September 11th 10-year anniversary coverage 
Boston.com - Sept 7, 2011. Many media outlets are featuring September 11th 10-year anniversary events, photos, discussions, and stories, including our own Boston.com at http://www.boston.com/news/nation/specials/sept_11_anniversary/. Other coverage sites includes:

TIME: http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/0,28757,2083745,00.html  

NBC New York: http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/9-11-Anniversary-10-Years-September-11-Attacks-WTC-.html 

ABC News: http://abcnews.go.com/US/September_11    

CBS News: http://www.cbsnews.com/2718-201_162-1241.html    

The US Department of State has also issued a travel warning for the anniversary at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_5557.html.  

Surviving Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irene  
Thank you to all health centers who responded to the League requests for status updates throughout Irene's wrath and aftermath. We are happy to report that damages were minimal and all centers were restored to fully operational status just 4 days after the storm. As a reminder, Massachusetts was granted a presidential emergency declaration, be certain to maintain detailed financial records of any actions taken to mitigate the storm's impact, and expenses and losses as a result of the storm. Watch for more information on potential reimbursement opportunities from the state.
MEMA's website: http://www.mass.gov/Eeops/docs/mema/news_and_updates/2011/Next_Steps_Following_Hurricane_Irene.pdf
League resource page: http://www.massleague.org/Programs/EmergencyPreparedness/Hurricane.php

Earthquake felt in Massachusetts    
On August 23rd, Massachusetts felt the seismic waves from a 5.8 earthquake which struck northwest of Richmond, Virginia. Although earthquakes are rarely felt in New England, the incident was a good reminder of the importance of preparedness and being familiar with emergency plans. The League created an earthquake resource page on our website at http://www.massleague.org/Programs/EmergencyPreparedness/Earthquake.php.

PEER Update and Newsletter    
As we enter FY2012, the first phase of work for PEER is to carry out a Needs Assessment. The Institute for Community Health (ICH) will be conducting this assessment which looks at the best structure for PEER to make 'response support' functional; how the needs for 'response support' differ across Region 4; what regional capabilities already exist; what components need to be built or enhanced; what trainings and technical assistance will the coalition need or want; and lastly, how do we ensure connectivity between all three regions 4A, 4B and 4C. ICH and PEER will be contacting stakeholders in Regions 4A and 4B during August and September. =In preparation for the Needs Assessment, PEER staff met with several of our disciplines and stakeholders. Staff was present at the Region 4A public health meeting and the 4AB hospital meeting. Phone calls and in person meetings were held with members from local hospitals, long term care and public health.

http://sph.bu.edu/peer  

Get Tech Ready      

Ready.gov - Aug 31, 2011. Recent weather events such as Hurricane Irene, the earthquake on the East Coast and other natural disasters highlight the need for Americans to prepare for emergencies. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the American Red Cross, the Ad Council and Google Crisis Response are collaborating to launch a new preparedness web resource, Get Tech Ready, on behalf of the Ready campaign.  This new resource educates individuals and families about how using modern-day technology can help them prepare, adapt and recover from disruptions brought on by emergencies or disasters. Get Tech Ready provides Americans with tips on how to use technological resources before, during and after a crisis to communicate with loved ones and manage your financial affairs. Preparedness tips on the website include: 

• Learn how to send updates via text and internet from your mobile phone to your contacts and social channels in case voice communications are not available;   
• Store your important documents such as personal and financial records in the cloud or on a secure and remote area or flash or jump drive that you can keep readily available so they can be accessed from anywhere; and 
• Create an Emergency Information Document using the Ready.gov Family Emergency Plan template in Google Docs or by downloading the Ready Family Emergency Plan to record your emergency plans.   

Serve.gov Widget    

FEMA - Aug 26, 2011. The new Serve.gov widget makes it so easy to find opportunities to serve in your communities and to make a difference in September and beyond. Serve.gov has also made it simple to add their widget to your website, blog, Twitter feed, Facebook page, and other social media outlets. Check it out at: http://www.serve.gov/widgets/demo_disasterprep.htm. 

Nationwide EAS Test Scheduled    

Rapid Notify - Aug 23, 2011. The first nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) will be conducted jointly by DHS, FEMA, the FCC, and the National Weather Service on November 9, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern. The EAS has never been used on a nationwide basis before, and the purpose of the upcoming test is to assess its readiness and effectiveness. Read more at http://rapidnotify.wordpress.com/2011/08/01/nationwide-emergency-alert-system-test-scheduled/.  

AHRQ Releases a Spanish Language Medication Tracking Tool     

AHRQ - Aug 8, 2011. A newly revised Spanish language medication tracking tool, "Su medicamento: Infórmese. Evite riesgos." ("Your Medicine: Be Smart. Be Safe."), is now available from AHRQ. It can help Spanish-speaking patients learn more about how to take medicines safely. The guide includes a detachable, wallet-size card that can be personalized to help patients keep track of all medicines they are taking, including vitamins and herbal and other dietary supplements. For a copy of the tool, visit http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/safemedsp/yourmedssp.pdf. To order copies, contact the AHRQ Publications Clearinghouse at AHRQPubs@ahrq.hhs.gov or call (800) 358-9295. 

Donate to the League's Emergency Relief Fund

The June 1st storms caused significant damage to Caring Health Center in Springfield, including the destruction of 25 employee cars by flying debris. A preliminary estimate of the damage, which includes facility costs not reimbursable through insurance as well as the storm-related transportation and housing needs of the center's employees and patients, has been set at more than $275,000. Proceeds of this fund also will be used to help employees and patients of other western and central Massachusetts health centers affected by the storm.  

To make a gift to the fund, please click on the Network for Good link above.