Calling all Preppers from Northern Virginia, Maryland, DC to meet in person (and anyone else).
Senegal1 invites you to meet in person with each other in the Great Falls Library in the meeting room on October 21st at 12–4PM (although we don`t have to go on that long). I will provide refershments and I sure hope you all come!
Here is the address: Great Falls Public Library, 9830 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls, VA 22066. The website for the library is http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/library/branches/gf/
The website for the county plans for pandemic flu is http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/emergency/pandemicflu/
Please RSVP on this thread so I have some idea of how much food to make. Also there could be a nice hike afterwards! Hope to see you there!
senegal1, Is this a casual get-together to meet and share ideas and such? Are there going to be guest speakers from the county or other other areas of business? Have you invited the general public? Sorry for all the questions, just wanting to clarify. Thanks
??? bump ???
Are you inviting any local press; do they need a prep story, 12 months after the pandemicflu.gov site went up?
Oh phooey. I’m double-booked and I have to go to the other event because it’s work-related. Please post how it goes. Would love to get together with others in the area sometime. Maybe at a local Silver Diner or something? — Libby
oops. anonymous is me, libbyalex. Tossed my cookies last night.
bump one last time
Sorry. Been a bit busy. Inviting anyone on this forum for this informal meeting. On the other thread there were a number of people in the area who wanted to get together and didn`t seem to be able to do it. I plan on meeting with folks from 12 to 2 to discuss things and get to know folks in our area and then invite folks in the community (Great Falls) from 2 to 4. Its just to get started. I hope people from this forum will attend. I also plan on attending the regional seminar in Dc on Oct 23rd as well. There is some nice hiking in the area and I will be happy to prepare food and drink. We can discuss where we are in prepping, what are the various counties doing to prepare, etc. I am going to put something in the press to inform people of the meeting but wasn`t going to create anything for the press or suggest they cover the meeting as its the first one.
If you put something in the press, you may get more than you bargained for. You might have to buy LOTS of refreshments. I would love to go but I am taking my Tiger Cub Den to a field trip that day for a badge. If it falls through, I will certainly be there!
I doubt if I will get a lot of people just by putting something in the press but that would be nice!
Could invite some local reporters, if they promised to not name names. Haha. Invite the librarians.
Did you put something in the regional threads here?
Yes. I started on the regional thread and then posted this one here for visibility.
bump
Do you know how many people are coming?
Is it strictly for just that region-I’m from NJ and would like to go.
Grace,
I’m from the UK and I’m most likely going. What do you think? :-)
Well said anon_22!!
:)
I plan to be there-can I bring something to help senegal1?
ATTENTION I just posted the following on the upcoming conferences thread. I have a suggestion: how many of you might be able to stay over and attend that? I have to fly out on the 24th but this I think is probably one of the most important issues to be discussed. This is not just a ‘talking’ seminar, but is supposed to be used to direct policy. AND it allows audience participation and representation.
I am thinking… maybe we should turn the Oct 21 meeting into preparation workshop for this one, and figure out what should be said by citizens and have someone go and say it?
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) is conducting an expedited review of the role of community-based mitigation strategies during an influenza pandemic. A workshop on this topic will be held on Wednesday, October 25 & Thursday, October 26, 2006 and will be open to the public. The meeting will be held at the PAHO Building, Room A, 525 23rd Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037. This workshop is part of the information gathering process of the IOM committee reviewing this issue.
The committee will prepare a report based primarily on information from the workshop that will include conclusions and recommendations, based upon available evidence, regarding:
The workshop format will allow for dialogue among workshop presenters, the committee, and the audience. To view the full statement of task of the committee, please see the project website at http://www.iom.edu/CMS/3793/37624.aspx.
The draft agenda for this meeting will be posted to the project’s website closer to the meeting date (http://www.iom.edu/CMS/3793/37624/37630.aspx).
If you would like to attend the meeting, please register online at http://www8.nationalacademies.org/isc-registration/public/default.asp?event=AD6077FE by 5:00pm Eastern on October 23, 2005, and provide your name and contact information. You will receive an email confirmation of your registration within 24 hours. As for all IOM meetings, registration is free.
I can’t get time from work to go but would have loved to go…
my coworker on our local board of health is presenting her abstract on this exact topic 11/7/06 at the APHA meeting in Boston.
This is on a Saturday? I would very much like to come and meet people and talk! I think I can make it.
I would LOVE to attend the Institute of Medicine Conference on the 25th and 26th but probably cannot arrange full day child care.
Quick question — wasn’t the IOM doing a conference on the 23rd? Is this instead of or in additin to?
“open to the public” -Too bad it’s not online!
;-)
I just thought I would pop into this conversation and say that a week ago I got to meet a fellow fluwikian for coffee and very much enjoyed the experience.
have another conference so will not attend.
Average Concerned Mom – at 15:15
Oct 23 is this one National Academies Roundtable Workshop 18: Citizen Engagement in Emergency Planning for a Flu Pandemic
Ok yes anyone who wants to meet in person at the Great Falls Library this Oct 21 is welcome. PLEASE I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOME FOLKS THERE!
Sorry we won`t see you Grace RN. Its a very pleasant area. I also plan on attending the Oct 23rd Roundtable mentioned above and maybe the Oct 25th as well.
On another note, I just talked to the Director for Public Health for Fairfax County. Her name is Gloria Addo-Ayensu. Very on top of Pandemic Flu and has a very good presentation which pulls no punches. She is happy to come out and speak for any group or have someone come out and speak. In addition, Fairfax County will be re-doing a number of workshops for faith based, business, and schools on planning for pandemic. We need to turn out people in our communities for these workshops.
Next, I went to talk to my church (UU Reston). While they knew nothing about pandemic flu, they mentioned I had come just in time as they were wondering how to get someone to come give the flu shots. As we spoke there was interest and willingness to work on the issue through the social action committee. I asked about putting up a poster that I could change with new information every week and they said no problem.
Next, I went to my local school. I talked with the nurse who immediately pointed to an upcoming agenda item for a meeting of school nurses again given by Dr. Addo-Ayensu on Pandemic Flu. However the nurse herself knew very little. At the same time the regional school nurse was there making the round of the school. She went to great pains to tell me that they have plans and described some of them. She was receptive. I then talked to the Principal and left some literature and said I would be happy to help organize outreach to parents. I also asked if I could put up a poster about Pandemic Flu with information that I would change one a week or so. He will think about it.
Overall, here is what I learned. Fairfax County, mainly due to the Director of Public Health, has a realistic idea of what could happen. They also have a top down process for preparedness which is focused on creating plans. Also some actual action items seem to be in place. However, much of the planning is based on emergency response to a range of emergencies rather than specific for Pandemic. This is very true at the local school level. In addition, it became clear to me that we are really lacking bottom up organization. It`s fine that the school has a plan but the principal doesn`t live in the area nor do many of the teachers. In addition, people in the same community don`t know each other and can`t call each other. The school principal doesn`t know the grocery store owner, the library Board of Director, the head of the Great Falls Citizen`s Association, ect. because again he doesn`t live in the community. The communication linkages are verticle between principals at schools and there are few horizontal linkages within communities. When a pandemic happens its the horizontal linkages which will be most valuable if a response is to be coordinated on a local level.
Great job…I can’t nmake it Saturday due to other event commitment but live near you and appreciate your work. I have previously called Fairfax schools and country --- I think this is important because the more they hear from us the more they know there are local citizens interested. Citizen interest level will spur local action.
I will also recount a call to a college - it was clear I was the first parent to show an interest. The college health directers clearly was overwhelmed struggling with what to do. She was also getting push back from others who either said it wouldn’t happen or if it did no plan could/would be adequate. I told here that as a parent “no plan” was not an option. Parents will not accept “we didn’t know what to do or we didn’t think it would happen”. I gave her some suggestions (limited but a start). I didn’t want to overwhelm her further. She seemed grateful for having someone care about what she faced and show and interest. I will folow up with her again and probably elevate my concern to higher levels of the college administration. The college is out of state and it is essential I know how this will be handled.
I encourage everyone as part of your preps to make calls to local and state governments, schools, colleges, utilities and ask if they are prepared. If not advise them “no plan is not an option.” Follow up later. Every voice matters now- not later. Be sane - be calm - be vocal. You are an asset - they need your help even if they don’t know it.
So how many are coming so far? Benn lurking - not sure I can make it. If it rains, I can…
Well then I will pray for rain! I don`t know its hard to tell. Four people from the other thread said they were coming. I would be surprised if for this first meeting it has more than ten or so. But we really need to start — I will suggest 30 minutes getting to know each other, personal preps ect; then 1 hour discussion of the Fairfax county plan and any other plans from other areas if we have additional out of area folks. Then 30 minutes for personal action plans for the next month. After that we can adjourn or maybe some folks from the community around me will come (doubtful but possible) and otherwise we can hang out some more or leave.
I agree with Anon 58 that we need to start being the squeaky wheel.
I also agree with Anon 22 about coming up with policy input for the conference on Oct 25th if at all possible.
My new count has 8 or 9 people as possibles out of 50 names of people I count who are in the area.
Grrrrrr. Between my kid’s Scouts and the last soccer game of the season, I won’t be able to make it. Doesn’t look like rain either…. :-( Have a good time and take good notes!
senegal1 - Sorry but I also cannot make it - have closing on my new house (Lake Anna) which is another 40 south, so I’ll be even farther away on Saturday.
As with ‘On the fence’ above, please take good notes.
Another sorry, I too will be a no show.
senegal1 – at 22:47 This is such a great gesture on your part & I hope that at least a few folks get to meet each other. I had been wondering how this was going & thought it was last week — keep bumping this up so others in your area will be reminded & good luck from this girl down South.
Thanks. You’re very kind. I would like to see at least a couple of people at the meeting. I think forums are great things but there is a lot to be said for the energy that comes from coordinating with people in person.
senegal1,
I’ve finally sorted out my timing and I’m definitely going to be there. So that’s at least 2, you, and me. :-)
I’m having a weird PC problem where I can’t access any of my several web-based email accounts, so I can’t email anyone. I believe you gave me your phone no before but I can’t access it now! I don’t know whether it is a temporary problem with the hotel, or something more serious! So I’m going to say yes to your suggestion for my travel arrangements here. Please email Dem with your phone no and stuff again, and I will call him later for that.
Yeah, he gets to be telephone exchange, on top of everything else. LOL
OK, I’m curious; what will the name tags say? ;-)
On the fence and leaning – at 22:15
OK, I’m curious; what will the name tags say? ;-)
I guess you can draw a picture on yours :-)
I’m going to TRY to come (my schedule got changed). Hope I can make it. I’ve printed out the directions and am all set.
I’ll be there (was hoping to go to the APHA convention in Boston, but that fell thru) so I’ll be there!!
YAY! More people!
I have been having problems posting to this site, so I hope this gets through. I will be there on Saturday as well, and will be attending the conferences on the 23rd and the 25/26. I look forward to meeting everyone.
US Dept. Education web cast archive link - send this to local officials, schools, colleges. Very helpful. Make your neighbors and others aware of it.
The archived video is finally up at the Ed Department site.
Plans have changed maybe able to attend.
Hi y’all, I’m afraid I’m going to have to skip this. I drove through some of the worst rainstorm today, took me 5 hours to do 130 miles, and got really ill towards the end, being stuck in traffic in the tunnels.
What’s worse than driving through pelting rain, low visibility, and strong winds on a Friday afternoon on the I-90? It’s driving through pelting rain, low visibility, and strong winds on a Friday afternoon on the I-90 while fighting jetlag and reacting to either the traffic fumes or whatever chemicals rental companies use to clean the car, or both.
Anyway, now I have a combination of asthma, trigeminal neuralgia, and jetlag.
I’m hanging in there till I can get a flight to DC in the morning. I need to just go straight to the hotel and sleep. In my experience, that’s the only treatment to stop trigeminal neuralgia.
Sorry, and hope everyone has a good time.
anon 22. You take care of yourself. This is a marathon…not a sprint!!
Can someone make sure Senegal1 sees this, cos I still can’t get to my email account? Like bump it or email her if you have her email address. I need to go to bed.
Thanks.
Oh sorry guys! I worked all day then had a bunch of stuff to do tonight and just got in. You mean that someone might actually show up tomorrow?! That would be great. Sorry that Anon 22 will not be there. I understand fully. I am looking forward to seeing folks! I am sure this will be productive!
I thought this might be of interest to some of your VA area residents:
Richmond, VA, public health pandemic exercise Oct. 23–24.
WHAT: The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) will take part in a two-day, statewide public health exercise to evaluate response and recovery operations in the event of a pandemic influenza outbreak. State public health officials will conduct a media briefing during the exercise scheduled for Oct. 23–24. VDH, its statewide network of district health departments and numerous partners such as hospitals, emergency management and public safety agencies will use the FLUEX 06 exercise to assess emergency response plans and identify areas for improvement.
WHEN: 10:30 a.m., Oct. 23, 2006
WHERE: Virginia Department of Health, Fifth Floor Conference Room, 109 Governor Street, Richmond, Va.
Media may join the briefing via phone by calling 800–337–3137, and entering the pass code 7008. Please mute your phone. Questions will be taken at the conclusion of the briefing.
WHY: To provide a rare firsthand look at state public health operations during an exercise. Officials will provide insight and context on the operation of the Emergency Coordination Center, outline the steps VDH has taken to prepare for the exercise and explain the benefits of the statewide exercise to Virginia residents. Exercises like FLUEX 06 assess the abilities of Virginia’s emergency response agencies to respond to people’s health needs during large-scale emergencies such as pandemic flu or hurricanes.
WHO: The following VDH staff will participate in the briefing:
— Robert B. Stroube, M.D., M.P.H., State Health Commissioner
— Lisa Kaplowitz, M.D., M.S.H.A., Deputy Commissioner for Emergency Preparedness and Response
— Robert P. Mauskapf, M.P.A., Col. U.S. Marine Corps Retired, State Emergency Planning Coordinator, director of VDH’s Emergency Command Center and exercise coordinator
— Charles Konigsberg, M.D., M.P.H., Alexandria Health District Director
— Diane Powers, Director of Communications
Contact: Diane Powers, 804–864–7008; Kelly Lobanov, 804–864–7553; Cheryle Rodriguez, 804–225–4590; Larry Hill, 757–683–9175; Lucy Caldwell, 703–934–0623; Robert Parker, 540–381–7100, ext. 151; all of the Virginia Department of Health
Thanks much! We will discuss this today at our meeting and see if we can generate interest in our area on attending! Great!
Is there a meeting room number or is there only one meeting room at this place?
I’m so sorry I’m not there! My babysitter cancelled at 11:30 this morning. HOpefully, we’ll soon have another opportunity to gather.
Well we had a good meeting. I hope I didn`t talk too much. I will write up a quick summary later. Thanks Anon 58, Grace RN, LizJ, Amak and DRD 191 for coming! Sorry we didn`t see you Libbyalex and Anon 22 hopefully another time. Grace RN, LizJ, Anon 58, Amak, DRD 191 I hope you`ll write your views on the usefulness of getting together. I will certainly keep emailing you all for more great ideas. Grace RN I love the summer camp idea! Thanks again for coming!
senegal1 – at 21:20
Stop it- you were fine. Thank DH again for lunch. It was great and I kept having more ideas all the way home.
It was wonderful to talk to more than one person who truly ‘gets it’. My battery’s recharged.
Me too! I felt a lot better after meeting. You all had some super ideas and its wonderful to exchange ideas in person. I am getting the book and radio ect. I will email you again for a description of cooking in a cardboard box.
Glad you guys had a good time…
I need to get well faster…
I agree! It was great to put real names and faces to our handles and just to have a real conversation with people on the same page - priceless! I think sometimes only being able to deal with your fears, frustrations, accomplishments in prepping, etc online can add to the “am I alone in this & crazy” feeling & to really see other people - real live people -who you can speak to about this and they don’t flinch and glaze over - well worth the drive to me!!
I think it has recharged me too as I was fizzling a bit lately. I will definitely keep you all posted on any headway I can make on getting some community prep going around here - today’s meeting was the kick in the butt I needed to get me trying again.
And senegal1 - thanks also for the snacks and lunch!
oops - that was me - cookie issue…
Any plans to get together again?
I think we may try to do a conference call next. Grace RN suggested emails. libbyalex my email is in my profile so email me using your handle in the subject.
Re: cooking in a cardboard box:
http://www.macscouter.com/Cooking/BoxOven.html
http://www.mitsu4wdclubqld.org/tips/kampkitch/tips-cooking-cardboardbox.htm
http://www.aaoobfoods.com/carboardboxoven.htm
OR: “To conserve heat and thereby get the maximum heat value from your charcoal you must learn to funnel the heat where you want it rather than letting it dissipate into the air around you. One excellent way to do this is to cook inside a cardboard oven. Take a cardboard box, about the size of an orange crate, and cover it with aluminum foil inside and out. Be sure that the shiny side is visible so that maximum reflectivity is achieved. Turn the box on its side so that the opening is no longer on the top but is on the side. Place some small bricks or other noncombustible material inside upon which you can rest a cookie sheet about two or three inches above the bottom of the box. Place ten burning charcoal briquettes between the bricks (if you need 400 degrees), place the support for your cooking vessels, and then place your bread pans or whatever else you are using on top of the cookie sheet. Prop a foil-covered cardboard lid over the open side, leaving a large crack for air to get in (charcoal needs a lot of air to burn) and bake your bread, cake, cookies, etc. just like you would in your regular oven. Your results will amaze you.
To make your own charcoal, select twigs, limbs, and branches of fruit, nut and other hardwood trees; black walnuts and peach or apricot pits may also be used. Cut wood into desired size, place in a large can which has a few holes punched in it, put a lid on the can and place the can in a hot fire. When the flames from the holes in the can turn yellow-red, remove the can from the fire and allow it to cool. Store the briquettes in a moisture-proof container. Burn charcoal only in a well-ventilated area.”
I recommend practicing this first, and always do it outside!!
I was going to wait until tomorrow, but I will just add my thanks now to Senegal1 for taking the initiative to get us together. It was wonderful. As we talked about different videos related to avian influenza and pandemic flu that are on-line, it was suggested that maybe there can be somewhere on Fluwikie where people can post video and audio links (with a short description). I know of several great videos, but it has taken me a while to find the old links. Tomorrow I hope to send that list to the group of us that met today, but I will also post it here.
I guess the moderators would have to set up a page/space to list the videos and the links in some organized fashion. Or maybe someone reading the post can do that?
I hope Senegal1 shares with everyone her great idea concerning grocery stores.
Senegal1 and I will attend the meeting on October 23 and of course Anon_22 will be speaking. If others are attending that meeting, maybe we can get together afterwards for dinner --- or just a drink to meet. Likewise for the meetings on 25 & 26.
Enjoyed meeting everyone. Thanks for the treats.
This is the group that held the conference in New York I refered to yesterday - link at end of posting. They have them scheduled are around the country over the next year June 07 DC. New York was impressive. Looks like Philedelphia is next - site has registration info.
‘Prepared. Not Scared.’ Next Stop - Philadelphia, November 14 Safe America’s initiative to prepare U.S. corporations for a Pandemic is moving full speed ahead. More than 350 business, civic and community leaders have attended the first two summits in New York and Chicago. The next stop will be the Philadelphia area on November 14. The conference will be hosted by the Campbell Soup Company and will be held at Campbell’s Dorrance Center, in Camden. N.J. An exciting and informative agenda is being developed including presentations by leading authorities from Homeland Security, the CDC and major international corporations. Additional summits are planned for the following cities San Diego and Los Angeles, Calif.; Kansas City, Mo.; Chicago; Omaha, NE; Atlanta; and Washington, D.C. Motorola is the official national sponsor of the ‘Prepared. Not Scaredª’ series of major summits, along with PA Consulting, JPS/Raytheon, Sprint and Booz Allen Hamilton. The Department of Homeland Security, the VA and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are also collaborating in this program.
Also look at podcasts, check lists and other tools on safeamerica.org
Great. I will use this to try to get some of the strategic businesses in my area to go. My local hardware store, my local grocery store, my local computer fixit store. Thanks for this. I also just sent out this interesting article on Vitamin D and flu to you all on email. I don`t know how to link up stuff so if someone does and this hasn`t been put on the Flu Wikie before I would appreciate putting it on or however one does that dealing with copywrite issues.
“just to have a real conversation with people on the same page - priceless!”
Yay! :-)
Yes it was great! But I need to have some time to try to keep up the momentum. I met some interesting people at the conference on Monday as well and I need to see if there is any way to get a conference call going. Maybe skype but I think you can only skype so many people (4 I thought?). Any suggestions crfullmoon or any one else?