You Jane - Me Tarzan

I have long said that the women on our team are stronger than the men. I have found that in a disaster or a stressful incident situation, women tend to stay calm, more in control of their own emotions while the men tend to clench their fists and run first, thinking second.

While I am not sure how scientific my findings have been, it is interesting to find out that a team from Krakow, in Poland, used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to assess brain activity when 40 volunteers of both sexes were shown various images.

In the study, the men showed activity in areas which dealt with what action they should take to avoid or confront danger but the study showed more activity in the emotional side of a woman’s brain.

The researchers, from Jagiellonian University Hospital in Krakow, carried out scans on 21 men and 19 women. Brain activity was monitored while the volunteers were shown images of objects and images from ordinary life designed to evoke different emotional states.

There are normally three different responses to a sudden shock like a disaster situation: flight, fight or freeze. While the study did not mention the “freeze” option, what it showed was interesting and perhaps backs up my theories a bit.

The images were displayed in two runs. For the first run, only negative pictures were shown. For the second run, only positive pictures were shown.

While viewing the negative images, women showed stronger and more extensive activity in the left thalamus. This is an area which relays sensory information to the pain and pleasure centres of the brain.

Men showed more activity in an area of the brain called the left insula, which plays a key role in controlling involuntary functions, including respiration, heart rate and digestion. In essence, activity in this area primes the body to either run from danger, or confront it head on - the so-called "fight or flight response".

Researcher Dr Andrzej Urbanik said: "This might signal that when confronted with dangerous situations, men are more likely than women to take action."

Here is where I wonder about my own theories. While this study may prove that men are more likely to charge into a situation and take action before a woman, is this really a positive? The study itself of course did not attempt to make a determination regarding negative or positive, but I will. Over the course of the last several years, from disaster recovery operations to the disasters themselves, the women we have had on our team have DEFINITELY responded from that thalamus first, but this gave them the edge overall. The process of recognizing first the horror or need or loss seemed to give them an edge in the long run. While I believe that the study was probably accurate, do not misunderstand me; I am not talking about women sitting on the road crying while men are grabbing ropes and shovels. This study referred to and focused on the way the BRAIN worked, not the way the BODY responded.

While Dr. Urbanik believes men are more likely to take action, I disagree. What I believe is that women take action with an added element.

It has been my finding through years of working with female firefighters, disaster responders, nurses, doctors and paramedics that women, while immediately more emotionally attached to the situation, are just as quick to respond physically. In other words, they have a shovel in their hand just as fast.

What I believe this study really proves is that women operate on a different level than men and this makes them a more conscientious responder.

I have seen a gentle power from women in disasters that is rarely found in a man, and while often a man’s brute force is useful, the heart-driven power of a woman lasts much longer in a drawn-out scenario.

This summer, with a team of half women and half men suddenly thrust in a high-pressure response situation, it was the men that folded first, one of them, with years of experience, folded mentally after 5 days while the women on the team continued on. I believe that this stimulated thalamus may be the reason why I have witnessed all I have seen through the years. Women FEEL the need and therefore tend to attach themselves to the end goal of salvation personally.

All in all, I have no basis for drawing my conclusions save experience, but the study was interesting and I believe bolsters my opinion that women make tremendous responders, and that when disaster strikes, it is good to have at least one Jane around to balance out the Tarzan.

Happy Thanksgiving Everybody!

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Jerry Codner of Wood River today. Jerry lost his life in an accident last night near Gibbon, Nebraska.

Grandma kissed me to death

I remember holidays. Still have nightmares. Too much touching, too much kissing.

Now, don't get me wrong, I am not opposed to these things with the right person, but you gotta understand my grandma...she would come at you like a lion stalking a gazelle. You could see her eyes darting about the room looking for a small vulnerable child that still had not gotten a lipstick smear across their face... and the smell...oh the smell. Grandma smoked and ate circus peanuts. She was caked in Noxema.

Nobody was safe.

For the next month, we will be stalked by over-hugging uncles, kissing grandmas and coughing grandpas. If that is not bad enough, there are the younger ones... cousins, nieces, nephews all with runny noses. Try not to forget the one aunt that seems to forget all etiquette after she has had too much eggnog...ugh!

A lot of touching. A lot of kissing.

The failure of a single piece of computer gear in Utah disrupted travel for thousands last Thursday. It was the second time in 15 months that we have had a problem like this and the nation focused briefly on the critical need to upgrade the antiquated system. This past Thursday’s situation took 4 hours to resolve, yet following that 4 hours, flights had to be rescheduled, plans were changed, and airports were full of people for hours that originally had no intention of staying in the terminals that long.

It brings up a glimpse of this week’s travel, which traditionally, with or without a gliche in the system is wrought with delays and crowded airports because of holiday travel. For the next month, thousands upon thousands will take that “once a year” flight to visit relations and spend vacation time together.

Weather will also begin to play a role in airport delays and crowded airports as the winter season begins to dump snow on much of the country.

On Friday I spoke at a conference on H1N1 and infectious disease control and we used the scenario of holiday flight to address awareness and preparedness issues. Before you finish packing that old carpet bag and head out of town, let’s look at what we came up with:

Last Thursday, in the middle of a declared pandemic, we stranded travelers in airports all over the country for hours crowding terminals for much of the day. Once the planes began to catch up with the day’s schedule, we took these people and placed them in metal containers for an average of two hours each practically sitting on top of each other and sent them to different cities.

Those people are presently going about their lives, having meetings, renting cars, shaking hands and kissing relatives.

This week, another batch, much larger than last Thursday’s group, will be gathering once again in airport terminals across the country. These people will experience delays, long lines and close quarters in packed terminals and packed airplanes. Do not forget packed restrooms, packed cafes and restaurants and taxi cabs.

Finally, they will arrive at your house. You will greet them at the door, hug and kiss and shake hands inviting them in to sit with the rest of the family that has missed them all year. The house will be warm from a day of cooking turkey, stuffing and potatoes…the children, now accompanied by cousins will fill every bedroom and playroom of the house. Grandpa will take his place in the living room and the rest of the family will fill the room around him.

The next day, mom, grandma and maybe even some of the little girls will awake at 4 am despite the active day before and they will all jump in the car and head to the stores for the busiest shopping day of the year. The stores will be packed. The lines will long. Cafes and Restaurants will be almost impassible. The day of bargain shopping will finally end and everyone will return back home for a weekend of family and football games, cuddling and sharing good times.

Alas, the Thanksgiving weekend will end and we will all stand in the doorway or at the drop-off lane at the airport and kiss our relatives goodbye. Hugs, kisses and tears will send our loved ones off to a crowded airport and crowded plane. They will be back in a few short weeks but we still hate to say goodbye…

Yes, this is how it is every year. Nothing ever changes except for this year. Go back to the beginning of our story and add one element…the flight attendant that will be working grandma’s flight this week took care of a little boy last Thursday that had H1N1 and has not been feeling very well this morning. She cannot wait for the week to end, her husband has been sick for two days and one of her children is home today not feeling well either.

"Oh well, one last flight and I can take the rest of the week off" she thinks to herself as she gets a small pillow for grandma and the plane taxis down the runway...

Will you be more aware this next week?

Visit http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1FLU/ for ways to protect yourself during your “people filled” holiday.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano today was joined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Dr. Anne Schuchat and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Acting Administrator Gale Rossides to promote holiday travel tips and highlight the simple steps travelers can take to prevent the spread of the flu.

“Following these simple travel tips will help expedite the screening process at airports and keep travelers healthy and safe throughout the holiday travel season,” said Secretary Napolitano.

TSA’s holiday travel tips will help decrease the amount of time passengers spend in line at airport security checkpoints, increase the overall efficiency of airport operations and enhance security by engaging passengers in the shared responsibility of watching out for suspicious activity at airports across the nation.

TSA Travel Tips

· Pay attention to your health before traveling

o The best way to prevent the spread of the flu is to stay home if you’re sick or have flu-like symptoms.

o The CDC recommends you get both H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines.

· Practice good hygiene while traveling

o Cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing.

o Wash your hands regularly to help prevent the spread of germs and illness.

· Ensure your government-issued ID and boarding pass are out and ready

o Getting all travel documents together and ready before you get in line will help security officers quickly verify that you, your identification, and your boarding pass match and are valid.

· Wear easily removable shoes and jackets

o Wearing footwear that can be easily removed helps speed the process for X-ray screening. Be prepared to remove all shoes, jackets and other outerwear for screening.

· Take out liquids and laptops

o Remember the 3-1-1 rule for liquids, gels and aerosols at the checkpoint:

§ 3-ounce bottles or less for all liquids, gels and aerosols;

§ 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic zip-top bag; and

§ 1 bag per passenger placed separately in a security bin for X-ray screening.

o The liquid restriction applies only to carry-on bags. Passengers can pack larger quantities of liquids and gels in checked baggage.

o Be prepared to remove your laptop from its case and place it in separate bin for X-ray screening.

· Use TSA Family Lanes if you or your family needs extra time or assistance

o Last year, TSA expanded its popular Family Lanes to every security checkpoint in the United States.

o Family Lanes allow infrequent travelers, those with small children or passengers who need additional assistance to move through security at their own pace. Officers in these lanes work with passengers to screen medically necessary items like baby formula and insulin.

· Keep an eye out for suspicious activity

o Transportation security is a shared responsibility. The traveling public plays an important role in keeping holiday travel safe.

o Travelers should report all suspicious activities or items to airport security personnel.

· Remember TSA’s new Secure Flight program when booking new airline tickets

o Fulfilling a key 9/11 Commission recommendation, TSA is working with airlines to implement Secure Flight.

o Secure Flight prescreens passenger name, date of birth and gender against government watch lists for domestic and international flights—making travel safer and easier by keeping known or suspected terrorists from obtaining a boarding pass.

o In addition, Secure Flight helps prevent the misidentification of passengers who have names similar to individuals on government watch lists.

o When booking airline tickets, use your name as it appears on the government ID you plan to use when traveling—along with your date of birth and gender. Providing this information will clear 99 percent of travelers to print boarding passes at home.

o Airlines are phasing in this program; if you are not prompted for this information when booking travel or if there are small variations between your name and your reservation, don’t worry—you will still be able to travel.

For more information on these and other helpful travel tips, please visit www.tsa.gov.

ATTENTION

Over the course of the last two years we have developed over 50 new programs for libraries and schools. During the last 9 months of touring, there were dozens that asked to be put on the list for next year in order to secure dates with these new programs and promotions, but as of today, many of those that we have attempted to reach have not gotten back to us. With the large following of this blog and the activity we have had in the last several weeks, we wanted to place an open letter here to get your attention if you are one of those folks.
Because of the increased demand for tour dates, we are no longer able to hold any dates open without hearing from you NOW.
If you wanted a specific date and are one of the event sponsors that we spoke to in the last 9 months, you need to contact our office immediately by phone or email as we cannot guarantee any dates which means that you will have to adjust to a tour schedule rather than have your choice. We are close to being forced to discontinue our promotional deals as well due to the increase in demand for these dates so hesitating could mean the difference between having your event and not having your event.
Do not wait any longer. We want to hear from you and cannot wait to visit you again!
Please CLICK HERE to contact the office.

2010 is the year!

We are pretty excited about what has been happening around the office. New sponsors are calling, and more importantly, more schools, more libraries, more agencies. It looks like 2010 could be the best year we have ever had here at Chasing4Life and we know it is because of the many friends that we have made and met over the last two years. Your recommendations, your word-of-mouth advertising on our behalf is spreading the word like a wildfire in high winds.
Our blog numbers are up, our homeschool numbers are up, our web hits are up.
If you have not yet called or emailed to see when we are in your area, NOW IS THE TIME to do it! Our tours are filling up and the new programs for 2010 look better than any we have ever had. So far, we have dates lining up in at least 20 states (see map)! We have NEVER had interest this widespread this early in the season before!
Looking forward to a great year with more opportunities than ever before...creating a more resilient America one community at a time!

SciTech and Dorothy...and Dorothy...

We are now getting pictures from the SciTech unveiling of Dorothy in her new home. We have posted a brief story up on the website if you would like to see it. Just CLICK HERE.
We would like to thank John Gudenas, David James, Mayor Tom Weisner and the other folks from Aurora that helped make this possible.
Special thanks this week goes to Dan Bocklund who has worked very hard the last week at the museum and will be completing construction of the display alongside of the museum.

They Did Their Share

On Veteran’s Day we honor
Soldiers who protect our nation.
For their service as our warriors,
They deserve our admiration.

Some of them were drafted;
Some were volunteers;
For some it was just yesterday;
For some it’s been many years;

In the jungle or the desert,
On land or on the sea,
They did whatever was assigned
To produce a victory.

Some came back; some didn’t.
They defended us everywhere.
Some saw combat; some rode a desk;
All of them did their share.

No matter what the duty,
For low pay and little glory,
These soldiers gave up normal lives,
For duties mundane and gory.

Let every veteran be honored;
Don’t let politics get in the way.
Without them, freedom would have died;
What they did, we can’t repay.

We owe so much to them,
Who kept us safe from terror,
So when we see a uniform,
Let’s say "thank you" to every wearer.

By Joanna Fuchs

On Monday of this week, Chasing4Life’s Jim Dills was named Emergency Manager of Doniphan, Nebraska. In an effort to introduce Jim to you and to give you the opportunity to get to know him better.

Doniphan, Nebraska is a small town of just under 800 people and is located in Southern Hall County near Interstate 80.

Here is our interview with Jim:

Was the decision to accept the job of EM a difficult one?

Yes, being an effective emergency manager takes time and education. The field is changing almost everyday. (Example: the H1N1 information keeps changing by the minute it seems like.)

How long have you lived in Doniphan? I moved here in 2000 so going on 10 years.

What is your opinion of Doniphan? Doniphan lives up to the community sign: "it’s a good life.

What is your opinion of the READINESS of Doniphan? Like all communities Readiness can always be improved no matter how ready a community is.

What do you hope to accomplish as EM in Doniphan? As EM I hope to establish the community in being prepared and to create an effective disaster recovery team if a disaster were ever to happen to our fine community.

What do you think the obstacles will be? Like all things change and new ideas sometimes takes time.

Why were YOU chosen to be EM? The prior EM was stepping down, he chose me because of my interest in Emergency Management, and experience working three major disasters with the Red Cross and the Nebraska National Guard..

Of all the disasters that could hit Doniphan, what is your GREATEST fear? Like most communities in Nebraska we are a farming community, we have two major suppliers of anhydrous in the city. My Greatest fear is a major rupture or a major leak during the night when everyone is a sleeping.

What do you remember as your biggest success or best story from your history doing disaster response work? I don’t consider my success so much as the organizational success of the people that work the disasters. I guess if you need a story I would have to say seeing how an effective and organized disaster team makes a difference in those that are suffering from the disaster.

The worst? Seeing how people suffer during a disaster whether it is a major or individual disaster.

How do you plan on being the BEST EM you can be? By education, training and working with other Emergency Manager and their teams.

FARM SAFETY

The past few days have been great for getting things done. It was encouraging to see the trucks and combines along the roads wasn’t it? The great weather is going to hold and that means we are going to get those fields picked!

I noticed on Saturday that the fields were FULL of families. EVERYONE was pitching in to take advantage of the balmy weather and clear skies. It is a farm tradition, isn’t it? No matter what the family does, when the fields are ready, the family gets together. That means that even the folks from out of town show up to pitch in!

This weekend we all got a lot done, and we were lucky. Some folks had weekends that did not end so great.

An 8-year-old boy was airlifted for treatment of significant leg injuries after a farm accident Saturday in Indiana. Police say the boy was scooped up by machinery cutting corn in a field near County Road 35. Investigators say he apparently was playing in the yard and ran into the field, in front of the farm equipment. Both of his legs were crushed.

Should I bring up the 2 year old boy killed Thursday by his own father who ran him over with a skid loader?

Just so you don’t think machinery is the only problem, how about the 9 year old run over by a horse drawn hay wagon this weekend?

Folks, this blog is supposed to be about safety, not just weather-related factoids and trivia, so seatbelt cause I am gonna yell…

Tractor accidents are the number one cause of farm fatalities, and unfortunately, many of those victims are children. There’s a million ways for a kid to die in this world, and most of them are on a farm.

Tractor safety is something that I have never been good at. I grew up with my Uncle giving me rides on the fenders…after all, that little oblong “handle-hole” is for underage riders, right? WRONG! Perhaps one of the oldest traditions since the invention of the steam engine is to give your kids or your grandkids a ride on that tractor. Nothing is more fun than to watch the kids come in for a weekend from the city for a “piece of country living”, but statistics say they stand a good chance of leaving in pieces if you’re not careful!

Do not think for a moment that tractor cabs keep riders safe. A cab is designed to protect the operator and does not prevent the rider (ANY RIDER) from being thrown and/or run over.

The rule is this:
NO SEAT-NO RIDER.

Now maybe you would never think of grabbing your kid or grandkid and swinging them up to hitch a ride, but are you being careful to make sure that the family does not play near the tractor?

“Grandpa! Grandpa!”

She bounces across the field with that jug of tea. She only wants to help; to connect with you… to visit for a moment and to have you tell her that she is getting bigger every day…

Unfortunately you did not see her. A flash of pink gingham and you know something is wrong but you never heard her and you certainly never felt the wheels as they rolled over her small and fragile body…

What would you do? Could you live with yourself?

Tractors are responsible for 41% of the accidental farm deaths of children under 15 years of age yet 4 out of 5 children regularly ride farm tractors! While riding the tractor may be a family tradition, remember…it is easier to bury a tradition than to bury a child.

Please visit The Child Agricultural Safety Network website to find out more about kids and tractors. http://www.childagsafety.org/

Update

In light of the facts that I am on the road, we left the blog up for John Bernardi's services and have concentrated on the Fort Hood incident in other blogs today, we will not be updating this blog until next week.

We want to make short mention here, however, that we appreciate our sponsors that have renewed or have begun commitments for 2010! Make sure you stop by our new FAVORITE PRODUCTS page on the website. We want to thank KRVN Radio, GoLight and FoxFury (click on the picture above) for their commitment and their encouragement!

We also want to congratulate our own Jim Dills for his appointment to the office of Emergency Manager in Doniphan, Nebraska! It is a well-deserved appointment and recognition Jim should be proud of. We will be focusing on Jim's new job, his goals and future next week right here in this blog!

Please watch the site next week for new changes being made to our MEET THE TEAM page, the TRACKING TEAM page and more!

We will miss you, John

A good friend of Chasing4Life passed away this weekend and we are truly mourning his passing. John Bernardi (Nov 21, 1950-Oct 31, 2009) was the Branch Manager of the Washington Branch Library in Omaha. He was also the editor of NLAQ, board member of The Literacy Center of Omaha, member of the American Library Association and also the Public Library Association. John believed in Chasing4Life and did his best to promote our events and the message of disaster preparedness. He was fun to work with, scattered in many directions at all times, and made learning fun for everyone he came in contact with. John was one of those librarians that REALLY believed in the power of a book and that passion is what we will miss the most.
Rest In Peace, John.

Changes and changes

Have you been watching the website? The blogs? If not, you have been missing out on a lot! Make sure you stop by and take a look. Our new Favorite Products page is up and growing, sponsors are changing, the layout is changing, things are being updated, we have a KRVN Blog now, a homeschooler's blog and our store will hopefully be up soon!
The end of the year is the time for changes and before we go into 2010, we will be making a lot more! Watch for the new trucks, new focus, new people, new tour promotions and more.
Are you a potential sponsor that missed out on 2009? Right now is the time to contact us to make sure you get involved for 2010. We have an all-new sponsorship package program, loads of opportunities and cannot wait to see how you fit in to it all!
Stay tuned...it's a new Chasing4Life.