Aroostook County EMA

Thank You to the Limestone Community School for inviting AKEMA to their Educational Fair held last night. We had a great time interacting with the students, staff, families and community of Limestone. The kids loved the safety whistles and flashlights we handed out. Until next time, Stay Safe!

Text to 9-1-1

Text to 9-1-1 is now available in Maine.  A 9-1-1 voice call is always the fastest way to get the help, but if you can’t, texting is your next best option.

Tips for Texting 9-1-1

1. Open a text box on your phone and enter the numbers 911 in the “To” field.
2. Type the location of your emergency and a brief description of why you need help.
3. Push “send.”
4. Respond to any questions to the best of your ability.
5. Pay attention to any instructions the dispatcher is giving you and do your best to follow them.

If you are driving, safely pull over the vehicle before texting!

When natural foods are scarce, especially in the spring or dry summers, bears will venture into backyards and fields in search of easily accessible food such as bird feeders, garbage, grills and pet foods.

While hundreds of conflicts between bears and people are reported each year in Maine, many can be prevented by simply removing or securing common bear attractants. Removing these food sources will also limit other backyard visitors (raccoons, skunks, etc.).

Take these steps now to prevent conflicts with black bears in your own backyard:

– Take bird feeders down.
– Store seed and feeders indoors (you can still feed birds in the winter).
– Rake up bird seed from the ground.
– Store garbage cans in a building or enclosed by electric fence.
– Take garbage to curb on morning of pickup instead of the night before.
– Keep outbuilding and garage doors closed at all times and repair broken window and doors.
– Keep dumpster lids and doors closed and latched.
– Use bear-resistant dumpsters or garbage cans.
– Store grill inside when not in use.
– If you are having bear conflicts, stop grilling until bear moves on.
– Burn off food residue from your grill after use.
– Dispose of food wrappers and grease cups
– Bring Feed for your pets inside.
– Store livestock food inside.
– Keep livestock in buildings at night.
– Install and maintain effective fencing for livestock.
– Clean pet food dishes daily.
– Remove leftover food after feeding pets.

Maine is home to the largest population of black bears in the eastern United States. Black bears in Maine are most active between April 1 and November 1. While it is great to spot bears in the wild at a safe distance, you should never approach a bear, and should quietly back away and leave the area.

• Stay on marked ATV trails. ATV trails have green and white signs. Remember, not all snowmobile trails are ATV trails.
• Respect closed trail signs.
• Never drink and ride.
• Drive to the right and at an appropriate speed.
• Tread lightly – Don’t tear up the trail!
• Remember that modified exhausts are illegal.
• Be respectful on ATV access routes – Yield to all traffic and never pass a vehicle.
• Be courteous to others when riding on multi-use trails.
• Help prevent wildlfires. Stay on marked trails. Avoid riding in dry vegetation. Discard smoking materials appropriately, and call 911 if you see a fire.
• Register your ATV.  For every ATV registration purchased, over 2/3 of the fee goes directly into the trail maintenance fund.
• Support a local ATV club by donating your time and/or money.

With thousands of miles of beautiful trails across the state, we know you are looking forward to riding! Please remember that many of Maine’s ATV trails do not open until after Memorial Day weekend and several trails will remain closed for an extended period due to storm damage. Always check with the local club to make sure the trails are open. We hope you have a safe, memorable season on the trails.

Generators are emergency equipment that provide a secondary source of power when there is an electric failure. Generators can be helpful during a power outage, but they present serious health and safety concerns.

Safety Tips

Be sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions on how to use the generator.

Carbon monoxide poisoning

• Do not assume that you are safe. Carbon monoxide from generators is completely colorless and odorless, so you won’t know if it’s there. It could kill your family and your pets.
• Do not use a generator indoors or in partially enclosed spaces- including homes, garages, and crawl spaces – even those areas with partial ventilation.
• Do not operate near open doors and windows. Using fans will not prevent carbon monoxide build-up in the home.
• Install battery-powered carbon monoxide alarms inside your home to alert you of dangerous levels. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s recommended placement.

​​​​​​​Electrocution or electric shock

• Always connect the generator to appliances with heavy-duty extension cords.
• Hooking up your generator directly into your home power supply could increase the voltage or could cause a surge to the outside power lines and potentially injure or electrocute an unaware utility lineman. It also bypasses some of the built-in household circuit protection devices. Connecting the generator to your home could cause a surge in electricity that might result in injury or death to yourself or your family.
• Use a qualified electrician to install the appropriate equipment in accordance with local electrical codes or ask your utility company to install an appropriate power transfer switch.

​​​​​​​Fire

• Keep your generator outside and fuel your generator outside.
• Do not store fuel for your generator in your house. Gasoline, propane, kerosene, diesel, and other flammable liquids should be stored outside living areas in properly labeled, non-glass safety containers.
• Do not store fuel near a fuel-burning appliance, for example a gas stove.
• If the fuel is spilled or the container is not sealed properly, invisible vapors from the fuel can travel along the ground and be ignited by the appliance’s pilot light or by arcs from electric switches.
• Before refueling the generator, turn it off and let it cool down. Gasoline or other flammable liquids spilled on hot engine parts could ignite, and invisible vapors from the fuel can travel along the ground and be ignited by the generator’s pilot light or by arcs from electric switches in the appliance.

• Do have your heating system, water heater and any other gas, oil, or coal burning appliances serviced by a qualified technician every year.
• Do install a battery-operated or battery back-up CO detector in your home. Check or replace the battery when you change the time on your clocks each spring and fall. If the detector sounds leave your home immediately and call 911.
• Do seek prompt medical help if you suspect CO poisoning and are feeling dizzy, light-headed, or nauseated.
• Don’t use a generator, charcoal grill, camp stove, or other gasoline or charcoal-burning device inside your home, basement, or garage or near a window.
• Don’t run a car or truck inside a garage attached to your house, even if you leave the door open.
• Don’t burn anything in a stove or fireplace that isn’t vented.
• Don’t heat your house with a gas oven.
• Don’t use a generator, pressure washer, or any gasoline-powered engine less than 20 feet from any window, door, or vent. Use an extension cord that is more than 20 feet long to keep the generator at a safe distance.

https://www.redcross.org/…/smoke-alarm-request-nh-vt.html

Need a smoke detector installed in your home? The American Red Cross, offers free smoke alarms and instillation. For more information please use the link above to register today!

You can also check out there website at: www.redcross.org/endhomefiresNNE

Creosote buildup may not look dangerous, but it ignites at a mere 451 degrees F, and once it starts burning, it expands like foam sealant. In less than a minute, it builds to more than 2,000 degrees F and can engulf your entire chimney and destroy your home.

Even if you clean your chimney regularly, you should still have it inspected by a qualified chimney sweeper once a year. Certified chimney sweeps are trained to recognize chimney deterioration and venting problems and can assess your fireplace chimney’s condition.

If you burn mostly green (wet) logs, have your chimney cleaned or inspected every 50 burns. If you see moisture bubbling out the ends of the logs when they’re burning, the wood is wet. This green wood doesn’t burn cleanly and sends a lot of unburned particles (smoke) up the chimney, where they build up as creosote and soot. Dry hardwoods, such as oak and birch, burn hotter and cleaner. With them, have your fireplace chimney cleaned or inspected every 70 burns.

How To Tell If Your Fireplace Chimney Needs Cleaning

A quick way to tell if your chimney needs cleaning is to run the point of your fireplace poker along the inside of your chimney liner. If you find a 1/8-in. or more layer of buildup (the thickness of a nickel), call a chimney sweep.

Chimney sweeps may see 40 to 50 chimney fires a year, and more than half of the chimneys they service require extra cleaning because the homeowners wait too long before calling. In extreme cases, the hardened layer of buildup requires cleaning with special tools or chemicals.

A professional cleaning includes an inspection for soot buildup, obstructions, cracks in the chimney liner and signs of water damage. Older chimneys often have gaps between clay liner sections where the mortar has fallen out.

When hiring a chimney sweep, look for someone who’s certified and insured and will provide an upfront cost estimate. (For a list of certified chimney sweeps, contact the Chimney Safety Institute of America at csia.org.)

Do an Inspection

Strap on goggles and a respirator, clean the ashes out of the firebox and remove the grate. Then open a door or window and wait a few minutes before opening the damper so the pressures equalize. Then open the damper and wait a few more minutes for heat to rise from the house.

Grab your brightest flashlight and a fireplace poker and lean into the firebox. Shine your light into the smoke chamber and flue and use the poker to scratch the surface. If the soot has a matte black finish and the scratch is 1/8 in. deep or less, it’s a DIY job. But if the buildup is deeper or has a shiny, tar-like appearance, you have heavy creosote buildup. Stop using your fireplace immediately and call a professional chimney sweep.

The Aroostook County Emergency Management Agency would like to thank the Caribou Community School and the Caribou High School for allowing us to participate in their first practice of a full scale evacuation of students and staff.  AKEMA staff observed the loading of students and staff onto buses and the unloading at the school’s relocation sites, to practice attendance and the reunification process. It was a very successful practice run and both students and staff did a great job. The Caribou community should be proud of the efforts being put into the safety of our schools.

• Before beginning any food preparation, always wash your hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds and dry with a disposable paper towel or clean hand cloth.
• Clean food contact surfaces (e.g., countertop, cutting boards, utensils, etc.) often, between tasks, and if they become contaminated. Wash food contact surfaces with hot, soapy water and either air dry or use a clean cloth, or disposable paper towel to dry.
• Sanitizers can be used for added protection.
• Clean lunch boxes often with hot, soapy water and either air dry or use a clean cloth, or disposable paper towel to dry.
• Wash fresh fruits and vegetables under running water and dry thoroughly before packing.
• To prevent cross-contamination, don’t reuse packaging materials, such as plastic bags, paper, and foil food wraps.
• If the lunch contains perishable food, like lunch meats, eggs, cheese, or yogurt, make sure to keep it cold.
• Prepare and store the food in the refrigerator overnight. The food will stay cold longer because it will be at refrigerator temperature before putting it in the lunch box.
• Place ice or gel packs around the food.
• Freeze water bottles or juice boxes to place in the lunch box. (These could be used with ice packs and not alone, for added temperature control).
• Pack hot foods in an insulated thermos while the food is hot; don’t wait for it to cool before packing. You can also preheat your thermos by filling it with boiling water, letting it sit for a few minutes, pouring out the water, and then adding your hot food.
• Some foods don’t need to be refrigerated to be safe. Peanut butter, jelly, cookies, crackers, chips, dried fruit, and certain whole fruits (bananas, apples, and oranges) can be eaten safely at room temperature.
• After lunch, throw away uneaten perishable food.
• Finally, be aware of food allergens and school food allergy policies.

Accidents happen and knowing what to do when one occurs can mean the difference between saving and losing a tooth.

Here are some tips for common dental emergencies:

• For a knocked-out permanent or adult tooth, keep it moist at all times. If you can, try placing the tooth back in the socket without touching the root. If that’s not possible, place it in between your cheek and gums, in milk, or use a tooth preservation product that has the ADA Seal of Acceptance. Then, get to your dentist’s office right away.
• For a cracked tooth, immediately rinse the mouth with warm water to clean the area. Put cold compresses on the face to keep any swelling down.
• If you bite your tongue or lip, clean the area gently with water and apply a cold compress.
• For toothaches, rinse the mouth with warm water to clean it out. Gently use dental floss to remove any food caught between the teeth. Do not put aspirin on the aching tooth or gum tissues.
• For objects stuck in the mouth, try to gently remove with floss but do not try to remove it with sharp or pointed instruments.

When you have a dental emergency, it’s important to visit your dentist or an emergency room as soon as possible.

Here are some simple precautions you can take to avoid accident and injury to the teeth:   

• Wear a mouthguard when participating in sports or recreational activities.
• Avoid chewing ice, popcorn kernels and hard candy, all of which can crack a tooth.
• Use scissors, NEVER your teeth, to cut things.

Most dentists reserve time in their daily schedules for emergency patients. Call your dentist and provide as much detail as possible about your condition.

We are aware of the heightened level of stress that world events such as what is going on in Ukraine can bring to each of us.  We’ve been asked, “What can we do to prepare?”  While we all know that you can’t prepare for everything, taking small steps in personal preparedness can be empowering and lower stress.  Here are some things that you can do and that you can share with others:

• Increase your cyber-awareness.  This includes taking steps that would protect you or your business from a cyber attack.  You can get more information here:  https://www.cisa.gov/shields-up

• Power outages are something we should prepare for normally anyway.  That said, would you be prepared if there were a cyber attack that took down the power grid for a period of time?  You can find more information on how to prepare for power outages here:  https://www.ready.gov/power-outages

• We have all gotten used to the convenience of cell phones in our lives, but what if our daily ways of communicating were not working?  How would you communicate with your family and work if you could not use your cell phone and internet was down?  Having a back up plan on what you would do can take a lot of the stress out of this situation.  Here are some tips for you to use:  https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2021-04/family-emergency-communication-plan.pdf

• Building an emergency kit can be empowering by making someone feel ready for an incident.  This simple task should be done by each of us anyway, but can be especially helpful during these times.  Click here for more information on how to build an emergency kit:  https://www.ready.gov/kit

Overview for Senior Officials (Executives, Elected, and Appointed)

Three Opportunities Available – Virtual Delivery via Zoom

Are you a retired medical worker or someone who has time that would like to help during a disaster?

Signing up for this program does NOT commit you, it simply puts you in a database that would get you information when there is a need.  You decide if you are available or not when it happens.  See below for more information:

Looking to volunteer? Then, your invited you to join Maine Responds and the Maine Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) today!

What does Maine Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) do? – Our volunteer programs reinforce our state’s public health infrastructure and support low-stress/no-fault exercise environments that test critical response capabilities.

When MRC members are not responding to an emergency or disaster, most of the time, your focus will be on public health and emergency preparedness.

By registering with Maine Responds at maineresponds.org, you will join our listing of volunteers, which we search for any emergent volunteer workforce needs.

What are some of the key reasons to join Maine MRC?

•             Enjoy free trainings in healthcare, public health, and emergency management. Many of those provided by Ad Care Educational Institute now come with continuing education credits for various license types.

•             Meet, learn from, and collaborate with stakeholders from front-line responders to high-level administrators throughout Maine and across New England.

•             Improve your mindset. Studies have shown that volunteering can alleviate feelings of loneliness and impart a sense of purpose, value, and community to volunteers.

•             Do what you want to do. Nearly all aspects of our programs are voluntary, though to participate in some roles there may be pre-requisite trainings. Do what you know you are good at or broaden your horizons and change up your routine from the office grind by learning to drive a forklift truck, or assisting with emergency planning, or facilitating a monthly meeting. You are empowered to shape your role in our organization.

•             Give back to your community through our public service volunteer opportunities. Improve your area’s response capabilities and identify new resources that can be leveraged to reduce post-incident recovery times.

•             Improve your preparedness personally, in your family, in your neighborhood, and beyond! Life-saving skills and knowledge can save your loved ones, and the preparedness mindset can help turn tragedies into near-tragedies.

•             Enable your response when you see a major event take place on the news or elsewhere and you decide to lend a hand. By pre-registering, you can volunteer sooner via expedited credentials verification. By statute, the State of Maine provides liability coverage when you act as part of the state’s official emergency response force AND while training for such!

o             NOTE: Never self-deploy! Always await deployment instructions and do not self-dispatch to the scene of a disaster.

•             Participate in exciting exercises and drills with our many partners. Frequent multiagency practice is key to our response readiness. We regularly work with groups such as the Maine Center for Disease Control, Maine Emergency Management Agency, and county-level EMAs, National Guard, Maine State Police and local PDs, local Fire Departments, local EMS providers, various behavioral health agencies, American Red Cross, Community and Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters and the list goes on!

Our training courses are designed to support volunteers throughout deployment, should the worst strike our state and the need to call you to action arise. Breathe easy though, there is no set minimum volunteer commitment to join either Maine Responds or Medical Reserve Corps. If a true public emergency should occur, we simply contact you and ask if you can volunteer at a public shelter, supply warehouse, or in another capacity depending on circumstances. We encourage you to address any obligations – familial, professional, or otherwise – prior to volunteering, and to express interest in deployment later as able. It is always OK to say “no” to a volunteer request.

We do ask our volunteers to complete FEMA ICS trainings to fully understand their role within larger response operations. Your first training is IS-100, which can be taken on-line by going to training.fema.gov and registering for a student ID number. Once you have a student ID, you can enroll in many FEMA trainings that might interest you.  At the completion of these FREE on-line trainings, you will be provided a certificate of completion that can be submitted for verification of training AND used to bolster your professional resume.  

Register today for Maine Responds at maineresponds.org. You will be able to select your local unit in the drop-down menu under the “Organizations” section of the registration. For more information, please go to maineresponds.org

Anyone wanting to learn more about Emergency Management or Local EMA Directors that want to excel should check into this recognition program. Feel free to reach out to us with suggestions.

The Maine County Directors Council has updated their Maine Basic Emergency Manager 1 & 2 program. This is a great way for people to learn about Emergency Management and a good start for Local Emergency Managers.

Get more information on the program at:

https://www.maine.gov/mema/maine-prepares/plans-trainings-exercises/training/basic-emergency-training-program?fbclid=IwAR21UjXO9kMBplsQj7c9Uo36iXJOXPIpR5nX2WWSIHRNnkDMz6c2NOVMYxQ