Submitted by Don Janelle

Happy New Year!

Wow, another year has come and gone and 2015 is now here! Looking back on 2014, Manchester CERT had another productive year. Yes, we were a tad bit less busy than prior years. But, as we look into the crystal ball for this upcoming year, we can start to ask what the Team’s future looks like.

As many of you may know, there have been significant changes within the Fire Department’s leadership. Chief Bycholski retired and Asst. Chief David Billings was promoted to Fire Chief. He will begin his duties as Fire Chief on January 5, 2015. Also, Dan French, a Waterbury Battalion Chief, was appointed to fill the position vacated by Chief Billings. We welcome Asst. Chief French and look forward to a great working relationship with him.

For Manchester CERT, we will continue as we have in the past. We will be holding a new CERT class in the early spring (tell your friends!). We will continue to conduct specialized training classes. Do you have any particular type training you would like to see us present? If yes, please contact Training Director Pete Beckwith or me with your ideas. We will do our best to see that those training scenarios are developed and your needs are met.

During the autumn and winter months, there has been a lot of construction going on at the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). This has caused some minor disruption, especially in the ham shack. In short, in order to permit the heating units to be replaced, we had to disassemble the entire radio and computer system. Then, we had to disassemble the roof antenna system as the roof itself was being replaced. Next, we will have to put all the equipment back and get it operational, especially in the ham radio room. Our plan is to have a Manchester CERT “work party” to accomplish this. Since the roof work is still ongoing, we do not have a set date yet. So, stay tuned for our help request. I do want to extend my sincere thanks to all of the crews who dismantled and then reassembled everything in the Operations room. In particular, Bill Pringle, Jim Todd, Ron Tasse, Rich Claing, Paul Gibson and Greg Vinci provided the brains and backbone to get this all done. I hope I did not miss anyone, but if I did please let me know. Without your considerable investment of time and muscle, it could not have been accomplished. Thank you!

I hope we will have a mild winter – but, who knows what will happen? As always, I am confident that we will be ready to respond if we are called. Regardless, please remember to be prepared. Whenever we start to get complacent and let our guard down, that’s when “things can happen.” Unfortunately, I have seen a decline in attendance at our weekly Emcomm net check-ins. As a reminder, the Net Checks are every Tuesday and Thursday evening at 1900 on the 145.33 repeater. Please make Ray (KB1JJX) and me both happy – check in at least once a week on the NET. We really do NEED to keep our radio skills sharp. Remember, a Net Check can be achieved without you even having to leave the comfort of your nice warm home. Of course, whether you do the Net Checks dressed up or in your PJs is entirely up to you. BTW, it makes for a great New Year’s Resolution – do a Net Check at least once a week!

Have a Happy 2015! I will see all of you at our next monthly CERT meeting on January 28th.

Don J

January/February, 2015Issue No. 37

From the Executive Committee

Manchester, Connecticut CERT operates under the direction of the Town of Manchester Emergency Management Agency.

Executive Committee

Manchester’s Community Emergency Response Team

1

Executive Committee

Newsletter TeamJerry BujauciusEditor

Matt CostaGraphic Design

Al BelandPeter BeckwithJohn ByramKaren ClaingRich ClaingFrancene DianaAnita GillespieHolly JacobsDon JanelleBruce KramerDiego LopezChris MarvinBill PringleDanielle SaffiottiScott Somes Jim ToddPete VernesoniAl Williams

2 January/February, 2015

If there is a winter storm advisory, watch or warning in your area, use the following list to help make sure you are prepared:

NUTRITION AND COMFORT

Make a stockpile of warm clothing and blankets for every member of your family. This is •important in case the power in your home goes out and you are stuck without heat for an extended period of time.

The Red Cross recommends having at least a three-d• ay supply of food (non-perishable) and a three-day supply of water (one gallon per person, per day) for your entire family.

The Red Cross also recommends having• at least a 7-day supply of prescription medications ready. You should also make sure you have at least a one-week supply of contact lenses, hearing aid batteries, glucose tablets, inhalers and any other health necessities you may need while you are stuck inside.

Families with babies should remember• to gather a supply of bottles, formula, baby food, diapers, etc.

Have first aid kit and emergency numbers on hand.•If you have an oil furnace, never allow the oil level in the tank to go below ½ tank•Make sure you have several flashlights, along with extra batteries.•

COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION

Make sure your cell phone is charged.•Include a battery-powered radio, also with extra batteries• , so that you can tune in to hear about local conditions and alerts

Tune your portable radio to Manchester’s Emergency Radio Station (1630 AM)•

PROTECT YOUR PETS

Bring pets inside – and make sure they also have plenty of food and water, too.•

Town of Manchester Press ReleaseWinter Safety Checklist

3 January/Feruary, 2015

MAKING YOUR HOME STORM READY

If temperatures are extremely low, keep faucets• dripping slightly to prevent pipes from freezing and bursting.

Keep rock salt in your home in order to melt ice• on your driveway, porch and/or walkways.

If you don’t have storm windows, cover your windows • with plastic from the inside. This helps prevent cold air from coming in. Make sure you have smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. (You should regularly test these alarms to make sure they are working – not just in the winter, but also all year long.)

If you use candles, make sure you remember to extinguish• them before leaving a room or falling asleep.

NEVER permit children to have access to candles or matches•NEVER use a generator inside your home – it could pose a carbon monoxide threat•

TRAVELING SAFETY IN WINTER WEATHER

The process should actually begin before winter arrives• . Make sure your car’s battery, anti-freeze, brakes, lights, heater and defroster are ready for cold, wintry conditions. Although you should avoid traveling under winter weather conditions, there may be instances when you cannot avoid it. When you are forced to drive in snow or ice, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Keep your gas tank filled at least halfway, in case you get stuck in a traffic jam.•Before you start driving, make sure your exhaust pipe• is cleared of any snow or ice. An obstruction in your exhaust pipe could cause carbon monoxide to build up inside your car.

Never warm up your car in an enclosed space.• This could present an immediate carbon monoxide poisoning threat.

Don’t accelerate while turning your car, as it could cause skidding.•Drive slowly. Give yourself significantly more time than usual to brake.•

Keep a first aid kit, a blanket and a small supply of food• and water in your car at all times.

Town of Manchester Press ReleaseWinter Safety Checklist

4 January/February, 2015

Submitted by Jim Todd, WB1GIE, Photos by Don Janelle, N1DAJ

“The Citizen Responder – Making Our Communities Stronger” was the theme for our Annual Connecticut Citizen Corps Council Conference-2014. I have to say, the speakers and training sessions spoke to this theme in ways that gave me a lot to think about. And it all happened in one day. Those who planned the event, the guest speakers and all participants from around the state made for a good experience.

At around 10:00am during the conference we had a one-minute participation in what was called, the “Great American Shake Out Exercise”.

No, this wasn’t…Don’s going to take my picture and I didn’t have a chance to comb my hair. It was a physical/mental practice exercise in case of an earthquake. The idea is to practice. You know, if there was a fire in your building it would be good to practice taking the stairs down to the ground and not just stare at the stairwell door.

The first two guest speakers spoke to the theme by emphasizing preparedness. William Webster, FEMA Region I, Federal Preparedness Coordinator, discussed how FEMA preparedness actions are expected to transcend into preparedness and readiness for us all. That’s right, we are ultimately responsible for our own family and home preparedness as well as the actions we take or don’t take before, during and after an incident. In our locale individual preparedness for a natural disaster such as a hurricane, ice or snow storm, etc. is something we are familiar with.

The Citizen ResponderMaking Our Communities Stronger

January/February, 20155

However, it’s the unthinkable events that, individually speaking, may be a lot more complicated than it sounds, as I began to realize after reading the book Webster recommended, “The Unthinkable – Who Survives When Disaster Strikes-And Why” by Amanda Ripley. You will just have to read the book. Believe me, it’s an important read for all of us.

The second speaker, Captain Edward J. Cubanski, III – Commanding Officer, US Coast Guard sector, Long Island Sound, discussed the Coast Guard’s role in preparedness and resiliency and how it connects with the Citizen Corps concept here in Connecticut.

Of course, the highlight of the conference this year was to hear, A Conversation with Jeff Bauman that he titled, “Beyond the Finish Line”. You could hear a pin drop in the auditorium. I don’t think anyone let their attention drift from listening to Jeff. As a victim and survivor of the Boston Marathon bombing, Jeff has a story to tell that is an inspiration to all and one that, as he describes, has made a whole community stronger. You can read his book, “Stronger” by Jeff Bauman.

Jeff Bauman, his wife Erin and their daughter

The Citizen ResponderMaking Our Communities Stronger

January/February, 20156

So what specifically did I get out of this conference? The following key words come to mind:

These key words, in the order shown – top to bottom, left to right -- might represent an outline of a complete story about a disastrous event from the beginning to the end. As a Citizen Responder, these key words become the elements of our individual plan and our team plan.

Whether we are working as an individual or on a team, we need a plan. Driving down route 5 recently, somewhere near the Sky Diner, I saw an old billboard that had the phrase, “Winging it is not an emergency plan.” We may not be able to plan for any and all events, but we can come up with scenarios for our Manchester community that involve all CERT members in Table Top exercises that lead to a weekend exercise that makes use of all our resources.

As Amanda Ripley suggests in her book, “The Unthinkable”, the best way to improve performance is to practice. In other words train your brain. It is much better to stop, drop and roll than to talk about stopping, dropping and rolling. The training we do together as a team will go a long way in helping to cope with events we didn’t think about, should they occur.

Who knows, we may never have a disastrous event to deal with. I like to think of what we do as a team when we practice is like going on a journey and the best part of the journey is getting there.

Preparation•

Unthinkable•

Decisions•

Improvisation•

Rebuilding•

Resilience•

Hope•

Strength•

The Citizen ResponderMaking Our Communities Stronger

The 5th Annual Little Manchester Road Race was held at 10:00 AM on Saturday, November 22 at the Bennet Academy soccer fields near Charter Oak Park in Manchester. Many Manchester CERT members volunteer to assist at his event which is held the weekend before the Manchester Road Race on Thanksgiving Day.

The Little Manchester Road race had three non-competitive, casually-timed “races” beginning at 10:00 AM: a half mile race, a one mile race and a two mile race. Children who enter must be age 12 or under and they choose which event(s) to enter on the morning of the race. Parents are also welcome to run with their child. All of the courses took place within the park so there were no roads or traffic to worry about.

Before the first race began, three skydivers kicked off the event by jumping from an airplane and landing a couple minutes later on a large red X marked near the fields. They also had colored smoke canisters so they could be easily tracked by the kids as they made their descent toward the field. It is always good when an event such as this one turns out to be just plain uneventful. If the planning is executed successfully, then the kids have fun while their parents are confident that everyone is safe.

January/February, 20157

Little Manchester Road Race

January/February, 20158

CyberSecurity Awareness TipsSafe Shopping on the Internet

The holiday season can be fun as you seek out deals when shopping for holiday gifts. However, pleasure may turn into pandemonium if you’re not cautious of cyber criminals. Keep these tips in mind to ensure safe online shopping.

Check out sellers: Conduct research before you buy. Always verify the site before supplying any information. Locate physical address/phone numbers of vendors in case there is a problem. Also search for merchant reviews. Look for Verisign or other secure payment certificates.

Make sure the site is legitimate and shop at secure sites: Before you enter your personal/financial information, look for signs that the site is secure such as a closed padlock on your web browser’s address bar or a URL address that begins with https. These indicate that the purchase is encrypted or secured. Never use unsecured wireless networks to make an online purchase. Reliable websites require shoppers to log in and use a password.

Protect your personal information: When making a purchase online, be aware of the information being collected. Remember, you only need to fill out required fields on a vendors checkout form. Check the website’s privacy policy. How will your information be stored and used? Never provide your government issued information like Social Security number, National Identification / Insurance number or Passport number. These are never needed for placing online orders.

Use safe payment options: Credit cards are generally the safest option because they allow buyers to seek a credit from the issuer if the product isn’t delivered or isn’t what was ordered. Never send cash through the mail or use a money-wiring service because you’ll have no recourse if something goes wrong. Don’t forget to review return policies. You want a no-hassle ability to return items.

Keep a paper trail: Print and save records of your online transactions, including the product description, price, online receipt, terms of the sale, and copies of any email exchange with the seller. Read your credit card statements as soon as you get them. If there is a discrepancy, call your bank and report it immediately.

Ham Radio General ClassStarts Friday, January 30, 2015

January/February, 20159

Submitted by Paul Gibson

The BEARS of Manchester, amateur radio club, is offering a General Class beginning on Friday January 30, 2015 and running for 5 weeks including review and quiz. We will meet at the Manchester Emergency Operations Center (EOC) 321 Olcott Street in Manchester on Friday nights at 7:00 PM. This is the second of three amateur radio license classes which must be earned in sequence. You do need to have a Tech class license before testing for the General Class. In case of inclement weather we will do the same as what Manchester Community College (MCC) is doing with evening classes.

For head count purposes please send an email to paul.gibson@snet.net if you are going to attend. The class is free with handout materials provided by the Town Of Manchester. You are responsible for the $15 test fee on the last night.

CyberSecurity Awareness TipsSafe Shopping on the Internet

Turn your computer off when you’re finished shopping: Many people leave their computers running and connected to the Internet all day and night. This gives scammers 24/7 access to your computer. Always close your browser sessions when you are done. To be safe, turn off your computer when it’s not in use.

Be wary of emails requesting information: Attackers attempt to gather information through emails requesting you confirm purchases. Legitimate businesses will not do this through email. Always contact the merchant directly if you have a problem with an order.

Protect yourself and help keep the web a safer place for everyone.For more information visit the National Cyber Security Alliance website at

http://www.staysafeonline.org

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