Page 9 - Edwards AFB Desert Wings 1-29-16

January 29, 2016
facebook.com/EdwardsDesertWings
Family Advocacy classes provide tools for success
by Rebecca Amber
Staff writer
Family Advocacy is starting off the New
Year with a new round of free classes. Offer-
ing everything from New Pregnancy Orienta-
tion and parenting classes, to stress and anger
management, Family Advocacy is ready to
help the base community members reach their
personal goals.
“We could all use some support at some
point,” said Susan Cartwright, licensed clinical dresses couples communication and relation-
Keep your family safe from carbon monoxide
by Timothy Johnson
(GZDUGV$)%)LUH3UHYHQWLRQ2I¿FH the oxygen in your hemoglobin. Now your
Carbon monoxide, or CO, is an odorless,
colorless, tasteless gas that can kill you and
your family.
Each year 400 Americans die from unin-
tentional CO poisoning, there are more than
20,000 visits to the emergency room and
more than 4,000 are hospitalized. We’re here
WRKHOS\RXNHHS\RXUIDPLO\VDIH toms of exposure to carbon monoxide? Head-
What exactly is carbon monoxide?
Carbon monoxide is a by-product (fumes)
of the burning of fuels. Examples are automo-
biles, heating appliances, portable generators,
VWRYHVGU\HUV¿UHSODFHVDQGPDQ\PRUH,I multiple people in the same area) move ev-
any of these devices are faulty or the area is
poorly ventilated, a build-up of carbon mon-
oxide poisonous gas can occur. The longer
the build-up occurs, the more deadly it can
become.
How does carbon monoxide hurt your
body? When you breathe clean air, your
body takes in oxygen and it attaches to your
blood hemoglobin. The blood carries this
oxygen to your body’s cells and keeps you
healthy. When you breathe poisonous carbon
Annual Battle of the
Badges blood drive
coming Feb. 3
Desert Wings 9
www.aerotechnews.com/edwardsafb
social worker and Family Advocacy Outreach lationship can help decrease the potential for rent information and hopefully the idea is to
manager. “These classes are really important future domestic violence or maltreatment. give you that education and make you just feel
as a resource to base personnel.” comfortable about your pregnancy. Especially
Managing your stress like a Navy SEAL is WKDW¿UVWWULPHVWHU´VDLG&DSW&RUDO3HWWLW
All of the Family Advocacy classes are open a class that teaches stress reduction techniques 412th Medical Group, Health Care Integra-
to active duty, civilian employees, contractors including deep breathing. A similar class for tion. “As medical professionals, we want to
and their spouses. managing anger is perfect for those struggling give people our knowledge and we just want
with their own anger or the anger they’re ex- to make sure people get educated and get their
As a prevention specialist, Cartwright’s goal periencing from another person. needs met.”
is to equip people with the tools they need to
manage life’s circumstances and prevent future “The goal is to take a look at how we’re deal- All of the Family Advocacy classes are of-
problems. For example, the P.R.E.P class ad- LQJZLWKWKLQJVDQGWU\WR¿QGDGLIIHUHQWZD\ fered at least once a quarter, many are offered
or a better way, to deal with them and we move more than that. Advance notice of attendance
ship enhancement. Learning to care for a re- on,’” said Cartwright. is strongly encouraged and allows childcare to
be arranged for attendees.
The New Pregnancy Orientation class teach-
es new and experienced moms what to expect For more information, call Family Advocacy
LQWKHLU¿UVWWULPHVWHURISUHJQDQF\ at 661-277-5292.
“This gives you the most accurate, most cur- Capt. Coral Pettit,
412th Medical
Group, Health Care
Integration, teaches
a New Pregnancy
Orientation class.
2IIHULQJ HYHU\WKLQJ
from New Pregnancy
Orientation and
parenting classes,
to stress and anger
management, Family
$GYRFDF\ LV UHDG\
to help the base
community members
reach their personal
goals.
Air Force photograph by Rebecca Amber
monoxide gas, the carbon monoxide replaces Ways to protect you and your family: er, remove it from the garage. Having the
garage door open still doesn’t guarantee CO
body carries “dirty” non-oxygenated blood 1. Buy a battery-operated carbon monox- isn’t entering your home. Also ensure you do
to your cells. When vital organs like your ide detector. Price range is from $19.99 and not have the back tailgate or windows down
brain and heart don’t receive oxygen, your up. Make sure they are near an area where as CO could go inside your vehicle.
body starts to die. As this happens, your body the alarm will wake you from sleep. Check
shows signs and symptoms of carbon mon- or replace the battery when you change the Note: If your CO alarm sounds look at the
oxide poisoning. batteries in your smoke detectors and clocks. digital readout, leave the area and call 911.
Consider buying a detector with a digital Do not go back in to open all the windows.
Since you can’t see, smell or taste carbon readout. This will tell you the highest level 7HOOWKH¿UHGHSDUWPHQWRUWHFKQLFLDQZKDW
monoxide, what are some signs and symp- of CO concentration in your home and what ppm (parts per million) the detector alarmed.
level it alarmed at. Replace your CO detector
DFKHVÀXOLNHV\PSWRPVZLWKRXWDWHPSHUD- HYHU\¿YH\HDUV In summary, there are many serious dan-
WXUHGL]]LQHVVPHPRU\SUREOHPVGLI¿FXOW\ gers of carbon monoxide. Knowing what car-
breathing and eventual loss of consciousness 2. Have your heating systems (furnace, wa- bon monoxide is and what causes hazardous
or death can occur. If you feel or witness any ter heater and other appliances) serviced by a conditions in your home can keep your family
of these signs or symptoms (especially in TXDOL¿HGWHFKQLFLDQHDFK\HDU safe. Get yearly appliance checks and use ap-
pliances as they are intended to be used. Buy
eryone away from the possible CO gas source 3. Make sure your gas appliances are vent- and install a CO detector to help protect your
DQGJHWWRIUHVKDLU&DOODQGKDYHWKH¿UH ed properly. family from the poisonous gas you cannot
department come check the area. Get medi- see, smell or taste.
cal treatment for possible carbon monoxide 4. Have your chimney checked or cleaned
poisoning. every year. Chimneys can be blocked by de- If anyone in your family shows signs and
bris causing CO build-up in your home. symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning,
Note: If symptoms improve while you are dial 911 from a duty/housing phone, and dial
away from home on a vacation, or are sea- 5. Never use a gas range or portable gas 661-277-4540/4541 from a cell phone.
sonal when heating appliances are used, you camp stove for heating.
may have a carbon monoxide leak. Get your Keep your family safe from carbon mon-
DSSOLDQFHVFKHFNHG 6. Never run a generator inside your home, R[LGH)RUDQ\DGGLWLRQDOLQIRUPDWLRQFDOO
basement or garage without proper ventila- WKH)LUH3UHYHQWLRQRI¿FHDW
tion nearby.
7. When warming a vehicle in cold weath-
7KHELJJHVW$PHULFDQ5HG&URVVEORRGGULYHRIWKH\HDULVDSSURDFKLQJTXLFNO\
The 10th Annual Battle of the Badges is Feb. 3, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Chapel
$QQH[$OOGRQRUVZLOOUHFHLYHDWK$QQXDO%DWWOHRIWKH%DGJHVWVKLUW,GHQWL¿FD-
tion is required to donate.
7RVFKHGXOHDQDSSRLQWPHQWYLVLWZZZUHGFURVVEORRGRUJDQGXVHVSRQVRUFRGH
BadgeSoCal,or contact Senior Airman Joe Hernandez at Joe.hernandez.8@us.af.
mil; or Senior Airman Dominique Lyles at Dominique.lyles@us.af.mil.