News For Constituents

From Senate Republican Policy Development & Research Office

February 20, 2009

Emergency Planning Assistance Easily Available

Are you prepared in the event of an emergency?  Does your family have an emergency supply kit and emergency plans, just in case?

When basic services such as electricity, gas, water, and telephones are cut off for days, a week, or even longer, you and your family will face a number of challenges, according to the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA).

ReadyPA, PEMA’s public outreach campaign on this topic, includes a website to educate citizens about the importance of emergency preparedness and a new phone number to request information or get answers to specific questions. Visit the website or call the new toll-free number, 1-888-9-READYPA or (1-888-973-2397), to begin your preparation.

Identity Theft – Be Ready. Be Prepared.

If you lost your wallet, would you know every credit and bank card in it as well as the numbers to call to protect against fraudulent charges?  Would you know if someone opened a new account or bought a new car in your name?

You’re not alone if you would be uncertain how to proceed.  Some 30 million Americans have become victims of identity theft in the past five years, according to the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP).  In the absence of an ID Theft Action Plan, thieves act quickly and do an incredible amount of damage in a short time.

Spend five minutes now on an Identity Theft Action Plan and save thousands of dollars and countless hours in resolution.  Print a copy of the three-panel brochure and complete the Action Plan portion.  Your list should include all credit card numbers, bank account numbers, driver’s license information, essential phone numbers, and web addresses you will need if you become an ID theft victim.  Store the checklist in a secure location, such as a lockbox.  Never carry the list in your wallet.

PA Declares American Heart Month

Cardiovascular disease daily claims the lives of nearly 2,400 Americans; that’s an average of one death every 37 seconds, according to the American Heart Association (AHA) and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The Pennsylvania State Senate has adopted Senate Resolution 13 of 2009 recognizing the annual February designation of American Heart Month which serves as a reminder that more women continue to die of heart disease, stroke, and all other cardiovascular diseases than the next five leading causes of death combined, including cancer.

The number of people in the U.S. who will be affected by heart disease include a projected 785,000 who will have a new coronary attack.  An estimated 470,000 people nationwide will have a recurrent attack, while another 195,000 “silent” coronary attacks will go undiagnosed this year.

The annual campaign is aimed at raising awareness and educating the public on the warning signs of heart attack and stroke.  When symptoms occur, the AHA promotes calling 911.  In addition, it recommends CPR training and encourages the community to adopt a comprehensive automated external defibrillator program.

PA Amber Alert Program Saves 27 in 7 Years

Pennsylvania is reminding the public that the Commonwealth adopted the Amber Alert Program less than 10 years ago and has already participated in the recovery of 27 abducted children.  PA’s Amber Alert System went online Feb. 20, 2002. 

Upon activation, Amber Alert partners help get information about missing children to the public through radio and television broadcast messages, lottery retail terminals, highway advisory signs, and e-mails.  The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) is quick to point out that it is often a member of the general public providing the crucial information that leads to the safe return of a child.

To increase your participation in the Amber Alert System, you can register online to receive e-alerts through any device configured to receive emails.  Depending on the characteristics of the individual device, such as the number of available characters, the entire context of the message may not appear.  The entire text of all messages is posted at www.amber.state.pa.us.

The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), along with its partners, plays a key role in building public awareness of the Amber Alert System, providing training to law enforcement officers who use the system, and implementing revisions in the system that result from legislative changes.

For more information on Pennsylvania’s Amber Alert System, visit www.amber.state.pa.us.

Home Show and Horse Expo Coming to Farm Show Building

What do horses and hot tubs have in common?  Both will make appearances during February at the Pennsylvania State Farm Show Complex and Expo Center located at Cameron and Maclay Streets in Harrisburg, PA.

The PA Horse World Expo will kick off Thursday, February 26, and run through Sunday, March 1, 2009.  Attend educational seminars, mounted demonstrations, Stallion Avenue, breed demonstrations, and Breed Row.  Theatre Equus, a musical equine revue, is set for 8:30 p.m. on Friday, February 27, and Saturday, February 28, 2009. 

The PA Home Show will delight visitors from Saturday, February 28, through Sunday, March 8, 2009 with nearly 350 displays and dozens of home projects.  Landscaping will join “green-living” in two of the special shows-within-the-show.

Access the Farm Show Complex and Expo Center schedule of events for details on these and some 60 other events held annually at the facility.

Bluebird Nesting Boxes Now Available

Bring the Bluebird of happiness into your backyard and help ensure Pennsylvania remains a “Keystone State” for Eastern Bluebird conservation.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) annually manufactures some 9,000 bluebird nesting boxes for distribution across the state.  With bluebirds due to return to their breeding grounds in March and April, you can prepare now to welcome the harbingers of spring with a fully-assembled box or a do-it-yourself kit, for those who prefer to do their own nailing and hammering.

Access a copy of the PGC’s Howard Nursery Wildlife Homes brochure and order form for habitat recommendations for the $7 bluebird boxes. Consider adding other Wildlife Homes depicted in the brochure to your property.  If you live near a hardwood forest, consider a Barred Owl Box.  If you are surrounded by farm or open lands, erect a nesting box to attract the Barn Owl.

Order the boxes of your choice with the order form and standard mail, paying by check or money order, or call 814-355-4434 and pay by credit card for your wildlife homes.