How to stay safe during Hurricane Sandy: 7 tips

Fact Sheet

posted on October 29, 2012, at 1:10 PM

New Yorkers stock up on Hurricane essentials, including matches, extra batteries, and a flashlight on Oct. 28. Photo: Mike Stobe/Getty Images SEE ALL 9 PHOTOS

Residents of the mid-Atlantic coast are?hunkering down for what promises to be a punishing, simultaneous blow from Hurricane Sandy and two blasts of winter weather. Forecasters are warning of high winds that could topple trees and damage homes, a storm surge that could flood low-lying coastal areas, and heavy rainfall or even snow that could create dangerous conditions far inland. The violent weather is also likely to down power lines and leave many of the 50 million people in the storm's path without electricity. What's the best way to stay safe? Here, seven key tips:

1. If you're in a danger zone, get out
When a hurricane comes barreling in, the primary safety rule is quite simple: Get out of the way. "We've seen a lot of people unfortunately get injured and even losing lives going out during storms when they don't need to be out there," says Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Craig Fugate. Those in the storm's path can stay as safe as possible if they "heed the evacuation orders and stay off the road and out of this weather that comes in."

2. Stay inside
Even if you aren't ordered to leave, "stay indoors and avoid the calmed 'eye of the storm' that can pass quickly, leaving you outside at risk," says Ryan Jaslow at CBS News. Most hurricane-related injuries are caused by flying glass and other debris, and you can avoid getting hit if you hunker down in a safe spot, inside and away from windows and doors. When the winds are at their worst, a bathroom or dry basement can provide the best shelter.

3. If you plan to stay put, be prepared
If you're one of the 50 million Americans who could be affected by the storm, you need to get ready, now, even if you're not being advised to leave home, says Jaslow at CBS News. Stock your home with emergency supplies, including five gallons of drinking water per person (enough for three to five days), non-perishable foods, a battery-powered radio and flashlights, extra batteries, a first-aid kit and manual, prescription medicines, baby food, sleeping bags, extra blankets, and other necessities. Also, have important documents handy ? including insurance policies, wills, licenses, and anything "you might need to grab in a pinch."

4. Be careful what you eat
Turn your refrigerator and freezer temperatures to their coldest setting. "When the power goes out, that food in the fridge will last only so long," says ABC News Radio. Once the electricity has been out for four hours or more, "you should throw away any perishable food" you have in the fridge. If your freezer's full, leave it closed and your frozen food should stay safe for 48 hours. If it's only half full, the "safe window" is just 24 hours. And open the door as infrequently as possible, as you let cold air escape every time you open it, "effectively speeding up the clock for when your food might spoil." Use common sense, and toss anything that looks, feels, or smells funny. And always follow the "old rule, 'When in doubt, throw it out.'"

5. Make sure everyday items don't turn dangerous
If you've still got time, you should "trim back trees and shrubbery around your home," says Nashoba Publishing, and get rid of diseased or damaged tree limbs that could be blown down and sent flying by high winds. Clear rain gutters to prevent flooding in the wrong places. And do what you can to prevent items outside your home from being "picked up by strong winds and used as a missile." Make sure storage sheds and kids' playhouses are securely anchored, and bring in loose lawn furniture, hanging plants, trash cans, and other items. If you don't have storm shutters, cover windows with plywood bolted to the surrounding wall.

6. Use your generator wisely
"In a blackout, many view generators as a lifesaver," says ABC News. "But use them improperly, and they can actually put your life in danger." Generators use carbon monoxide, which you can't detect because it's colorless and odorless. Each year, 15,000 people get sent to emergency rooms and 500 people die from carbon monoxide poisoning. "To keep you and those who live with you safe, never use a generator inside your home or garage," even if the windows are open.

7. Listen to people who have been through it
Some of the best tips come from people who have already weathered a monster storm, says Kathleen Koch at CNN. So take note of these helpful pointers from people who lived through Katrina: Open drawers when making a video of your belongings for insurance purposes so you don't miss anything; have a tire plug kit and pliers to pull out nails and other sharp debris to keep you mobile after the storm; text instead of calling to extend your cell phone battery; don't expect safes and safe-deposit boxes to keep your important belongings dry in a flood; and have tarps ready to keep your home dry if wind blows shingles off your roof.

Click here for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guide to hurricane readiness, or here for FEMA's readiness tips.

Source: http://theweek.com/article/index/235555/how-to-stay-safe-during-hurricane-sandy-7-tips

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Grant and Contract Accountant - HigherEdJobs

Job Summary: The Grant and Contract Accountant is responsible for monitoring all aspects of post-award administration to ensure compliance with rules and regulations applicable to research and sponsored projects at a public institution of higher education including, but not limited to reviewing new awards, renewals and extensions to determine the account budget, billing method, expenditure allow ability, cost share requirements, sub recipient monitoring, governing rules and regulations, and other pertinent items.

Job Responsibilities: Enter new and update project information into FAMIS and Sponsored Research module. Prepare budget entries for new awards or increases to existing awards. Adjust budget line items tolerance amounts when necessary.

Responsible for reviewing and approving EPA (Employee Personnel Action) and Form 500s for Grant and Contract accounts. Review reports relative to the payroll and FAMIS interface to verify accuracy of transactions and coordinate with Director of Payroll to resolve inaccurate entries, including periodic analysis of fund availability relative to payroll.

Monitor sub recipients of Federal funds to ensure compliance with OMB A133 and if any noncompliance of sub recipient is evaluated; obtain audit reports from sub recipients.

Reviews match documentation coordinated with departments as needed to ensure compliance with sponsor requirements. Completes cost-sharing reports as needed.

Prepare monthly, quarterly or other billing for project accounts. Review billings for unallowable charges and verify programmatic integrity to ensure expenditure allow-ability. Remit invoices to sponsor for payment and complete any special forms required by the agencies.

Monitors accounts receivable monthly and contacts sponsors for collection of past due invoices greater than 60 days. Work directly with sponsor to resolve any payment delays and provide update on accounts receivable to Assistant Director.

Prepare financial reports as requested by sponsor (Forms 269A, 270, PMS 272, SF 425, or other sponsor forms).

Provide assistance to auditors?- internal, state, or federal?- conducting reviews of sponsored projects by answering questions, making financial records available, and providing requested documentation.

Responsible for researching and resolving grant or contract issues and determine correction and or adjustment required to ensure proper accounting of expenditures. Prepares cost transfer or corrections on accounts to ensure compliance with OMB Circular A-21, agreement terms, University policies and procedures. If necessary, contact the department to initiate moving expenditures to correct account.

Perform budget review and financial analysis on accounts as required. Provide financial data or reports, as requested, to departments, principal investigators, and sponsors.

Close out project accounts including preparing final bill or financial report. Analyze indirect costs to ensure that applicable F&A rate was applied to the base. Prepare any budget or journal entries required to close out account.

Provide continuing education and training to staff and University departments on issues related to grants and contracts. Serves as advisor and consultant to research faculty from different disciplines regarding the administration of their grants and contracts. Provide financial and regulations guidance to departments and fiscal staff; assist with questions and concerns regarding expenditures allowability and compliance.

Contribute in the completion of the Annual Financial Report (AFR), Texas Higher Education Coordination Board (THECB), Research Development Funds (RDF), National Science Foundation (NSF), and various special project reports relating to grants and contracts.

Attend and participate in staff meetings and related activities; attend workshops, conferences, and classes to increase professional knowledge; serves on committees as assigned.

Perform other related job duties or responsibilities as requested or required, whether or not specifically mentioned in this job description.

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience in accounting.

Two to five years progressively responsible accounting experience in university or in business environment. Ability to interpret written guidelines and policies. Personal computer experience, including word processing and spreadsheets.

Ability to comprehend and apply rules and regulations in complex environment. Practical knowledge of government and higher education operations in specialized field within Office or Research and Sponsored Programs.

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Strong commitment to customer service and problem solving skills, Must be well organized and be able to present training seminars for faculty and staff.

Ability to multi-task and work cooperatively with others.

Texas A&M University-Kingsville is committed to excellence, the University invites applications from all qualified applicants. EEO/AA/ADA

Source: http://www.higheredjobs.com/details.cfm?JobCode=175685564

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AP Interview: Japan nuke plant water worries rise

FILE - This Saturday May 7, 2011 file image from video footage released by Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) shows spent fuel storage pool of the Unit 4 reactor building at the crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in Okuma town, Fukushima Prefecture, northeastern Japan. Japan?s crippled nuclear power plant is struggling to find space to store tens of thousands of tons of highly contaminated water used to cool its broken reactors. Up to 200,000 tons of radioactive water - enough to fill more than 50 Olympic-sized swimming pools - are being stored in hundreds of gigantic tanks built around the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant. The amount is expected to more than triple within three years, mainly because ground water is leaking into damaged reactor buildings. (AP Photo/Tokyo Electric Power Co., File) EDITORIAL USE ONLY

FILE - This Saturday May 7, 2011 file image from video footage released by Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) shows spent fuel storage pool of the Unit 4 reactor building at the crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in Okuma town, Fukushima Prefecture, northeastern Japan. Japan?s crippled nuclear power plant is struggling to find space to store tens of thousands of tons of highly contaminated water used to cool its broken reactors. Up to 200,000 tons of radioactive water - enough to fill more than 50 Olympic-sized swimming pools - are being stored in hundreds of gigantic tanks built around the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant. The amount is expected to more than triple within three years, mainly because ground water is leaking into damaged reactor buildings. (AP Photo/Tokyo Electric Power Co., File) EDITORIAL USE ONLY

In this Oct. 22, 2012 photo, Yuichi Okamura, manager of the Water Treatment System Department at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, speaks during an exclusive interview at the Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) headquarters in Tokyo. As the March 11, 2011 disaster unfolded, Okamura - first in Tokyo and later in Fukushima - was among those who feverishly devised emergency steps to inject water into the overheating reactors and spent fuel pools to bring the plant under tenuous control. He was tasked with tackling the problem of radioactive water leak and setting up a treatment system that would decontaminate the water to reduce health risks for workers and environmental damage in case it spilled out. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

In this Oct. 22, 2012 photo, Yuichi Okamura, manager of the Water Treatment System Department at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, gestures while speaking during an exclusive interview at the Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) headquarters in Tokyo. As the March 11, 2011 disaster unfolded, Okamura - first in Tokyo and later in Fukushima - was among those who feverishly devised emergency steps to inject water into the overheating reactors and spent fuel pools to bring the plant under tenuous control. He was tasked with tackling the problem of radioactive water leak and setting up a treatment system that would decontaminate the water to reduce health risks for workers and environmental damage in case it spilled out. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

FILE - In this March 15, 2011 file photo released by Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO), smoke rises from the badly damaged Unit 3 reactor, left, next to the Unit 4 reactor covered by an outer wall at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear complex in Okuma town, northeastern Japan. Japan?s crippled nuclear power plant is struggling to find space to store tens of thousands of tons of highly contaminated water used to cool its broken reactors. Up to 200,000 tons of radioactive water - enough to fill more than 50 Olympic-sized swimming pools - are being stored in hundreds of gigantic tanks built around the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant. The amount is expected to more than triple within three years, mainly because ground water is leaking into damaged reactor buildings. (AP Photo/Tokyo Electric Power Co., File) EDITORIAL USE ONLY

In this Oct. 22, 2012 photo, Yuichi Okamura, manager of the Water Treatment System Department at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, speaks during an exclusive interview at the Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) headquarters in Tokyo. As the March 11, 2011 disaster unfolded, Okamura - first in Tokyo and later in Fukushima - was among those who feverishly devised emergency steps to inject water into the overheating reactors and spent fuel pools to bring the plant under tenuous control. He was tasked with tackling the problem of radioactive water leak and setting up a treatment system that would decontaminate the water to reduce health risks for workers and environmental damage in case it spilled out. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

TOKYO (AP) ? Japan's crippled nuclear power plant is struggling to find space to store tens of thousands of tons of highly contaminated water used to cool the broken reactors, the manager of the water treatment team said.

About 200,000 tons of radioactive water ? enough to fill more than 50 Olympic-sized swimming pools ? are being stored in hundreds of gigantic tanks built around the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant. Operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. has already chopped down trees to make room for more tanks and predicts the volume of water will more than triple within three years.

"It's a pressing issue because our land is limited and we would eventually run out of storage space," the water-treatment manager, Yuichi Okamura, told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview this week.

TEPCO is close to running a new treatment system that could make the water safe enough to release into the ocean. But in the meantime its tanks are filling up ? mostly because leaks in reactor facilities are allowing ground water pour in.

Outside experts worry that if contaminated water is released, there will be lasting impact on the environment. And they fear that because of the reactor leaks and water flowing from one part of the plant to another, that may already be happening.

Nuclear engineer and college lecturer Masashi Goto said the contaminated water buildup poses a long-term health and environmental threat. He worries that the radioactive water in the basements may already be getting into the underground water system, where it could reach far beyond the plant, possibly the ocean or public water supplies.

"You never know where it's leaking out and once it's out you can never put it back in place," he said. "It's just outrageous and shows how big a disaster the accident is."

The concerns are less severe than the nightmare scenario TEPCO faced in the weeks after the March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami knocked out power and cooling systems at the plant, leading to explosions and meltdowns of three reactor cores in the world's worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. The plant released radiation into the surrounding air, soil and ocean and displaced more than 100,000 residents who are uncertain when ? or if ? they will be able to return to their homes.

Dumping massive amounts of water into the melting reactors was the only way to avoid an even bigger catastrophe.

Okamura remembers frantically trying to find a way to get water to spent fuel pools located on the highest floor of the 50-meter-high reactor buildings. Without water, the spent fuel likely would have overheated and melted, sending radioactive smoke for miles and affecting possibly millions of people.

"The water would keep evaporating, and the pools would have dried up if we had left them alone," he said. "That would have been the end of it."

Attempts to dump water from helicopters were ineffective. Spraying water from fire trucks into the pools didn't work either. Okamura then helped bring in a huge, German-made concrete-making pump with a remote-controlled arm that was long enough to spray water into the fuel pools.

The plan worked ? just in time, Okamura said.

Those measures and others helped bring the plant under tenuous control, but it will take decades to clean up the radioactive material. And those desperate steps created another huge headache for the utility: What to do with all that radioactive water that leaked out of the damaged reactors and collected in the basements of reactor buildings and nearby facilities.

Some of the water ran into the ocean, raising concerns about contamination of marine life and seafood. Waters within a 20-kilometer (12-mile) zone are still off-limits, and high levels of contamination have been found in seabed sediment and fish tested in the area.

Okamura was tasked with setting up a treatment system that would make the water clean enough for reuse as a coolant, and was also aimed at reducing health risks for workers and environmental damage.

At first, the utility shunted the tainted water into existing storage tanks near the reactors. Meanwhile, Okamura's 55-member team scrambled to get a treatment unit up and running within three months of the accident ? a project that would normally take about two years, he said.

"Accomplishing that was a miracle," he said, adding that a cheer went up from his men when the first unit started working.

Using that equipment, TEPCO was able to circulate reprocessed water back into the reactor cores. But even though the reactors now are being cooled exclusively with recycled water, the volume of contaminated water is still increasing, mostly because ground water is seeping through cracks into the reactor and turbine basements.

Next month, Okamura's group plans to flip the switch on new purifying equipment using Toshiba Corp. technology that is supposedly able to decontaminate the water by removing strontium and other nuclides, potentially below detectable levels, he said.

TEPCO claims the treated water from this new system is clean enough to be potentially released into the ocean, although it hasn't said whether it would do that. Doing so would require the permission of authorities and local consent and would also likely trigger harsh criticism at home and abroad.

To deal with the excess tainted water, the utility has channeled it to more than 300 huge storage tanks placed around the plant. The utility has plans to install storage tanks for up to 700,000 tons ? or about three more years' worth ? of contaminated water. If that maxes out, it could build additional space for roughly two more years' worth of storage, said Mayumi Yoshida, a company spokeswoman.

But those forecasts hinge on plans to detect and plug holes in the damaged reactors to minimize leaks over the next two years. The utility also plans to take steps to keep ground water from seeping into the reactor basements.

Both are tasks that TEPCO is still not sure how to accomplish: Those areas remain so highly radioactive that it is unclear how humans or even robots could work there.

There's also a risk the storage tanks and the jury-rigged pipe system connecting them could be damaged if the area is struck by another earthquake or tsunami.

Goto, the nuclear engineer, believes it will take far longer than TEPCO's goal of two years to repair all the holes in the reactors. The plant also would have to deal with contaminated water until all the melted fuel and other debris is removed from the reactor ? a process that will easily take more than a decade.

He said TEPCO's roadmap for dealing with the problem is "wishful thinking."

"The longer it takes, the more contaminated water they get," he said.

___

Associated Press Writer Malcolm Foster contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-10-25-Japan-Nuclear-Water/id-576ba4342beb4fd4a113ec8ef5dfc6cc

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The Bachelorette Season Synopsis Released; Emily Maynard to Travel a Lot


ABC has released, in the form of a season overview, more details of Emily Maynard's search for love, commencing Monday, May 14 on The Bachelorette.

While kicking things off in her hometown of Charlotte, Emily will travel to Dubrovnik, Croatia; Prague, Czech Republic; and London, England this summer.

Read The Bachelorette spoilers we've pulled together so far regarding which men make it to the hometown dates and more, then read ABC's rundown:

Emily Maynard Picture

The 26-year-old former Bachelor winner first meets her 25 suitors at a southern mansion for a cocktail party after putting six-year-old daughter Ricki to bed.

Several of Maynard's bachelors will attempt to make memorable first impressions during their arrivals as always ... that's par for the course on this show.

Think actual glass slippers being presented, dudes riding in on skateboards, a party MC who breaks down into dance, and a gesture from a true southern gentleman who gives Emily something to symbolize how he'd protect her and Ricki.

In addition, Maynard will also encounter one suitor who makes a grand entrance in a helicopter ... is it Brad Womack? Is it Bentley Williams? No and no.

The promos always mislead you that way ...

Anyway, once the cocktail party begins, the competition to impress Maynard only intensifies, as a "confident" charmer gets upstaged by a single dad of six.

A "handsome" man gives her a pair of custom bobblehead dolls, a bachelor is nervous to explain his career because it may remind her of her late fiance, and another single father brings her a heartfelt letter from his 11-year-old son to read.

The mood then turns serious when host Chris Harrison arrives and reveals it's time for Maynard to present one of the men with a first impression rose.

The men will become increasingly competitive, as Emily decides to award the special rose to one "charming" bachelor ... a decision surprising nobody.

The Bachelorette season premiere will conclude with Maynard whittling her 25 bachelors down to 19. But she's just getting started at that juncture.

Emily Maynard's around-the-world dates will include:

  • Traveling to Bermuda where she must eliminate three bachelors before leaving.
  • Visiting London for a week where she'll receive a double-decker bus tour of Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park along with a solo dinner in the Tower of London and watching a group of suitors perform scenes from "Romeo and Juliet" in Stratford-on-Avon.
  • Traveling to Dubrovnik where she'lll watch Pixar's upocoming Brave movie and a group of bachelors will compete in a round of Highland games to win extra time with her.
  • Going to Prague where Maynard and her remaining bachelors will enjoy a private dinner cruise down the Vltava River, explore a medieval castle, and check out the Lennon Wall of Love and a spooky dungeon.

After four hometown dates, the final three men will then have "exotic" overnight dates with Maynard in an undisclosed location. According to ABC, obviously "there are surprises in store for Emily that will shake her world."

Color us shocked and in utter disbelief.

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Surprise! iOS still beating Android in enterprise penetration

Good Technology's latest data from their enterprise customers confirm that yes, iOS is killing Android in the business world. In the first quarter of the year, the iPhone 4S accounted for 37% of Good's activations, followed by the iPad 2 with 17.7%, while the new iPad is already claiming 12.1%.

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