can they best take advantage of the benefits these services provide?

 Setting the Stage for the Future of Emergency Calling

9-1-1 services are not something to be taken lightly.  Channeling important calls through the network is critical to ensuring the safety of lives across the U.S.  With today’s emergency services, or E9-1-1 services, the public can only make emergency voice calls and Teletype calls. This means that only minimal data is delivered, including the Automatic Number Identification, which enables subscribers to display or capture the billing telephone number of a calling party, subscriber name and Automatic Location Identification, if available.

However, in the NG9-1-1 environment, the public will be able to make a wide range of emergency “calls,” including voice, text and video from any device – wired or wireless – over Internet Protocol (IP) networks.  In addition, PSAPs will be able to obtain data from personal safety devices like medical alert systems and sensors.    Not only do these services support a constantly increasing mobile user base, but they also support the deaf and hearing impaired, who frequently communicate via text message, as well as non-English speaking callers.

 The National Emergency Number Association (NENA) understands the importance of emergency calling and is tracking the progression of 9-1-1 services within the U.S., and is setting the stage for the future of emergency calling. In fact, on June 16 NENA announced the approval of the i3 standard which explains, “how networks and devices will eventually work together to enable voice, text, picture, and data exchange between citizens and first responders.”  It is essentially a long-term plan to ensure that all public safety networks are successfully transitioned from legacy networks to next-generation IP networks to allow for the more advanced services like video, streaming, data, texting and voice communications. The protocol for delivering these “calls” across the ESInet will be the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), or IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS, which incorporates SIP).  The functional and interface standards developed by NENA describe general SIP and IMS-based architectures that allow responsible agencies flexibility in developing an infrastructure to support the envisioned features of NG9-1-1 calling.

As a result of the i3 standard, and NENA’s emphasis on the importance of transitioning legacy networks to IP, public safety agencies are on the move to make this transition. 

But with more than 6,000 PSAPs in the U.S., it goes without saying that transitioning every single PSAP from TDM to IP comes with its challenges.  Just how to make this transition has been an ongoing topic of debate, and budget is a primary concern.

However, if done correctly, the operational and fiscal advantages of NG9-1-1 networks will be significant.  In addition to offering new ways of communication for PSAPs and the general public, the new environment provides for much easier, much more effective call routing and transfers.

The goal for many PSAPs is to become part of a larger regional network, including other PSAPs, thereby reducing the cost and maintenance burden. This could take place in a physical or virtual manner – where several counties work together to consolidate their physical networks, or via virtual IP networks, counties could leverage resources to connect various emergency call centers.  This would lift the budget concerns, creating a more efficient and effective architecture – and reducing operational expenses. 

Making the Transition

There are two options for making the migration from TDM to IP.  Public safety agencies can choose to run two networks in parallel – a TDM and an IP network – until they do the final switchover.  However, this requires an extensive amount of hardware and as a result this option tends to be extremely expensive and less efficient. 

That being said, it is important that as public safety leaders make the transition, that they consider not just the replication of what their networks can accomplish today, but what their networks can accomplish in the future.  That way, as innovative, new services are introduced they can essentially build on their network rather than having to recreate it again in the future.  The key to this option is to implement the right network equipment that can support both TDM and IP services, so that they can complete today’s E9-1-1 services, while transitioning to new NG9-1-1 services – without having to rip and replace their network.

When PSAPs are looking at building on top of their existing network, there are a few key elements that they should look at within their network – those that can support both TDM and IP as they make the migration so that PSAPs can support emergency services now and in the future. 

Legacy Network Gateway (LNG)
The Legacy Network Gateway is a media gateway solution with additional 9-1-1 specific features that allows legacy, TDM-based carrier networks to access the emergency services available in the ESInet. 

Legacy PSAP Gateway (LPG)
The Legacy PSAP Gateway is a media gateway solution which provides similar features to the LNG, and is critical in providing protocol conversion from the NG9-1-1 ESInet to the E9-1-1 PSAP equipment. 

Emergency Services Routing Proxy (ESRP)
The ESRP is the base routing of function for emergency calls for NG9-1-1.  As needed, the ESRP queries the Emergency Call Routing Function (ECRF) for routing instructions and queries the PRF for applicable policy.  The ESRP forwards the modified SIP signaling to the appropriate node.  The ESRP is also used for calls originating in the PSAP that are bound for responders.  It is important to select equipment that supports the necessary recording and media anchoring requirements for the ESRP and the ability to deliver video services, as this will be key in the future of NG9-1-1 communications.

Border Control Function (BCF)
The Border Control Function provides a secure entry into the ESInet for emergency calls presented to the network.  It incorporates firewall and admission control, and may include anchoring of sessions and media as well as other security mechanisms to prevent deliberate or malicious attacks on PSAPs or other entities connected to the ESInet. 

Each of the functions described above are key to making the migration from E9-1-1 to NG9-1-1 without having to rip and replace an entire network.  They make it possible to tie ESInets to legacy networks to ensure PSAPs can handle video, streaming, data, texting and voice, obtaining the location of a mobile phone and/or a VoIP phone – taking the public safety industry to the next level. 

 Summing it Up

While NG9-1-1 has been talked about for quite a long time, the passing of NENA’s i3 standard represented a significant step forward for the public safety industry.  Now more than ever, public safety leaders must be aware of the various ways to make the transition from E9-1-1 to NG9-1-1.  From incident notification to mass reporting and coordinating response, NG9-1-1 will only enhance the public safety of citizens throughout the U.S. and it is important that public safety leaders understand which core components of the network will enable them to do so – without breaking the bank.  Building on their existing network with equipment that supports both TDM and IP and therefore existing and future services, is clearly the best way to do so. 

Jim Machi is Senior Vice President of Marketing for Dialogic Corporation, responsible for developing marketing strategy and driving marketing communications for Dialogic.  He is also responsible for long term product planning and strategy for all Dialogic products.  Dialogic develops open systems based voice, video and signaling products targeted for both the enterprise and service provider market segments.  For more information see http://www.dialogic.com

 The events of September 11, 2001 are vivid in our minds today and are so entrenched that none of us will soon forget. Whether it is the image of the planes crashing into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, or in a field in Pennsylvania; the imploding of the World Trade Center buildings or the pride Americans felt as firefighters raised flags at the Pentagon or the raising of the flag on the pile of the World Trade Center. The events of 9/11 can shake the foundation of our great structures but it cannot be allowed to shake the foundation of American society and the values that we as a nation hold. In its emotional impact, September 11, 2001, may have been the most horrifying single day in American history. As bloody as some of the great battles and disasters of the past have been, the news about them tended to trickle out: most Americans read detailed accounts of Antietam, Hunter’s raid on VMI or Pearl Harbor well after the event. On September 11, Americans watched on television, in real time, as the twin towers of the World Trade Center burned and their fellow citizens flung themselves to their deaths from 100 stories up. Americans all watched as the towers imploded, and they all knew that they were witnessing, in seconds, the deaths of thousands of their compatriots in the nation’s front yard.

 Today, Americans gather at the Pentagon, a field in Shanksville, PA, near the site of the New York World Trade Center, and Kandahar in Afghanistan, here, and at hundreds of other places around the country and the globe. United in purpose, we gather to remember the victims of the horrific terrorist attacks against this nation ten years ago today. We also gather to remember those in and out of uniform who continue the daily fight against those who would harm us for no other reason than the United States stands as a bright shining light of freedom in the world.

When the al Queda terrorists struck at the Pentagon and the World Trade Center, they sought to topple the world’s mightiest symbols of military power and economic prosperity. And while those blows hurt, they did not cripple the far reaching capabilities or the effectiveness of our Armed Services and our financial institutions. United, we grieve for the 3,000 innocent people who perished in those surprise attacks against our nation. They came from all walks of life, all races, and all ages.

Among the youngest victims were three sixth-graders from the Washington, D.C. area. Bernard Brown, Asia Cottom and Rodeny Dickens took American Airlines Flight 77 from Washington’s Dulles Airport on their way to California on a National Geographic-sponsored education trip to learn about the Channel Islands near Santa Barbara. Their young lives were cut short when their hijacked jetliner flew into the west side of the Pentagon, we can only imagine the greatness that could have been contained in the souls of these three children. Who can forget Todd Beamer leading a group of passengers against the terrorists to save thousands of lives in Washington D.C. on that faithful day.

We all witnessed the tragic events of that day and many of us felt helpless, some from fear, others wanting to help and not knowing where to begin, some tried all day and night to reach family members who were in New York, or Washington; not knowing whether they were alive or dead. There was a fear of the unknown that descended over the nation and into every household as the events unfolded, as the day progressed we were reassured by our leaders that America would survive and prosper in the future. Many of us realized that the events of September 11, 2001 had changed our lives forever. Some of the changes were immediate and many more have evolved over the years.

 Since the events of 9/11 we have begun the process of improving how we are prepared for terrorist’s attacks, natural, and man-made emergencies. Much of the focus has centered on the preparation of the federal government. We as citizens must realize that at the local level we play a vital role in carrying out the mission of preparedness. We have to take the necessary steps to ensure that we live in a safer community. The government will provide guidance and leadership in the area of preparedness but it is the responsibility of each citizen to prepare for their own safety, especially at home. We are safer and better prepared since the events of 9/11 but there is still work to accomplish (such as interoperability for first responders) and it is up to each and every one of us to support new measures that will be forthcoming to enhance our safety and security within the nation’s borders. Some of these measures will cost thousands of dollars and others will cost millions of dollars and we must not let our leaders refuse to provide the necessary measures simply because of the cost, no life in the world has a price and government leaders must understand and be held accountable to the new standards.

 It was not long ago that we could attend school without the fear of security measures to ensure our safety but after 9/11 there was a push to ensure the safety of our school age children. School leaders must now plan for increases in gang activity, spikes in violence at athletic events, and a rise in internet and technology crimes. As technology has improved and made our lives more advanced so too has crimes against children increased. It is now up to administrators to ensure that sensitive information is removed from the school districts web sites that can be used to harm students. Changes included more supervision from adults, the use of cameras to ensure student and faculty safety. More resource officers were allocated for schools, crisis plans were mandated from the state, safety and security training is part of staff development. Crisis teams are mandated to be used by schools, administrators are responsible for providing the necessary training to their staff to ensure that all students can flourish in a safe environment and faculty can provide a quality education in a safe and orderly environment. School leaders now must understand that the concept of school safety is as important, if not more so than instructional leadership. Simply put we cannot educate our children if they are not in a safe and secure learning environment.

 I like many of you can remember the days of attending sporting events and not having to worry about your safety. That too has changed, even at high school athletic events we are exposed to more uniformed security. If you have ever attended a college athletic event, a NASCAR Race, a professional athletic contest you will notice that you must arrive early and proceed through a series of security checkpoints. Prior to 9/11 most security was in place to ensure that no one became unruly during the contest, now security is there to ensure your safety. More uniform police officers, K-9 dogs, bomb squads; these include local, state, and federal authorities.

 Since the events of 9/11 we as citizens have encountered increased security measures, especially in the transportation industry. Many people have complained about the changes, and, they consider these measures to be invasion of privacy, but as citizens we should be grateful that there are people who want to ensure our safety. As long as citizens have nothing to hide then they should be willing to encounter the new safety measures. We must understand that these measures are necessary for our well-being, I for one do not mind the security procedures at an airport, yes these take time but if it will ensure that I will live another day then I am fully supportive of the measures and each citizen should be fully accepting of the measures.

 In the emergency services profession there has been much change both internally and externally. First responders no longer can take for granted that when they pull up on the scene of a fire or motor vehicle crash that the people will accept their assistance. First responders must be suspicious of every event when they respond; in particular when they are responding to calls that involve bomb threats or explosions they must be aware of secondary devices that may have been set to harm them. We must now be trained in weapons of mass destruction, chemical, biological, and radiological emergencies that can affect thousands of people. We must be prepared for mass evacuations that can occur, health emergencies that include the possibility of a pandemic; which could result in death to a large number of the population and even death to the first responder.  Emergency services used to be based on the philosophy that each agency preformed the duties as outlined in their Standard Operating Procedures. Today each agency is integrated and must work jointly within the concept of an all hazard approach to ensuring the safety of the citizens that they are responsible for serving. Each agency must “EMBRACE AND SHARE THE PROCESS” and works side by side with each and every citizen to protect their community.

 While many changes and safety measures have come into our lives in the past 10 years, change has been slow in some areas of the country simply due to a lack of financial support to implement the safety measures. Many say that the country is spending too much money on safety and security of citizens, I would argue that the money is well spent because there have been no new attacks the magnitude of a 9/11 event. How does one place a value on another human’s life, whether it is a terrorist attack or a lost hiker in the mountains of Rockbridge County it is important that the community understand that first responders need the tools to perform their jobs effectively; this includes Federal, State and, Local Governments, along with law enforcement agencies, and fire and rescue agencies?

 In closing let me say that courage and strength are key components of American citizens, and this has been exhibited on 3 occasions in American history that stand out in my mind. July 4, 1776; December 7, 1941; and September 11, 2001.

Thank you and “GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA”.

VERONA — With flood insurance for nearly 300 properties in Augusta County hanging in the balance, the Board of Supervisors delayed a decision on adopting new maps in the Sherando area to determine which properties are likely flood.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency requires the county to accept by Monday the agency’s flood plain maps for the Back Creek area to keep insurance for properties throughout Augusta that are part of the federal program.

FEMA’s flood plain maps are important because most landowners with property inside flood plains must pay for federal flood insurance.

Supervisors voted Wednesday to explore legal options in an attempt to gain time to contest map changes in Back Creek that would move dozens of properties out of designated flood plain areas and place others inside them.

FEMA expects the county to adopt the new maps for Back Creek by Monday or the entire county would be ineligible to participate in the federal flood insurance program. About 280 properties in Augusta are covered under the federal flood insurance program.

The county had asked FEMA for a one-year extension to study the area, but the agency balked, supervisors said at Wednesday’s regular meeting.

Board Chairman Jeremy Shifflett last month wrote a letter to FEMA asking for a one-year extension on adopting the federal agency’s revised map that determines which areas are in 100-year flood plains.

When FEMA sent Augusta County its revised map last August, the county didn’t get a 90-day appeals period where by local government officials or individuals could dispute the flood-plain mapping. Supervisors learned of the missed appeals chance only last month, Shifflett wrote.

However, supervisors tabled the vote and decided that the area needed further study to ensure accurate flood-plain maps, Shifflett wrote.

The chairman asked for time to have a study done while maintaining county homeowners’ eligibility for flood insurance.

Places in 100-year flood plains are determined by statistics to be prone to at least one major flood every century.

Federal law requires that properties within the plains that have federally backed mortgages participate in a government-run flood insurance program that helps cover damages when they’re over-run with water.

Suspension from the program for failure to adopt FEMA’s maps would make all of Augusta ineligible for some disaster relief funds from floods, county officials said.