Thieves stealing copper from Tulsa school air conditioners
Tulsa Public Schools is asking for the public’s help in stopping thieves from stealing or damaging valuable air conditioning equipment at schools.
“They’re just killing us out there,” said Gary Rudick, the chief of TPS’ campus police department. So far we’ve lost more than $80,000 in equipment and these guys show no signs of stopping.
“That’s the equivalent of two teachers.”
Rudick said thieves have stolen or damaged both ground and roof-mounted air conditioning units at four TPS sites so far this summer. The greatest loss has been at Burroughs Elementary School, 1924 N. Cincinnati Ave., where crooks have made off with 13 entire units. Penn Elementary School, 2138 E. 48th St. N., has had three units stolen from the same section of the school. Bandits have destroyed seven units in an apparent attempt to steal copper tubing at McKinley Elementary, 6703 E. King St. The former Monroe Middle School, 2010 E. 48th St. N., has lost seven units on two separate occasions. They hit Burbank Elementary last week.
Rudick said he believes the public won’t stand for anyone stealing from Tulsa’s children.
“We need community members’ eyes and ears on our school sites,” Rudick said. “If our neighbors see anyone at a school that looks like they don’t belong or appears to be tampering with equipment, they should call the police.”
If anyone knows about air conditioning equipment being stolen from Tulsa Public Schools, they’re encouraged to call CrimeStoppers at 596-COPS.
Trying to slow down trichomoniasis
By Trisha Gedon
STILLWATER, Okla. - A new state regulation will help control the spread of trichomoniasis in Oklahoma cattle, an illness that can cost our cattle industry millions of dollars.
The new regulation added to the existing Oklahoma Cattle Trichomoniasis Program was put into effect July 1 and will be fully enforced Jan. 1, 2011.
Dr. D.L Step, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension veterinarian, said trichomoniasis is a venereal disease in cattle.
“There has been a rise in trichomoniasis in Oklahoma cattle, which is a disease that can have a devastating effect on the cattle industry,” Step said. “This new regulation was put in place in an effort to protect the Oklahoma cattle producer.”
Dr. Rod Hall, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry’s Animal Industry Services Trichomoniasis Program director, said the new legislation involves the change of ownership of a bull within the state of Oklahoma and will require a negative trichomoniasis test within 30 days of change of ownership.
“Change of ownership can come through private or public sale, lease, trade or barter.” Hall said. “Exceptions to this mandatory testing includes bulls less than 24 months old that can be certified as virgin bulls; bulls consigned directly to slaughter; and “Cutter Bulls” that will be castrated and put on feed within 10 days of purchase.”
Regulations were already in place regarding bulls entering Oklahoma from other states. These bulls must be tested negative for trichomoniasis within 30 days of entry and be identified with an official identification device. Acceptable ID are silver metal USDA tag, 840 RFID tag, registration tattoo or brand if accompanied by a copy of registration papers. Again there are some exceptions to this mandatory testing, including bulls less than 24 months old that can be certified as virgin bulls; bulls consigned directly to slaughter; rodeo or bucking bulls that travel to an event and then leave the state.
Three negative culture tests at least one week apart or one negative PCR test meets the Oklahoma trichomoniasis testing requirements. If a bull tests positive for trichomoniasis, the owner of the herd of origin will be notified. The herd owner will be advised to contact their veterinarian for assistance in managing and eradicating the disease in their herd.
“Bulls infected with trichomoniasis carry the protozoan in their reproductive tract,” Hall said. “The disease is transmitted from bull to cow during the breeding process. Typically, infected cows will abort early in the pregnancy and be temporarily infertile.”
While cows can be temporarily infertile, they can eventually clear themselves of the disease with four to five months of sexual rest. There is a vaccine that can be administered to cows to help prevent the disease. Bulls, however, will remain infected and there is not an approved treatment or vaccine for bulls. Infected bulls also will continue to appear and act normally.
Step said that the primary impact of trichomoniasis is on female cattle, but the Oklahoma Trichomoniasis Program regulations focus on bulls since they are the reservoir for this disease
The economic impact on the cattle industry is devastating. There are approximately 2.4 million breeding female cattle in Oklahoma. On average there is one bull for every 20-25 cows. Based on that number, Hall estimates there are about 96,000 bulls in the state.
“I believe we can conservatively assume we have a 3 percent infection rate in Oklahoma bulls. If each infected bull is exposed to 25 cows with a 15 percent calf loss, it would result in 10,800 calves lost,” he said. “At $500 for each calf, the cattle industry would face a total loss of $5.4 million annually. In a herd with a compact breeding season, a trichomoniasis infection can decrease calving percentages by up to 50 percent. This is devastating for a calf crop.”
Meningitis can pose a serious threat
OKLAHOMA CITY (PRNewswire) - The School Nurse Organization of Oklahoma (SNOO), Oklahoma City County Health Department, and Oklahoma County Immunization Coalition have joined the Voices of Meningitis campaign to urge parents to vaccinate preteens and teens in Oklahoma City against meningococcal disease, a rare but serious bacterial infection that can cause meningitis and take the life of a child in just a single day.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other leading medical groups recommend vaccination for preteens and teens 11 through 18 years of age, and college freshmen living in dormitories. Yet despite these public health recommendations, only one in four adolescents 13 through 17 years-of-age have been immunized in Oklahoma, which is far below the CDC’s goal of a 90 percent vaccination rate in 2010.
“School nurses are on the front lines with students every day, and our mission is to keep our students safe and healthy,” said Sharon Howard, president-elect, SNOO. “School nurses in Oklahoma have joined Voices of Meningitis to help raise awareness and encourage parents to speak to their child’s school nurse or other health-care provider about meningococcal vaccination before coming back to school.”
Many local community leaders, including the Oklahoma City County Health Department and Oklahoma County Immunization Coalition, are partnering with the SNOO’s Voices of Meningitis campaign to reinforce that vaccination is the best protection available against the disease.
They also are joined by local resident Amanda Moran who contracted bacterial meningitis in 2003 on the day she was supposed to move away to college.
“The first time I went to the doctor, the doctor didn’t think I had anything serious and sent me home,” said Moran. “A day later, I was diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis and rushed to the emergency room. I was lucky to survive.”
The disease can be difficult to recognize, especially in its early stages, because symptoms are similar to a flu. However, it’s important that meningitis is caught early because the disease progresses rapidly and can cause death in just a single day.
About 10 percent of the 1,000 to 2,600 Americans who get meningococcal disease each year will die. Death rates are up to five times higher among teenagers and young adults compared with other age groups. Of those who survive, one in five is left with serious medical problems, including amputation of limbs, brain damage, deafness and organ damage. However, parents can help prevent their children from contracting the disease by having them vaccinated.
Kids in cars can die from the heat
One child in Oklahoma has already fallen victim to being left in a parked car this season. Although it can be tempting to leave a child in a car while the parent or caregiver runs into a store for a quick errand, it can be a deadly mistake, said Debbie Richardson, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension parenting assistant specialist.
“It’s amazing how quickly the temperature can rise in a parked car, even with the windows cracked,” Richardson said. “When the outside temperature is 80 degrees, the inside of a vehicle can reach deadly temperatures of 125 degrees within an hour. If it’s 93 degrees outside, the internal car temperature can jump to 125 degrees in just a matter of minutes. The temperature can rapidly increase even when the windows are rolled down.”
Due to their smaller size, a young child’s core body temperature can increase three to five times faster than that of an adult. When children are exposed to extreme heat it can cause permanent injury or death.
Richardson said that an average of 37 deaths have been recorded every year in the United States since 1998. From 1998 to 2010 at least 12 children in Oklahoma died after being left in a hot vehicle.
“Distraction can result in the death of a child,” she said. “When you get home from work or from running errands, check to make sure all of the children are out of the car. Under no circumstances, no matter how tempting it is, should you leave a sleeping child in the car. Get the children out of the vehicle before unloading groceries or other items.”
To help prevent heat-related deaths and injuries in the car, follow these suggestions by Safe Kids USA:
• Never leave a child in an unattended car, even with the windows open.
• Teach children not to play in or around cars.
• Always lock car doors and trunks, even at home, and keep keys and remote entry devices out of children’s reach.
• Watch children closely around cars, particularly when you are loading and unloading.
• Beware of child-resistant locks. Teach older children how to disable the driver’s door locks if they unintentionally become entrapped in a vehicle.
• Check to make sure all children leave the vehicle when you reach your destination.
• Do not overlook sleeping infants or toddlers. Get in the habit of checking the back seats. Put a note, sign or object near the driver’s seat as a reminder or place something that you will need at your next stop - for example a purse, your lunch, gym bag or briefcase - on the floor of the backseat where the child is sitting.
Be especially careful if you are dropping off infants or children at day care and that is not part of your normal routine. Have your child care provider contact you if your child does not show up on a day he or she is expected.
Also, make sure to check the temperature of the car seat surface and safety belt buckles before restraining children in the car. These can easily cause skin burns. Use a light covering to shade the seat of a parked car.
“If a child is left in a hot car for any dangerous amount of time, the first thing to do is call 911 for help,” Richardson said. “Take the child out of the car and if he is alert, give him some cool water. If he’s not breathing or has no pulse, administer CPR until emergency help arrives. The heat in Oklahoma can be extreme, so it is vital for parents and caregivers to be aware of the possible dangers a child can face if left unattended in any vehicle.”