In Case Of Emergency, Read Blog

A little Friday afternoon humor  (with a citizen preparedness 2.0 angle)

About an hour ago, I received an “Arlington Alert” e-mail from Arlington, Virginia OEM as I signed up for with the subject line: “Rapid Fox”. I opened it with some curiosity and read:

A fox that bit a woman in south Arlington has tested positive for rabies, Arlington public health officials have confirmed today. The fox was captured and destroyed by animal control officers. The woman was bitten on May 9, 2008 in the 5100 block of S. 12th Road, in the 22204 zip code area of Arlington County. She is now receiving anti-rabies treatment.  
 
The Arlington County Public Health Division is working with the Arlington Animal Welfare League and local Civic Associations to identify any other people or animals who may have been exposed. Arlington Public Health reminds residents that rabies is endemic in our area. Never approach or handle a wild animal. If you see one behaving in a strange or aggressive manner, call the Animal Welfare League at (703) 931-9241.

A few minutes later another email arrived: “Title Correction: Rabid Fox Captured”.

It gave me a nice laugh on a rainy Friday. But it also shows how email and text emergency alerts are helpful for non-emergency community announcements. I recommend you check whether your city or state offers this really helpful service.