Public Relations 1111 E. McDowell Road. , Phoenix, AZ 85006 (602)- 239-2000 www.BannerHealth.com Contact: Banner Good SamaritanPeoria Fire Department Maricopa County ParksPeoria Firefighters Charities Jennifer Pool, Craig Fischer, Meghann FinnRick Picard, Battalion Chief Firefighter Hunter ClareDawna Taylor Phone: (602) 239-4411809-0369, Fax: (623) 412-8066 Phone: (602) 369-5828 (602) 809-0369(602) 506-1114 Pagere-mail: (602) 250-0383Rick.Picard@Peoriaaz.gov e-mail: Hunter.Clare@Peoriaaz.gov Rick.Picard@Peoriaaz.govCell: (602) 525-5733 Carbon monoxide poses unseen danger for summer boatersPeoria Firefighters Go Bald for Children With CancerBanner Good Samaritan earns ultrasound accreditation Idling boats can place watersports enthusiasts inside dangerous gas cloudAdopt a Child Program Hits Close to Home LAKE PLEASANTPeoria, Ariz. (Aug. 9, 2006August 22, 2006) – When Peoria Firefighters went looking to lend a hand to a child stricken with cancer, they had no idea how close to home they would come. As a community service project, the crew of Fire House 193 C-shift originally planned to locate and support a child that lived in Peoria and was at the start of their battle with cancer. According to Firefighter Hunter Clare; “Our goal was to make this child an honorary firefighter and go through this trying process with them.” After contacting both Phoenix Children’s Hospital and the Make a Wish foundation, the firefighters came up empty handed. No local child could be found that met their criteria. It was then that the shocking news hit – the son of one of their very own was diagnosedis with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (Burkitt's Lymphoma). After searching the entire city for someone to help, they ended up in their own back yard. 12- year old Josh, son of Fire Captain Mike Munoz, was now in the fight of his life, and the firefighters would stand by their family members. That’s what firefighters do. As Josh began to lose his hair from the cChemotherapy, the firefighters thought it only fair that they lose theirs too. So to show their support on Friday, August 25th at 2:00 p.m., the Peoria Firefighters will assemble at Peoria Fire Station 191 where Josh, – and other adolescent cancer patients and survivors from Phoenix Children’s Hospital, will take the clippers to the locks of the firefighters in attendance. A large number of Peoria Firefighters are expected to participate in this show of support. In general, children look up to firefighters with respect and as role models. This is especially true for those who have grown up in the fire service family, getting to know these home town heroes personally. It becomes an incredible morale boost when the children see they look like their heroes. As Battalion Chief Rick Picard put it:; “All of a the sudden they realize that they aren’t the outcast they thought they were – they look like a firefighter.” He also added, that “It’s much easier to be a hero in their fight against cancer, when they look and feel like their heroes.” There is more to this story. August 25th is a very significant date to all Peoria Firefighters. It is the day Peoria Firefighter John Valentine died exactly 10 years ago after battling cancer himself. John was an extremely skilled, highly respected firefighter that worked at the same station as Captain Munoz. In fact, the award of highest honor is named after him each year at the department’s annual awards dinner. John was just 32 years old when he died. Support for Josh Munoz, and all the other adolescent cancer patients has spread through out the Peoria Fire Department, and other departments in the area. In fact, encouragement is so wide spread that these cancer patients will return to Peoria Fire Station 191 on Saturday, September 9th at 10:00 a.m., along with the help of some professional hair stylists, to shave the heads of firefighters and the general public from throughout the valley – all of whom will make a donation for that privilege. All the money raised will go toward cancer treatment and research in children. Local news media representatives are invited to attend and report on these events. Media relations personnel will be available to assist with interviews and film gathering. Peoria firefighters hope that by relating these events to the general public, they will develop support for their cause and provide inspiration to others afflicted with debilitating diseases. They hope to provide comfort and relief for others they don’t even know. …bBecause that’s what firefighters do. Children, Teens, and Cancer: In 2005, there were over 1.3 million total new cases of cancer diagnosed in the United States. An estimated 9,510 (0.7% of total) of those were diagnosed in children under 14 years, resulting in 1,585 deaths. Between 6,300 and 6,400 teens will be diagnosed with cancer in the United States this year. Firefighters and paramedics are all too familiar with the rigors and trials associated with cancer treatment – they see it every day. They know that the side effects of the multiple cChemotherapy sessions lying ahead would include severe sickness, weight and hair loss, fatigue and pain. It’s a grueling process for even the strongest, previously healthy adults. For kids and teens, the psychological effects can be just as challenging. Most teenagers also desperately want to belong and be accepted. The independent stage that teenagers go through sometimes is made worse when they have a severe illness. Cancer in children is rare, and patients become pale, thin, scarred, and loose their hair. They fall behind in school, are too tired for sports, and feel abandoned by friends who don’t know how to deal with their illness, and live in constant fear of dying. Walking up stairs is a nightmare and they are too sick to attend pizza parties. 58% of teenage cancer patients feel they are not as close to their friends due to their disease. Organ malfunction, disfigurement, and cognitive impairment (learning disabilities) from the treatment can last for years. Upcoming Events Summary: EVENT 1: Firefighter hHair cCutting event by tTeenage cCancer pPatients and sSurvivors LOCATION: Peoria Fire Station 191, 8001 West Peoria Avenue (East of Grand Ave.) Parking is available along 81st Avenue, South of Peoria Ave. (Along the wWest Sside of the Ffire sStation). DATE: Friday, August 25th, 2006 TIME: 2:00pm (Arrive and set-up after 1:00pm) EVENT CONTACT: Battalion Chief Rick Picard -; 602-809-0369 EVENT 2: Firefighter &and pPublic hHair cutting event by tTeenage cCancer pPatients and pProfessional sStylists. LOCATION: Peoria Fire Station 1, 8001 West Peoria Avenue (East of Grand Ave.) Parking is available along 81st Avenue, sSouth of Peoria Ave. (Along the Wwest sSide of the fFire sStation). DATE: Saturday, September 9th, 2006 TIME: 10:00am (Arrive and set-up after 9:00am) EVENT CONTACT: Battalion Chief Rick Picard; - 602-809-0369 How protected are boaters from the dangers of carbon monoxide? Recent studies show that medical emergencies involving this odorless, colorless gas are on the increase on Arizona’s waterways. On a recent July weekend, emergency personnel at area lakes were called to assist three boaters overcome by this gas; two of them were transported to a local emergency room. It was through quick reaction by other boaters and emergency medical workers – and the knowledge that carbon monoxide might be a factor – that helped save lives. Although each person was released without further hospitalization, the incidents are a reminder that carbon monoxide is dangerous and potentially fatal. “Knowledge about carbon monoxide, or CO, is the message that needs to get out to boaters and their passengers,” said Robert Baron, M.D., co-director of emergency services at Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center and Banner Estrella Medical Center. “The more people that know carbon monoxide is present and how to avoid the gas will help save many lives and prevent other medical emergencies.” Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department’s Lake Pleasant Regional Park and several Valley fire departments – who are often the first responders at an emergency – have partnered with Banner Health to promote awareness of the dangers that carbon monoxide present. “In the past few years, we have helped raise awareness of carbon monoxide to the houseboating community, and we have spoken out about the unsafe activities called platform dragging and teak surfing on ski boats that place people directly in the exhaust path of the boat,” Dr. Baron said. “What people need to know is that carbon monoxide can affect passengers in boats, whether they are at speed or idling.” A study sponsored by the U.S. Coast Guard determined that carbon monoxide levels were highest immediately behind the transom and were measurable as far as 80 feet from the rear of the boat. However, swirling air patterns can allow carbon monoxide to creep over the stern and collect in the rear passenger area. Another study by the Sacramento (Calif.) Metro Fire Department found that CO levels from boat exhaust can reach critical levels in a short time. Researchers ran a CO test on a late-model motorboat with a properly-tuned engine during light-breeze conditions at Folsom Lake. Thirty seconds after the engine was started, the CO level in the air around the boat's transom was 200 parts per million (ppm). After less than a minute, the reading had climbed to 990 ppm. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted studies that found levels as high as 26,000 ppm in the area of the swim platform while the ski boat was moving through the water at 10-11 miles per hour (the speed at which teak surfing/platform dragging takes place). According to the World Health Organization, a level exceeding 87 ppm during a 15-minute interval is considered dangerous. Levels of 12,600 ppm can cause death in 1-3 minutes. “One disturbing aspect we found during our houseboat studies was that carbon monoxide doesn’t dissipate on open water on calm days; it tends to stay in invisible clouds,” said Dr. Baron. “That means any occupancy in the area immediately around the stern while the boat’s engine is running places humans at risk for poisoning, unconsciousness and or death. Nationally, there have been 59 incidents of carbon monoxide poisoning on ski boats, including 21 fatalities and 29 people who lost consciousness and were rescued; 34 of these cases happened when the boat was moving, with 17 deaths and 10 who lost consciousness. The most recent death occurred in June on Utah Lake near Provo, Utah. The symptoms of CO poisoning may include severe headache, dizziness, confusion, nausea, fainting, and death. Low levels can cause shortness of breath, mild nausea, and a mild headache. Exposure to even low levels can be fatal because CO accumulates in your blood. If this leads to unconsciousness in a water environment, the person simply sinks below the surface and drowns, helpless to save themselves. The mild symptoms of carbon-monoxide poisoning may not be suspected immediately because they are similar to those of people with the flu, food poisoning, seasickness or other illnesses. If you suspect CO poisoning, immediately get the victim to fresh air and seek medical care. According to Dr. Baron, “the most effective solutions to this problem are engineering changes that will remove the carbon monoxide at its source. Until those changes take place, the public must be warned of these dangers so they can stay clear of this undetectable killer: carbon monoxide.” Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center has been providing medical care to Arizona and the Southwest since 1911. Banner Good Samaritan is owned and operated by Phoenix-based Banner Health, a not-for-profit organization, and is a flagship hospital within the system. The hospital was recently named to U.S.News & World Report’s “America’s Best Hospitals” list for Endocrinology, Heart Care and Heart Surgery, and Obstetrics and Gynecology. In 2005, Banner Good Samaritan was honored as one of Solucient’s “100 Top Hospitals” for Cardiovascular Care, and recognized as a Magnet facility by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the highest honor a hospital can earn for its nursing care and practices. Whether you’re interested in hiking on a barrier-free trail, horseback riding along a creek, boating in the desert or biking on a competitive track, Maricopa County’s Parks and Recreation Department offer visitors the best of the Sonoran Desert. At approximately 120,000 acres, Maricopa County is home to the largest regional park system in the United States. Ten parks in the system circle the metropolitan area and all are within a 45-minute drive from downtown Phoenix. PHOENIX (March 6, 2006)—Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center, Arizona’s largest provider of health care services, has been awarded a three-year term of re-accreditation in ultrasound as the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology (ACR). We have been ACR accredited since 1999. Accreditation by the ACR demonstrates Banner Good Samaritan’s commitment to quality care and patient safety as accreditation is only awarded after a rigorous review. The ACR awards accreditation to facilities for the achievement of high standards after a peer-review evaluation of its practice. Evaluations are conducted by board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field. They assess the qualifications of the personnel and the adequacy of facility equipment, then report their finding to the ACR’s Committee on Accreditation, which subsequently provides the hospital with a comprehensive report. The ACR is a national organization serving more than 32,000 radiologists, radiation oncologists and medical physicists with programs focusing on the practice of medical imaging and radiation oncology and the delivery of comprehensive healthcare services. Located in downtown Phoenix, Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center has been providing medical care to Arizona and the Southwest since 1911. Banner Good Samaritan is owned and operated by Phoenix-based Banner Health, a not-for-profit organization, and is a flagship hospital within the system. The hospital was recently named a Solucient “100 Top Hospitals” for Cardiovascular Care, and recognized as a Magnet facility by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the highest honor a hospital can earn for its nursing care and practices. Licensed for 659 inpatient beds, Banner Good Samaritan’s staff is nationally recognized for its expertise in several major services, including cardiology, critical care, neurosciences, obstetrics, oncology, rehabilitation, research, surgery and both solid organ and bone marrow transplant services. Today, more than 3,600 nurses and staff members work with over 1,700 physicians representing nearly 50 specialties staff to provide care to more than 36,000 inpatients each year. ### ### Comments from Kathy Altergott: “The medical imaging department is proud of its 18 highly skilled sonographers. This award is due to their hard work and attention to detail of the patient pathology in getting the answers. I believe we have the best ultrasound department in the valley”, said Kathy Altergott. ?? ?? ?? ?? Peoria Firefighters Support Children With Cancer BGSMC/Singer AwardsCarbon monoxide dangers for boaters Page 2 - more - BGSMC/Surrogate Quintuplets/2-2-2-2-2