|
|
||||
|
Table of Contents
Alice Past Co-Chair Laura Spanjian Appointed to DCCC
Reese's World: Perspectives from the Editor
Editor On the Mark in Sacramento
One hundred years ago this spring, San Francisco was changed
forever by a force of nature beyond anyone's imagination. As we
recognize the centennial of that April 18th morning and all that
followed, we have much to remember and from which to learn. Are You Prepared?
This April 18th San Francisco will mark the centennial of the great 1906 earthquake that changed our fair City forever. During this time, we must remember that San Francisco is always exposed to a wide variety of hazards, both natural and human-made. Earthquakes, fires, severe storms, power outages, and acts of terrorism are just some of the potential emergencies we may encounter. As an Emergency Planner in the Disaster Planning Division with the San Francisco Office of Emergency Services and Homeland Security (OES/HS), it is my job to perform responsible disaster and emergency planning work in the areas of homeland security and emergency services citywide. In this regard, I plan, coordinate, and develop the promotion of emergency service operations, plans and programs, and the organization and training of emergency services and public safety personnel, as well as implementation and evaluation of comprehensive emergency master plans for natural disasters, terrorism events and catastrophic events. Additionally, I assist with the coordination, integration, and implementation of emergency response plans and procedures for various City Departments and agencies, private industry, utility companies and others. As an Emergency Planner I have experience in Emergency Management operations and planning and community programs and the understanding of local, State and Federal response systems. During Emergency Operations Center (EOC) activation, I serve as the Care and Shelter Branch Chief. The last part of my job is to serve as the primary OES emergency management liaison with partner agencies involved in Community Planning, Housing Authority and Public Education. One of the projects that I have created and that I am very excited about is the San Francisco Personal Preparedness Project (SFPPP) -A Partnership of the Office of Emergency Services and Homeland Security and the San Francisco Housing Authority. The San Francisco Housing Authority (SFHA) consists of 6600 units that house over 12,000 low-income families, seniors and persons with disabilities across the City and County of San Francisco. Within this housing system are 22 high-rise units, which are home to seniors and persons with disabilities. There are an additional 30 low-income family locations through out the City. We are working together to provide disaster preparedness training and education to every resident of the housing authority. This will include direct delivery of classes, distribution of educational materials, access to web site information and promotion of other community based activities and trainings, such as the Neighborhood Emergency Response Team (NERT) program. The goal is to ensure that in the event of a disaster, the residents of the San Francisco Housing Authority (SFHA) will be able to care for his or her own needs for at least the initial 72 hours after the event. WHAT YOU CAN DO
First and foremost, it is important to understand that in a major disaster, it might be several days before vital services are restored. That is why you must Make a Plan, Build a Kit, and Get Involved. As Alice members, we are very good at making plans to help others, we are good at building coalitions to help better our city and the lives of people living in it, and we are great at getting involved. But what have you done for yourself lately? Are you Prepared? Go to our website, www.72hours.org, to get prepared. MAKE A PLAN Make a Plan for PERSONAL PREPAREDNESS Here are the priorities: Safety, Water, Food, Heat and Sanitation. No matter how well your community has planned their response to a disaster, in the event of a large-scale incident, first response resources may quickly become overwhelmed. To ensure the safety and well-being of you, your friends and your family, you should prepare now to take care of your own basic needs for at least the first 72 hours following a major disaster. Training is key: * Make sure that each person knows and practices ways of protecting her/himself from falling objects, smoke, fire, caustic fumes, etc. * Make sure that each person knows and practices how to shut off utilities. * Make sure that each person knows and practices evacuation procedures for leaving the home during an emergency. * Make sure that each person knows how to use a home fire extinguisher. (You can also get information on how Pet Owners can help their pets during an emergency at www.72hours.org) BUILD A KIT Basic Supplies: Determine what you absolutely need every day to live and plan how you will get what you need. Store 5 gallons of water, if you can. If you buy it at the store, what would you do if either the store wasn't open, if its shelves were empty, or if you couldn't get to the store? Important: If you don't have a manual can opener, buy one. Avoid foods that need a lot of water or more than a few minutes of cooking. FOOD: You can eat canned tuna; eat canned vegetables as a salad, with salad dressing or vinegar and oil. Ham or chicken with a vegetable salad or mixed with mayonnaise packets. WATER: Store 1 gallon of water per person for each day you are preparing for. You can buy collapsible water containers wherever camping supplies are sold. Another option is to wash out soda bottles and fill them with water. The water in these containers should be replaced every six months. If you store your own water, treat it by adding 4 drops of unscented chlorine bleach to each gallon of water. Don't use milk bottles. Build Personal Go Bags: Assembling emergency kits is one of the basic preparedness measures you should take. Go Bags are kits designed for the event of an evacuation. Be sure your Go Bag is easy to carry (if you have to evacuate on foot) and that it has an I.D. tag. You should keep one at home, work and in your vehicle. They should include the following supplies: * 3-Day supply of any prescription medications you take regularly. * Personal hygiene supplies (including toilet paper). * Whistle (to alert rescuers to your location). * List of emergency point-of-contact phone numbers. * Emergency lighting (flashlight and batteries or light sticks). * Portable radio & batteries (or hand crank style). * Change of clothing, sturdy shoes and a hat. * If you are preparing go bags for children, include a favorite toy, cards or book and medical consent forms. GET INVOLVED Know your community resources, and become one yourself. You can find more information about tips for Building a Kit, Making a Plan, and Getting Involved by going to www.72hours.org Thank you to all Alice members because without you so much great work would go undone. Be safe, be prepared, be well. Joe Caruso Emergency Planner City and County of San Francisco Office of Emergency Services & Homeland Security House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi Urges Immediate Action on Hate Crimes Prevention Law
"As the brutal attack in New Bedford clearly indicates, hate crimes persist in our country, and federal hate crimes prevention legislation is long overdue. "Hate crimes have no place in America. All Americans have a fundamental right to feel safe in their communities - regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, race, color, religion, national origin, gender, or disability. "Last September, the House of Representatives voted 223 to 199 to pass a hate crimes prevention measure - the first time that hate crimes prevention legislation had a substantive vote in the House. I urge the Senate to follow the House's lead and pass a federal hate crimes prevention law without delay. "We must act to end hate crimes. We must honor this nation's commitment to the ideals of justice, equality and opportunity." "Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the hate crimes prevention amendment offered by the distinguished gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers), the ranking member on the Committee on the Judiciary, and I thank him for his strong leadership on this subject. "...This vehicle is one that gives Congress the opportunity to go on record, and hopefully in the majority, to reject hate crimes in our country. Hate crimes prevention is long overdue. Hate crimes have no place in America. All Americans have a fundamental right to feel safe in their communities. Federal hate crimes prevention legislation is the right thing to do, and we must do it now. We have waited far too long. "A year ago, a majority of this House voted to support including hate crimes prevention legislation in the Department of Defense authorization bill, on the heels of a strong vote in the Senate. Similarly, the House acted in September of 2000. Twice, the Republican leadership defied the will of the majority of the House and stripped these essential provisions out in conference. Today, we should not be denied. We will have a vote that counts. "Our Nation was founded on the principle that all are created equal, all are entitled to the protections of the laws, and all are entitled to justice. It violates this principle to have individuals in our country targeted for violence because of who they are, the color of their skin, how they worship, and who they love. The perpetrators of violence intend to send a message to certain members of our community that they are not welcome. "Mr. Chairman, this amendment is based on H.R. 2662, the Local Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2005, introduced by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers), and joined by 142 Members as cosponsors, of which I am proud to be one. It will help prevent violence visited upon individuals because of their race, sexual orientation, sexual identity, religion, national origin, gender, or disability. "As the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers) explained, these protections are necessary and must be enacted into law. Who can ever forget the brutal murders of James Byrd in Texas, Matthew Shepard in Wyoming, Waqar Hasan in Texas, Gwen Araujo in California, and so many others who have died because of ignorance and intolerance. This legislation would increase the ability of local, State and Federal law enforcement agencies to solve and prevent a wide range of violent hate crimes. "Mr. Chairman, I call this very specifically to your attention and to that of our colleagues, that numerous law enforcement organizations, including the International Association of Chiefs of Police support the need for Federal hate crimes legislation. "Mr. Chairman, as we deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, we must remember that we are one America, a Nation that must be united not just in common purpose but in common effort and common community. We must work to end false distinctions among us. "In the words of my good friend, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis), who I consider to be the conscience of this House, we must strive towards our ``Beloved Community.'' ``We must move our resources to build and not to tear down, to reconcile and not to divide, to love and not to hate.'' "Let that be our call. Let us live up to the ideals of equality and opportunity that are both our hope and our future. Let us pass this amendment to secure justice for all. We must continue to vote for justice, for hope, and for freedom by ensuring that hate crimes prevention provisions are enacted into law. I urge my colleagues to vote for this important amendment." In Memoriam: Coretta Scott King and Tanya Neiman From the Editor: This month's issue of the Alice Reports newsletter is dedicated to the memories of Coretta Scott King and Tanya Neiman. Their work on behalf of civil rights for all people in the world will live on and inspire continuously.Coretta Scott King
Human Rights Campaign: Once in a lifetime God grants us with the ability to witness an extraordinary life dedicated to justice. With Coretta Scott King and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., God smiled on us and fortunately granted us two. Equality California: Equality California mourns the loss of civil rights leader Coretta Scott King. Ms. King helped to shape the struggle for equality and often stated that one cannot stand for freedom for one group of people and deny it to others. Her life was one of passion, courage and grace. Her passing is painful, yet the movement that she dedicated her life to remains strong and vibrant. We honor Ms. King’s life by recommitting ourselves to the cause of justice and equality. Tanya Neiman
Bar Association of San Francisco: With profound sadness, The Bar Association of San Francisco announces the death of Tanya Neiman, on February 27, 2006, after a long battle with ovarian cancer. Tanya Neiman was a well-known figure in San Francisco's legal community for many years, not just for the debonair figure she cut in her trademark suits and bow ties but also for her nationally recognized vision and drive to improve access to justice for low-income communities. Director of the Volunteer Legal Services Program (VLSP) for almost twenty-five years, she pioneered the fields of pro bono, holistic legal services and community lawyering. In spite of her small 5 foot frame, Tanya was a giant in her commitment to improving the condition of all people and in her passion for living. Mayor Gavin Newsom: San Francisco has lost a great humanitarian and altruist. A collection for the Tanya Neiman Social Justice and Poverty Law Fund, c/o the San Franciso Foundation, will be taken at the next Alice Membership Meeting in Ms. Neiman's memory Alice B Toklas LGBT Democratic Club General Membership Meeting 2nd Monday of each month You can now join online www.alicebtoklas.org/abt/joinonline.asp, or fill out the application below Membership Application Yes, I want to join the Alice B. Toklas Democratic Club! __$35 Regular __I am renewing my membership __I will be a new member __I am a registered Democrat Name ______________________________________________________________ Address _____________________________________________________________ City ____________________________________State: ______Zip: _____________ Phone: Day __________________________Eve: _____________________________ Email: _________________________________________ Please send checks payable to “Alice B. Toklas
LGBT Democratic Club” and mail to: |
||||
Well, it's another exciting political season in San Francisco. Just
when we thought we'd get a break from last November's special election,
here we are again. We have competitive Senate and Assembly races on the
west side of town, the always-competitive and raucus Democratic County
Central Committee race, the gubernatorial election, and then looking
toward November, the District 8 Supervisor's race and Mark Leno's
election to his final term in the Assembly.
Laura
Spanjian, immediate past co-chair of Alice, was just appointed to the
Democratic County Central Committee to fill a vacancy created when DCCC
member Clem Clarke resigned for personal reasons. Democratic Party
Chair Leslie Katz made the appointment.
For a short month, February sure turned out to be quite a sad and, rather, violent one.
