January 28, 2016
Board of
Commissioners
Henry County One of the First in the U.S. to Adopt New CPR Technology
Regular Meetings February 2 at 9:00 AM (Canceled) February 16 at 6:30 PM Meetings held at: Administration Building Community Room 140 Henry Parkway McDonough, GA 30253 Regular Commission meetings air daily on Henry TV Channel 180 and AT&T U-Verse Channel 99, at 9 a.m. & 7 p.m. Two Henry County Paramedics and one Zoll representative demonstrate how to use the new Zoll Rescue CPR technology at the Jan. 26 press conference held by the Henry County Fire Department.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest claims an average of 325,000 lives a year and if you are lucky enough to survive, you only have a 10 percent chance of living for another year. Paramedics at the Henry County Fire Department (H.C.F.D.) are now equipped to increase the percentage of survival from 10 percent to 49 percent with the groundbreaking technology of the new Zoll Rescue CPR system. “It is very exciting for Henry County that we now have this technology available,� said Dr. Charles Evans, Medical Director for Henry County Emergency Medical Services. The CPR system is comprised of two medical devices; a rescue pump and a rescue pod that provides intrathoriacic pressure regulation (IPR), that when used together during CPR administration creates an enhanced vacuum in the chest that Continued on page 2
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January 28, 2016 CPR Technology from page 1
Published by Henry County Communications Department The Henry County Board of Commissioners
Editor Melissa Robinson
Graphic Designer Meredith Butler Samantha Watson
Layout Designer Samantha Watson
Contributors Samantha Watson Melissa Robinson Kevin Williams
improve blood flow to vital organs. According to Interim Fire Chief Brad Johnson, the rescue pump is the first of its kind and the H.C.F.D. is one of the first in the nation and one of only two departments in the state administering this cutting edge technology. It is a hand held device with a suction cup that compresses the chest, just as manual CPR would do, but then lifts to actively re-expand the chest during the “pull up” phase. This action helps refill the heart with blood. It is the only CPR device that allows the rescuer to deliver up to 10 kg of lifting force. The H.C.F.D. was able to purchase 15 new CPR systems for $1,200 apiece with a state trauma grant. The new equipment will be placed on all first responder vehicles and fire trucks. “This is another tool in our toolbox to help our citizens survive,” said Brad Johnson. For more information on the Zoll ResQCPR system, log onto www.zoll.com. To keep up with Fire Department news visit, www.henrycounty-ga.org/fire.
District I Commissioner Bo Moss takes part in the CPR demonstrations, lead by two Henry County Paramedics, at the Jan. 26 press conference.
henrycounty-ga.org
Voter Registration Deadline for the March Presidential Primary is February 1 Voter registration for the March 1, 2016 primary election ends February 1, 2016! Early voting for the March 2016 Presidential Preference Primary, ESPLOST and Annexation by Referendum question for Locust Grove will be conducted at various locations including the Elections and Voter Registration Main Office from February 8, 2016 until February 26, 2016. During the early voting period, voters will have the opportunity to cast a ballot on Saturday, Feb. 21
and Sunday, Feb. 22. In anticipation of a busy election season, Henry County is in the process of making upgrades to the new elections office located at 40 Atlanta Street in McDonough. Facilities Maintenance crews have been renovating the inside of the building for easier handicap access and are making improvements to the parking lot for enhanced traffic flow. The early voting schedule is as follows:
Merle Manders Fairview Conference Library Center
Fortson (Hampton) Library
Locust Grove Library
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Feb. 20
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Feb. 21
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Elections Office
Feb. 8-12
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Feb. 22-26 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Small Fruit Lunch and Learn on February 9 Successful plant growers always prepare for the spring season before the ice melts. With the support of the Henry County Extension Office and its upcoming Lunch and Learn on February 9 at noon, you too can be a successful small fruit plant grower! Pack a lunch and spend an hour with Small Fruit Specialist Dr. Erick Smith from UGA Tifton. He will be explaining what to grow and how to do it during this month’s Lunch and Learn session. For more information visit the Extension Office’s website at www.caes.uga.edu/extension/henry.
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January 28, 2016 Small Fruit Plant Sale Benefits Extension Programs
The Henry County Extension Office wants to remind residents that warm weather will be here before you know it. With that in mind, be sure to order your small fruit plants from the Henry County Cooperative Extension Office’s “Small Fruit Plant Sale,” with proceeds going to support various extension programs. Blueberry bushes are $10 each; blackberry bushes, fig trees and muscadines are $8 each; raspberry plants are $7; and 5-gallon pear trees are $16 each. Plant orders are being taken from now until Friday, March 11, for pick up the following week at Heritage Park. Order forms may be found online at http://www.caes.uga.edu/extension/henry/ from the menu on the right.
henrycounty-ga.org
Youth Track and Field Registration Opens Feb. 1
There’s no better way to “warm up” your kids in winter than by registering them for Henry County Parks and Recreation’s youth track and field program. The youth track and field program is for children ages 7-14. It costs $85.00 per child to register, which includes a uniform, warmup sweatpants and hoodie, award and meet fees. Registration takes place Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. from February 1 to February 26, 2016. You can register at the Heritage Park office, the J.P. Moseley Recreation Center, Locust Grove Recreation Center, Fairview Recreation Center or online at www.hcprd.org. For more information on the youth track and field program, contact Henry County Parks and Recreation at 770-288-7300 or visit www.hcprd.org.
Henry County Urges Residents to Join PrepareAthon! for Tornado Safety
To help prepare residents for a tornado, the Henry County Emergency Management Agency will conduct Ready Henry County’s PrepareAthon! Drill for Tornado Safety on Wednesday, February 3, 2016. While everyone knows it’s important to prepare, this drill will ensure that all Henry County residents know exactly what to do in the event of a tornado. This community-wide drill is being held in coordination with Georgia’s Severe Weather Preparedness Week and is supported by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Georgia Emergency Management Agency/Homeland Security’s Ready Georgia campaign, the Henry County Emergency Management Agency, Henry County’s various public safety agencies and the Henry County Board of Commissioners. “As tornadoes are Georgia’s greatest weather threat, I urge all citizens to take part in the county and statewide drill on Wednesday, February 3,” said Don Ash, Henry County Emergency Management Director. “When a tornado, or any potentially life-threatening weather strikes, no one should leave emergency preparedness to chance. Having a plan and practicing it could be the difference between life and death.” To participate in the drill, listen to your NOAA Weather Radio around 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 3 for the routine weekly test (RWT). This is your cue to begin the drill. There will not be an actual tornado warning issued for the drill and the emergency alert system (EAS) will not be implemented. However, the county’s tornado sirens will be activated. If your NOAA
Weather Radio does not sound at the time the RWT is issued, simply start the drill on your own. Next, practice taking cover in your predetermined safe location. The drill is over when your school, business, organization or family determines tornado sheltering procedures have been adequately exercised. Use the hashtag #PrepareAthon to share your drill photos on Twitter. Since 2000, Henry County experienced several tornadoes, including an EF-3 tornado in April 2011 and an EF-2 tornado that caused significant damage at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Ready Henry County’s PrepareAthon! for Tornado Safety is part of America’s PrepareAthon!, a national, grassroots campaign from FEMA designed to increase individual and community preparedness and resilience through hazard-specific drills, group discussions and exercises throughout the year. A FEMA survey found that nearly 60 percent of American adults have not practiced what to do in a disaster by participating in a disaster drill or preparedness exercise at work, school, or home in the past year. Further, less than half of these adults have developed an emergency plan and discussed it with their household. With the number and severity of weather-related disasters on the rise, America’s PrepareAthon! is an opportunity for individuals, organizations, and communities to take action to prepare for specific hazards through group discussions, drills, and exercises. For more information on weather preparedness, visit www.co.henry.ga.us/911/ or contact Henry County Emergency Management at 770-957-9121. For more information about America’s PrepareAthon! please visit www.ready.gov/prepare or email PrepareAthon@fema. dhs.gov.
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January 28, 2016
Henry County Citizen’s Public Firing Range Safety Course The Henry County Sheriff’s Office, together with the Henry County Police Department conducts a 6-hour Gun Safety and Firearms course taught by certified law enforcement instructors from both agencies to allow the citizens of Henry County to utilize the Public Safety Firing Range. To take part in the Henry County Citizen’s Public Firing Range, participants must be at least 21 years of age (or 18 if active military), be a current resident of Henry County, have no felony convictions, must pass a criminal background check and successfully complete the mandatory six hour Citizens Public Firing Range Safety Course held at the Henry County Sheriff’s Office located at 120 Henry Parkway in McDonough. On the day of class, participants are to proceed to the Sheriff’s Office at 9am for classroom instruction which will address basic firearms safety, mechanics of shooting and rules of the range. Following a lunch break, participants will reconvene at the Henry County Public Safety Range for hands-on-training with our certified law enforcement instructors. Participants must bring their own firearm, ammunition, eye and ear protection. NOTE: Do NOT bring your firearm into the Sheriff’s Office – please keep it securely locked inside your vehicle. Upon completion of the class, a photo ID will be issued. This ID will allow you access to the range on pre-set specified dates and times. This ID must be presented upon each visit to the range and will be valid for one year from issue date. To enroll in this class, please click on the links for the two required forms, the GCIC Consent form (for permission to conduct the required criminal history check) and the Wavier of Liability form and personally bring them to the Sheriff’s Office Monday-Friday, 8am to 4pm along with 2 forms of ID and your cash payment of $20 that covers the cost of the class, a criminal history background check and the photo ID. The photo ID will be valid for one year upon which time it will be necessary to personally renew the ID at the Sheriff's Office for a fee of $20. Please note, class space is limited and is served on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information please contact Sharon Mitchell at the Sheriff’s Office at 770-288-7127 or contact the Police Department at 770-288-8335. Click here for Range Dates available for those who pass the course. henrycounty-ga.org
Next date for classroom portion is Saturday, February 6, 2016.
Commissioner Bruce Holmes To Host Town Hall Meeting Focus will be on transit opportunities and the Comprehensive Transportation Plan in Henry County District V Commissioner Bruce Holmes will hold his first Town Hall Meeting of the new year on Saturday, January 30, 2016 at 9 a.m.at the Merle Manders Conference Center in Stockbridge. The town hall meeting is being held in cooperation with the Stockbridge City Council and will feature a discussion and workshop on the feasibility of fixed route transit in Henry County. Officials will also present an overview of the County’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan. Special guest speakers include Michael Kray, transportation planning expert and senior planner with Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc., who will discuss Henry County’s Transportation Plan and the possibility of fixed
route bus service in Henry County. Other speakers include Planner for Henry County Stacey JordanRudeseal and Emily Ritzler with the Jacobs group, along with Grady Smith and Maggie Maddox from VHB (an engineering and planning firm). Participants will also have an opportunity to ask questions and voice opinions and concerns in helping the county update its transportation plan. The Town Hall Meeting is open to the public and all are encouraged to attend. The Merle Manders Conference Center is located at 111 Davis Rd. in Stockbridge, GA 30281.
The Henry County Board of Commissioners Cordially Invites You to Attend a Groundbreaking Ceremony for The Hampton Senior/Recreation Center 56 McDonough Road, Hampton Monday, February 1, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. This Project Funded By
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