8/30/17  – Many hospitals and health systems in Texas and Louisiana continue to experience incredibly challenging and dangerous conditions caused by now Tropical Storm Harvey. The AHA remains in close contact with our colleagues in Texas and Louisiana, as well as federal agencies, to provide support in response to this ongoing disaster. See below for opportunities to help, as well as post-hurricane health resources.

THA Hospital Employee Assistance Fund
In a Special Message yesterday, AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack highlighted the Texas Hospital Association Hospital Employee Assistance Fund to help hospital employees who experienced significant property loss or damage because of Hurricane Harvey. All funds will be used to directly assist hospital employees in Federal Emergency Management Agency-designated disaster areas; administrative services are being provided in kind so that 100 percent of donated funds will be used to assist hospital employees. AHA has contributed an initial $50,000 to get the fund started. For more information or to make a donation, visit https://www.tha.org/Harvey/ReliefFund.

Volunteering and Donations for Disaster Areas
FEMA is asking individuals and organizations interested in volunteering or donating supplies to register through the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster or Texas VOAD using this webpage. Hospital employees, doctors and other health care professionals who are interested in volunteering also should register through the VOAD so officials can determine the best use of resources.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has temporarily suspended all necessary statutes and rules to allow health care providers employed by a hospital and licensed and in good standing in another state to practice in Texas in order to assist with the Harvey disaster response operations. Hospitals must submit to the applicable licensing entity each out-of-state provider’s name, provider type, state of license and license identification number. See specific instructions for hospital-affiliated providers and non-hospital affiliated physicians and providers on this webpage. For nurses, see the licensing procedures on the Texas Board of Nursing webpage. FEMA and the Department of Health and Human Services request that health care providers not self-deploy to impacted areas.

Post-Hurricane Health Resources
HHS, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have a number of resources for health care organizations and providers. They include:
 HHS – Hurricane Harvey Webpage
 CDC – Flood Water After a Disaster: Cleanup and Health Risks
 CDC – After a Hurricane: Key Facts about Infectious Disease
 CDC – Mosquitoes and Hurricanes (with info on Zika and West Nile risks)
 ASPR – Tips for Retaining and Caring for Staff After a Disaster

Apache County Sheriff’s Office Joseph Dedman Jr., Sheriff

 For Release: August 29^th, 2017                                        CONTACT: Shane Bevington

 Law Enforcement Search for Stolen Vehicle Suspect in Vernon Area

(Vernon, AZ) On August 29^th, 2017, at approximately 12:29pm, the Apache County Sheriff’s Office Regional Dispatch Center received a telephone call from the Show Low Police Department. Dispatchers were advised that Show Low police officers were following a stolen semi-truck tractor, which was originally reported stolen out of Mesa, into Apache County via U.S. Route 60. Officers followed the stolen vehicle from a safe distance and no pursuit was initiated due to public safety concerns.

The driver of the stolen vehicle reportedly reached speeds in excess of 80 miles per hours, at which time the driver turned the vehicle south of Apache County Road 3140, Vernon. A short time later, the stolen vehicle was located on Apache County Road 3140 near Forest Road 3, unoccupied.

Law enforcement personnel from the Apache County Sheriff’s Office, Show Low Police Department, Arizona Department of Public Safety, United Stated Forest Service, Arizona Game & Fish, and White River Police Department quickly set up a perimeter around the area and began searching for the suspect. Shortly after, Apache County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the Vernon Elementary School and advised school administration to place the school on lockdown as a precaution, although there was no indication that the suspect fled towards the school. The lockdown was later lifted without incident.

The identity of the suspect is unknown at this time and it is not known if he is armed, however, he is described as a Caucasian male, with dark hair, a dark beard, and wearing glasses. The suspect’s age and clothing description is unknown. Law enforcement personnel, including an Arizona Department of Public Safety helicopter and Arizona Department of Corrections K-9’s are still in the area searching for suspect.

For additional information, please visit the Apache County Sheriff’s Office website at: http://www.co.apache.az.us/sheriff. Anyone with any information regarding this matter is urged to contact the Apache County Sheriff’s Office at: (928)337-4321 or 1-800-352-1850. If there is an emergency, please dial 911.

Lakeside Ranger District continues to burn slash piles

Springerville, AZ, August 21, 2017—The Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests’ Lakeside Ranger District will be burning slash piles August 21 through August 27, if conditions allow. The ignition will be on Upper Rocky Arroyo, Gobbler Timber sale, east of Pinetop Country Club along Forest Service Road 185, 283 and 9600T. Scattered piles will be burned across roughly 182 acres of forest land.

Smoke impact is anticipated along Highway 60 and 260 and within the Pinetop Community. Smoke will may be visible from the communities of Show Low, Pinetop-Lakeside and Vernon. In the interest of safety, forest visitors are reminded to use caution when traveling in the vicinity of the pile burn as smoke may reduce visibility in the area.

Prescribed burning provides many benefits and is essential to maintaining healthy forest ecosystems. It provides habitat diversity, recycles plant nutrients into the soil and encourages new growth for a variety of plants used by wildlife and livestock. Prescribed burning of forest ground fuels also reduces the threat of large scale wildfire impacts to private lands. Crews will be on scene from ignition until there is no longer a threat of escape from the project boundaries.

For questions or concerns please contact the Lakeside Ranger District at (928) 368-2100, or dial 311 to reach the Northeastern Arizona Public Information System.