The Front Page
The Power of Handwashing
CDC study proves Grandma was right!
Submitted by Debbie Hailey, CEA-FCS
When Grandma insisted that you wash your hands before sitting down at her dinner table, or that you cover your mouth when you coughed or sneezed, she was one smart lady! The Soap and Detergent Association reports that a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) demonstrates that simple habits like handwashing with soap can actually save children's lives.
The Findings
In children under the age of five, the benefits of handwashing with soap are particularly dramatic.
* It can reduce the number of pneumonia-related infections by more than 50% - the leading cause of death in this age category globally.
* It can significantly reduce the number of diarrheal infections - the second leading cause of death worldwide.
Wash Up
Although the mortality rates are lower in well-developed countries like the United States, this in no way diminishes the benefits of handwashing with soap and water. Done properly, handwashing may be the best way to protect both grownups and children from cold and flu germs. Here's how to do it:
* Wet hands with warm water and apply liquid, bar or powder soap.
* Rub hands together vigorously for the amount of time it takes to sing the "Happy Birthday" song twice.
* Rinse hands well under warm running water.
* Dry hands with a paper towel or air dryer.
* If there's no soap and water nearby, use a hand wipe or a hand sanitizer.
Cough Up
Grandma's other admonitions - "use a tissue" and "cover your mouth when you sneeze" - are more wise words to live by. That's because the main way cold and flu germs spread is via respiratory particles from the cough or sneeze of an infected person. These droplets move through the air and can be deposited on people nearby. Or droplets may land on a desk, cafeteria table, doorknob or other common surface where some viruses and bacteria can live for two hours or longer.
So everyone, regardless of age, should take Grandma's advice:
* Cough or sneeze into a tissue, then throw it away and wash your hands.
* No tissue nearby? "Give your cough the shoulder." Lift your shoulder and arm and cough into your upper/arm shoulder. The idea is that people are less likely to touch each other's shoulders than each other's hands.
* Because small children tend to put their little hands everywhere, it's particularly important to remind them not to touch their eyes, nose or mouth. Germs easily enter our bodies through these areas.
For more information, go to www.cleaning101.com/HandHygiene, or call Debbie Hailey, CEA-FCS, at the County Extension Office, 625-4519
County Burn Ban in Effect as Fires Blow Through Area
High winds and higher temperatures coupled with low humidity and dry conditions led to the spread of grass fires throughout Central and North Texas and Oklahoma Tuesday and Wednesday.
Making national headlines was a fire that took the life of at least one and the homes of 50 or more residents of Cross Plains Tuesday. The devastating fire also destroyed the First United Methodist Church of Cross Plains along with several other structures on the West side of Cross Plains. The Cross Plains school which was burned a few years ago by arsonists was saved from this fire which cause is not yet known.
Santa Anna VFD sent two trucks and several fire fighters to assist in the Cross Plains blaze.
See this Yahoo News/Associated Press article covering the destruction along with photos and this ABC News article and video of Cross Plains.
There was also a major grass fire West of Early along the Jenkins Springs road which burned several hundred acres. I also heard of a major grass fire in the Silver Valley/Novice area.
Closer to home, there was a major grass fire South of Santa Anna near Whon which was reported to have endangered a home and burned several hundred acres. That blaze apparently started by a cutting torch used in building fence has kept local fire fighters busy the last two days with a few flairups.
Gov. Rick Perry Orders Response to Texas Wildfires
Dec. 27, 2005 Press Release
AUSTIN – Responding to wildfires breaking out across the state, Gov. Rick Perry today ordered the deployment of state firefighting assets and issued a statewide disaster declaration. State and local fire–fighters on Monday battled 73 wildfires across the state, mostly in central, north–central and northeast Texas. The wildfire threat level is expected to remain high for the next 30 days.
"To better ensure our ability to immediately respond to these fast–moving fires, I have ordered the deployment of Texas Army National Guard assets and requested assistance from the U.S. Forest Service," Perry said. "We are working hard from both the ground and the air to protect Texans and their homes and property."
Specifically, the Governor has:
Deployed four Texas Army National Guard helicopters,
Requested and received two single engine air tankers from the U.S. Forest Service, and
Requested and received two helicopters from the U.S. Forest Service.
The helicopters operate by "dipping" into lakes and other surface water and carrying "buckets" of water of water to suppress the fire from above; air tankers are used in areas where there is no available surface water.
The governor's disaster declaration activates the state emergency management plan and authorizes the deployment of any forces, equipment or supplies required for the response. The Governor's Division of Emergency Management is coordinating the state effort and the Texas Forest Service serves as the lead agency for the response. The Texas Department of Transportation has provided equipment and assistance and the Department of Public Safety is providing security at wildfire sites.
A persistent drought has blanketed the state since early summer. In combination with high winds and unseasonably warm temperatures, the weather pattern has created the most severe wildfire threat in five years. Thus far in December 114 fires in 39 counties have burned approximately 10,000 acres. Burn bans—which are prohibitions against all outdoor burning–are in effect in 156 counties.
Wildland fires spread across North and Central Texas
By Pat Schaub, Texas Forest Service New Release 12/28/2005
Wildland fires that caused three fatalities and the loss of more than 100 structures, including 78 homes, and the extreme fire behavior made for a disastrous day across the north central portion of Texas yesterday. Eight new fires for 13,310 acres started in the area, with an additional 15 fires for 493 acres in East Texas.
In Cooke County, the Walnut Bend Fire caused one fatality when a homeowner was overrun by the fire while trying to wet down her yard. Twenty four homes were evacuated, and 8 homes were lost. In Callahan County, the entire town of Cross Plains was under evacuation order yesterday. Two fatalities were reported, and as many as 50 homes were destroyed as well as numerous businesses and at least one church. Very dense smoke, extreme fire behavior and shortage of resources cased difficulties, and it was impossible to take action on the head of the fire for some time yesterday. The placement of resources was concentrated on structure protection.
The loss of 20 homes occurred on a 30-acre fire in Hood County. Propane tank explosions, thick vegetation and poor road access added to containment problems. In addition, fires on the Somerville/Bosque counties line, as well as in Llano, Gillespie, Tarrant, Tyler and Wise counties were responded to by Texas Forest Service.
In North Texas, above normal temperatures and dry weather is expected to continue for the next seven days. There is potential for additional red flag events Friday over the Southwest quarter of the area, then again on Sunday over the far western counties.
TFS Map of Texas Counties, including Coleman County, with Burn Bans
TFS Map of Texas Counties, including Coleman County, with Aerial Fireworks Restrictions
All-West Texas Six-man Team
In a December 27th SanAngeloStandardTimes.com article Santa Anna's Coach Lloyd Fields was named as one of the All-West Texas Six-man Co-coaches of the year along with Kerry Gartman of Robert Lee. Fields was credited for coaching "Santa Anna to the playoffs" and "rebounding from a 1-3 start to go 7-5 with a playoff win over Blanket".
All-West Texas Six-man Co-Coach of the Year - Lloyd Fields
Santa Anna players named to the team were Ben McIver as a running back rushing for 2,375 yards and 37 touchdowns on 213 carries and Patrick Kerr as a tight end catching 52 passes for 803 yards and 19 touchdowns. It was also noted that Kerr "also could have made this team as a safety, where he tallied a whopping 152 tackles and seven interceptions".
All-West Texas Six-man Running Back - Ben McIver
All-West Texas Six-man Tight End - Patrick Kerr
A couple of weeks ago Ryan Guererro and Patrick Kerr were named to the Six-Man All-Region Team
Second Team Offense - Wide Receiver: Patrick Kerr
Second Team Defense - Linemen: Ryan Guerrero
Several Mountaineers also received All-District honors for District 11
All-Stars: Pat Kerr, Santa Anna
First Team Offense - Wide Receiver: Pat Kerr, Santa Anna
First Team Defense - Linemen: Ryan Guerrero, Santa Anna
First Team Defense - Safety: Pat Kerr, Santa Anna
Second Team Offense - Running Back: Ben McIver, Santa Anna
Second Team Defense - Linebacker: Truman Matthews, Santa Anna
Second Team Defense - Cornerback: Fausto Maldanado, Santa Anna
Merry Christmas!
I hope that all of you had Merry Christmas!
As we came together to celebrate Jesus's birth, Cindy and I enjoyed several family get togethers over Christmas with Wrights, Gibsons, Chambers, Colsons, Smiths, Ellis, Titsworths, Rambos, Peltons, Robinetts, Whites, Pierces, Findleys, Horners, McIvers, Guthries, Kerrs, and others I am sure to forget.
We had some of the best visiting that I can ever remember and everyone was in good health.
Through all of this I am so grateful that we were blessed by and able to have such great families to grow up and now old in.
I hope that you too can look forward to the new year and my God bless you and your family as much as he has me and mine.
James
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