Lending a Helping Hand

They spend their workweeks happily helping customers from behind counters, their office desks or out in the field.

So it’s no surprise that a bunch of Planning & Development Services (PDS) folks jumped at the chance to spend a little extra time on a recent hot Saturday morning to help a couple of special customers — two disabled veterans who are having custom homes built for them by the Homes for Our Troops program.

PDS Deputy Director Clay Westling, plans examiner Mario Aguinaga, permit processor Carol Gordon, land use technician Lea Gordon, engineering technician Dagmara Pine, administrative analyst Sue Spotts and Deputy Fire Marshal James Pine from the San Diego County Fire Authority were among nearly 200 volunteers from all around San Diego who gathered to landscape the homes in Rancho San Diego.

Together, they hauled and laid sod, dug holes, planted hundreds of trees and shrubs and groundcover, and even put in some irrigation.

“Honestly, it went very quick,” Westling said. “We did two houses in just a few hours.” 

The morning landscaping wasn’t the only part of the Homes for Our Troops project that went pretty quick.

Because the project is in the unincorporated County, the contractor handling the work needed to submit the project’s plans and permit requests to PDS. Westling said the department immediately recognized it as a worthy cause and worked hard to speed up the plan-check process, getting the work done in three days.

And, Westling said, when the contractor called to see if anyone from PDS wanted to take part in the volunteer day the group was only too happy to help.

One of the highlights was getting the chance to work side-by-side with the two veterans whom Westling said had “sacrificed so much for the rest of us.”

Marine Cpl. Travis Greene and Army Sgt. Odin Ayala both lost their legs to bombs, Greene in Iraq and Ayala in Afghanistan. But that didn’t stop either of them from joining in the work at the event, loading sod on their wheelchairs and carrying it out to volunteers.

Homes for Our Troops is a national nonprofit that has been building free, customized homes since it was created in 2004 to help veterans who have been severely disabled in combat actions since 2001. The homes include features for people in wheelchairs, such as ramps, raised electrical outlets and lowered counters and sinks.

Westling said the mass volunteer landscaping event, which drew media coverage, was hard work, but also very gratifying.

“We really enjoyed doing it,” he said. “It was really good team-building and the staff loved it. Sue (Spotts) even brought her daughters, Kyrstin and Kaitlyn. It was fun!”

Editor's Note:
Here's a link to the story the UT San Diego wrote about the volunteer day.  And here's a link to see more pictures from the event!

County Employee Pitches in During Colo. Flooding Crisis

The expanse of water you see here is all the result of flooding and covers normally dry land. This picture was taken from the property of Jan Mazone's family.Jan Mazone’s roots run deep in Colorado. The Deputy Human Resources Director grew up near Denver and graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She often visits her family in the area.

Growing up, Mazone remembers plenty of rain and snowfall, and even some flooding. But she had never seen anything like the devastating floods that spread chaos and ruin there just a few weeks ago.

“It was very sad,” she said. “It was sad to see the destruction.”

Mazone had planned to spend a week vacationing in Colorado and South Dakota last month relaxing, sightseeing and riding motorcycles with her 89-year-old father.

But as her Sept. 21 departure date got closer, the flooding in her home state worsened. By the time she went to catch her plane, she couldn’t even reach her father—who lives alone--by telephone.

She never hesitated to go, though. She wanted to be there to help. And that’s exactly what she did. Mazone spent her vacation bailing water and mud out of the homes of family and friends, comforting her young grandnephew, and making sandwiches for National Guardsmen deployed to the disaster.

“I was busy,” Mazone said.

According to an NPR story this week, parts of the state are still recovering from what was the worst flooding to hit it in decades. Eight people were killed and the damage will cost hundreds of millions to repair.

For a few days, Mazone was one of 14 people staying at her sister’s suburban Denver home. In addition to her sister, brother in law, nieces and grandnephew, three additional families who lived down the street and had to evacuate stayed at the home.

That home was one of the relatively lucky ones, with about a foot of flooding in its basement.

Once the water had receded some from their neighbor’s homes, Mazone helped pump out water and remove damaged carpet and other possessions.

Jan Mazone and her grandnephew.Mazone spent a lot of time focusing on her grandnephew through the ordeal. He was scared, so Mazone tried to focus the nervous energy in productive ways. 

The idea came to her in the middle of the night. With a National Guard staging area nearby, why not team up with her grandnephew and prepare sandwiches to donate to these men working so hard to rescue trapped residents?

And so, each day the two of them would assemble dozens of sandwiches--peanut butter, baloney and ham--and hand-deliver them to National Guardsmen getting off 24-hour long shifts.

They were so sweet to her grandnephew, Mazone said.

Within half a day of arriving in Colorado, she was able to reach her father by phone too. She visited him a few times that week. His home escaped major damage, though many homes nearby had not.

Mazone is grateful that her family is OK, and that she could be there during such a trying time.

The experience reinforced in her mind the insignificance of material objects.  

“Things don’t matter,” she said. “It’s the people that matter.”

Dos and Don’ts During an Earthquake

What would you do in an earthquake? And then after the shaking stops?

Next week is the “Great ShakeOut” earthquake drill. So far, 9.3 million people across the country have registered to take part in the drill. In San Diego County, more than 818,400 people have registered but we’re still a week away, we can raise those participation numbers and make sure our loved ones are prepared in case of an earthquake by getting them involved too. To do this, you can encourage your family and friends to know what to do in an earthquake and have them register at ShakeOut.org.

Register your family and practice the “Drop, Cover and Hold on!” safety technique on or before 10/17. The official drill is at 10:17 a.m. next Thursday (10/17), and many of us will be at work at that time. Check with your supervisor to see if your office can take part in the drill.

It may seem a little silly at first, but it truly is important that employees practice what they would do if an earthquake happened while they were at work. Everyone living in “earthquake country” like us, should know what to do no matter where we are, even at work.  The goal is to protect yourself (your head especially) from anything that might fall on you during the shaking.
If at work:

• Drop and take cover immediately under a desk or sturdy table. Hold onto the leg of the table with one arm to make sure it stays over you and use your other arm to protect your head.
• If a desk or table is not available, slide down along an interior wall and cover your head with your arms.
• Avoid walking around or running indoors or outdoors. The shaking may cause items to fall on you or could cause you to fall.  Stay in a safe place until the shaking stops.
• Avoid windows, mirrors, framed posters or pictures and other glass items which could shatter and hurt you.
• Avoid tall and heavy furniture items that might topple onto you.
• Avoid standing under overhead light fixtures or other items that may fall.
•  Avoid getting on an elevator.
• If outside in a clear area, sit down and cover your head until the shaking is over.
• Avoid buildings and windows in case pieces break off.
• Avoid trees and overhead utility lines because they could fall.
• Avoid bridges if possible.
• If in your car or a county vehicle, pull over in a clear area and wait.
• Avoid buildings, bridges, trees and overhead utility lines as well.
• After the shaking is done, check yourself and check on the wellbeing of your colleagues. Offices who serve members of the public should also check on customers.
• There is potential for hazards within the facility such as fires, broken glass, and gas leaks or flooding.
• If a building is deemed unsafe, employees may be asked to evacuate.

Now, we all know that during an emergency, everyone’s thoughts turn to their loved ones. Are they safe if you’re not at home with them?

• Take steps at home to secure items such as water heaters, heavy furniture and glass items using braces, straps, or museum wax or gel so they won’t pose a hazard during shaking.
• Practice the best responses during an earthquake with everyone.
• Have a plan for emergencies and go over it with your family. A template is available at www.ReadySanDiego.org  by clicking on the Family tab.
• Have emergency provisions such as water, non-perishable food, first aid items, flashlights, batteries, prescribed medications, cash, and an emergency radio on hand. A list is also available on the ReadySanDiego site as well as other earthquake safety tips.

Please visit www.ShakeOut.org and register yourself and your family. Then get ready to ShakeOut on Oct. 17.

County Employee Runs San Diego

He runs and runs and runs some more. But that is not all.

Paul Luangkhot also bikes and swims. Lots and lots of miles.

If you hear the administrative analyst with the County Behavioral Health Services division list the events he’s participated in, you can’t help but wonder about the energy and time it takes to do them all. He’s participated in 30 major events, nine of those in the past year.

Hard to believe? Here is the list:

•    Two 5-kilometer runs
•    15 half marathons (13.1 miles each)
•    Two full marathons (26.2 miles each)
•    Four 200-mile relays (30-40 miles/person) on a six-person team
•    Three sprint triathlons (500-meter swim, 12-mile bike, 3.1-mile run)
•    Two Olympic triathlons (1000-meter swim, 24-mile bike, 6.2-mile run)
•    One international triathlon (1000-meter swim, 20-mile bike, 6.2-mile run)
•    One half-ironman (1.2 mile swim, 56-mile bike, 13.1-mile run)

If you got tired just from reading the list, you don’t like running, biking and swimming as much as Luangkhot does.

“It’s kind of addicting,” said Luangkhot, who joined the County workforce just two months ago. “But it’s also fun.”

His attitude towards running changed seven years ago. See, Luangkhot wrestled in high school and in order to meet his weight division, he would run…a lot. He did not like it one bit.

“I hated it,” said the 29-year-old. “I was not eating right and was only concerned with making my weight.”

After his move to San Diego from his native Los Angeles in 2002, Luangkhot would go to the America’s Finest City (AFC) Half Marathon, but only to support his friend’s father who used to compete in it.

When his friend’s father died in 2006, Luangkhot and his friend decided to join the race.

“We ran in his memory,” he said.

Luangkhot discovered a new love for running and competing. He set a new “must-do”: finishing the Carlsbad, La Jolla and AFC half marathons the same year. Luangkhot completed the Triple Crown Half Marathon in 2007.

Completing such a feat and the many other races Luangkhot has run takes dedication and hard work…and a lot of running, biking and swimming.

Luangkhot runs about 40 miles, bikes 35 to 75 miles, and swims 3-5 miles each and every week with the San Diego Run and Tri Club.

“We all enjoy running,” Luangkhot said, explaining that running with a group serves as motivation. “There is more accountability. If you wake up on a Saturday morning and don’t feel like putting on your running shoes, you do it because someone is waiting for you. You have to go.”

Luangkhot said he didn’t realize exactly how many miles he was running, biking and swimming and the amount of time they took until logging them, which he did for the County’s most recent Thrive Across America competition, which ended Sept. 30th. Luangkhot finished third in the male’s division.

Though Luangkhot is a brand new County employee he has already embraced Live Well San Diego and the County’s Employee Wellness Program. His arduous physical routine and healthier and more moderate eating has led to a 30-pound weight loss since January of this year. Also, four of Luangkhot’s co-workers have started running with his group.

He also works for USA Endurance, which organizes the Mother Goose 5K and 10K runs and is planning San Diego’s first and only holiday half-marathon.
“San Diego is one of the few places where you can be active year-round,” said Luangkhot, who is currently preparing for another 200-mile, six-person team relay in November and the Half Ironman in Hawaii in May 2014. “Living in San Diego is a treat. Why not go out and enjoy it if you can.”

Join Fire Prevention Week at the COC Today

Here’s a factoid to start your day: Fire Prevention Week has been observed nationally since President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed the week in 1925. (The observance always includes Oct. 9, the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.)

Today, our friends at the Fire Authority carry on the tradition. From 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., they’ll be outside the COC Commons with a fire truck, firefighter safety gear and information from the Burn Institute to keep you and your family safe. 

This year’s Fire Prevention Week theme is Prevent Kitchen Fires. Granted, it’s a little less stirring than 1927’s theme of Why this Mad Sacrifice to Fire?  But it’s definitely an important topic, with two of every five house fires originating in the kitchen, according to the National Fire Prevention Association.

This time of year, a lot of us in San Diego are thinking about the potential for wildfires—and we should. But kitchen fires are a perennial risk, so stop by Monday if you’re at the COC.

If you can’t make it, there’s lots of great information at www.fpw.org, including fun and educational materials for children.

Gearing Up For The Affordable Care Act

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is the landmark 2010 federal law that requires most United States citizens and legal residents to have health insurance starting in January 2014. It reaches a milestone today with the start of open enrollment. In our state, uninsured residents can call or visit Covered California to purchase health insurance.

You’ve seen videos on InSite discussing how the ACA affects the County as an employer. But the County has a significant role in serving San Diego County residents as well. For the County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA), a good portion of 2013 has been spent working with State officials, local healthcare providers and community-based organizations to prepare for the law to be implemented.

What’s the County’s Role?

Although all signs to the public point to Covered California, the reality is that San Diego County residents who call the exchange’s toll-free number or apply online will be served by HHSA staff. While the State sets policies for how the exchange works, it is counties that are tasked with enrolling residents into health coverage, either through the existing Medi-Cal Program, the newly Expanded Medi-Cal Program or one of the plans available through the new Health Benefits Exchange.

In terms of new customers, San Diego County experts estimate that 220,000 individuals will be eligible for the Health Care Exchange insurance, and 111,000 individuals will be newly eligible for Medi-Cal. Additionally, they expect that there are 200,000 individuals currently eligible for Medi-Cal, but have not enrolled.  With the law’s mandate requiring individuals to be insured, many of these people will likely now enroll to avoid the penalty. That makes for an estimated 530,000 residents who may seek health care coverage through Medi-Cal or the Exchange.

How Have We Prepared?

The County has taken a number of steps to prepare for the launch of the Affordable Care Act. This includes working with the State and other counties on training staff to understand the policies, procedures and systems used to serve customers. 

County staff has also been working closely with community-based organizations tasked with getting the word out to residents about their options under the law. Locally, the State contracted with 2-1-1 San Diego, the Council of Community Clinics and Social Advocates for Youth (SAY) San Diego to do outreach and education – a tall order given the scope of change that is occurring.

To handle the increased case load, the Board of Supervisors recently approved increasing staff and starting the process to identify locations for two new Family Resource Centers, which will bring the total to 14 facilities.

Where Can People Go For Information?

What can you do if someone asks you where they should go for information about the Affordable Care Act? The best resource for information is Covered California, either online at coveredca.com or by phone at 800-300-1506. You can also refer them to 2-1-1 San Diego, the County’s local community resource and information partner, which has trained staff to assist callers.

Open Enrollment is only the first of many milestones with the Affordable Care Act. Keep an eye out for future updates on this issue.