Food Safety During Floods or Power Outages

Food Safety During Floods or Power Outages

By Editorial Staff

“Food safety involves everybody in the food chain.” – Mike Johanns [1]Brainy Quote. (2023). Mike Johanns quotes. https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/mike-johanns-quotes

 

Summer is almost over but there’s still time to gather outdoors for cookouts with friends and family, enjoying delicious food and other fun activities. All too often, though, summer rains can quickly dampen the excitement. Pop-up thunderstorms and torrential rains can quickly lead to a flooding catastrophe, especially for those living in low-lying areas or other places with a greater risk of flooding [2]Federal Emergency Management Agency. (n.d.). Flood. https://community.fema.gov/ProtectiveActions/s/article/Flood. In case of floods or power outages, make sure you and your household understand and practice food safety guidelines and procedures.

Preparation is key to keeping foods safe in the event of an emergency or power outage. Some of the steps you can take before one happens include:

However, sudden storms or power outages are not uncommon. In the event of a power outage, make sure to do the following:

  • Keep the fridge and freezer doors closed to keep the cold air inside. Most food items can last up to four hours if you avoid opening the door.

After a power outage, make sure to do the following:

  • Check the temperature of foods and throw out food that is above 40°F. Cook or refreeze any food that is 40°F or lower.
  • Throw away perishable food (e.g., meat, fish, dairy, and leftovers) if the power has been out for more than four hours or was in contact with flood waters. Don’t taste the food to see if it’s safe to eat. Just throw it away.

By following these food safety practices for power outages, including preparation, actions during the outage, and after power is restored, you can significantly reduce the chances of you or your loved ones developing a foodborne illness.

In addition to the guidelines above, here are further resources to help you prepare your food for an emergency.

References:

[1] Brainy Quote. (2023). Mike Johanns quotes. https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/mike-johanns-quotes
[2] Federal Emergency Management Agency. (n.d.). Flood. https://community.fema.gov/ProtectiveActions/s/article/Flood
[3] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, October 27). Food Safety for Power Outages. https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/food-safety-during-a-power-outage.html

Taking Charge: A Guide to Men’s Health Awareness

Taking Charge: A Guide to Men’s Health Awareness

 

By Bizzell Editorial Staff 

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2018, the leading causes of death for men of all races and ages were heart disease (24.3%), cancer (21.6%), and unintentional injuries (7.4%) [1]Heron M. Deaths: Leading causes for 2018. National Vital Statistics Reports; vol 70 no 4. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2021. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15620/cdc:104186. While men comprise about 50% of the US population, they account for nearly 80% of suicides. In 2021, men had a suicide rate nearly four times higher than that of women [2]Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, May 11). Suicide Data and Statistics. https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/suicide-data-statistics.html. 

June is observed as Men’s Health Month, a reminder that taking care of oneself is essential and that neglecting one’s health can lead to severe consequences. Men’s health issues have been a topic of concern for many years, and the month of June provides an opportunity to bring more awareness to them. 

Created in 1992 by the Men’s Health Network, Men’s Health Month encourages men to take charge of their health by making healthy lifestyle choices, such as eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and getting regular checkups. 

Why is Men’s Health Month important? 

According to a Harvard Medical School publication, men are more likely to die prematurely than women, and they are more likely to die from preventable causes. Men are also more likely to smoke, drink alcohol excessively, and be overweight or obese. It is crucial to spread awareness and provide resources to help men stay healthy. This June, let us encourage all men to take charge of their health and make positive changes in their lives. 

What can you do to celebrate Men’s Health Month? 

There are many things you can do to recognize Men’s Health Month. Here are a few ideas: 

  • Get a checkup. This is one of the most important things that men can do for their health. A regular checkup can help identify any health problems early on when they are most treatable. Check out these six routines screenings that all men should get. 
  • Talk to your doctor about your risk factors. Your doctor can help you understand your individual risk for certain health problems, such as heart disease, cancer, and stroke. They can also recommend ways to reduce your risk. 
  • Break the stigma around mental health. Men are less likely than women to seek help for mental health problems. It is essential to know the warning signs, break the stigma around mental health, and encourage men to seek help if they are struggling. 
  • Make healthy lifestyle changes. There are many measures that men can take to improve their health, such as eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep. 

Bizzell is committed to improving men’s health, through its work with the CDC Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, Public Health Professional Support Services at the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Bizzell supports the CDC’s Interactive Atlas of Heart Disease and Stroke production, which is published twice annually. This atlas shows data at the state and county levels concerning heart disease and stroke morbidity, mortality, access to care, risk factors, and risk reduction programs and policies. 

Bizzell continues to provide statistical analysis support to the CDC relating to heart disease, stroke prevention outcomes, and cardiovascular disease risk factors. In addition, Bizzell is conducting statistical analyses for use by members throughout the CDC that document both the burden of heart disease and stroke and the reach of existing programs and policies to reduce the burden of heart disease and stroke. 

This June serves as a reminder that taking proactive steps toward your health can lead to a life of vitality, happiness, and fulfillment. Together, let us continue to support and uplift one another on the journey to optimal health and well-being. 

 

[1] Heron M. Deaths: Leading causes for 2018. National Vital Statistics Reports; vol 70 no 4. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2021. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15620/cdc:104186  

[2] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, May 11). Suicide Data and Statistics. https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/suicide-data-statistics.html 

Bizzell Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary and Gives Back to Orphanage in Africa

Bizzell Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary and Gives Back to Orphanage in Africa

December 14, 2021 (New Carrollton, MD) – The Bizzell Group (Bizzell), an award-winning strategy, technology, and consulting firm, was featured in local media in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for its global health and humanitarian focus and contributions to the Leve Moi Orphanage, an organization founded to serve children orphaned by natural disasters like the May 2021 Mount Nyiragongo volcano eruption, on-going political conflict and tension, and health epidemics including HIV/AIDS, Ebola, and COVID-19.

Bizzell donated 30 bunk beds, 60 mattresses, and dozens of mosquito nets to Leve Moi Orphanage. The donations, locally sourced from DRC businesses, will help the orphanage continue to serve the ongoing needs of the children in Goma, as they do not receive State funding and rely on the goodwill of donors like Bizzell to deliver essential services such as free education and meals. Leve Moi Orphanage serves nearly 500 children each day from the surrounding community and houses dozens of children overnight. During the trip to DRC, Dr. Anton C. Bizzell, President/CEO, and members from Bizzell’s Global leadership team, Yomi Jones, Vice President of Finance & Global Operations, and Rose Amolo, Director of Global Programs, traveled over 2000 miles from Kinshasa to Goma to visit the Leve Moi Orphanage. The children of Leve Moi welcomed, embraced, and thanked the Bizzell team through song and dance during the visit.

Learn more about this story as covered by local media in Goma: https://youtu.be/yNriMkva9CQ

                                               

Bizzell continued its 10 Year Anniversary celebration with its global staff in Kinshasa, honoring Bizzell’s DRC staff for their dedication to the firm’s global mission and international success. Dr. Bizzell addressed attendees at the celebration, noting Bizzell’s continued growth and global commitment, including expanding an initial two-person team into a global operation with representation in six countries around the world. In addition to Bizzell team members, other guests in attendance included staff from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Special Assistant to the President of DRC, Dr. Benjamin Bola, and other implementing partners and private sector representatives from Equity Bank and Vodacom.

Bizzell’s 10 Year Anniversary in DRC, combined with its philanthropic efforts continue to highlight and emphasize the firm’s focus on global expansion, addressing issues that improve the overall quality of life for people in low, emerging, and middle-income countries. DRC is the largest office in the Bizzell Global portfolio, with 13 staff implementing and supporting various global health protection activities including laboratory strengthening, health workforce development, early detection, treatment, and disease surveillance for Ebola, COVID-19, other epidemics and vaccine preventable diseases including Measles, Polio, Meningitis, Cholera, Monkey Pox.

About Bizzell

Established in 2010, Bizzell is a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) 8(a) strategy, consulting, and technology firm with a passion to improve lives and accelerate change. Bizzell develops innovative solutions to some of the most critical issues of our time, including the opioid, Ebola, and COVID-19 epidemics. Under the leadership and vision of founder, Dr. Anton C. Bizzell, the company has grown into a thriving firm headquartered in New Carrollton, Maryland with staff and offices in various regions around the world including California, Colorado, Georgia, Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

Bizzell Wins Three MUSE Creative Awards for Public Health Projects

September 30, 2021 (New Carrollton, MD) – The Bizzell Group (Bizzell), one of the fastest growing companies in America according to Inc. Magazine and Washington Business Journal, has won three MUSE Creative Awards, including one Gold and two Silver awards. Bizzell was recognized for integrated marketing content, websites, and publications designed to support the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to tackle critical public health issues including the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year, Bizzell received the Gold MUSE Creative Award for the BeSafeRx Relaunch, a national campaign sponsored by the FDA to educate consumers and healthcare providers about the potential dangers of buying prescription medicine online.

Bizzell received a Silver MUSE Creative Award for the CMS-CDC Fundamentals of COVID-19 Prevention for Nursing Home Management website—an on-demand nursing home training series designed to help address the infection prevention challenges impacting long-term care facilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bizzell also received a Silver award for the CMS Toolkit on State Action to Mitigate COVID-19 Prevalence—a publication of curated content designed to facilitate and share best practices to manage the spread of COVID-19 in nursing homes.

Bizzell’s clients drive real world change and Bizzell staff accelerate it. According to Anton C. Bizzell, M.D., Founder and CEO of Bizzell, “during this COVID-19 pandemic, our clients need creativity and innovation. The Bizzell team delivered and disseminated solutions to help the public access critical information on prescriptions drugs and supported health care providers with enhanced quality improvement tools and resources during unprecedented times.”

The MUSE Awards is a series of international competitions hosted by the International Awards Associate (IAA), catering to professionals from various industries in hopes of promoting excellence in their respective fields. “There is a saying that ‘there is nothing new under the sun’,” said Kenjo Ong, CEO of IAA. “It couldn’t be any further from the truth – there is always something fresh and exciting from the competitors every year.”

IAA ensures impartiality and strict assessment criteria by setting up a jury made up of industry professionals who exhibit high standards of excellence. In turn, the jury would select a new wave of excellent individuals or organizations, who would likely set new benchmarks in their fields.

About The MUSE Creative Awards

The MUSE Creative Awards is part of the MUSE Awards Program, which was created by the IAA in 2015. IAA’s inception was based on a mission to honor, promote and encourage creativity by providing a new standard of excellence for evaluation media design production and distribution. IAA’s mission has largely shaped MCA’s goal.

At its core, MUSE Creative Awards international competition inspires creative professionals to strive for to greater heights. With their concepts, ideas or designs, these creatives light a fire in each other, thus becoming a muse.

Website: MUSE Creative Awards / MUSE Design Awards

Facebook: MUSE Awards

Twitter: MUSE Awards

Instagram: MUSE Awards 

About Bizzell

Established in 2010, The Bizzell Group (Bizzell) is a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) 8(a) certified strategy, consulting, and technology firm that designs innovative solutions to help build healthy, secure, and sustainable communities around the world. Bizzell’s expert staff and consultants support health, scientific, education, environmental, research, and information technology projects that advance national priorities. Learn more about how Bizzell develops data-driven, research-informed, innovative solutions at: www.BizzellUS.com.