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Hawai'i County
Civil Defense Agency
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
For
Immediate Release: January 7, 2010
10-001
DOH URGES
BIG ISLAND RESIDENTS TO TAKE PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES DUE TO BRUSH FIRE SMOKE
HONOLULU
– The Hawai'i State Department of Health (DOH) urges Hawai'i County residents to take
precautionary measures due to elevated levels of fine particulates (PM2.5)
caused by brush fires. Although the brush
fires are located in remote areas, the smoke can travel and affect communities in varying
degrees. The DOH is continuing to monitor the
PM2.5 levels in four Hawaii County communities:
Kona, Hilo, Mountain View, and Pahala.
The
PM2.5 level recently recorded over a 24-hour period at the DOH air monitoring
station located in Kona exceeded the National Ambient Air Quality Standard. Particulate levels continue to be elevated in Kona
and are expected to improve as tradewinds return. A
list of exceedances of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards can be viewed at the
Clean Air Branch website: http://hawaii.gov/health/environmental/air/cab/index.html
Elevated
levels of PM2.5 can cause breathing problems in individuals, especially those
with pre-existing respiratory conditions, such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis. If you have respiratory conditions and live or work
in an area being impacted by smoke or vog, consider taking precautionary measures. The DOH offers the following guidelines:
- Stay indoors
and close your windows and doors.
- Check that
your air conditioner or air purifier is working properly, change filters if necessary.
- If you take
medication, make sure you have an adequate supply and use them as directed by your
physician.
- Contact your
physician if you need more medication and get clear instructions of what to do if your
lung condition suddenly worsens.
- Do not smoke
and avoid second-hand smoke.
- Avoid people
who have colds and other lung infections and wash your hands thoroughly.
- Get plenty
of rest and limit physical exertion.
- Drink plenty
of fluids to loosen mucus. Warm beverages seem
to work best.
- Contact your
physician as soon as any respiratory problem develops.
- If possible
leave the affected area.
While
these suggestions are intended primarily for persons with respiratory or chronic lung
disease, they are also useful for healthy persons during air pollution episodes such as
particulates dust, brush fires, firework smoke, or volcanic haze.
For
further information regarding air quality contact the Clean Air Branch at 586-4200.
If
you wish to obtain additional information on respiratory health contact the American Lung
Association of Hawai'i at 537-5966 or visit their website at http://www.ala-hawaii.org
For
information on this news release, contact:
Janice
Okubo
Department
of Health
(808)
586-4442
Wilfred
Nagamine
Department
of Health
(808)
586-4200
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From
the Hawaii State Department of Health Communications Office - H1N1
FAQs 5-12-09
H1N1
Influenza: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is H1N1
flu (swine flu)?
H1N1 (referred to
as “swine flu” early on) is a new influenza (flu) virus causing illness in
people. This new virus was first detected in people in the United States in April 2009.
Other countries, including Mexico and Canada, have reported people sick with this new
virus.
2. Is the new
H1N1 flu here in Hawai‘i?
Yes. H1N1 flu
cases have been reported in Hawai‘i. For the most updated case count of laboratory
confirmed H1N1 infections in Hawai‘i and the rest of the United States, visit the CDC
website, www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/.
3. Is this new
H1N1 flu contagious?
Yes. This virus
is contagious and can spread from person to person much like seasonal flu.
4. What are the
signs and symptoms of the new H1N1 flu?
The new H1N1
flu illness is similar to the regular flu. The symptoms include:
• Fever
• Cough
• Sore
throat
• Body aches
• Headache
• Chills
• Fatigue or
tiredness
• Some
patients also have diarrhea and vomiting.
Like the regular
flu, the new H1N1 flu may cause chronic medical conditions to get worse.
5. Is there a
vaccine against the new H1N1 flu?
Scientists are
working on making a vaccine for this new H1N1 flu, but it may not be ready for several
months.
6. What can I
do to protect myself from getting sick?
Although there is
no vaccine available right now to protect against the new H1N1 flu, there are things you
can do to keep from getting sick:
• Cover
your nose and mouth with a tissue (Kleenex) when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in
the trash after you use it.
• Wash
your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after you cough
or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners (hand gels) also work.
• Avoid
close contact with sick people.
• Avoid
touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
7. Will the
flu vaccine I received this year protect me from the new H1N1 flu?
No. The new H1N1
flu virus is different from the viruses in the regular flu vaccine it is not expected to
give protection against it. It is still a good idea to get the regular flu vaccine every
year because it can protect against seasonal influenza viruses
8. How do you
catch new H1N1 flu?
You can catch
the new H1N1 flu in two ways:
• By
contact with a person infected and still contagious with the new H1N1 flu.
Person-to-person spread is believed to happen in the same way as regular flu: by coughing
or sneezing of people sick with H1N1 flu. People may also become infected by touching
something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth, nose or eyes.
• By
contact with infected pigs or environments contaminated with the new H1N1 flu virus.
9. How long is
a person with new H1N1 flu contagious?
An adult with
H1N1 flu may be contagious a day before they show symptoms of being sick, and 7 days after
becoming sick. Children may be contagious for 10 days after getting sick with H1N1 flu.
10. What should
I do if I get sick?
If you become ill
with flu-like symptoms, such as fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, or
vomiting or diarrhea, you should contact your doctor. Your doctor will help decide if you
need flu testing or treatment.
You should stay
home and avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your
illness to others.
11. What
warning signs should I watch for?
If children
are sick and have any of the following signs, they should see a doctor immediately:
• Rapid
breathing or difficulty breathing
• Bluish
skin color
• Not
drinking enough fluids
• Not waking
up or not interacting (not talking or moving)
• Being very
cranky, child does not want to be held
• Flu-like
symptoms get better but then come back with fever and are more serious
• Bad cough
• Fever with
a rash
In adults,
the emergency signs include:
• Difficulty
breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or
pressure in the chest or abdomen (belly)
• Sudden
dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or
persistent vomiting
Adults with
symptoms listed above should see a doctor immediately.
12. Are there
medicines to treat H1N1 flu?
Yes. Prescription
antiviral medications (oseltamivir/Tamiflu or zanamivir/Relenza) are available to treat
swine-origin flu, but most illnesses seen in the United States have so far been mild and
not everyone may need to be treated with these antiviral medicines. Your doctor will be
able to help decide if you should take these medicines.
Medicines such as
acetaminophen (e.g. Tylenol) and ibuprofen (e.g. Motrin, Advil) can help make people with
flu feel better. If you have a medical condition such as liver, stomach, or kidney
problems or take certain medicines (such as blood thinners like coumadin) you should talk
with your doctor before using these medicines.
Children should
avoid taking aspirin while ill with the flu. Talk with your child’s doctor if they
take aspirin for medical reasons.
13. Are these
antiviral medicines available in Hawai‘i?
Yes. Two main
sources of anti-influenza medications are available. These medicines are available through
prescription if a doctor believes their patient should be treated with the antiviral
medication. (There is no ongoing shortage of treatment medications.)
14. Is it safe
for children to attend school or childcare?
Yes. School
closures are not currently being recommended unless staff or faculty absenteeism affects a
school’s ability to function safely. Children who are sick with a fever and cough or
sore throat should stay home from school until they are well.
15. Is it safe
for adults to go to work?
Yes. If
additional cases of new flu are seen in Hawai‘i, your employer may have plans for you
to change your work schedule. If you become sick, especially with a fever and cough or
sore throat, you should stay home from work until you have recovered. If your doctor
suspects that you may have new H1N1 flu you will be asked to stay home for at least seven
days.
16. Can I get
infected with this new H1N1 virus from eating or preparing pork?
No. H1N1 viruses
are not spread by food. You cannot get this new H1N1 virus from eating pork or pork
products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
NEWS RELEASE
October
4, 2008
Contact
person: Quince Mento, Civil Defense Administrator at 935-0031
County
Unveils New Mass Emergency Notification System
The
Hawai'i County Civil Defense Agency has just acquired a new Mass Emergency Notification
System, which allows for County agencies to easily notify the public in the event of
emergencies.
The
City Watch is an electronic notification system
that can notify residents about evacuations or other emergency measures via phone or
email.
“This
new system allows us more flexibility and speed to notify communities of an impending or
imminent emergency, with appropriate measures for residents to follow,” said Civil
Defense Administrator Quince Mento. It will
supplement the more traditional means of communicating with the public such as radio
broadcasts.
The
system was purchased by State Civil Defense and was given to the County as a pilot
project, Mento said. The system uses maps with
registered residents’ phone numbers and addresses to target specific communities on
the island.
“We
can use a computer generated map to focus on say, Waikoloa or Puako, to alert residents to
evacuate in the event of a brush fire,” Mento said.
The system once activated sends residents registered on the system a brief voice
and email message. “This system will only
be activated in major emergencies,” Mento said.
Hawai’i
County residents need to register for City Watch notification messages by either mailing
their contact information to: County of Hawai'i Civil Defense Agency, 920 Ululani Street, Hilo,
HI 96720 or online at http://www.citywatchonline.com/CSBSignUp/HawaiiSignUp.asp
. To register, please give your name, street
address (no P.O. boxes, please), city, zip code, home phone, cell phone, cell phone
carrier and email address. The service is free
to all residents.
The pilot stage of the
project will be free to the County, and subsequent years the County will pay an annual fee
of approximately $40,000. The system is used
in numerous communities, notably in California amid the recent spate of wildfires.
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