AST Digital Magazine April 2016 | Page 23

1 2 Volume 3 NASSCO Award for Combatant Ships, Port of San Diego General Dynamics NASSCO has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Navy to support amphibious warfare and surface combatant ships home-ported in the Port of San Diego. The indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract has a total potential value of$1.32 billion among three awardees. As part of the contract, NASSCO will help modernize, maintain and repair Navy ships that dock in San Diego, including six classes of military combat and amphibious vessels. “We look forward to the opportunity to work with the U.S. Navy in support of the modernization and repair efforts for the combatant and amphibious ships home-ported in the Port of San Diego,” said Dave Carver, vice president and general manager for General Dynamics NASSCO’s repair division. Page 22 April 2016 Edition FDA Warns About Safety Issues with Opioid Pain Meds The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning about several safety issues with the entire class of opioid pain medicines. These safety risks are potentially harmful interactions with numerous other medications, problems with the adrenal glands, and decreased sex hormone levels. We are requiring changes to the labels of all opioid drugs to warn about these risks. Opioids can interact with antidepressants and migraine medicines to cause a serious central nervous system reaction called serotonin syndrome, in which high levels of the chemical serotonin build up in the brain and cause toxicity (see List of Serotonergic Medicines). • Taking opioids may lead to a rare, but serious condition in which the adrenal glands do not produce adequate amounts of the hormone cortisol. Cortisol helps the body respond to stress. • Long-term use of opioids may be associated with decreased sex hormone levels and symptoms such as reduced interest in sex, impotence, or infertility. Opioids are a class of powerful narcotic pain medicines that are used to treat moderate to severe pain that may not respond well to other pain medicines (see List of Opioids). They can help manage pain when other treatments and medicines are not able to provide enough pain relief, but they also have serious risks including misuse and abuse, addiction, overdose, and death. For more information, please visit: Opioid Pain Medications. View of Navy ships in San Diego Bay. NASSCO is currently conducting repair and modernization efforts in four ports throughout the United States, with the majority of work located in San Diego. Other ports include Mayport, Florida; Bremerton, Washington; and Norfolk, Virginia. More information about General Dynamics NASSCO can be found at www.nassco.com. More information about General Dynamics is available at www.generaldynamics.com. Gunfire or Car Backfire? Desktop Alert, Inc. and Shooter Detection Systems, LLC have announced a successful integration project that combines the industry’s fastest and most reliable gunshot detection product with the fastest mass notification system. Working together, these capabilities provide pinpoint shot location, instant notification to first responders, alerting via social media, indoor and exterior speakers, computer monitors, telephones, mobile devices, and fire alarms. Additionally, it automatically conducts a total accountability of on campus personnel and provides real-time personnel status to first responders. Shooter Detection Systems’ underlying technology was developed in conjunction with the