ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam – While performing a training mission in support of COPE NORTH 2012 a United States F-16 Falcon fighter aircraft assigned to Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska accomplished an emergency landing at Saipan International Airport about 11 a.m. today with one person on board.

Upon landing the aircraft rolled off the end of the runway. There is no reported damage to the airfield at this time and the damage to the aircraft is unknown. The pilot has reported zero injuries. Andersen Air Force Base is putting together a response team comprised of aircraft maintenance personnel who will provide on-scene assessment.

The exact cause of the emergency is under investigation. For additional information please contact 36th Wing Public Affairs at 671-336-2228.

National Weather Service has issued a small craft advisory for winds in effect until 4:00 p.m. February 15, 2012. A small craft advisory for winds means that sustain wind speed of 22 to 33 knots are expected to produce conditions hazardous to small crafts.

Currently, there are no watches or warnings in effect for Guam.

As a precaution, all residents and visitors are reminded of the following: Mariners, especially those operating smaller vessels, should avoid boating in these conditions. If travel by boat is unavoidable please exercise caution especially when entering or leaving harbors and inlets and near reef lines.

For more information please contact Alyssa Benito, Guam Homeland Security Public Affairs Officer at (671) 475-9600.

At 2:42 p.m. (ChST) a 5.3 magnitude earthquake hit Guam. The Epicenter was located at 14.293°N, 145.109°E, with a depth of 72.7 miles.

At this time there has been no tsunami watch or warning.

Guam Homeland Security and the Office of Civil Defense has been in contact with all stakeholders and will continue to monitor the situation and provide additional instructions as necessary.

As of this time there have been no reports of damages or injuries.

For more information please call Public Affairs Officer Alyssa Benito at 688-2824 for more information.

Guam Homeland Security and the Office of Civil Defense is hosting an Incident Command System course for several government agencies.

The Incident Command System, or ICS, is a standardized, on-scene, all-risk, incident management concept based on successful business practices.

ICS-300 is the third in a series of four Incident Command System courses. The course is designed for mid-level management personnel who will be serving in the following positions: command staff, section chiefs, strike team leaders, task force leaders, unit leaders, division/group supervisors, branch directors and multi-agency coordination system/emergency operations center staff.

"A poorly managed incident response can be devastating to the economy and, more importantly, to the health and safety of the public. This course is vital because it teaches us how to respond and mange an incident more effectively," says Administrator Chuck Ada.

For more information please contact Alyssa Benito, Public Affairs Officer at 688-2824.

The New Year is a perfect time to Resolve to be Ready and Guam Homeland Security and the Office of Civil Defense (GHS/OCD) is proud to be promoting emergency preparedness for 2012.

Resolve to be Ready is a nationwide effort designed to increase awareness as well as encourage individuals, families, and businesses to take action and prepare for emergencies throughout the New Year.

The Ready Campaign would like to encourage making an emergency preparedness resolution by taking three important steps: Be informed. Know the hazards and risks in your area.

• Make a family emergency plan, so you know who you would communicate with and find your loved ones if a disaster hit.
• Build an emergency supply kit - both at home and in the car - that includes water, food and first aid supplies to help you survive if you lose power or get stranded in your car.
• Get Involved - Find out how you can promote preparedness on our island.

"Being prepared before a disaster strikes is key. My hope in 2012 is that our island people become more self reliant because too often I've seen people fall victims of a disaster solely because they weren't prepared. In 2012 let us all share the responsibility in keeping our island and it's people safe," says Administrator Charles H. Ada.

Emergencies can range from inconvenience to devastation, but you can resolve not to be a victim of an emergency or disaster and take steps to minimize the impact on you, your family and your businesses. More information is available at Ready.gov. The Website includes free information, checklists and guidelines about how to be informed, develop a family emergency plan, build an emergency kit, and get involved.

DPHSS Release No. 2011-97

The Director of the Department of Public Health and Social Services would like to inform the public that the Northern Regional Community Health Center (NRCHC) will be closing at 12 Noon today due to a main water break affecting the surrounding area. The Guam Waterworks Authority (GWA) is currently working to assess the situation and determine the extent of damage.

The medical records staff will be contacting patients to reschedule their appointment. Patients are also advised to call the clinic at 635-7411 for further information.

The Pharmacy will remain open until 4:30 pm today for patients who have prescriptions that are ready for pick up.

For more information please contact the clinic at 635-7411.

DPHSS Release No. 2011-96

DPHSS Announces Shriners Outreach Clinic

A medical team from the Shiners Hospital for Children in Hawaii will be providing free consultative services at the Department of Public Health and Social Services in Mangilao to children who have orthopedic conditions, burns, and spinal cord injuries from January 24-31, 2012. Children up to 18 years old and have the following conditions are eligible for services: (1) deformities involving bones, joints and/or muscles, (2) "healed burns" and (3) loss of any body part.

Patients are seen on an appointment basis only. No walk-ins. New patients are encouraged to obtain a referral and medical summary from their private physician. Patients must provide an updated shot record, a copy of their birth certificate, legal guardianship documents (if applicable), and a copy of their insurance card in order to be seen at the Shriners Outreach Clinic. Returning patients are reminded to also provide x-ray films and/or laboratory results as previously instructed. These can be picked up at the Medical Records Office in Mangilao Monday to Friday from 8:00am - 5:00pm.

For appointments or additional information, please contact Cindy Malanum at 735-7351 or via email at maria.malanum@dphss.guam.gov.

DPHSS Release No. 2011-94

To assist the Division of Environmental Health (DEH) of the Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS) and the Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency (CQA) in the monitoring of commodities imported into the island that may have radioactive contamination, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had provided to this department the following devices:

• Sam 940 Isotope Identification & Custom Scintillator
• 4 ea. Ludlum Meter & Detector
• 5 ea. Radiation Pager
• 8 ea. Personal Dosimeter
• 3 ea. Dosimeter charger

The Sam 940 Isotope Identification and Custom Scintillator is a portable, radio-isotope identification system that detects and identifies multiple radionuclides, providing quantified results in real time. This device is suited for front line assessment of nuclear contamination.

Ludlum Meter & Detector is an equipment that detects and measures exposure rate or the intensity of radiation at a location. This meter will be used to help make critical decisions, such as when to flee, how far, and where.

Radiation pager is a hand held radiation detector designed for security forces, custom inspectors, and emergency responders. It is designed for people who need to quickly and discreetly detect and locate a radiation threat.

Personal Dosimeter is a device that records the total amount of radiation the wearer had been exposed.

Collectively, the above items are worth over $35,000 and were provided to DPHSS by the FDA to assist us in our response to the Japan nuclear crisis. Most of the equipment will be transferred to Guam CQA to be used at the island's ports of entry.

For any questions, please contact the Radiological Health Program of the Division of Environmental Health at 735-7221.

The Guam National Guard's 94th Civil Support Team unit will be participating in an exercise on Nov. 8-9 with local and federal first responders

Exercise Konkista will be a two-day training event consisting of chemical, biological, radiological, and improvised explosive devise field training scenarios, which will also test interagency response capabilities.

Local agencies involved include Guam Homeland Security, Office of Civil Defense, Guam Police Department and Guam Fire Department. Naval Base Guam Fire Department and the U.S. Coast Guard are among the federal government agencies participating in the exercise.

First responders from the Guard and the different agencies will be operating at five different locations near the central and northern part of the island, throughout the two-day exercise.

The public is advised to be cautious when they see emergency response vehicles on the road.

Today, October 20th, 2011 Guam Homeland Security/Office of Civil Defense (GHS/OCD) joined 58,000 residents to participate in the Great Guam ShakeOut, now officially the largest earthquake drill on Guam.

"The best way to instinctively and immediately do the right thing when shaking begins is to practice, and I was very impressed with the turnout. Educational institutions, businesses, Government of Guam agencies..etc. all came out very strong. I look forward to the continued support for next year's ShakeOut," says Homeland Security Advisor, James McDonald.

"Despite the seriousness, many residents found the experience to be fun. Our agency went around the island taking pictures of organizations and schools performing Drop, Cover, and Hold On - SMILING," says Shakeout Coordinator, Edeine Camacho.

GHS/OCD encourages participants to share their ShakeOut experience and photos through facebook at www.facebook.com/guam.homeland

More information about what to do during an earthquake can be found on our website at www.guamhs.org

In less than three (3) weeks, Guam will take part in the largest earthquake drill in history. Island residents will join close to 8 million other Shakeout participants from California, Idaho, Nevada and British Columbia by practicing the earthquake safety procedure to "DROP, COVER, and HOLD ON". The Great Guam Shakeout island-wide earthquake drill will take place on Thursday, October 20, 2011 at exactly 10:20 a.m., and will last for approximately one (1) minute. Guam Homeland Security/Office of Civil Defense (GHS/OCD) is encouraging all residents to increase earthquake preparedness and response by practicing how to protect themselves during an earthquake and how to take the necessary steps to ensure an earthquake disaster doesn't become a catastrophe.

To participate in The Great Guam Shakeout:

• Register online at www.shakeout.org/guam or call 475-900
• Plan your drill - DROP to the ground, Take COVER under sturdy furniture, and HOLD ON to the furniture until the one (1) minute drill is over.
• Get prepared for earthquakes - make a disaster plan
• Share the ShakeOut - encourage your family, friends and co-workers to join
• Tune in to local AM/FM radio stations for a live drill broadcast
• Take photos of your employees during the drill and post on The Great Guam Shakeout website.

For more information, or to download resources to assist in earthquake drill preparation, visit The Great Guam Shakeout website at www.shakeout.org/guam, or contact Shakeout Coordinator, Edeine Camacho via email: edeine.camacho(ghs)ghs.guam.gov or Public Affairs Officer, Alyssa Benito at 475-9600.