One of Miami’s Community Newspapers
Phone: 305-669-7355
ENDALL GAZETT E K www.communitynewspapers.com
MAY 11 - 17, 2010
Hurricane preparations always need updating
T
BY RICHARD YAGER
here always is reason to update your thinking about hurricane preparation. That was the message delivered by Roslyn Viterbo, of the Miami-Dade Department of Emergency Management, to members of the Miami-Dade Police Hammocks District Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) on Apr. 28. “Did you know why we’ll get a hurricane warning this year when a tropical storm is due?” she asked. “The Weather Bureau this year will issue a warning for up to 74-mile per hour winds. “It’s because they’ve decided you won’t have an easy time putting up hurricane shutters in 50-mile-per-hour gale winds, just 36 hours before a Category I hurricane fringe is due.” Do you know you’re nearest pet shelter? It’s Tropical Park for Kendall residents, Viterbo explained. It’s one of three in MiamiDade, limited to the first 400 owners who register; service animals such as seeing-eye dogs are accepted at all evacuation centers, including schools. “You have to be registered in advance if you want to enter a county shelter that takes pets,”
Residents’ ‘Green House’ attracting many visitors
W
BY RICHARD YAGER hen Albert and Enid Harum-Alvarez set out to build their “Green House,” they decided they wanted something special. Now it has become an environmental “first” in its Continental Park neighborhood, attracting hundreds of visitors who want to learn more about “green” building and savings on their power bills. Unique construction features and conservation methods abound at almost every corner, from the home’s rare “cellar” to composting bathroom waste to fertilize fruit trees. The two-story, 2,300-square-foot residence overlooks a secluded Florida hammock where SW 98th Terrace reaches a dead-end, a block
Albert HarumAlvarez (standing) greets guests touring his “Green House” on May 4.
Towering 80-foot high oak tree (right) dominates the east side of the home’s landscaping.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– See
GREEN HOUSE, page 4
American Red Cross urges renewed attention to summer water safety
A
BY CHRYSTIAN TEJEDOR
Roslyn Viterbo of Miami-Dade County Emergency Management and James Blough, Hammocks District CAC chair, ready an Apr. 28 presentation on hurricane preparations.
–––––––––––––––––––––– See
HURRICANE, page 4
fter two accidental drowning deaths recently in Broward County, the American Red Cross (ARC) urges South Floridians to take extra precautions around home swimming pools and other places where children might swim unsupervised. “While we are all looking forward to a summer of fun with our family and friends, it’s important to remember that most water-
related accidents can be avoided by knowing how to stay safe and following a few simple guidelines,” said Hunter Ruffin, regional director of Health and Safety Services at the American Red Cross South Florida Region. “Everyone should know how to swim well. We can help families stay safe by teaching skills through our swimming and water safety program that teaches children and adults to learn how to swim skillfully and safely.” A survey conducted by the American Red Cross in 2009 shows the importance of water
safety skills, with half of those surveyed saying they have had a near-drowning experience in their lifetime. The survey found that 48 percent reported a near-drowning experience, and nearly one in three said they had a near-drowning scare between the ages of 5 and 15. The national survey of 1,002 adults was conducted in late March in advance of the summer to assess
––––––––––––– See
WATER SAFETY, page 4