ISSUE

The Fleet & Family Support Center Monthly Newsletter

082011
MONTHYEAR

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The Focus
IN T HIS ISSUE
Emergency Preparedness Information P.1 Hot Topic: Baby on Board P.2 Food Safety in an Emergency P.3 August 2011 FFSC Events P.4

The Fleet & Family Support Center (FFSC) is now on Facebook and Twitter.

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and receive: Month -to- Month Calendar of Events Information about Programs and Services Live tweets and feeds from workshops

Here are more great resources for the emergency preparedness plan that you are putting together for yourself and your family. Sheltering at the BC Auditorium Any parish resident needing transportation assistance during an evacuation is eligible to participate in the Critical Needs Program. Registration is suggested. Call 504-274-2470, automated attendant, follow prompts. Emergency Notifications: You can receive vital information on emergency events that may affect your neighborhood. Bell South land line phones will populate automatically (unless you have an unlisted number). For other providers, cell phone, email address, and text messaging devices, you can register at: 1-866-484-3264 or www.firstcall.net or unlisted@firstcall.net. American Red Cross: All military members and their families can call 877-272-7337 (U.S. Toll Free) to send an urgent message to a service member. This number can be used for emergency communication for example, death or serious illness of an immediate family member, the birth of a service member's child or grandchild, or when a family faces other emergencies. Red Cross services such as case management and emergency financial assistance also are available. FFSC Info Fairs: Visit an FFSC Info Fair for disaster preparedness information and assistance.

Be
Hurricane

Prepared
You can pick up hurricane planning checklists, information on emergency services, pet evacuation info, disaster evacuation guides, information on special needs evacuation, hurricane newsletters, NASJRB emergency evacuation cards, instructions on accessing FB and Twitter, and much more. You can also have your questions answered and get personalized consultation. We'll be located inside the NAS JRB Commissary on the 1st and 15th of Aug, Sep, Oct, and Nov. Remember to involve all members of your family in creating your emergency plan. Special planning may be needed for infants and young children, the elderly, loved ones with medical conditions or special needs, and pets. For consultation and assistance, please call our FFSC Disaster Specialist, Loretta Shepherd, at 678-7560/7569.

facebook.com/ffscneworleans twitter.com/ffscneworleans

The Fleet & Family Support Center Naval Air Station JRB Bldg. 555 504.678.7569 Toll Free: 1.888.304.1939

LIFE SKILLS 3 CLASSES

+ Military families face special challenges. The Fleet and Family Support Center offers many classes to give you practical information and useful tools and skills for success. We invite you to take advantage of our many classes. Some of the classes and workshops that are offered at the FFSC, and we can bring to your command, include: Anger Management Communication Skills Conflict Management Parent Education Stress Management Anger Management Suicide Awareness Please call the FFSC Educator, Mike Avist, at 504-678-7560/7569 for additional information or to register.

Baby on Board
Most parents and caregivers know NEVER TO LEAVE A CHILD ALONE IN A CAR for any reason or any amount of time, even with the windows slightly open. The risk is just too great. It need not be a very hot day for the car to become too hot for a young childs body. Their bodies heat up 35 times faster than an adults. Heat stroke, which can cause permanent brain injury or death, occurs when a childs core body temperature reaches 107 degrees. Every year since 1998, heat stroke or hyperthermia has claimed the lives of more than 30 children when they were left alone in cars. Tragically, in the great majority of those cases, they were left in the car unintentionally. Otherwise loving and caring parents or caregivers became distracted by their busy lives or they were not used to having the child with them as part of their daily routine. They left sleeping or quiet infants buckled in the back seat and the results were catastrophic. Here are some tips to be sure your child does not get left unknowingly in a vehicle: Never leave a child unattended in a vehiclefor ANY reason, for ANY length of time. Place a cell phone, PDA, purse, briefcase, gym bag or whatever is to be carried from the car on the floor in front of the child in a backseat. Make sure it is something you would not get out of the car without taking. If two parents change their routine for dropping a child off at daycare, they should have a plan to contact each other immediately after the scheduled drop-off. Set your cell phone or Blackberry reminder to be sure you dropped your child off at day care. Set your computer calendar or daily agenda program to ask, Did you drop off at daycare today? Have a plan that if your child is late for daycare that you will be called within a few minutes. Be especially careful if you change your routine. Teach children not to play in any vehicle. The car is not a playground. Lock all vehicle doors and trunk especially at home. Check vehicles and trunks FIRST if a child goes missing.

If you see an unattended child in a car immediately call 911 (678-3333 on base at NAS JRB). Emergency professionals are trained to determine whether a child is in trouble. An excellent website for more information is www.safekids.org/nlyca. For more information about child safety, including parenting and other classes, please contact the FFSC New Parent Support Specialist, Kim Andres at 678-7569.

PET SAFETY

In An Emergency
During storm season, the likelihood of losing power increases. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides recommendations to help minimize the potential for food borne illnesses due to power outages and other problems that are often associated with severe weather events.

DURING AN EVACUATION
Plan for the care of your pets if you have to evacuate your home. If it is not a safe place for you to be, its not safe for your pets. Pets, unlike service animals, will only be allowed in designated pet friendly shelters. Remember to take a leash, muzzle, food, water, immunization records, any medications, and a carrier or cage. Plaquemines Parish Pet plan Belle Chasse Auditorium will only take dogs and cats. Contact the FFSC Disaster Specialist, Loretta Shepherd, at 504-678-7560/7569 for additional information about evacuation safety for your pets.

Steps to follow to prepare for a possible weather emergency:

Keep an appliance thermometer in the refrigerator and freezer. The freezer temperature should stay at 0 F or below, and the refrigerator should stay at 40 or below. Freeze containers of water for ice to help keep food cold in the freezer, refrigerator or coolers after the power is out.

Steps to follow after the power outage:

Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature. The refrigerator will keep food safely cold for about 4 hours if it is unopened. A full freezer will hold the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) and if the door remains closed. If left for more than 4 hours without power, discard refrigerated perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, soft cheeses, milk, eggs, leftovers, and deli items. When in doubt, throw it out! To read more on this topic, visit the US Department of Agricultures web site: www.fsis.usda.gov. For more tips on emergency preparedness, call or visit the FFSC.

NAS JRB NOLA HURRICANE EVACUATION INFO

WHEN DIRECTED, EVACUATE THE AREA!
Keep all travel receipts in case the command authorizes Safe Haves evacuation orders. Authorized travel shall be in accordance w/Joint Travel Regulations to command designated location or within 300 miles of NAS JRB NOLA, based on command guidance at the time of evacuation. Current info will be passed to Department Heads & Division Officers/chiefs with muster reports. Also check the NAS JRB NOLA website & Hurricane Hotline for information. Current base information will be passed to Department Heads upon muster. Check NAS JRB NOLA website: https://cnic.navy.mil/jrborleans Hurricane Hotline.......... (817) 782-1218 Hurricane Hotline Toll Free... 1-877-762-1067 Hurricane Hotline DSN...... 739-1218

All of the workshops and classes are held at the Naval Air Station, Joint Reserve Base, Fleet & Family Support Center (FFSC), Bldg. 555 unless otherwise noted. 02, 09, 16 August 2011 Active Parenting (5yrs-12yrs) 3 Sessions (0830-1030) Healthy families arent born; theyre madeone day at a time. 03 August 2011 Effective Communication (0900-1100) Develop skills to foster effective verbal and written communication skills. 03 August 2011 Importance of Financial Planning (1500-1600) The failure to plan is planning to fail. Start your path to financial wellness with this class. 04 August 2011 Budget for Baby (0800-1200) Get money saving ideas and receive Babys First Seabag filled with baby items and a handmade blanket. 04 August 2011 Resume/Job Search Workshop (0830-1230) Career Assessment, Job Search Strategies, Resume Writing, and Interview Techniques. 04 August 2011 Stress Management (1000-1200) Stop by to determine what is stressing you out and the skills you need to handle it. 09 August 2011 Sponsor Training (1000-1100) Get trained to provide proactive assistance to newcomers and their families. 10, 24 August 2011 Mommy and Me @ NAS JRB Chapel (1000-1130) Playgroup is for moms and kiddos who want to make good friends and have a good time. 10 August 2011 Improve your Credit Score (1500-1600) Learn to maximize your score with things you already do! 11 August 2011 Anger Management (1000-1200) Discover your own coping strengths and develop new anger management skills. 12 August 2011 Job and Education Fair (1000-1400) Over 40 Employers, Schools, and Resources in attendance at this years Job Fair. 15-18 August 2011 Transition Assistance Program (TAP) (0830-1600) Information and training to make informed decisions as you transition out of the military. 15 August 2011 Information Fair-Commissary (1600-1800) Stop by and get information on programs and workshops offered by the FFSC. 16 August 2011 Smooth Move (1000-1100) Come get the answers and resources you need to complete a successful and stressfree move. 17 August 2011 Military Spouse Orientation (0900-1100) New Spouse or not, stop by to get great information and resources. 17August Saving & Investing (1500-1600) Learn the appropriate financial tools for your saving and investing goals. 18 August 2011 Effects of Divorce on Children (1000-1200) This workshop will help you identify ways to protect your child from the effects of divorce. 24 August 2011 Car Buying Strategies (1500-1600) Learn the smart way to buy a car and get a good deal on your car note. 25-26 August 2011 Newcomers Orientation & Tour (0800-1600) Everything you need to know about base services and the New Orleans community. 30 August 2011 Spouse Summit (1630-1730) Come out and share thoughts and ideas on a variety of military lifestyle topics.