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Teens can take lead in disaster planning
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Dear Editor:

 

We need to make sure that our families implement a plan to insure survival and safety when disaster strikes, especially since hurricane season is here. I believe that specifically delegating partial responsibility of family preparedness to teenagers in the home comes from my realization that the majority of teenagers are dynamic and determined to make a positive contribution within society. It is important that we start with the family: the fundamental unit of society. In order to fortify your home like I did, teenagers such as me should facilitate and follow through on these three procedures…

1. Have a family plan for all emergencies

a. Make sure that each family member has a list of phone numbers on them at all times that they can call in case of an emergency.

b. Learn safety procedures for weather disasters, safe evacuation, and a family meeting place.

c. Have periodic family council meetings; where you and your family can discuss what courses of action to take in the event of any disaster.

2. Have a food, water, fuel, and cash reserve.

a. Encourage your family to forgo unnecessary vacations, cars, or other excessive temporal wants to obtain family-size 72 hour kits (5-day kits if necessary).

b. Slowly build up your reserves by separating wants from needs and by decreasing the amount of money spent on wants.

c. Remember to include a first aid kit, family medication, and legal/medical documents in you 3-5 day emergency preparedness kits.

d. It is always better to have your home in order and to be prepared for disaster before it strikes.

3. Have frequent family meetings where safety procedures are reviewed and kept fresh. (Make sure that you rotate your food and water storage by slowly using it up while periodically replacing your storage).

Freedom, fun, and friends are topics of interest to teenagers but we mustn’t forget how crucial it is that parents and caregivers know accurate information about where we really are at all times should we need to be contacted. I know that we may not have a lot of capital to individually to pursue these goals (such as food storage) but they can help to motivate parents and encourage family members to forgo temporal satisfaction to obtain the greater good, securing the family against disasters that are sure to come.

 

Sincerely,

Christopher Michael Bourque

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Showing gratitude for service
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Dear editor: Another election cycle is finally over and the voters of Bryan County have spoken. We will have three new county commissioners in January 2011.
My congratulations go out to Jimmy Henderson of District 5, Carter Infinger of District 4 and Wade Price of District 2. I look forward to working with them as we continue to take care of the business of the county.
All three races were contested, which gave the voters a choice of who they wanted as their commissioner. Those who did not prevail in this election are to be applauded for offering themselves as candidates.
Our county owes a debt of gratitude to retiring commissioners Rick Gardner with eight years of service, Blondean Newman with eight years of service as a commissioner and 30 years as tax commissioner, and Toby Roberts with 18 years on the county commission.
These three spent many hours establishing policies and procedures for our county government and many meetings with state and local officials to achieve the best possible outcomes regarding our county on numerous issues. Their many years of experience will be sorely missed.
I well remember the first time I ran for public office and lost. Sometimes those who are not elected are the winners because they don’t have to go to all the meetings – that is said with tongue in cheek, of course.
After my loss, someone sent me the following quotation from President Theodore Roosevelt, which I keep on the wall in my office:
“It is not the critic who counts, not the one who points out how the strong man stumbled or how the doer of deeds might have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred with sweat and dust and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, if he wins, knows the triumph of high achievement; and who, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”
And my wish for all the citizens of Bryan County is to have a truly blessed Christmas and a prosperous and happy New Year’s.

Jimmy Burnsed
Chairman
Board of commissioners

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