North Carolina – Sporadic Reports of Influenza

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Flu shots are available at the Alexander County Health Department.  Shots are given on Tuesdays from 1:00PM – 5:00PM, Thursdays from 1:00PM– 5:00PM, and Fridays from 8:00AM – 12:00PM.  No appointment is necessary.

The Health Department will accept Medicare, Medicaid, NC Health Choice, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina.  Self pay is $35.00 and is payable by cash, check, Visa, MasterCard or Discover.

Questions?  Call the Health Department at 828-632-9704.

1. Be informed about the different types of emergencies that can happen in your area and their appropriate responses

Learn about the hazards that may strike your community, the risks you face from these hazards and your community’s plans for warning and evacuation. You can obtain this information by visiting http://www.ready.gov/be-informed.

2. Create a family emergency plan

Your family may not be together when an emergency happens, so it is important to plan in advance. Think about how you will contact one another, how you will get back together, and what you will do in different situations. You can download a family emergency plan template from by visiting http://www.ready.gov/make-a-plan.

3. Put together an emergency supply kit

You may need to survive on your own after an emergency. This means having your own food, water and other supplies in sufficient quantity to last for at least three days. Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster, but they cannot reach everyone immediately. You could get help in hours, or it might take days. In addition, basic services such as electricity, gas, water, sewage treatment, and telephones may be cut off for days, or even a week or longer. To find a complete checklist of the supplies your household may need in the event of an emergency, visit http://www.ready.gov/build-a-kit.

4. Get involved in emergency preparedness

Visit http://www.CitizenCorps.gov to find local Citizen Corps Councils, USAonWatch (Neighborhood Watch) groups, Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), Fire Corps programs, Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) programs, and Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) units. Ask them what you can do to prepare yourself and your community for disasters and how to get involved locally.

Contact the Catawba Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross for local disaster preparedness and response service opportunities.

The Alexander County Health Department encourages you to use these tools to make a New Year’s resolution that will bring you and your loved ones some peace of mind.

The Health Department will accept Medicare, Medicaid, NC Health Choice, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina.  Self pay is $35.00 and is payable by cash, check, Visa, MasterCard or Discover.

Questions?  Call the Health Department at 828-632-9704.

Assistant Secretary Henry McKoy of the NC Department of Commerce’s Community Development Division is pleased to announce the launch of the 21st Century Communities Program partnership with Asheville’s Community Development Specialists and Green Brothers Solar to install 10 renewable energy demonstration projects on food-producing farms in 21st Century Counties in western North Carolina. The project was awarded by the North Carolina Green Business Fund with funds from the federal Recovery Act.

The grant, totaling $149,480, will help install seven solar thermal and three small wind turbine installations in the 21st Century Counties of Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Graham, Mitchell, Rutherford and Yancey. The objective of the grant is to provide local examples of renewable energy systems in rural, distressed counties to encourage the growth of the local renewable energy industry, train people across WNC’s rural counties in the installation and operation of these systems, and to save money for small farming businesses. Students from local high schools and community colleges will be provided hands on training during the installation of the renewable energy systems.

The total amount of renewable energy generated by the installations will exceed 28,000 kwH annually, a savings of at least $320/year per farm for up to 20 years for a total savings of at least $64,000 for the farms, and will create at least 10 jobs.

“Encouraging investments in the green economy is a centerpiece of our job creation strategy,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Keith Crisco. “This fast growing industry holds vast potential for the future and we must continue to support its development in North Carolina.”

The Green Business Fund, created by Gov. Perdue in 2007, has awarded approximately $8 million in grants to small businesses and organizations for renewable and energy efficiency projects.

The 21st Century Program (http://www.nccommerce.com/21cc) was established to provide sustainable economic development planning and assistance to the state’s most distressed counties. To see these innovative, small wind turbines in operation, direct your web browser to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvvpKJ2YVGA. For more information on the solar systems, visit greenbrotherservices.blogspot.com.

In exchange for receiving these renewable energy systems, the participating farms will agree to be:

-Open for public viewing of the system for one (1) year after installation, by appointment only, and to be featured as part of a regional promotional effort regarding this project.
-Open for energy readings by grant management staff for one (1) year after installation, by appointment only, and willing to aid in reporting and monitoring efforts to capture data on renewable energy use.
-Appropriately sited according to the parameters of the renewable energy system. This means having an open, unshaded site for solar thermal or sufficient wind resources and an open installation site for wind installations.
-Have sufficient energy use to maximize the capacity of the renewable energy system and cost savings to the farm.

The team is working through local extension agents and the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project to locate farms that meet the criteria, but interested farms may contact us directly as well.

Farms interested in the 21st Century Counties program have until May 30, 2011 to apply. For questions and to apply, please contact Sara Day Evans at sevans@nccommerce.com or by phone at (828) 989-3799. Be prepared to provide the following information:

The name of the farm, and of the main contact person there
The address of your farm/processing facility
What are the farm products?
Does your farm have a processing facility onsite? If so, please provide annual hot water usage.
The best way to reach the owner (phone, email, postal service)
Is interest primarily in a wind system or a solar thermal (solar hot water) system
What is your annual farm energy use (in kWh)? On-farm residences may be included.

Source: Mountain Express

• Stay indoors in air conditioning as much as possible;
• If you are out of doors, stay in the shade, trees provide welcome shade;
• If you head out to the park, be sure to bring an umbrella;
• Wear sunscreen and lightweight, light-colored clothing to reflect away some of the sun’s energy;
• Drink plenty of water even if you do not feel thirsty. Limit alcohol, and sugary drinks which speed dehydration;
• Slow down. Avoid exertion during the hottest part of the day. If you must do strenuous activity, do it during the coolest part of the day – in the morning between 5 and 8 a.m., and
• Eat small meals and eat more often.

It may be better for some residents to stay inside and in air-conditioned spaces as the outdoor temperatures and humidity rise.

Older adults and people with disabilities are more at risk for heat because they do not adjust as well as young people to sudden changes in temperature; they are more likely to have a chronic medical condition that changes normal body responses to heat; and they are more likely to take prescription medicines that impair the body’s ability to regulate its temperature or that inhibit perspiration.

The Alexander County Health Department offers the following tips to help care for older adults and persons with disabilities:

• Visit older adults who are at risk, at least twice a day, and watch them for signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
• Encourage them to increase their fluid intake by drinking cool, nonalcoholic beverages regardless of their activity level. Warning: If their doctor generally limits the amount of fluid they drink or they are on water pills, they will need to ask their doctor how much they should drink while the weather is hot.
• Take them to air-conditioned locations.

If you live near an elderly person, knock on the door to check on them.
People who are seeking relief from the heat can spend a few hours at our county libraries, which are designated cooling stations.
In addition to exacerbating certain pre-existing health conditions, overexposure to heat can cause heat stroke, sunstroke, heat collapse, cramps, and heat exhaustion due to water depletion or salt depletion. Those at greatest risk for heat-related illness include children less than 4 years of age, persons 65 and older, persons who are overweight and persons who are ill or on certain medications.

The county’s Office of Emergency Services also offers additional heat-related tips to those who prefer not to head outside in the warm weather:

• Stay indoors in air-conditioning as much as possible;
• If your home is not air-conditioned, go shopping at an air-conditioned facility, visit your local library or other public place;
• Take a cool shower or bath;
• Never leave children or pets alone in the car, and
• Be a good neighbor; check on elderly and special needs individuals in your community.

The county’s Health Department cautions residents to be aware that extreme heat conditions can trigger physical ailments such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The Alexander County Health Department has assembled answers to frequently asked questions about heat stroke:

What is heat stroke?

Heat stroke is the most serious heat-related illness and occurs when the body becomes unable to control its temperature. The body’s temperature rises rapidly, the sweating mechanism fails, and the body is unable to cool down. Body temperature may rise to 106°F or higher within 10 to 15 minutes. Heat stroke can cause death or permanent disability if emergency treatment is not provided.

What are the warning signs of a heat stroke?

Warning signs of heat stroke vary but may include the following:

• An extremely high body temperature (above 103°F)
• Red, hot, and dry skin (no sweating)
• Rapid, strong pulse
• Throbbing headache
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Confusion
• Unconsciousness

What should I do if I see someone with any of the warning signs of heat stroke?

If you see any of these signs, you may be dealing with a life-threatening emergency. Have someone call for immediate medical assistance while you begin cooling the victim. Do the following:

• Get the victim to a shady area;
• Cool the victim rapidly. For example, immerse the victim in a tub of cool water; place the person in a cool shower; spray the victim with cool water from a garden hose; sponge the person with cool water; or wrap the victim in a cool, wet sheet and fan him or her vigorously;
• Continue cooling efforts until the body temperature drops to 101-102°F;
• If emergency medical personnel are delayed, call the hospital emergency room for instructions;
• Do not give the victim alcohol to drink, and
• Get medical assistance as soon as possible.

If you need additional information about beating the heat, feel free to contact the Alexander County Health Department by calling 828-632-9704, or Alexander County Emergency Services at 828-632-9336. If you have an emergency dial 9-1-1. Enjoy the summer and beat the heat!

For more information contact (828) 632-4451 or visit us on the web at alexander.ces.ncsu.edu/index.php?page=youth4h