The "Turn Around, Don’t Drown" rule of flood waters

With storms continuing to pound the East Coast and other parts of the country, the dangers of driving and walking through flood waters can’t be ignored. Six inches of fast-moving water can knock over an adult, while 12 inches can carry away a small car. Follow the Turn Around, Don’t Drown rule of flood waters. It’s advice to live by.

And learn more about your risk of flooding, the most common natural disaster in the United States.

Also:
 If you live in an area prone to hurricanes or tropical storms, emergency preparation is key. Even areas well away from the coastline can be threatened by flooding, high winds, and even tornadoes.

Be prepared for severe storms:

• Check for alerts at the National Hurricane Center and your local weather at weather.gov.
• Know your risk if you live in an evacuation zone and check your local weather channels regularly for updates.
• Know where to go if you're area is designated for evacuation.
• Develop a plan that identifies all of the steps that as a family you need to take before, during, and after a disaster to ensure maximum personal safety and property protection (Download NOAA’s Weather Safety: Hurricanes publication (PDF). 

Characteristics of Private and Public Schools; School Safety; Postsecondary Info

From the National Center for Education Statistics:

Characteristics of Private Schools in the United States: Results From the 2011–12 Private School Universe Survey
Characteristics of Public School Districts in the United States: Results From the 2011-12 Schools and Staffing Survey
The Nation's Report Card: Trends in Academic Progress
Postsecondary Institutions and Price of Attendance in 2012-13; Degrees and Other Awards Conferred: 2011-12; and 12-Month Enrollment: 2011-12: First Look (Provisional Data)


From the Bureau of Justice Statistics:

Indicators of School Crime and Safety, 2012

Interesting infographic on worker safety

From Fast Company:

Fishing, logging, farming, and working as an aircraft pilot / flight engineer count among the most dangerous jobs in America. But in raw numbers, they are not the deadliest. That grim distinction goes to driving...

The chart was developed by the online workplace safety education company eTraining, and it goes beyond simply ticking off America’s most hazardous occupations; it conveys a whole of truckload of stats about on-the-job fatalities, such as where employees die most frequently (the same states, for the most part, with the biggest populations); which gender is most at risk (men, overwhelmingly); and the commonest way workers fall to their death (off a ladder, FTW). “Hopefully, this helps put into perspective the importance of safety at the workplace,” eTraining writes on its blog.

Indicators of School Crime and Safety

National Center for Education Statistics - Bureau of Justice Statistics

Our nation’s schools should be safe havens for teaching and learning, free of crime and violence. Any instance of crime or violence at school not only affects the individuals involved, but also may disrupt the educational process and affect bystanders, the school itself, and the surrounding community.
Establishing good indicators of the current state of school crime and safety across the nation and regularly updating and monitoring these indicators is important in ensuring the safety of our nation’s students. This is the aim of Indicators of School Crime and Safety.

America's Health Rankings 2011

Health is a result of our behaviors, our individual genetic predisposition to disease, the environment and the community in which we live, the clinical care we receive and the policies and practices of our health care and prevention systems. Each of us — individually, as a community, and as a society — strives to optimize these health determinants, so that all of us can have a long, disease-free and robust life regardless of race, gender or socioeconomic status.

This report looks at the four groups of health determinants that can be affected:

1. Behaviors include the everyday activities we do that affect our personal health. 
2. Community and environment reflects the reality that the daily conditions in which we live our lives have a great effect on achieving optimal individual health. 
3. Public and health policies are indicative of the availability of resources to encourage and maintain health and the extent that public and health programs reach into the general population.
4. Clinical care reflects the quality, appropriateness and cost of the care we receive at doctors' offices, clinics and hospitals.

Direct link to full report

Commission of Investigation of the State of New York

With a broad mandate to investigate "any matter concerning the public peace, public safety and public justice," the State Commission of Investigation undertakes investigations of corruption, fraud and mismanagement in New York State and local government. The Commission is also charged with conducting investigations into organized crime and labor racketeering and their relation to the enforcement of State law.

Established by statute in 1958, the Commission recently issued its 50th Anniversary 2007 Annual Report. The report highlights investigations conducted during 2007.

Annual Reports and other reports of the Commission are available online from the Commission.

Merry Christmas

And in the spirit of regifting, a swipe from the NYS SBDC blog about the holiday.

Plus: from The Office of Fire Prevention and Control, distributed by SUNY System Administration – Department of Public Safety

Guard Against Holiday Fire Safety Hazards

The holiday season brings a sense of celebration and goodwill -festive meals; candlelight; warm, glowing fires; trees and wreaths are among some of our finest holiday traditions. But….they are also some of leading causes for so many destructive fires during the holiday season. The Office of Fire Prevention and Control reminds all New Yorkers to be aware of the dangers inherent to the holiday season and offers the following fire safety tips.
CHRISTMAS TREES: When buying a natural tree, the most important safety factor is freshness. The higher the moisture content the less likely it is to dry out and become a fire hazard. To keep your tree fresh longer, cut off two inches of the trunk and mount in a sturdy water holding stand with wide spread legs. Locate the tree away from fireplaces, wall furnaces and other heat sources. Do not block stairs or doorways. Dispose of the tree when needles begin to fall off in large quantities.
COOKING: Untended cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the United States. Never leave food unattended and watch small children around the stove.
CANDLES: Candle fires are on the rise in recent years. Never leave candles burning unattended or burning around small children or pets. If you do use candles, keep them in proper glass containers.
HOLIDAY LIGHTING: Use only lighting approved by a testing lab. Inspect electrical lights for broken or cracked sockets and frayed wires. Do not use indoor lights outdoors or visa-versa and be very careful to not overload extension cords. Never use lighted candles on or near a tree or other decorations.
FIREPLACES: Fireplaces are very popular during the holidays. Before starting a fire, remove all decorations from the area and be sure that the flu is open. Do not burn wrappings or evergreen boughs, they can burn extremely fast, throwing off sparks and burning debris. Safely dispose of wrapping paper with your normal trash collection.
SMOKE DETECTORS: Make sure your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms are working and mounted properly. Fire extinguishers should also be checked.
The Office of Fire Prevention and Control would like everyone to be fire safe during the holiday season. Following the simple preventative measures outlined above, can significantly help prevent a tragedy. To learn even more about holiday fire safety, please download our Holiday Fire Safety Bulletin. For another Holiday Saftey Bulletin presented by the Division of Code Enforcement and Administration and OFPC, please Click Here.
For an important PSA on educating children of the dangers of lighters and matches this holiday season, please Click Here.
For some additional information and pamphlets with helpful fire safety tips to better prepare you for a safe holiday season, please Click Here.