The NewsCastle October 2013 | Page 6

BUILDING WELLNESS SAFETY District employee quits smoking with a little help Cecy Ordonez The American Cancer Society will be celebrating their annual Great American Smokout on Nov. 21. This day is used to encourage smokers to quit smoking for one day. Quitting smoking is arguably the single most important choice to improving your health. Smoking has been known to cause heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, kidney failure, lung cancer, throat cancer, mouth cancer, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, cervical cancer, cancer of the pancreas, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, macular degeneration, and many other ailments. Regardless of whether people already know the effects of smoking, it is the hardest habit to break because of the addictive qualities of tobacco and the additives used in ciggarettes. Here is an insight story about one of our own who is successfully kicking the habit: Michele Denham, Workforce Management Administrator. How long have you smoked? Off and on for many years. Why did you start smoking? Well, I guess it must have been peer pressure in the very olden days when lots of people thought smoking was cool. I can’t remember that far back. At some point in the past twent years, every county in California has been declared a federal flood disaster area. Residents should prepare by finding out whether or not they live within a flood plain and engage their local emergency management organizations. The objective of California Flood Preparedness Week is to make residents aware of the numerous resources available to them at the federal, state, and local levels. (File photo) Preparedness week warns of flood dangers David A. Salazar LOS ANGELES—The webpage for California Department of Water Resources’ California Flood Preparedness campaign poses a simple yet important question: “Do you know that every county in California has been declared a federal flood disaster area at least once in the last 20 years?” For many Californians, the answer is no. California Flood Preparedness Week, a statewide awareness campaign which takes place the week of Nov. 4, hopes to change this lack of awareness. “California Flood Preparedness Week is essentially an awareness week,” said Anne Hutton, chief of the District’s emergency management office. “It tries to make all people aware of flooding in California and the types of flooding 6 NewsCastle and what they can do to prepare so that they’re less affected in the event of a flood.” Flood season in California begins Nov. 15, when cool autumn temperatures bring increased precipitation to the area. Flood preparedness week precedes the flood season to help those at risk become aware of resources available to preserve life and property. “It’s the perfect time to get the public thinking about floods and preparing themselves,” Hutton said. “If someone determines that they’re in an area of concern and find themselves in a position where they need sandba w0??"6??WF???r??RF?B?vRV?6?W&vP?F?V?F?F?F?F?V?"??6?V?W&vV?7????vV?V?BvV?7?&V6W6RF??6P?&W6?W&6W2??&Rf??&?R?( ?F?REu.( ?2vV'6?FR?2?V?W&?W0??F?2?B&W6?W&6W2f?"&W&??rf? ?f???G2???6?VF??r???2F?6?V6??7G0?g&??F?R?W&?6?&VB7&?72?f???@?&?6?76W76?V?BF???2?f??6???V??6F????BWf7VF?????2??@?F?R?F????vVF?W"6W'f?6^( ?2( ?GW&??&?V?B?F??( ?BG&?v?( ?6??v???FV6V?&W"#?F?RfVFW&??V?W&vV?7???vV?V?BvV?7??@?F?RV?W&vV?7?&W7??6R6??F??vV?G2?`?F?R??2?vV?W2F?7G&?7B&W7??FVBF??f???B6?FW2????2?vV?W26?V?G?gFW ?6WfW&R&??f??6W6VBf???F??r???V?W&?W2&V27&?72F?R&Vv????f???G0?6W6VBFV?2?b?????2?bF???'2v?'F???bF?vRF????W2??ff?6R'V??F??w2???B??g&7G'V7GW&R??f?6?B?GG???wwr?vFW"?6?v?b??f???G6fR?6?f???B?&W&VF?W72?&VGV6??u???W%?f???E?&?6??6f?f?"??&P???f?&?F??????r?2??W"6?????r&?w&W76VB?"v?'6V?VB?fW ?F??S???B?6?( ?B&V????N( ?2?W7B&VV?&V?????rF??R??v??F?B??RFV6?FRF?f????V?C?????V6RF?VB?b7?7F?2f?'&?6?2F??2?V"???W"#7&@?&?'F?F?v???Rv?F??rf?"?V?rG&?7??B?6?R7V?B?W ?V?F?&R?fRF???rWfW'?F???r&?v?Bf?"?W"?V?F????&FW"F???fR2???r2?76?&?R?B?W&R?v26?????r?B'V????p?W&fV7F?v??B?V?w2f?"7GW?B&V6???GW&??r?W"?7@???7?F??F???6?RFW6?v?VB??v??B???VBF?&?6P?gV?G2'?6V???r?W&6??F?6Rv?F?F?R??v?F?&?6Rv&V?W70?f?"G&?7??G2gFW"6?Rv?B??R?F?Bv2G&V?6?Rv?V?@???BvWBF?R6??6RF?gV?f???&V6W6R6?RF?F?( ?BvWB?V?p?G&?7??B??F??R??FV6?FVBF?B??&R6??WF??R?FW"?????b?V?B6?????r?Bv?B?V?F????v????fR?&v?2?B?F?W ?&?G?'G2?BF?77VRF?B7F???v?&?F?F??FRF?V??R??P????V6R?B?V?6fR6??V??^( ?2?fR??rF?B??RF??C???vV?BF?6VR6V7??6?R7V?Bw&VBFV??bF??Rv?F???RF?67W76??r?v??2?B?ffW&??rw&VB?FV2?B6??7F?@?7W?'B?6?RFW6?v?VB?W?W&6?6R&?w&?f?"?R?B?0?&VV????7?&F?????7F'FVB??v6?76W2?W&R?v??6??v0?7W'&?6VBF?f??BF?B?&V????fR?'&??r&6?F?R??v6?72????W6&?Bv???2?WfW"6???VB?2?6?w&VB7W?'B????VW7F?fRF???rF???w2?V??????Rv&FV???r?B??F?w&???v???r?7v????r??B'G2?B7&gG2??r?2V?GF??r&V?Vf?GFVB??W"?fS???6?????r6W76F???&WV?&W2??B?bFWFW&??F????B?GF?R?V?g&??7W?'B?WGv?&??bf???g&?V?G2?B6??v?&?W'2??6?V??RFV????????6WB??F??F?RF?7G&?7N( ?2v?&?f?&6R??vV?V?BF???7G&F?"?V?@??W"?V'2????r?&?B?B?FR?6?F?fR6??vRf?"?W"?V?F?2?&W7V?B?bF?R??72?bf???V?&W"??f??R??F?????rF?B?V?B6?????r?B????6??rvV?v?B??&@???VW2&R?V6???W"??7V?B??&RF??RF???rF???w0??V??????B?fR??&R???W?F?F?F?V?( 2?B6?7G2??BF??6???R?BVBF???V6????fVV?&WGFW"??F?F??BV????F?P?W?G&F??R?BV?W&w???fR??F???R?fR??F?2f?"?W"&VFW'2v????v?@?F?V?C?????rv???r??F??BF?B?Bv?????B&RV7????V&B6??Wv?W&R?&?&&?g&??6V7??F?B?BF?W26??vVV?2F?FWfV????&?B?F?N( ?26??'BV??Vv?W&??B?bF??RF???F?R????&FW"F?FWfV??F?R?&?B?b??BF???r6??WF???r2vV??0?F?R?F?W"v?&?V?B??VW'W7???W7Bv?6VR6V7??6?^( ???f?????R&?v?BW6W&??W6???N( ?2v?'F?F?RVff?'B??w&VB&?rF???2F??6?V?Rf?"6?&??r?W"7F?'???6?V?R7F'FVB?W"f?BF?v??&?w&???&??#2?B6??6P?F?V??2&Vv???f??r??&R?GFV?G2?W"??v6?72??2V?@?6?????r??2??7B3??'2?#RR?b?W"7F'F??rvV?v?B?v??6???2&?V??VB?W"g&????v?&?G??72??FW?F??V?F???vV?v?Bf?"?W"?V?v?B??6?V?R?2f??rF?Rv?F?'V??F??p?vV???W72?B??7B???'F?F??26?v??f?6?F???&?fV@??W"V?G??b?V?F??B?f^( f??r?Bf?"?W"gWGW&R??Ww467F?P??p??