It’s Fire Prevention Week, commemorating the Great Chicago Fire that began on October 8, 1871 and caused devastating damage. This horrific conflagration killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 people homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures, and burned more than 2,000 acres of land.
Fire Prevention Week History
Since 1922, The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has sponsored the public observance of Fire Prevention Week. In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed Fire Prevention Week a national observance, making it the longest running public health observance in our country. During Fire Prevention Week, children, adults and teachers learn how to stay safe in case of a fire. Firefighters provide lifesaving public education in an effort to drastically decrease casualties caused by fires.
“Serve Up Fire Safety in the Kitchen” – 2020 Theme for Fire Prevention Week
Cooking is the #1 cause of home fires and related injuries, and unattended cooking is the primary cause of fires in the kitchen. With the holidays approaching, it’s important to know that Thanksgiving is the leading day for fires involving cooking equipment. Follow these helpful hints to stay safe in the kitchen:
Never leave the kitchen when boiling, broiling or frying food.
If you are simmering, baking or roasting food, check it regularly and stay inside the home.
Always keep a lid nearby when cooking. If a small grease fire starts, slide the lid over the pan and turn off the burner.
Turn off the stove when finished cooking.
Keep combustibles away from the stove. Towels and oven mitts often start fires.
A common cause of fires is pizza boxes left on top of stoves…dogs jump on stoves to investigate and turn the stove dial on.
Fire Escape Plan – Be Prepared!
Newer homes burn faster than older homes. It is imperative that you exit the home quickly in the event of a fire.
Draw a map of all rooms in your home.
Mark 2 exits from each room (usually a door and a window). Mark a path from each exit to the outside.
Include the location of all alarms in your house.
Choose an outside meeting place to meet up.
Call 911 from outside the house.
Practice twice a year.
Smoke Alarms – Providing a Life-Saving First Alert!
Smoke alarms detect and alert people to a fire in the early stages.
Smoke alarms can mean the difference between life and death in a fire.
Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half.
Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of the home, including the basement.
Test smoke alarms at least once a month using the test button.
Make sure everyone in the home understands the sound of the smoke alarm and knows how to respond.
Smoke alarms need to be REPLACED at least every 10 years.
Q&A with Gary Gaissert, Moravian Manor Communities, VP of Operations
Q:What training is done at Moravian Manor Communities with regards to fire and emergencies?
A: All Life Plan Communities are mandated to have an emergency preparedness plan in place that includes processes and procedures for both residents and staff. Here at Moravian Manor Communities (MMC), we focus on staff training and responses to all types of emergencies including fire. MMC staff are well trained to respond promptly and effectively to any emergency situation to provide essential services to protect the people and property under its care. We utilize the Incident Management System, which clearly identifies staff responsibilities and assignments enabling us to interact and communicate with the operations of all outside support agencies (fire/police/ems/etc.). Every staff member is required to be recertified annually in the proper use of a fire extinguisher. (Incidentally, we have partnered with Warwick Emergency Services Commission in helping fund the purchase of extinguisher training equipment.) Throughout the year, there are multiple practice drills in all levels of care. We regularly check/test all emergency notification and sprinkler systems to ensure they are in proper working order. In addition, our staff interacts with the local fire and emergency management staff to continually update our response plans. Stay safe!
From: David Swartley, President/CEO Date: October 6, 2020 RE: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update #26
As I’ve discussed in my earlier updates, Moravian Manor Communities (MMC) has been rigorously following all infection control protocols stipulated by the PA Department of Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for dealing with the new Coronavirus.
As you are aware, two weeks ago, we had two residents, and one staff member test positive for COVID-19. We immediately moved the unit with positive residents to a “Red Zone.” Red Zone precautions provide the highest level of protection for both the residents and the staff serving them.
The good news is that after our fourteen-day wait, none of the infected individuals developed any symptoms, and all are fine. Our team is extremely grateful that our residents and staff remained safe and are well.
The positive tests meant that we needed to test all staff for two consecutive weeks. This fourteen-day period must yield 100% negative results for residents and staff. Both weeks testing came back 100% negative! The two weeks of negative testing means that we return to the weekly twenty-five percent testing of our staff. Per the Pennsylvania Department of Health, we can resume scheduled visitation two weeks after our universal testing comes back negative. We anticipate scheduled visits to resume on October 20; assuming there are not more positive cases. Again, a reason to celebrate!
While we are grateful for our healthy residents and staff, last week was a stark reminder of the danger of the virus. As our nation followed our President’s illness and recovery, it was a poignant reminder that viruses do not discriminate.
Our message has not changed since early in the year. Wash your hands, wear your masks, and social distance. If you can avoid group settings, it is wise to do so. While Pennsylvania and Lancaster County cases seem to be under control, we are entering the time of year to spend more time indoors and less time in the fresh air. Many medical experts are concerned about another outbreak as we move through the fall months and into the winter months. Our simple actions can keep us safe and also keep our businesses open.
Thank you for your continued support of our ministry at Moravian Manor Communities. While we come from all walks of life, it is gratifying to see the residents of MMC truly adopt a community spirit as we move forward!
For those of you seeking additional information, continuous updates are available at the following websites:
We all know that food safety is important. There are processes and procedures at the farms, packers and processors, restaurants and food stores. But we play a key role ourselves for ensuring the food we prepare is safe to eat. Take this short quiz to see if you know some of the basics.
Did you pass the quiz? If you scored 100%, you’re a food prep pro. Even if you scored low, you just brushed up on your food safety tips by taking this quiz.
To advance your food safety knowledge, Chef Derek from Moravian Manor Communities shares some tips below from the foodservice industry that also apply to food safety in your home.
Chef or Home Cook, The Rules Still Apply
Safe cooking, serving, storing, and rotation of food products are all an integral part of keeping our food safe to eat. As a home chef who prepares many meals for family and friends, you too should follow some hard and true food safety guidelines.
Pre-washing produce is a must for food safety. Remember, most of these products grow in the ground or are treated with chemicals to preserve freshness. Therefore, they must be washed prior to cutting or using. Salmonella and listeria are just a few foodborne illnesses that can be contracted from dirty or unwashed produce. Don’t worry about re-washing pre-washed greens. Doing this can cause more harm than good because you could introduce bacteria to the greens from your sink and counters.
Cold foods must be held at 40 degrees or below and hot foods must be held at 140 degrees or above once cooked and awaiting to be served. Most foodborne pathogens grow when the temperature is between 41 degrees – 139 degrees.
Prevent foodborne illnesses by:
Proper handwashing
Cook food thoroughly
Prevent cross-contamination by using one cutting board for fresh produce and another for raw meat, poultry and seafood.
Use food thermometers to gauge internal temperatures:
Fish – 145 degrees
Whole meats – 145 degrees
Ground meats – 155 degrees
Poultry – 165 degrees
Do not put hot food directly into the freezer. By doing this, you risk increasing the temperature of other foods nearby already frozen, which could lead to bacterial growth. Allow enough time for hot food to cool slightly before placing in the fridge or freezer.
When pre-seasoning or marinating meats before cooking, put them in a container or sealed bag and place in the refrigerator. Pull it out of the refrigerator when you are ready to cook and dispose of any liquids no used; do not reuse marinades or add uncooked liquids to cooked foods as this can add unwanted bacteria to the food about to be consumed.
Use airtight storage containers to store leftovers for in the fridge or freezer. Properly sealed containers help keep out bacteria and prevent odors impacting other food in your refrigerator.
When defrosting meat, the best options are to either defrost meat in the fridge, under cold running potable (consumable)water, or in the microwave. Leaving it on your kitchen counter to defrost at room temperature can take hours and by then a number of bacteria have made the meat unsafe to eat, even after it’s cooked.
We hope you find this helpful for consuming, cooking, and storing foods safely. Bon appétit!
From Tansy Rodgers, FNTP (Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner), Health and Lifestyle Coach, Personal Trainer, Fitness Instructor, and Physical Therapist Assistant
We all have moments where we make big plans to shake up our lifestyle and work toward improving our health. Lose those extra pounds. Quit smoking. Get to the gym and start exercising. Yet, it can feel daunting and overwhelming when looking at the big picture.
Even though it is important to strive to achieve bigger health goals to improve your overall wellness, there are small steps you can take that will greatly impact the quality of your life. You don’t always have to take a huge leap to reap health benefits. And, as we get older, it is just as important to take many small healthy steps as it is to take the big ones – better balancing out our mental, emotional, physical health, etc.
The best part about taking small steps in your health journey is that it’s easier to stick to them. Even if you only have a few minutes in your day, you can take that time to improve your well-being.
Here are 5 small healthy steps you can take today to start balancing out the many arenas of your health.
Sleeping mask Alarm clock and milk
Get to bed earlier. Not getting enough sleep can cause mood swings, weight gain, food cravings, inflammation, and overall body aches. Over time, a shortage of sleep can raise your risk of heart attack or stroke – regardless of your age, weight, or exercise habits. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep a night and try going to bed even 15 minutes earlier, more if you are sleep-deprived.
Check your posture and ergonomics. Poor posture and ergonomics can cause a slew of health concerns, such as low back, neck, and shoulder pain. A slouched posture also decreases your energy and causes disturbances in your digestion. Next time you are at your desk or on your phone, take a moment to straighten your back, tuck in your stomach, and put your feet flat on the floor. You should notice a relaxed feeling right away and it helps to avoid back pain. And if you work at a computer, look at the ergonomics of your workstation — how you fit and move in your environment — to help prevent back and neck strain, carpal tunnel syndrome, eye strain, and other occupational injuries.
Make a few small dietary changes. Try swapping out white rice for brown rice. Replace one sugary drink (soda, juice, etc.) for a tall glass of water with some fresh fruit slices. Eat almonds or cashews or carrots dipped in hummus rather than reaching for candy or chips. It’s no secret that vegetables, especially dark leafy greens, are good for you, but there are added benefits…they are rich in fiber and contain a lot of water, so you will feel full and more satisfied. Cooking dinner for your family? Make cauliflower mashed potatoes instead of regular potatoes, add peas and extra frozen vegetables to soups, and add slices of red or yellow peppers to your sandwiches.
View of an old person completing a crossword puzzle.
Do a crossword puzzle. Mentally challenging activities may have a protective effect on your brain. According to research studies, regularly engaging your mind may help lower your risk for the dementia associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Try reading, doing crossword puzzles, playing chess, doing Sodoku. You can also change your routine and make your brain become more engaged. Try walking a new route, eating with your nondominant hand, and staying socially connected with others.
Get moving daily. Moving the body is super important, but you don’t have to have a strict gym routine in place to reap the benefits. The next time you have a choice between the stairs and the elevator, pick the stairs. Not only does this keep your body strong so you can keep doing stairs, but it also gets your blood pumping and it exercises your lungs. It conditions your heart and your muscles. But, don’t stop there! Regularly stretching and doing activities to calm your nervous system is important to lower your stress and to avoid injuries – it also helps you stay limber and moving freely as you age. Take a few minutes to stretch out before and after you exercise, stretch right before bed to relieve tension and help you sleep, do tai chi or yoga to increase balance and decrease stress. On the go? Look for natural opportunities in your daily routine to stretch, such as finding a bench to sit and stretch on or reaching for items on a high shelf at the store.
Small steps can lead to a healthy life. When you are younger, they can build the foundation for a lifetime of good health and when you are older, they can help you control diseases you have or lower your risk of getting others in the future!
Interested in learning more about wellness from Tansy? Visit her website at www.tansyrodgers.com.
In support of Falls Prevention Awareness Week, September 21-25, 2020, our partners at Flagship Rehabilitation offer the following article on how to prevent falls.
There are many steps you can take to reduce the risk of falls. Here are some tips to follow as general guidelines. It is important for you to discuss any specific concerns you have with your doctor or other health care provider.
Stay Healthy
Review your medications with your doctor and/or pharmacist on a regular basis. Always bring a list of all the medications you are taking whether prescription, over the counter, vitamins, or herbal supplements to every doctor’s appointment.
Have your eyes checked at least once a year or if you notice a change in your vision.
Speak to your doctor if you are experiencing dizziness or unsteadiness.
Make sure you are getting enough to eat and drink every day.
Exercise Regularly
Exercise will increase your strength and flexibility. It will also improve your balance and coordination.
Talk to your physician or other healthcare provider before you start an exercise program.
Check the Lighting in Your Home
Use good lighting throughout your home. Frosted bulbs or lamp shades will help to reduce glare.
Use night lights to avoid sudden changes in light. This will help if you need to get up during the night.
Keep Your Home Orderly
Eliminate clutter and things you can trip over from areas where you walk.
Arrange countertops, closets, cupboards and other storage areas so regularly used items are easily accessible.
Eliminate throw rugs or make sure they are secured with double-sided tape.
Use Equipment Designed to Keep You Safe
Have grab bars installed in your tub or shower and next to your toilet.
Use non-slip mats in the tub or shower.
Use a tub seat if needed. Dry off before stepping out of the tub or shower.
If you need a device to assist with walking, make sure it is in good repair and you are using it correctly and consistently.
Install handrails on all steps or staircases.
General Reminders
Get up slowly after sitting or lying down.
Know your capabilities and limitations.
Wear shoes with good support and non-slip soles.
Keep a portable phone and important phone numbers close by.
