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Hands-Only CPR Equipment Donated to Garrett County

Property Owners’ Association of Deep Creek Lake Donates Life Saving Training Equipment to Garrett County

According to statistics from the Garrett County Board of Health, Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) accounted for 25% of the deaths in the County in 2011.  Studies have shown that very few bystanders stop to offer assistance to victims of SCA. Many people say they are afraid they may do something wrong and cause harm or be sued. Others are concerned about doing the mouth to mouth breathing that is associated with traditional Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation or CPR. The Property Owners’ Association of Deep Creek Lake (POA) has donated equipment that will enable anyone to learn, in just 15 minutes, the skills needed to perform Hand-Only CPR— compressions without breaths —and to use an AED (Automatic External Defibrillator). Even if an AED is not available, Hands-Only CPR can keep blood flowing to the heart and brain of a victim  of SCA until Emergency Medical Responders arrive, thus greatly increasing his/her chance of survival.

Hands-Only CPR, a program that is growing by leaps and bounds nationally, can be taught by anyone without the need of a certified instructor. The idea and effort of bringing this type of training to Garrett County was a cooperative effort of the Board of Health, Board of Education, Garrett County Department of Emergency Management, Garrett County Memorial hospital, Garrett College, Property Owners’ Association of Deep Creek Lake, and Ms Beth Philipson, a summer lake resident from Baltimore, POA Member, registered nurse, American heart Association Certified CPR/AED Instructor, and a member of of the Cardiac Arrest Steering Committee at the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Service System (MIEMSS). Ms Philipson spearheaded the proposal, offering to volunteer her time to get Hands-Only CPR to the entire Garrett County Community. Ms Philipson reached out to the POA to consider funding this worthwhile endeavor.

Studies have also shown that if CPR training is taken to people, instead of having people come to the training, the chances of introducing the life saving technique is vastly increased. Ms Philipson plans to make Hands- Only CPR available in group settings such as the up and coming Garrett County Health Fair, Garrett County Public Safety Day, after church in church parking lots, at organizational assemblies, golf courses or to anyone who asks, just to name a few. Garrett County Emergency Medical Services Associate Brad Frantz has committed to introducing Hands-Only CPR to the GC Senior High School Emergency Services Clubs and utilize the program as an Emergency Services Club project in pushing the technique out into the community. This equipment will also be used to teach HANDS ONLY CPR skills to all senior high students. At this time, the general assembly in Annapolis is considering a bill that would make learning Hands-Only CPR at requirement for high school graduation. Such laws already exist in 11 States in the U.S.

HANDS-ONLY CPR however is not a replacement for full CPR training which is required for Emergency First Responders and all medical services. It is also not effective for victims of drowning or victims of drug overdoses where these cases the cardiac arrest is usually a result of respiratory arrest.

The equipment that is being donated by the Property Owners’ Association of Deep Creek Lake to the County consists of 50 training manikins and 12 Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training devices. The equipment will be housed at Garrett College in the Continuing Education Department and will be made available to anyone who wants to conduct group training sessions.

This is yet another example of how the POA supports the entire community!

More here.

POA opposes Text Amendment

Special POA Board Meeting Concerning the Proposed Text Amendment

To the

Deep Creek Watershed Zoning Ordinance

At a Special Meeting of the POA Board held on September 14, 2013, the Board authorized me as President to send the attached letter on behalf of the POA to the Garrett County Commissioners opposing the petition for a text amendment to the Deep Creek Watershed Zoning Ordinance submitted by an individual applicant as well as a modified version of the text amendment recommended by a simple majority of the Garrett County Planning Commission.

Public Hearing on this matter is scheduled for September 24, 2013, at 5:00 PM in the County Commissioners’ meeting room of the Courthouse in Oakland, MD.

The POA Board is deeply concerned that the proposed text amendment would upset the integrity of the Watershed Zoning Ordinance by opening the door to unknown consequences without further public review that go far beyond the individual applicant.

More here.

Water Levels will be above Lower Rule Band – DCL POA

From the eBlast:

“The information below was in an email I received from David Myerberg, Chairman,  DCL Policy and Review Board, on September 12, 2013.  He requested I forward it to our membership due to rumors that have been circulating that some unusual water releases were planned that would cause a dramatic drop in lake levels.  The lake water levels can always be checked at the POA website or the Deep Creek Hydro site. The email information follows:

I just finished a conversation with Eric Null regarding the projected effects on lake levels from the dam releases planned for the 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th of September, 2013. As you know, during that week, Brookfield is permitted to have three releases, including one on Saturday. They are also permitted to have three additional releases for the week leading to the Gauley Fest. Although the Gauley Fest is in Summersville, WV, it attracts a large number of kayakers and rafters to Garrett County. “….more here.

Deep Creek Lake POA Help Cover Sediment Study Funding Shortfall

Apr. 5, 2012

Deep Creek Lake Property Owners Association (POA) officials announced this week that they have joined with the Garrett County commissioners to make up a funding shortfall for Phase II of the Deep Creek Lake sediment study.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) plans to begin Phase II next week. The first phase was completed for selected DCL coves during 2010–2011.

“Phase II will be a continuation of those studies, targeting the entire lake to evaluate sediment distribution, character and chemistry of the sediment, and to determine alternatives to control and cope with sedimentation,” said POA board member Scott Johnson.


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The cost estimate for Phase II is $180,000, of which $65,000 has been committed to by the DNR, leaving a $115,000 shortfall for funding. The POA has joined the county commissioners to cover that shortfall.

“At a special meeting of the board of directors called by President Troy Ellington on Saturday, there was a unanimous vote that the POA, as a stakeholder in the welfare of the lake, would contribute $20,000,” Johnson said. “In the meantime the county has committed to make up the difference of approximately $95,000.”

By so doing, the study can begin immediately, he stressed.

“The importance of starting Phase II immediately is to do much of the sampling prior to the sub-aquatic vegetation starting to grow as the lake water temperature begins to rise,” Johnson said.

Funded totally by the DNR, the POA, and the county, the effort will be a scientific study, giving a data base to go forward into the future to study trends of sediment deposits and knowing how to deal with its management, according to the POA.

“Members of the POA and the county commissioners have been providing input to the DNR that will greatly improve the validity of the study,” said Johnson. “The DNR has accepted much of that input and incorporated it into the scope of the work.”

He added that sedimentation is a natural process whereby soil is deposited through erosion into a body of water.

“The existing bathymetry map (water depth) of the lake is inadequate for this study, and hence, a new map of the entire lake represents a major effort of this study,” Johnson said.

According to the POA, Phase II study has four objectives:

1. To map the accumulated sediment in Deep Creek Lake.

2. To determine the physical and chemical properties of accumulated sediment.

3. To identify realistic, feasible, sustainable alternatives to address the removal and/or relocation of the sediment.

4. To identify the sources of the sediment inputs to the lake and develop strategies to minimize additional accumulations.

Results of the study will be released as they become available. A final report is due in approximately one year.

“The report will receive widespread dissemination to all stakeholders to allow for the maximum benefit of this investment,” said Johnson.

The POA has conducted two workshops over the past two years involving a wide range of Deep Creek Lake stakeholders.

“Brainstorming sessions, along with panel discussions, have proven to bring awareness to areas of concern, sediment being one of those concerns about the long-term health of the lake,” Johnson said. “The relationships among all the stakeholders have greatly improved through those workshops. The POA wishes to express its appreciation and thanks for the excellent working relationship that has been established between its membership, the county, and state offices. As stakeholders, we all want to maintain the wonderful recreational experience that Deep Creek Lake offers.”

More here.

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877-563-5350 – toll free

Commissioner candidate questions – Deep Creek Lake POA

I was reading up on the response of the candidates for the local Garrett County commissioners race, as posed by the Deep Creek Lake property owners association. Obviously, these are issues of primary concern to District 18 (Deep Creek Lake) property owners.

There are some interesting statistics that they quote at the very bottom, regarding their meeting with the Garrett County Assessment Office.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

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