Yet Another Terrorist Incident in 2009

Terrorism Strikes Again for 2009.

Some things we do know that might help you assess if terrorism is still a valid concern for you:

80 Grams of explosives were found sewn into the underwear of the terrorist. The infamous terrorist shoe bomber had 50 grams of the same explosive in his failed bomb attempt.

His terror affiliation was reported to theUS Government in Nigeria by the man's father - a high ranking minister in Nigerian government. The father was told by his son it was his last communication. This info was known well in advance of the flight he took.

The English speaking Nigerian had paid $2800 CASH for a one way ticket to Detroit and NO luggage for his cross continent trip. He was on a watch list. He did not have a passport.

DHS Chief Napolitano said the "system" worked fine, then recanted a day later when she said there were systemic failures and it did not work.

The White House spokesperson said the government cannot watch everyone on the "watch list" of 500 thousand. Fed Ex/UPS can track 75 million packages worldwide in the course of one day.

1000 or more Al Qaeda are in Yemen.

US Sky Marshall guards were not allowed on the plane because the Netherlands will not allow it. It was a civilian from Holland who thwarted the attack.

The UK denied the terrorist a student visa because of his terrorist associations. The USA granted him multiple entry visas. His visa was expired.

More terrorists are being sent to the US according to British sources who indicate 25 more have been trained by the Al Qaeda network. The number of attempted/successful terror attacks has increased - 8 in 11 months for 2009.

President Obama calls the incident an "alleged" attempt to detonate an explosive by a "suspect". The FBI confirmed it was in fact Petn binary explosive that was sewn into the terrorist's underwear. Added 12-31-09: The "suspect" has been provided top notch legal representation at no charge by the USA despite his family being wealthy and his being a non-citizen terrorist combatant.

US government spokespersons have discounted the fact the bomber may be a "legitimate" terrorist. Added 12-31-09: News media continue to call the terrorist bomber a "suspect".

Two of the Art Therapy rehabilitated terrorists released to Saudi Arabia from Gitmo in 2007 travelled to Yemen where they claimed publicly to have recruited, trained and planned this terrorist bombing plot for the Christmas Day Bomber.

US Congress already voted against funding airport full body scan equipment as intrusive and it is estimated that it would now take about 5 years to implement. Added 12-31-09: Netherlands has now implemented full body scans for all passenger flights to the United States. 19 airports in the US have full body scanners.

The only airline to successfully use profiling to deter this terrorist threat is the Israeli Airline, El Al - which so far appears to have worked consistently for 30 years.

Added 1-1-10: Since Pan Am Flight 103 was bombed over Lockerbie, Scotland by Muslim men in 1988, all attacks on commercial airliners have been by foreign-born Muslim men with the same hair color, eye color and skin color. Half were named Mohammed.

In January 2010 the US Government is scheduled to prosecute 3 Navy Seals for "allegedly" punching a captured terrorist in the face. The terrorist killed 4 US citizens in Iraq.

Sending the police to arrest them after they blow you , family members and first responders up is NOT the way to deal with these fanatics. They are not deterred by flamboyant words, ignorance, appeasement or weakness.

The religious leaders in Saudi Arabia have to stop funding Al Qaeda and declare this terrorist war an Un-Holy War otherwise it will continue unabated.

Make your decisions on being prepared accordingly.

Gasoline Storage & Safety

GASOLINE IS TOXIC, HAZARDOUS AND HIGHLY FLAMMABLE!
FLASH POINT OF GASOLINE IS -45 DEGREES F

That being said, it is understood that many of you are contemplating or already storing gasoline for use in snow blowers, generators, tractors, chain saws etc. and are using many different means to do so. Some methods are hazardous and can cause a calamity.

Consider some basic safety facts when making your decision to store gasoline:

Many local codes prohibit residential storage of Gasoline in excess of 5 gallons.

Gasoline is explosive.

Transporting over 50 gallons of Gasoline on a highway requires permits and equipment.

Personal Protective Equipment is Recommended for Handling Gasoline - Gasoline Resistant Gloves - Safety Glasses or Face Shields

Never fill Gasoline Containers inside the bed of a truck or trunk - especially if it has a plastic liner - always place container on the ground when filling at a service station.

Do not get in and out of your vehicle when pumping gasoline - a static charge buildup and resulting spark can ignite gasoline fumes.

Do Not Store Gasoline inside your residence.

NEVER siphon gasoline by mouth using a hose.

NEVER store Gasoline in Glass Containers

Stored Gasoline develops tar, gums and degrades when stored for long periods and can impede proper engine performance.
Like survival food stores - Stored Gasoline needs to be rotated to ensure it will work.
Fuel Stabilizers need to be used if fuel is stored for any period of time over a month.
Gasoline absorbs water (hygroscopic) and can be detrimental to engine components and metal storage containers over time.

Spilling Gasoline into the ground in large quantities can be detrimental to the environment - especially if groundwater is used for drinking!

OK, so you know all that right? Good.

But you have already assessed that you can't survive long on just 5 gallons of gasoline and gas does not last long in storage - especially the gasoline purchased in summer months that is less volatile than that made with extra butane in Winter season.

You have decided that you want to store more without posing a substantial hazard to the community. That might be difficult to do and depending on how much you want to store and where - dangerous.

We can't recommend that you violate any laws or common sense. There are some standard industry practices you should be aware of and storage containers that are considered safe. One is pictured here.

The other is a larger volume idea - a 30 gallon drum with a non sparking pump and non sparking drum lock to keep honest people from pilfering your supply. This is an investment of maybe $140 (online) unless you live in an industrialized area and can get one much cheaper locally. Locks are about $40.

Larger drums can be difficult if not impossible to move around when full for the average homeowner. You will likely not get a code variance to store this much gas on your property in typical residential areas.

Pickup truck mounted construction fuel tanks or underground storage sound plausible but may also be prohibited and obvious in most neighborhoods. Vandalism is a reality as well so any tank not secured from opening is at risk. New tanks for underground storage are available in 100 gallons and up.....consider a vault if doing this so you can inspect the tank and remove it if need be.

If you ever have seen a boat explosion you will be very wary of storing large volumes of fuel - especially if unsafe. Gasoline evaporates in heat and storing fuel out of the direct sun in well ventilated areas is a must. Small quantities in explosion proof containers and storage cabinets is done in commercial environments - generally not homes.

Multiple 5 gallon cans will work if you decide to accept responsibility for more than 5 gallons of stored fuel. One for immediate use, one for storage and one to fill up to top off the others. Transferring fuel between containers requires a grounding and bonding procedure to ensure maximum safety. The US Forest Service has a suitable article about this that anyone can understand LINK HERE

Make sure your portable containers are RED for GASOLINE - BLUE for KEROSENE - YELLOW for DIESEL otherwise you will have serious problems. Make sure you understand the physical characteristics of Gasoline by reading the MSDS LINK HERE

If you need to relocate with some fuel then make sure the containers are DOT approved - not because anyone will be checking labels and issuing citations in an emergency, but for safety sake. If you can secure them on your vehicle or trailer all the better. Jeeps have had these aftermarket features for years and military gas cans are readily available and durable.

One other way to ensure you have some gas (20 gallons?) on hand is to keep your vehicle full at all times - especially in winter when water absorption can combine and cause starting and operating problems. Too bad you won't be able to readily siphon the fuel out of the tank because of new anti-siphon devices.

Consider using diesel for electric generators and kerosene for standby heaters as they are much less volatile but have some particular long term storage considerations as well. Natural gas and propane are other viable alternatives.

Amsoil, Sta-Bil and Pri-G all market fuel stabilizers and Pri-G says it can restore old gas to a useful state and preserve volatility up to 2 years. One Pri-G bottle can preserve around 250 gallons or more.

Added: Make sure you have a suitabable funnel that removes harmful water and debris from contaminating your fuel supply. Mr Funnel has just the product designed for this task (http://www.mrfunnel.com/Mr._Funnel/Home.html) and do a good job of this.

Always have a suitably large (10lb) dry chemical fire extinguisher on hand to extinguish incipient (small) fires.

We will add to this post - for now you should have some food for thought when considering this idea.

Bottom line....if you need to store more fuel....do it safely.

New Year - New Phone Reminder

Got Phone?

Make sure you remember to update the ICE features too!

You can upload the ICE Image onto your phone via the Micro-SD Card or via the Internet and make it your phone display wallpaper.

SmartPhone users can acquire an Application called smart-ICE that utilizes the ICE Image and can be viewed at http://www.ice4safety.com/smart.html or learn more at

www.ems-options.com

Remember to also include the ICE Sticker on the back of the phone like in the picture here. You can acquire them free along with ICE Cards and Card Holders by sending a self addressed stamped envelope to the ICE4SAFETY address on the website.

You can see more of how the ICE4SAFETY System Tools can be used at http://www.ice4safety.com/ or also by reading the many articles here on the Google ICE Blog.

As always, no gimmicks, no subscriptions or PC nonsense...just simple DIY, common sense safety and preparedness tips.

If you want the Preparedness Poster that demonstrates this tip.....it is here http://www.ice4safety.com/posters.html easy!

Who Are You Going to Call

Popular wisdom would have you believe that accidents just "happen" . They don't. All knowledgeable safety practitioners know that for accidents to occur, a specific chain of events in a specific space and time need to take place otherwise the accident will not occur.

Accident theory suggests that accidents involving people are complex and require a cumulative set of circumstances be met for them to occur. So what does this have to do with you and being prepared.

Simply that if you better understand how these events take place and why, you are more effectively able to assess and prepare by eliminating the circumstances necessary for them to occur.

Was your vehicle well maintained? Were the tires inflated properly? Mirror functioning? Seat belt worn as per company policy/state law? Were you late and speeding? Were you not driving defensively or distracted using a cell phone? The list can go on....you get the point.

Being clueless and not anticipating that something can go seriously wrong due to a variety of factors that have been in play for some time can cause you become complacent.

On the flip side we don't want people to go around yelling the sky is falling either...(there are plenty of nuts doing just that). Be cognizant of your risky behaviors that can contribute to accidents - modify them and be prepared for what you might reasonably need to do if an event were to occur.

Visit http://www.ice4safety.com/posters.html and download a new ICE Preparedness Poster using this picture.

To Be or Not to Be - Prepared

AP News Excerpt 12-18-09 about impending snow storm.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Hardware stores were selling out of rock salt, shovels and other winter supplies as a major storm moved up the Atlantic coast Friday, threatening a heavy coating of wet snow on the last shopping weekend before Christmas.

People also stocked up on groceries and other staples as the National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings from the Carolinas to New Jersey. Forecasters expected up to 20 inches of snow through late Saturday in the Washington metro area and the mountains of southern West Virginia and southwest Virginia.

Forecasters said it could bring the most snow in the nation's capital since a February 2003 storm dumped nearly 27 inches at Baltimore-Washington International Airport.

Up to a foot of snow was forecast in parts of Tennessee, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.......

In southern West Virginia, Ron Hart's hardware store had sold out of many supplies after a wind storm last week knocked out electricity for days. On Friday, he was swamped again as customers bought heaters, propane, generator cords and plugs, and insulating tape.

"People are having to spend money on bare essentials versus Christmas," Hart said. "Our Christmas sales are considerably down because of what people are having to buy."

Could these materials have been in place months/years ago and ready to go in the event of any such emergency. Sure could.

Not being prepared makes you reliant on government resources that might easily be stretched thin or unavailable depending on the severity of the event. You should realistically expect a three day event without assistance at minimum. Build your level of preparedness from there.

As for food supplies.....another no brainer.....having weeks, months or a years supply built up and being rotated in and out is a very sound best practice......

Swamping a hardware store last minute illustrates the level of unpreparedness that exists.....or that people are beginning to pay attention - however late...but paying attention.
That could be good.

Granted, 20 inches of snow is not a big deal to the Tug Hill Region of NY where 3-8 feet in one day is possible - but to a Mid-Atlantic State it sure is.

Good Use of Grant Money - ICE Programs

By WBNG News
Story Created: Dec 8, 2009 at 4:01 PM EST

Story Updated: Dec 8, 2009 at 4:02 PM EST

GOVERNOR PATERSON ANNOUNCES NEW YORK ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE $344.7 MILLION IN FEDERAL HOMELAND SECURITY GRANTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2010

Governor David A. Paterson today announced that New York State is eligible to receive more than $344.7 million in Fiscal Year 2010 federal Homeland Security Funding. The State is targeted to receive $113.5 million in State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) funds, the most of any state in the nation. The New York City Urban Area is slated to receive $151.5 million, a 4.4 percent increase from FY 2009. The final federal grant award announcements will be made by the federal Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in mid-2010.

These grant funds will support first responders and communities across the State to better prepare for and respond to terrorist attacks, natural disasters and other emergencies.

“New Yorkers know all too well the evils of terrorism as the City and State remain a target for those who would cause us harm. And it is especially gratifying to see that our partners at the federal Department of Homeland Security recognize that too,” Governor Paterson said. “That is why these funds are so vital in the continuing effort to enhance our readiness and response capabilities to protect our citizens. These funds will help make sure that our valiant first responders have the tools and training they need to protect our State from potential acts of terror.

“I want to thank Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and our Congressional delegation for supporting New York State’s and New York City’s threat-based approach and making sure that New York receives the resources that it deserves,” the Governor added.

“These grants play a major role in our efforts to work with our state, local, tribal and territorial and private sector partners to build a national culture of readiness and resilience,” DHS Secretary Napolitano said in making the national target awards announcement this morning. “This year’s guidance focuses on maximizing efficiency and value while prioritizing risk in awarding grants to strengthen our nation’s security.”

Deputy Secretary for Public Safety Denise E. O’Donnell said: “These federal resources are critical, and will allow communities across New York State to continue to invest in equipment, technology, training and other projects designed to ensure the safety and security of all New Yorkers. We must remain on guard, prepared and ever vigilant, and I am grateful that the Obama Administration and our Congressional delegation have continued their commitment to New York and all of its residents.”

Read more details of the grant allocations:

http://www.wbng.com/news/state/78802217.html

Distracted Driving - Be Alert

Find more videos like this on Online Safety Community


Being a defensive driver is imperative as you can see by this video....being distracted in any way while driving can be extemely hazardous.

Always look both ways and back again before proceeding into the intersection - that 2 second delay can save your life. We speak from experience on that one.

Media Hype vs Reality Debunked

This is a fairly sensational entertainment flick to say the least. Just in case some folks confuse our preparedness message to think ICE4SAFETY might somehow adhere to some of the fringe or bizarre doomsday theories - we don't.

While we may recommend useful tips and techniques also shared by some of these purveyors of doom, we feel that if the end comes in this manner there won't be a whole lot you'll be able to do at that point - except maybe prolong the agony.

We are strong advocates of being prepared for the emergencies that we might reasonably face on a daily basis, working and playing safely and having the knowledge beforehand of how to act/help others in case of an emergency.

Enjoy the movie.

Preparedness Posters Debut - ICE 12-09

Simple - Right to the Point....Made to Order for your particular situation and emergencies in general. Can be posterized and can be used as a weekly preparedness safety topic of discussion or project.

ICE4SAFETY has a web page dedicated just to these posters so you can retrieve them whenever you want. http://www.ice4safety.com/posters.html

Got some poster ideas? Great! Feel free to let us know and we will include them going forward. Want some custom designed for your group? We can do that as well and deliver them....once again....free.

Remember - we can't and won't do everything for you - without some skin in the game you end up doing a disservice to your community by not taking an active role.

Once again....more free support for ICE users. It is not about stickers on phones anymore!

Dunellen HS Wellness Fair & ICE

Thank you to Alex Zaleski, Tammy DelRosario-Health Teacher DHS, Gene Mosley-Principal DHS, Theresa Albertson-Dunellen Health Fair Coordinator, Peer Leaders and all the students and faculty at Dunellen High!

Paramedic Advances ICE in NJ

November 19 was a pretty important day in the lives of Dunellen High School students, teachers and an Alumni who introduced the students to the concept of ICE. Students were provided with a host of information about a variety of Health and Wellness Topics for almost 4 hours at the DHS Wellness Fair.

Alex Zaleski, a full time Paramedic Student at Union County College, Air Force Reserve Medic and Alumni of Dunellen High worked diligently to provide students participating in the event with an informative and engaging demonstration about the many uses of ICE.

Slide show to follow...the pictures will speak for themselves....you can read more about the fair and see Alex in action at the link below.

Now for some of those agencies (and schools too!) out there looking for a project to do for the community .....here you go. This one fellow put together brochures, posters and used PowerPoint from the website to instruct and engage his audience. He also created a training report for you to follow.

We will be providing more pics and info as we go along here.

http://www.dunellenschools.org/dhs/News/WellnessFair09/WellnessFair09.htm

Please visit www.ice4safety.com

ICE Banner Unveiled for 2009

ICE Banners are available from ICE4SAFETY to help promote your community wide efforts. This is a close up version...sewn up vinyl edges and brass grommets make it very durable and it can be spotted from a considerable distance even in overcast weather.
They can be custom made and come in a variety of sizes. This one happens to be 3 x 3.

Emergency Water Saving Device - WaterBob

No, it is not a toy, but yet another niche product that might prove effective in a shelter in place incident that has some duration. This device is made of plastic and molds to the contours of most common tubs found in homes or apartments to contain an instant supply of water. It won't replace water containers used when you evacuate - but it will secure a considerable amount of water in short order.

WaterBob claims to this device being rated to hold 100 gallons of water obtained from your tub faucet and can be filled in roughly 20 minutes. It comes with a simple pump device to extract the water as needed.

While it is claimed that the water could prove potable for up to 4-5 days this can be extended of course by using water treatment chemicals or devices to filter water as it is removed from the bladder.

You could store this on site and use this at the first indication of a shelter in place scenario or impending storm - or take it with you to you planned back up retreat if it is another home or apartment and used there. While filling it up you can attend to other tasks at hand like boarding up windows or securing items for an evacuation if need be.

Of course when full you would not be able to take it with you but considering the amount of water secured "inside" the bladder and not laying out exposed in a bathroom environment this can make a hopeless situation livable for a while.

CampingSuvival.Com carries them for about the price of a 5 gallon military water container which we have discussed in earlier blogs. If you have two tubs - great for you! If not, consider how you will be attending to a modified routine of personal hygiene.

This is one more good reason to keep your bathroom clean. Also don't forget that your toilet tank holds a reserve of water as well - not much, but it is there....and treatable.

Nothing is absolute in this preparedness effort as circumstances change and needs arise that may be totally out of your control but having redundant measures in place considerably increases the odds of your overcoming the odds against you in an emergency. This would be a good adjunct to your emergency water preservation efforts.

See the device/order it at: http://www.campingsurvival.com/waemdrwast.html

Mention Coupon Code "ICE" and get 5% off......more to follow.

Special Promotion: Be the first three people to email ICE4SAFETY with your name address and email address and you will receive one free WaterBob from CampingSurival.Com!

ice4safety@gmail.com

Motorcycle Safety & ICE

Is your motorcycle group looking for ways to improve safety awareness on a personal level?

ICE4SAFETY will be adding a series of poster designed to raise awareness of personal responsibility to make sure you have contact lists and medical information on hand when riding.

As you can see, just like with the ATV and Snowmobile......ICE fits perfectly.

By the way, these two pics were taken by one of the very paramedics that someday might have to save your life if you were involved in an MVA.....getting the picture? Thanks!

Will post on the website for you to retrieve http://www.ice4safety.com/

ATV Sport Safety

Here we have yet another fine example of how anyone having an ATV, Snowmobile, Water Sled or other outdoor machine can enhance the safety of the rider. Not only are those operating instructions essential to safety but so is the ICE info we show in the pictures.

Sponsors of this activity have considerable exposure as you can see here by the CampingSurvival.Com supplied outdoor ICE Sticker and the EMS-Options ICE Card sealed up in a waterproof (mud proof too as we found out) pouch affixed to your ride.

ICE4SAFETY is making this simple argument for ATV, Snowmobile Dealers to help them promote safety and maybe encourage repeat business by encouraging good safety stewardship.

You could also laminate your own ICE Card and attach it in a variety of ways on your off road machine to further protect it from the elements. We have demonstrated that to you in past Blog entries.

Don't forget to wear a helmet approved for off-road use - make sure it is also equipped with an ICE Sticker (1x1" UV Coated) and you have a back up card in your trailering vehicle (truck/SUV etc) and have an ICE Card or Medical Info Document on your person!

We will place some posters online for those who would like to promote it in their off road clubs as is already being done now. We will be promoting this with the assistance of national safety groups shortly.....which is good for you.

There are no other versions of ICE that offers such versatility and widespread recognition for so little price (free) or effort than what you see here at ICE4SAFETY. If you can find it....then by all means go for it! No subscriptions here!

Fire Safety Time Again!

Snow is here again! Fire Safety Programs that involve the community can be a great way to help out limited first responder resources with some of the more mundane but certainly essential tasks.

One such program is the Adopt A Hydrant idea we floated last season by creating some simple posters asking people to shovel out their hydrants near there homes and for community groups to do so as a concerted effort as well.

Most people probably won't lend a hand until after the fire burns down their neighbor's home - or theirs......too late then. Smarter folks are already clearing the local hydrants knowing it can mean the difference of coming home to charred remains or a home remodel job.

Okay Fire and Public Safety Folks....your call....you can attempt to involve the community or continue to do it all yourselves.....with all the extra fire staff you have on hand.

Shoveling sure beats watching the game on the big firehouse LCD screen on those cold winter days.

Day after Disaster Documentary 10-16-09

You might be well advised to spend some time in front of the television of record the aforementioned documentary about the national response to a nuclear weapon detonation in Washington DC or one of America's other cities and the realistic aftermath of such an event.

It is an eye opener and well done. This information is invaluable to your preparedness efforts and the supporting document below can assist in your understanding of the realistic threats posed by terrorists in our midst.

You can review the PDF document that served as the basis for the report on the ICE DIY Page.

http://www.ice4safety.com/diy.html

Want more scheduling information - visit the History Channel: http://www.history.com/shows.do?action=detail&episodeId=481864

Confusing Symbology - Another Example

Most of this sticker appears to be advertising and as such, confusing and kinda expensive to boot. Well meaning perhaps.

But $3 to advertise (anyone) someone other than your own company or organization? So, now you have a sticker that no one recognizes........and??? Looks like.....nothing.

We won't give this any more thought....use common sense folks.

ICE4SAFETY has had this covered.....free.

ICE in Use Near You.....

Smart-ICE4family

smart-ICE4familyTM is here!

The experienced folks at EMS-Options knew that having a family version of the popular Mobile Device Application, smart-ICE would be needed.

Easy to understand and feature packed, the latest family version makes expanding preparedness to your whole family a reality.

ICE4SAFETY continues to offer the most utility and practicality for ICE - and still the most copied.

To learn more visit: http://www.ems-options.com/ and http://www.ice4safety.com/smart.html

NEVER FORGET!

High Schoolers Opt for ICE!

High School Students in the Leadership and Public Service Class in one North Carolina location have figured out that not only should they study hard and apply themselves to the learning process but they also should be prepared in case of emergencies by using ICE.

Smart.

What a perfect way to illustrate the advantages of using ICE and the utility of the ICE4SAFETY system of preparedness tools that can be easily adapted for use by a public service group such as this.

It looks like our future leaders have made one very important decision already.

ICE4SAFETY looks forward to more ICE KIT requests and success stories from these and other high school student groups.

Prep Tip - Vehicle Use - ICE

Even a highly polished vehicle like this can accommodate the UV Protected 2x2 ICE Sticker.

As mentioned on the website the applications for ICE and this image continue to grow....

9-11-01 Never Forget

This was one of the saddest days in American History.

Oddly, some in our country right now rather we forget.....saying we did this to ourselves and instead suggest citizens recognize this day by calling our representatives to advance health care legislation instead.

Please, remember those innocent people that died as a result of this terrorist attack on our country and show support for those who battle these threats daily to keep us free.

God Bless America! Never Forget.

View Picture Presentation on ICE4SAFETY

Welcome Scurry County - ICE Advocates

Another EMS Provider advances the cause of ICE in their community.....just south of Lubbock Texas where UMC/EMS and the associated EMS/Fire agencies rolled out ICE on Memorial Weekend 09!

ICE - Still the Most Versatile

ICE4SAFETY prides itself in the design versatility we have built into the ICE Logo(s).

They can be adapted to a growing variety of different and demanding applications unlike others that barely make sense or are indistinguishable on most common backgrounds.

This is neither all text, advertisement or some cute soft drink label look alike.

It's the real deal.

We don't deal in cute or fluff or pc.....not when it's your life that is on the line.

This particular design makes perfect sense in that it maintains the high visibility factor as it was originally designed for.

Still the best......and your continued and growing support has proven it. Thank you.

PS: The Trademark Symbol is the real deal as well and we have the legal bills and the documents to show for it.

Another Business Using ICE

Welcome Commerce Bank of Massachusetts!

Employees of the bank will all be receiving ICE Stickers and Instructions from HR on how to program their Cell Phones.

This is a great start - especially during National Preparedness Month 2009. What is your business doing?

Good going Commerce Bank.

Visit ICE4SAFETY website

September - National Preparedness Month 2009

What is your group doing to actually promote preparedness...let us know if you like and we can spotlight it here.

Stay Alive Just Drive Goes National!

Not only has SAJD been endorsed by safety agencies in the State of Florida but our friend Jay Anderson has been invited to participate on traffic fatality reduction discussions as an expert to the DOT this September.

Go SAJD......great work - keep it up!

Visit http://www.sajd.org/ to learn more about Distracted Driving.

Distracted Driving Summit Invitation

August 26, 2009

Dear Jay Anderson:
On behalf of U.S Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, I am pleased to invite you to participate in an important national summit to consider ways to reduce the number of crashes and fatalities due to distracted driving.

The Distracted Driving Summit will be convened by the Department of Transportation on September 30 – October 1, 2009 at the Renaissance Hotel, 999 9th St NW, Washington DC. The summit will provide an opportunity for expert speakers from around the nation to interactive sessions on key topics including the extent and impact of the distracted driving problem, current research, regulations, technology implications, and best practices in enforcement and public outreach.

Best Regards,

Peter H Appel, Administrator, U.S. Department of Transportation

Update: ICE4SAFETY is Now a Charter Sponsor Member of SAJD and suggests you consider being one too! SAJD# 09-0004

Visit ICE4Safety Website

Prep Tip - Safe Following Distance

Once again traffic safety simplified......when in traffic practice creating safe distance space between yourself and the next vehicle ahead - this also applies when coming to a halt in traffic at a signal.

You can see that in the top picture that your options to get out of harms way in an emergency - such as a road rage incident or if the vehicle becomes (or is) disabled are diminished by your lack of adequate operating space.

This is dangerous.

Instead, practice this rule of thumb: if you can see the rear tires of the vehicle in front of you when stopped in traffic, then you will have sufficient room to maneuver when you have to.

This is also very useful during inclement weather and on slippery pavement when the operator in front may spin out and lose control.

We liked to practice this so it became second nature during emergency vehicle operations when you were called to respond immediately to a variety of emergencies - if you were stuck in place like in the top picture.....drivers had to resort to unnecessary and time consuming tactics to get out of traffic and respond.

This directly relates back to earlier discussions about having good situational awareness.

Bottom Line: Allow proper spacing between vehicles when stopped so you can respond if necessary to protect yourself.

Visit ICE4SAFETY Website

ICE & Public Service Messages

ICE lends it self to public service messages for Vehicle Safety/ Fire Safety /Distracted Driving Safety / Poison Control / Workplace Safety / Campus Safety / Emergency First Aid.......and the list just keeps on growing.

The enhanced poster above gets your attention and makes a point. Simple.

Visit ICE4SAFETY Website

Ambulance on ICE - Amber

Amber Ambulance in Marietta, New York - on the peaceful shores of Otisco Lake continues to celebrate their 60th year as an all-volunteer ambulance corp. The only one in Onondaga County in fact! That is no small accomplishment given all the regulatory issues and training that go into running one of these squads!

These folks found the time to roll out an ICE Program as well as juggling their family time and handling emergencies as their way of giving back to the local community they had served for 60 years.....lot of history there! Amber also would like to say thank you again to the people of the community for their generous support during this years annual fund drive.

ICE representing the delivery of emergency medical services!

Visit ICE4SAFETY Website

Back to School !

It's that time again...summer winding down and some colleges already are in session.

With school comes extracurricular activities like ski club, soccer, xc track and others that require travel.

Parents, are you absolutely confident that your child's safety is well in hand or might there be something else you could do - or that your school could do to ensure the safety of your children?


Each year about 800 school age children are killed in motor vehicle incidents during the regular school hour travel periods.

Approximately 2% of those killed are bus related.
Private passenger vehicle deaths account for 74%
Pedestrian and Bicycle accidents account for 22%

One way might be to make sure they come back to school prepared by using ICE - some common sense thoughts when travelling to school:

Be cognizant of your route to school - delays, construction areas, detours.

Start out early to school...that way you won't be forced to rush and take chances or be subject to be late due to road delays.

Wear high visibilty clothing when walking - when driving don't tailgate the bus - stay back.

Stay off the phone and do not text when driving your kids to school.

Make sure walking students know enough not to use phones or text when in traffic so they can be fully aware of others who are driving and also may not be paying attention.

Bicycle Safety - ICE is Perfect Companion

We visited our local bicycle shop this weekend to update some equipment before a ride and inquired about what the shop had done to promote bike safety among riders young and old.....we were informed about some verbal support for helmet safety laws...not much else actually and there was no high profile safety messages observed on the store website.

Needless to say we were disappointed - especially when a well publicized incident of a bicyclist being killed just a year ago having no identification created such a public outcry.....well at least the volunteer ambulance corp (Amber) that responded to the incident rolled out an ICE Program for the local community this Spring - Good Going Amber Ambulance!

Imagine your bike shop providing ICE Stickers and ICE Cards and valuable info to patrons of your store and at cycling events? It can also be used on your website to attract attention to your shop from around the world......nice!

How about placing your shop name and email or web address on the cards that people will carry 24/7 all year long? You can't get that level of advertising for pennies anywhere else can you? Stop buying all these unrecognized low budget and essentially useless devices that will be ignored....and also do not rely on any one method or system for your safety - be redundant!

What a truly cost effective way to improve safety in your community and promote your sporting business at the same time.

Some merchants have figured it out ....others might takes some more time - It could have a positive impact on safety as well as your bottom line.

ICE Application Information - APP Index

The link to the article on smart-ICETM is here:

http://www.iphoneappindex.com/2009/08/13/smart-ice-the-life-saving-iphone-application-with-an-internationally-recognized-ice-trademarked-image/comment-page-1/#comment-1782