Archive for 'Safety'

May201202

PDXrover

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Care Work: Undervalued and Underpaid

The second in a seven-part series by guest blogger Erin Barone for Family Forward Oregon with insights from their action + discussion group The High Cost of Motherhood . ————————————— “What am I actually earning after I pay for the childcare I need so I can go to work?” That’s a question parents ask themselves all the time – especially mothers. And the answer is often pretty sobering. The fact is, childcare is expensive ( think college tuition expensive ), and quality care isn’t always readily available. As a new parent I found myself fairly clueless about what I should even look for. Daycare center? Home-based care? Nanny? How are the caregivers trained? What kind of oversight is there? And just as important, how much are they paid and what are their benefits? According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, childcare workers earn a median income of just $9.28 per hour (minimum wage in Oregon is $8.80). Historically, domestic workers haven’t had minimum wage and workplace discrimination protection, benefits like sick leave and vacation, or overtime pay. As a result, there is high turnover and it is often the most qualified childcare workers – those who know they can earn a better living in another career – who move on to find other work so that they can better care for their own families. As more and more women enter the work force (in 2011, 70 percent of mothers with children under 18 worked or were looking for work outside the home), there is an increasing need for someone else to do the typically unpaid work of a family (cooking, cleaning, laundry and childcare, among others). Relying on family members to help care for children can be a solution, if they are willing, able, and live nearby, but it doesn’t necessarily negate the need for quality childcare. People are retiring later in life, which means more grandparents have their own jobs. Plus, there’s the very real possibility that parents might find themselves sandwiched between caring for their children and their aging parents at the same time. How Do We Value Paid Care Work? Care work historically has been seen as female work and research shows the more women in a job field, the lower the pay in that field. When we undervalue paid care work we’re undervaluing working women and contributing to the wage gap. The value we place on care work is reflected in how we pay and treat our care workers, but it’s also reflected in our social policies. Under current law, low-income stay-at-home parents who qualify for TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) can’t count caring for their own young children toward their work requirement, but at the same time they can’t afford to pay for the childcare they would need to go to work. (Check out the Woman’s Option to Raise Kids Act recently introduced by Congressman Pete Stark from California, which proposes to change that). A Working Example Right Here at Home If we do want quality, affordable childcare provided by educated care workers who are paid a living wage, we can take a cue from the U.S. military, which is well known for its coordinated, affordable, quality system. By subsidizing childcare, requiring that care workers complete training in child development, psychology, health and safety, and by giving workers good pay and full benefits, the military has created a system that encourages stable, quality care that’s affordable for families. Learn more about the military model , and then ponder how it might translate into the civilian world. My ideal? Workplace policies that provide parents the time, flexibility and living wages to support and care for their families, combined with a system of well-located, quality, affordable childcare programs. It’s being done in other countries. Surely we can make it work here, too. Next Week’s Conversation: Next week we’ll discuss how the U.S. supports families and how we compare to the rest of the world. Share Your Thoughts: What has been your experience with the tax and welfare system? What do you think the government’s role in supporting families should be? Do you think we will ever have a system like Sweden or France? Why or why not? Dive right in with this cross-country comparison. (Heads up: It’s kinda wonky, but fascinating).

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Care Work: Undervalued and Underpaid

Apr201223

PDXrover

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Third Graders: Ride on a Float in a Rose Festival Parade!

Is it really time to start thinking about Rose Festival? If you’ve got a third grader who’d like to ride on a float in a Rose Festival parade it is! Six lucky local third graders will get a chance to ride atop PGE’s “Safety Rocks” float, featuring electrifying sights and sounds and larger-than-life examples of common electrical safety hazards. With the float – and the contest they’re running to select riders – PGE hopes to empower kids to make smart choices about electrical safety and to share the safety message with others. To select float riders, PGE is holding a “Color Me Safe” contest for area third graders through May 4. Students can enter by submitting a drawing with a short description that shares fun, creative examples of what electrical safety means to them or how they make safe choices around electricity. Six winners will be selected. Three will ride in the PGE/SOLVE Starlight Parade on June 2 and three will ride in the Grand Floral Parade on June 9. Learn more and download contest entry forms at PortlandGeneral.com/RoseFestival . Entries must be received by 5 pm on May 4, and all entrants must be third grade students whose families receive residential electric service from PGE. Winners will be announced May 8.

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Third Graders: Ride on a Float in a Rose Festival Parade!

Mar201228

PDXrover

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Another Spring, Another SOLV Beach Cleanup!

Looking for a fun and meaningful way to wrap up Spring Break? Why not head to the coast for SOLV’s annual Spring Oregon Beach Cleanup , scheduled for March 31 ? As always, thousands of volunteers will gather — regardless of the weather — to help keep Oregon’s beaches clean and eliminate the waste that can be so hazardous to marine wildlife. Events are planned all along the coast on Saturday, March 31, from 10 am to 1 pm. Volunteer coordinators will be onsite to provide a safety orientation and hand out gloves and trash bags. Here are some tips for preparing for the day: * Bring rain gear * Wear sturdy shoes * Bring a bucket or reusable bag to reduce the amount of plastic trash bags used * Bring an old colander to sift the tide lines for bite-sized bits of plastic * Bring a pair of gardening gloves to reduce use of plastic gloves * Bring a reusable water bottle and/or coffee mug * Carpool and use public transportation where possible * Plan ahead and pack a “trash-free” lunch * Avoid Western Snowy Plover habitat. Stay outside roped areas and keep pets leashed. * Steer clear of California sea lions for your safety and the safety of your pets. * Never turn your back to the sea! To find the most convenient SOLV cleanup site for your family, and to register, visit solv.org . Learn more about the SOLV beach cleanup on the SOLV website .

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Another Spring, Another SOLV Beach Cleanup!

Oct201119

Jeremy

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Trick or Treat Safely – and Charitably!

It’s nearly time for Halloween so we thought we’d take this opportunity to share some safety tips from the Safety Store at Randall Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emanuel to ensure a happy, healthy holiday (sugar overload not withstanding!): 1. Help children choose fire retardant costumes that can be seen in the dark. Add reflective tape or strips to costumes and treat bags. 2. Wear shoes that fit properly (even if they don’t “go” with the costume) to avoid trips and falls. 3. Rather than wearing a mask, which may restrict a child’s vision, paint their face instead. (If a child wears a mask, make sure it does not interfere with their breathing or hearing and be sure the eyeholes are wide enough that it does not interfere with their eyesight.) 4. Carry a flash light or glow stick to increase visibility to drivers. 5. Trick or treat in groups, adults should accompany children as escorts to doors and carefully inspect all treats collected prior to children eating it. 6. Talk to your children about walking safety, including the following: . – When crossing the street, cross at a corner using traffic signals and crosswalks. . – Always walk, never run out into the street or cross between two cars. . – Look left, then right, and left again when crossing the street. . – Make eye contact with drivers; make sure the driver sees you before you cross the street. And to make the holiday happier for children everyone, consider having your trick or treaters bring a little orange UNICEF box with them to collect donations for the world’s neediest kids, too. This year, UNICEF is also introducing a “Party for a Purpose” program, with great ideas for hosting a FUNdraising fete of your own. Get details at unicefusa.org/trickortreat . Last but not least, if you’d like to avoid the ongoing sugar craze in the days following Halloween, encourage your kids to participate in a Candy Exchange like the one at World of Smiles Pediatric Dentistry (11790 SW Barnes Rd., Suite 280). Dr. Michelle Stafford welcomes kids -– patients or not! -– to turn in their unopened Halloween loot for fun prizes on weekdays from Nov. 1-7. (The more you bring in, the more you earn!) For details visit visitworldofsmiles.com or call 503-626-9700.

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Trick or Treat Safely – and Charitably!

May201131

Samantha

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Our June Issue

Our June issue is available around the area beginning this week, with a special focus on Safety and a celebration of Dads! Our Ages & Stages feature offers advice for keeping kids safe as they grow, and our Father’s Day feature showcases some prominent local dads – from Governor Kitzhaber and State Treasurer Ted Wheeler to Stand for Children Founder Jonah Edelman to OPB’s Kristian Foden-Vencil and The Decemberists’ Chris Funk – reflecting on what they’ve learned from fatherhood . (It’s a heart-warming and humorous read!) You’ll also find all your favorite regular features, with Ramona learning to roller skate , an Out & About at the Pacific Northwest Live Steamers’ Molalla Train Park , a Family Fare review of the Lucky Labrador Brewing Company , an Angels Among Us spotlight of Financial Beginnings , and a Viewpoint offering advice about gun safety , in honor of national ASK (Asking Saves Kids) day June 21. As always, our Family Calendar is packed with family-friendly events and activities every day of the month. Pick up a copy at your favorite distribution point, or read it online beginning June 1.

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Our June Issue

Apr201127

Jeremy

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Family Fire Safety (Part 2 of 2)

Last week I wrote about my family’s efforts to learn about fire safety . This week, I want to share some valuable — and surprising — information I gathered along the way. One of my main fire safety questions turned out to something of a red herring because what I had considered an important part of our home fire safety plan is, in reality, questionable at best. I was curious to find out how many fire extinguishers we should have in our home, where they should be placed, if they need to be inspected at regular intervals and, if so, how/where? Unable to find information online to satisfy my curiosity, I emailed Portland Fire and Rescue (PPR) for help. Here’s an excerpt of the answer I received from PFR firefighter and Public Education Office Don Porth: “Fire extinguishers can be both good and bad. We don’t recommend having or not having one. Most homeowners will get a break in their insurance rates for having them, so we know many are out there. “The bigger question becomes when or when not to use them. The answer to that is quite simple: Think like a firefighter. Firefighters always make life safety their top priority. We don’t begin fighting a fire until life safety is secured or ensured (by the firefighting operation). When a fire occurs, get everyone out of the house. Once all lives are secure and a person who has training, experience, and is confident in their ability to use a fire extinguisher decides they can take on the fire, they may certainly do so. “Because the starting point should be from outside the home, the extinguisher should be kept near a door. When the person intent on using it steps in the door and picks it up, they now have their escape route at their back (a firefighter would never let the fire get between them and their escape route). Obviously, the fire has had time to grow and create smoke (the deadly part of a fire) so the situation is far more dangerous now. We do not recommend people ever re-enter a building they’ve already escaped due to fire. “The major problem with fire extinguishers is that the majority of people have never used them. To encounter an emergency and then try to do something about it that you’ve not practiced nor are confident with is a recipe for disaster. “Some fires are discovered when very small. When fire can be confined to the vessel of origin (a pan, trash can, etc.), it can be quite easy to extinguish. However, the method can be much simpler. A tight fitting lid or even a cutting board can be slid over the top of a pan of burning grease or liquid and easily extinguish a stove top fire. Burning food in an oven can be contained in the oven by keeping the door closed and turning off the heat. Even a trash can (metal) can be covered to contain a fire (plastic or wicker won’t work so well with this strategy). But when fire escapes these vessels, it becomes a very different creature and extinguishment by an untrained person with a fire extinguisher is a long shot. Sometimes the effort can actually make the situation worse by knocking burning pans off the stove or delaying a call to 9-1-1. “… In short, be prepared to contain a fire to the vessel of origin (like a pan using the lid). Otherwise, life safety should be your priority. Get everyone out of the house, call 9-1-1, and only fight the fire if you are trained, practiced, and confident in the fire extinguisher that is near the exterior doors of your home. But even that is very risky. The best strategy is an early call to the Fire Department and keeping you and your family safe.” As far as inspecting any fire extinguishers you do have in your home, here’s what Mr. Porth has to say: “(Fire extinguishers) are not required to be inspected but like anything you might expect to use in an emergency, you cannot ignore it or take it for granted. Extinguishers should be picked up and turned upside down a couple of times every few months to ensure the dry chemical inside has not packed or caked in the unit. Check the nozzle to see if any powder is in it. If so, it may have a leaky valve or it was used previously and may not work when needed. If it has a gauge, tap it with your finger in case it is stuck and see that the needle remains pointing at the “charged” indicator in the gauge. If the condition of the unit is in doubt, dispose of it and replace it if you feel you need to. Metro considers the contents of an extinguisher to be a hazardous waste so they need to be disposed of at a local metro transfer/recycling center or taken to a recycling station during the annual haz waste clean up days. For details, contact Metro at 503-234-3000. You may also be able to contact a local fire extinguisher sales/service company for disposal options.” How has your family prepared for fires and other potential emergencies? What do you think are the most important things we can all do to prepare for natural and human-caused disasters?

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Family Fire Safety (Part 2 of 2)

Apr201118

Samantha

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Family Fire Safety (Part 1 of 2)

Like most of the parents I know, the recent earthquake/tsunami/nuclear fiasco in Japan got me thinking, once again, about how prepared my family is for emergencies. The answer? Not very. I created a disaster kit several years ago (after 9/11), but I’ve done little to keep it updated. (Expired canned goods anyone?) Plus, it’s in the basement and quite bulky, so it’s not really portable and probably wouldn’t be accessible if there’s serious damage to our home. I now realize it’s not feasible for me to keep everything we’ll need in any given emergency available and accessible, so I’ve decided to focus on the things we CAN do to prepare. Besides the minimum “supplies” – water, flashlights, blankets and a crank-powered radio – that means putting our energy into education. Here at Metro Parent , we’re working on a series of safety articles for our June issue that will include information on emergency preparedness. In the meantime, I decided to begin my own family’s education by learning more about fire prevention and safety. I began my research online, at the City of Portland Fire and Rescue website. Their “Top 10 Safety Tips” provided an ideal outline for my family’s fire safety lessons. One in particular, “Develop a home fire escape plan and practice it” had been on our to-do list for years, though we haven’t gotten around to actually practicing. This coming weekend, we’re planning to remedy that by showing our son how to remove the screen from his window and climb out (which, of course, I know he’ll love and probably want to practiced over and over) and taking turns attaching the expandable ladder in our attic to the window frame and climbing down. I’m kind of scared to climb down the ladder from the second story, but I know it will be better to practice it once or twice now rather than trying to do it for the first time in the midst of a house fire! The PFR website also provides information about smoke alarms and other fire and general safety topics, including an interesting list of FAQs . Did you know PF&R has smoke alarms available to senior citizens, low income families and people with disabilities? (Call the smoke alarm hotline at 503-823-3752 for details.) You can even get your blood pressure checked at any fire station as long is crew is available. (You might want to call first to make sure it’s a good time.) (Sadly, they won’t fill your swimming pool! Now, can anyone tell me why that’s a frequently asked question, especially here in Portland?) …TO BE CONTINUED: Next week I’ll share what I learned from Portland Fire & Rescue about home fire extinguishers, and you’ll probably as surprised as I was by the information! Does your family have a fire escape plan? Have you practiced family fire drills?

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Family Fire Safety (Part 1 of 2)