News

Rogoff Scholarship Winner Brings Safety Home

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Lauren Ritchie of Lancaster NY, the first winner of the Arlayne & Stephen D. Rogoff Scholarship, learned to prevent injuries through a very personal experience: caring for her beloved grandmother.

The Rogoff Scholarship application requires an essay outlining the candidate’s personal experience with a preventable injury or in-home danger and their plans to generate awareness or educate others on such risks. In her essay, Ritchie wrote of her close relationship with her grandmother, “my first true friend.”  When a near-fatal infection and multiple surgeries left her grandmother needing assistance, prone to falls, and vulnerable to injuries in her own home, “She became more dependent on me and our roles were reversed.”

The steps that Ritchie and her family took to protect her grandmother make a good checklist for anyone: They reviewed her home for tripping hazards and removed them, placed night lights, and bought grab bars, non-slip mat, and a shower seat for the bathroom. They installed smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in main areas and the bedroom, and, crucially, put reminders in family member’s calendars to regularly change each detector’s battery.

With these devices and prevention measures in place, Ritchie wrote, “I began to see her life return to normal again.” Now 91, her grandmother continues to live independently.

Ritchie plans to continue to spread awareness of preventable injuries as a Physician Assistant specializing in gerontology.

The Arlayne & Stephen D. Rogoff Scholarship was established by their children — Scott, Brett and Robyn — along with their families and the Prevention 1st Board of Directors.  Mr. Rogoff was a tremendous friend to Prevention 1st, and co-founded the organization’s first major fund raiser, a Golf Tournament in 2013. The $1,000 scholarships are awarded to recipients who best demonstrate Stephen’s empathetic and actionable character. For more information contact info@prevention1st.og.

Mark Your 2020 Calendar!

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The seventh annual Jane and Larry Glazer Memorial Golf Tournament to benefit Prevention 1st will be held Monday, September 20. Board members Michael Chatwin and Jessica Holly will co-chair the event, which this year will move to a new location: Irondequoit Country Club.

The Golf Tournament is a major source of support for Prevention 1st’s injury prevention programs, last year raising more than $44,000. Watch for details and registration information in the coming months.

Prevention 1st Names Officers for 2020

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Prevention 1st is pleased to announce our Board officers for the coming year.

Jack Dinaburg will serve as President as Molly Clifford steps down. We wish her all the best in her new life in Philadelphia!

Michael Chatwin, who has served on the Golf Tournament committee since its inception, will serve as one of two vice-presidents. Rick Glazer will continue as our second vice-president.  Our thanks to Bob Crandall for his prior service in this office.

Troy Whigham will continue as Treasurer.

Jessica Holly, co-chair of the Golf Tournament, will serve as Secretary. Thank you to Jen Glanton Ralph for her service.

We would also like to thank and recognize several Board members who have retired from the Board this year: Andrea Demeo, Michael Hirsch, Carolyn Kourofsky and Stewart Moscov.

Meet our full board here.

Child-Resistant Caps Still Need You to Prevent Medication Overdoses

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Child-resistant caps on medication bottles have helped reduce fatal poisonings of young children in the U.S. since they were mandated decades ago. But they can only protect children if they’re in place.

The holiday season brings visits to and from friends and families of all ages. Grandparents and adults who don’t usually have young children under the same roof may need to be reminded to carefully replace the cap on medications and keep medication bottles out of sight and reach.

Medications have overtaken household products such as cleaning fluids as the leading cause of child poisonings, and the number of ED visits and calls to poison control centers for medication overdoses is rising. Between 2005 and 2009, ED visits for medication overdoses among children younger than 5 years rose 20%.*

The peak incidence for unintentional medication overdoses is in 2-year-olds. It’s an age when young children are developing greater ability to move around on their own—and when their ability to reach surfaces previously out of reach can increase unexpectedly from one week to the next.

For all ages, analgesics (painkillers) are the #1 substance involved in poisonings reported to poison control centers, responsible for 11% of such poisonings.

The initiative Preventing Overdoses and Treatment Exposures Task Force (PROTECT) is promoting development of a new generation of safety packaging to limit the amount of medication a child could ingest even if a child-resistant cap has not been re-secured properly.

Acknowledging that even enhanced safety packaging will not be 100% “child-proof,” PROTECT has also launched the “Up and Away” public education campaign to promote safe use and storage of medications. Among their suggestions:  program the national poison control number (800-222-1222) into your cell phone.

Find more tips for preventing poisonings and other injuries in Prevention 1st’s Safety Resources.

*Data from the National Center for Health Statistics, National Vital Statistics System, and Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

When the Smoke Alarm Goes Off, Get Out. You Have Less Time Than You Think.

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Fire and smoke spread faster in modern homes.

Having a working smoke alarm, responding right away when it sounds, and having and practicing a plan to get out quickly are more crucial today than ever.

Modern homes are more susceptible to rapid fire spread, according to a study* by UL, a global safety certification company. The average U.S. home size has increased 56% since 1980, and more homes have two stories. The larger the home, the more air is available to sustain and grow a fire. Newer homes are also more likely to incorporate open floor plans, taller ceilings, great rooms and two-story foyers, which can contribute to rapid smoke and fire spread.

Modern building materials and furnishings are also more likely to include faster-burning synthetic materials and/or combustible materials.

UL conducted a number of fire experiments involving rooms made with either modern or “legacy” materials (contents that might have been found in a mid-20th century house), recording the time it took for “flashover” (a fire spreading very rapidly across a gap because of intense heat) to occur. These experiments found that while flashover took 29 minutes or more in legacy rooms, in modern rooms it took less than 5 minutes. In addition, modern windows and doors fail more rapidly than their legacy counterparts, which can allow more air in to fuel the fire.

Average fire department time to residential fires from 2004 to 2009 was approximately 6.4 minutes according to the National Fire Incident Reporting System.

A working smoke alarm can reduce your risk of dying in a fire by 50%–if it is working, you respond to it immediately, and you can get out quickly, even in darkness. Here’s how to keep yourself and your family safer:

  1. Test your smoke alarms, ideally monthly, even if they have long-life batteries or are hard-wired.
  2. Plan ahead, and know how everyone in your home will get out, especially from bedrooms.
  3. Keep bedroom doors closed; whether modern or legacy they provide a barrier against smoke and heat. Feel the door with the back of your hand. If it’s hot, put down a towel or other material to keep out smoke, and go to a window to exit or signal to firefighters.
  4. If the alarm sounds, don’t waste time looking for the source—get out, then call 9-1-1.

*Kerber, S. Analysis of Changing Residential Fire Dynamics, UL, 2012.

How Safe Is Your Airbnb?

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How Safe Is Your Airbnb?

When searching for your next Airbnb you might check out location, number of bedrooms, and whether it has a kitchen. But what about fire safety?

A study by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health analyzed Airbnb listings across 17 countries. It found that less than half of Airbnb venues that allow smoking are equipped with smoke detectors, while nearly two-thirds of venues that do not allow smoking are equipped with smoke detectors.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, smoking was the leading cause of home fire deaths in the U.S. for the five year period of 2012-2016. Overall, one of every 31 home smoking material fires resulted in death.

A working smoke alarm can cut your risk of dying in a fire by 50%–but it must be working. Test smoke alarms when you arrive at your Airbnb, and take note of all exits and the pathways to them. Think about how you will get out if the alarm sounds in the middle of the night. Be sure to keep pathways free of clutter.

If you smoke, use only fire-safe cigarettes, use a deep sturdy ashtray, don’t discard cigarettes in vegetation such as potted plants, and never smoke in bed.

Join Us Oct. 27…

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To say goodbye to Molly Clifford and wish her well in her January move to Philadelphia, with a fun-and-fundraising Football Party to benefit Prevention 1st and Mary’s Place Refugee Outreach:

McGinnity’s Restaurant and Party House

534 West Ridge Road, Rochester, NY 14615

Philadelphia Eagles v. Buffalo Bills

12:30pm to game end!

$30 /person or $50/couple

R.S.V.P. by Monday, October 21 to info@prevention1st.org

Please make checks payable to Prevention First Foundation.

Golf Tournament Raises $44,000+ to Prevent Injuries

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The 2019 Jane and Larry Glazer Memorial Golf Tournament was our biggest fundraiser yet, raising more than $44,000 to benefit Prevention 1st.

This year 104 golfers turned out, with 144 people attending the post-tournament dinner at Midvale Country Club. Harvey Bunis and Scott Rogoff were our outstanding MCs for the dinner program.

Congratulations to our winning golfers:

1st Place Men’s (59): Eric Koehler, Joel Chiarenza, Zachary Buschner, Ryan Wegman

1st Place Mixed (70): Tom Marletta, Chuck Marletta, Jason Warner, Darlene Tool

Closest to the Pin # 4 (Men): Michael Pattison, 3’2”           

Closest to the Pin # 4 (Women): Shelley VanLare, 28’01”

Closest to the Line #7 (Men): Michael Cimino

Closest to the Line #7 (Women): Heidi Burke

SKINS

Hole #2,3 Birdie (3,4) Jared Dinaburg, Cliff White, Scott Chase, Griffin Byrns

Hole #10 Eagle (3) Scott Rogoff, Brett Rogoff

Hole #13 Birdie (2) Peter Cook, David Cook, Kyle Bennett, Ed Cook

Thanks to all of our golfers and attendees, and to Midvale Country Club for their outstanding service and support.

And special thanks to our 2019 Golf Committee: Co-chairs Jessica Holly and Michael Chatwin; Harvey Bunis; Molly Clifford; Jack Dinaburg; Kristin Fulford; Rick Glazer; Eric Koehler; Stewart Moscov; David Pelusio; Sarabeth Rogoff; Scott Rogoff, and Joan Updaw.

Tournament Sponsors

Abrams Fensterman, LLP

Buckingham Properties, LLC

Ralph Honda

Sage Rutty

Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC          

Flag Sponsors

Barclay Damon, LLP

Community Health Strategies

Cooley Group, Inc.

Cathy & Jack Dinaburg

Dolomite Products Company, Inc.

Glazer Family

Debbie & David Pelusio

Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC

Tee Sponsors

Abrams Fensterman, LLP

Barclay Damon, LLP

Bell Cornerstone

Browncroft Family Restaurant

Buckingham Properties, LLC

Harvey S. Bunis, Esq.

Canandaigua National Bank

Citizens for Joseph Robach

Molly Clifford

Robert Cole & Daryl Sharp

Cook Properties

Mark Crandall

Developmental Disabilities Giving Circle

Ernstrom & Dreste LLP

Fire Chief John Caufield and Susan Walz

First American Title Insurance Company

Flaherty Salmin CPAs

Graham Construction

Greater Rochester Health Foundation

Heritage Financial Services, LLC

Kevin & Three Ladies

Kiwanis West Central

Mengel Metzger Barr & Co, LLP

Palmer Food Services

Perlo’s Restaurant

Perri’s Pizzeria at the Brighton Pub

Pickle Factory

Ralph Honda

Rochester Area Community Foundation

Rochester Hardwood Floor

Heather & Brett Rogoff

Ruda Investment Group

James Sheppard

Sage Rutty and Co.

Sign Design

Sharon P. Stiller

The Insurance Marketplace Agency

Trillium Health

Upstate Special Needs Planning

Webster Schubel Meier Elder Law

West Webster Volunteer Firemen’s Association, Inc.

‘Safe at Home’ Graduates Gain Safety and Pride

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Sheryl Watts

Sheryl Watts, a Safe at Home trainer for Prevention 1st, sees firsthand the positive effect the program has on individuals and their families

Recently she worked with Christopher, a young man who lives with his parents and was excited every week about what he was learning. And he loved sharing his knowledge, often saying at the end of his session with Sheryl: “I can’t wait for Dad to come home so I can teach him this!”

His excitement rose highest at the final session, when he was able to perform all the safety techniques he’d learned without prompting. When Sheryl told him he was officially graduated and would get a certificate, his reveled in his accomplishment:  “I can’t believe I did that!”

Safe at Home trainers all have a fire safety background. Sheryl also works full-time at Lifetime Assistance, where she is in charge of fire safety.  Each training starts with an assessment of any fire hazards in the home, and for this Sheryl often teams up with another trainer who has experience as a firefighter.

At the first session she also assesses the current fire safety knowledge of the person being trained.  Then in 30-45 minute in-home weekly sessions, Sheryl teaches them about cooking safety, identifying fire hazards, locating and testing smoke alarms, exiting when the alarm goes off, and calling 9-1-1. Each week the previous week’s lessons are also reviewed.

Training may last from 3 weeks to 8 weeks depending on the person’s knowledge at the beginning and how well they retain new knowledge. At the end of each of Christopher’s sessions, Sheryl talked about what he had learned with his mother, who worked with him between weekly sessions.

“Actually practicing the techniques is important,” explains Sheryl. “Christopher learned how to exit his bedroom safely if the alarm goes off:  test the door using the back of the hand, take a cell phone and shoes, and if the door is hot how to block smoke from under the door and go to the window to signal for help”.

Safe at Home is customized to the individual. Sheryl has worked with one young woman with autism who wasn’t very verbal.  So they made picture cards together and then used them as part of learning.

“I’d ask ‘There’s a noise going off, what could that be?’ And she’d point to the alarm, “ Sheryl explains.  “We’d lay out the cards in a sequence showing what might make the alarm go off—fire—and what we should do next—an exit.”

All of Sheryl’s trainees have one thing in common:  “They really want to learn, and to be safe.”

Seeing the sense of accomplishment they get from their achievements is very rewarding for Sheryl. So is their determination to apply what they’ve learned. For example, at the beginning of his training Christopher could find the smoke alarm but didn’t know how to test it. Sheryl demonstrated the test button and they discussed how important it is that the alarm is always working. Now Christopher is looking forward to testing those alarms–with his father–every month.