Health briefs

Sandusky Co. EMS announces plans to relocate headquarters
 
        Sandusky County EMS has announced plans to expand and relocate its headquarters to 1791 E. State St. in Fremont.
        Sandusky County EMS will be retaining 33 full-time, five part-time and two administration employees, and allowing room for additional staff members to be added in the future.
        “After searching for land and looking at properties, one site kept coming up, 1791 East State, Fremont – the old Big Lots,” said Jeffery Jackson, Sandusky County EMS chief. “It is an existing building with good access points to the east and west with eventually better access to the US 20 Bypass in future years”.
        The current headquarters houses Life Squad 18, EMS Chief, EMS Captain, Special OPS/MCI trailer, ATV/Gator, Reserve Unit 16, Reserve Unit 12 and Bariatric Unit 13. The current headquarters is approximately 5,100 square feet and the former Big Lots building is approximately 38,750 square feet.
        Adding more than 30,000 square feet of additional space will provide the Sandusky County EMS with enough room for storage of supplies, a heated space for ambulances, training for educational requirements and room for the Emergency Vehicle Operation course.
        In the past, Sandusky County EMS had to ask other entities to borrow space, or a piece of property to conduct training and Emergency Vehicle Operation courses.
        “This piece of property will give us the ability to capture all our needs under one roof and one piece of property. It will also bring some new life to the eastside of Fremont by transforming a vacant building into an EMS headquarters,” Jackson said.
        Sandusky County Commissioner Russ Zimmerman added, “The purchase of the building on East State Street will not only be a new home for the county EMS squad and administrative office, it will eventually house several other county offices. This will allow these offices to be in close proximity to each other and offer a ‘one-stop shop’ for people who need these services.”
        The former Big Lots property isn’t the only investment that the Sandusky County EMS is making this year. Life Squad 14, currently housed at 901 S. Main St. in Gibsonburg, will be moving to a property adjacent to the current station and constructing a new 3,600 square foot building.
        Sandusky County purchased the State Street property in Fremont for $250,000 and the Gibsonburg site for $34,000. “We have simply outgrown our current spaces. The new locations are much better suited for our current needs and supporting the ongoing growth we anticipate,” Jackson said. “We are excited to move into our new space and proud of what this means for the future of our company and to better serve Sandusky County residents.”
        “The Sandusky County Economic Development Corporation (SCEDC) was happy to work with EMS Chief Jackson and the Sandusky County Commissioners on finding new location for EMS headquarters,” said Beth Hannam, SCEDC executive director. “We are looking forward to seeing the completion of both properties and see two former vacant buildings rejuvenated.”
 
Ovarian Cancer Walk
        The 17th Annual Ellen Jackson Ovarian Cancer Walk presented by Buckeye Broadband will be held Saturday, Sept. 18 from 8 a.m.-noon at Flower Hospital/Hickman Cancer Center in Sylvania.
        Registration and check-in will begin at 8 a.m., when participants will receive an event wristband and have the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets for baskets and gifts donated by supporters.
        To sign up or make a donation, visit the Ovarian Cancer Connection website at ovarianconnection.org. For more details, 419-866-6622 or email info@ovarianconnection.org.
        The OCC has been raising awareness about ovarian cancer and other gynecological cancers across Northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan for more than 15 years. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization also provides resources, education and financial support for the women and families affected by these cancers.
               
Magruder Virtual Education Program
        Magruder’s Hospital’s next Monthly Education Program will be on Monday, Sept. 20 at noon.
        Kimberly Leneghan MS, RDN, LDN, in-patient clinical dietitian at Magruder, will present tips on packing lunches for the young and the young at heart. Whether it’s for someone heading to work, or someone heading to school, learn how to simplify this often-dreaded task.
        For more information or to sign up, call Rachel at 419-732-4061 or email rfall@magruderhospital.com.
 
Benefit purse bingo
        A Drive-in Designer Purse Bingo to benefit the Sylvania Lions Club, Inc. and The Sight Center of Northwest Ohio will be held Thursday, Sept. 23 at the Sundance Kid Drive-In, 4500 Navarre Ave., Oregon.
        Gates open at 4:45 p.m. Bingo will begin at 6:30 p.m. sharp.
        Billed as a fun “Girl’s Night Out” will feature the chance to win designer purses including Kate Spade, Dooney & Bourke, Coach, Michael Kors and more.
        The admission donation is $40 per person in advance or $50 at the gate (cash only) and includes a book of 20 games of bingo, three chances for intermission coverall bingo, a free dauber and one box of popcorn per vehicle. The drive-in concession stand will be open.
        Photos of purses and raffle baskets, along with rules, will be handed out to each vehicle at the event. Additional books of 20 games of bingo can be purchased for $5. There will also be a 50/50 and gift basket raffles. A prize will be awarded for the best vehicle setup, so attendees are encouraged to get creative.
        Social distancing will be observed. A maximum of four people will be admitted per vehicle. All attendees must purchase a ticket to be admitted and must be 18 years and older to play.
        Tickets are limited and may be purchased online at SightCenterToledo.org/events.
 
Life Line screenings
        Northwood area residents can learn about their risk for cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, diabetes and other chronic, serious conditions with screenings by Life Line Screening.
        Red Willow Event Center, 5805 Woodville Rd., Northwood, will host this community event on Wednesday, Oct. 20. Free parking is available.
        Screenings can check for:
         • The level of plaque buildup in arteries, related to risk for cardiovascular disease, stroke and overall vascular health.
         • HDL and LDL Cholesterol levels
         • Diabetes risk
         • Bone density as a risk for possible osteoporosis
         • Kidney and thyroid function, and more
        Package pricing starts at $149. Consultants can help create a package that is right for you based on your age and risk factors.
        Pre-registration is required. Call 1-877-237-1287 or visit lifelinescreening.com.
 
Be prepared
        National Preparedness Month (NPM) is recognized annually in September to encourage family and community disaster planning for not only a month, but every day, throughout the year. This year also marks the 20th anniversary of 9/11, where a series of four coordinated terrorist attacks against the United States took place on American soil on Sept. 11, 2001.
        This year’s theme for National Preparedness Month is: “Prepare to Protect. Preparing for disasters is protecting everyone you love.”
        “Emergencies can happen at any time and without any notice, so it’s important to think ahead and be prepared,” said Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine. “National Preparedness Month is a good opportunity for Ohioans to make a plan to expect the unexpected.”
        “This year’s theme is the epitome of emergency management: We Prepare to Protect,” said Ohio Emergency Management Agency Executive Director Sima Merick. “We prepare and we make plans to protect ourselves and others from hazards – natural and man-made – that can impact our lives. National Preparedness Month is the opportune time to review your emergency plans, and to restock items in your disaster supply kits.”
        Throughout September, Ohio EMA will post emergency preparedness information on Facebook and Twitter.
        Visit ready.ohio.gov for additional information on emergency safety and preparedness.
 
“We need your help”
        As the number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations involving children continue to increase across the U.S., a ProMedica official recently joined those from five other children’s hospitals across the state to urge Ohioans to do more to protect kids from the ongoing pandemic.
        Dawn Buskey, President, ProMedica Russell J. Ebeid Children’s Hospital, participated in a press conference last week with officials from five other children’s hospitals in Ohio and joined them in signing an open letter to the state’s residents.
        “We need your help,” the letter begins.  “More kids are coming into our hospitals with COVID symptoms. More kids are being hospitalized because of COVID and specifically the delta variant. More kids are in the ICU with COVID than ever before.
        “...We are asking and urging all Ohioans to do what you can to stand with us to help protect our state’s children by using the tools that we have,” the letter states.  Those tools, the letter continues, include:
        • Getting vaccinated.
        • Wearing a mask indoors, particularly during school and while attending large gatherings.
        • Adhering to proven safe practices of physical distancing and hand washing.
        “Together, we can keep our children safer,” the letter states. “They need us to each do our part.  They need us now.”
        Ohio children’s hospitals are not only dealing with rising COVID-19 cases but are also being hit by cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Normally a wintertime problem, hospital officials say RSV cases came early and in larger numbers this year because of the return of children to in-person school and day cares.
        The children’s hospital officials note in their letter that they are also seeing more kids with mental and behavioral health issues.
        “Our workforce, which faced staffing challenges prior to COVID, is being strained at unprecedented levels,” the letter states. “This is reality for us today. And it’s threatening the capacity of our pediatric safety net in ways we have never experienced before.”
       
BBB tip: No, you didn’t win!
        Caller to BBB: “My wife and I are very excited. We got a phone call that we have won the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes! They told us that they can send us the prize privately so that all our neighbors don’t see the ‘Prize Patrol’ and bother us. They just need us to pay some taxes and fees in order to receive the grand prize. BBB, what do you think?”
        BBB says the call is a scam. Virtually every day BBB receives calls from consumers who are told they have won the Publishers Clearing House (PCH) Sweepstakes. Often the calls come from area code 876, which is Jamaica.
        PCH warns that they do not call consumers; the grand prize is always delivered in person. They do not charge any fees or expenses; winners of smaller prizes receive them by overnight or certified mail. If you are told you have won any sweepstakes, but the callers ask you to send money, it is always a scam.