Fulton County Observes Fire Prevention Week 2015

According to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) statistics, half of all U.S. home fire deaths occur at night between the hours of 11:00 pm and 7:00 am, when people are most likely to be sleeping. Having a working smoke alarm in the home cuts the risk of dying in a fire in half. On Saturday October 3, 2015, Fulton County’s Fire Rescue Department will hold its first Community Day to share information about fire prevention and safety. The event will take place from 11:00 am until 3:00 pm at The Enon Church located at 3550 Enon Road in College Park. All resident are invited to come out for the fun, food and infotainment while learning the importance of having working smoke alarms throughout their homes.

“We can’t stress enough the importance of smoke alarms in fire prevention and safety,” says Fulton County Fire Chief Larry Few. “I invite all residents to come out for our Community Day to speak to with us and other Fulton County departments to learn ways they can improve safety in their homes.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA):

• Having a working smoke alarm in the home cuts the risk of dying in a fire in half, on average each year.
• Three out of five home fire deaths result in fires where there are either no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
• In one-quarter (23 percent) of the home fire deaths smoke alarms were present but did not sound.

NFPA recommends:

• Installing smoke alarms inside every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement.
• Testing all smoke alarms every month by using the test button.
• Replacing all smoke alarms every 10 years or sooner if they don’t respond properly when tested.

Fulton County residents are encouraged to visit their local fire station during Fire Prevention Week to learn more about what steps they can take to prevent fires. For more information about Fulton County Fire Rescue Department events, call (404) 612-5700 or visit http://www.fultoncountyga.gov/fcfrd-about. Follow them on Twitter @FCFRD.

AJC reports that Roswell City Council has banned e-cigarettes in parks

The city joins a growing list of states and cities that have banned the sale or public use of electronic cigarettes. Some 46 states have passed laws banning e-cigarette sales to minors and twelve of them have also passed laws requiring child-proof packaging for e-liquids and e-cigarettes, according to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

While some see e-cigarettes as an alternative to tobacco cigarettes that might help smokers young and old quit, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other groups believe their growing use among that group is a troubling sign. Findings in the 2014 National Youth Tobacco Survey by the CDC show that e-cigarette use (use on at least 1 day in the past 30 days) tripled among middle school and high school students between 2013 and 2014.

Additionally, Reuters recently reported that the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has concluded that e-cigarettes come with too many unknowns to determine whether they are safe or effective for helping with smoking cessation and has refrained from recommending them to current smokers looking to kick the habit.

The Fulton County Department of Health and Wellness Partnerships to Improve Community Health (PICH) Program is working with community partners including the Smoke Free Coalition of Fulton County, Georgia Department of Public Health’s Georgia Tobacco Use  Prevention Program and the American Lung Association in Georgia to develop strategies and implement programs to prevent and reduce tobacco use as well as exposure to second-hand smoke among County residents. The PICH Program is made possible by funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under cooperative agreement #IU58 DP005568-01.  For more information, please email us at pich.grant@fultoncountyga.gov. 

Fulton County Welcomes Two Top Doctors to Health Services

Dr. David Sarnow

Two highly respected members of the medical profession have assumed leadership roles in the Fulton County Department of Health Services. They are Dr. David Sarnow, who effective today is the new Deputy Health Director, and Dr. David Holland, recently named the new Chief Clinical Officer for the Communicable Disease Prevention Branch of the Health Services Department.

County Manager Dick Anderson says, "Both of these exceptional medical professionals join Fulton County at a critical time and will undoubtedly make significant contributions to our strategic priority of public health."

Arriving directly from his most recent assignment as Chief of Aerospace Medicine in the United States Air Force, Dr. Sarnow has over 20 years of experience in the field of Public Health in both the civilian and military arenas. His most recent assignment has been as a Preventive Medicine physician and Public Health Emergency Officer at Little Rock Air Force base in Arkansas. His military career has taken him to bases in New Mexico, Texas, Alabama and Florida here at home and to South Korea, Iraq and Japan abroad.

Dr. David Holland

Preventing disease is a primary mission of Fulton County Health Services and Dr. Sarnow's focus on applying preventive medicine standards and planning ways to mitigate health hazards makes him a "good fit" for the County's integrated care system of delivering services. In addition, Dr. Sarnow has extensive managerial experience as well as training in medical emergency preparedness. He holds an M.D. degree from the University of South Florida, a Masters of Public Health degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health and a Bachelor's degree from Emory University.

Dr. Holland is no stranger to Fulton Health Services. Following his residency training at Emory University where he also earned his M.D. degree, he served as Fulton's Tuberculosis Clinic physician from August 2001 to June 2006. As Chief Clinical Officer of the Communicable Disease Prevention Branch, he will oversee the operations of the tuberculosis, sexually transmitted diseases and Ryan White HIV clinics. Dr. Holland completed his specialty training in Infectious Diseases at Duke University, where he was on faculty for five years and also served as a Medical Consultant for the North Carolina TB Program. He returned to Atlanta in 2014 to accept a position on faculty at Emory, where he has resumed work in the Fulton County TB Clinic. Dr. Holland has also served as a Medical Consultant for the Georgia TB Program.

Fulton County Commissioners Meet with Mayors of Fulton County

Members of the Board of Commissioners held another successful meeting this week with the mayors of Fulton County cities to discuss important issues such as economic development and transportation, in an effort to collaborate for the best outcomes for all residents. The meeting took place at the Fulton County Lewis Slaton Courthouse.

OneFulton Video Featuring Open Hand Atlanta Volunteer Barbara Antley

Barbara Antley has volunteered at Open Hand Atlanta for 18 years. Listen to her story about why volunteering at Open Hand is near and dear to her heart. At Open Hand, people from all walks of life come together to touch the lives of thousands of others who are not as fortunate.

Fulton County Residents Encouraged to Join the Nation for National Voter Registration Day 2015 on September 22nd

The Fulton County Department of Registration and Elections will join the nation on Tuesday, September 22, 2015 to celebrate National Voter Registration Day (NVRD). We encourage all eligible residents to register to vote or to update their registration status.  Started in 2012 for the presidential election, National Voter Registration Day was designed to create an annual moment when the entire nation focuses on registering Americans to exercise their most basic right—the right to vote.

Residents can obtain a voter registration form at one of three County offices:

- Fulton County Government Center (130 Peachtree Street, SW, Ste. 2186 Atlanta, GA 

30303)

- Fulton County North Service Center (7741 Roswell Road, Atlanta, GA 30350)

- Fulton County South Service Center (5600 Stonewall Tell Road, College Park, GA 30349)

Residents can also register online at www.fultonelections.com, at the local city hall, the

Georgia Department of Driver Services, or at any Atlanta Fulton County Library Branch.

The deadline for registering to vote for the 2015 Municipal General Election is Monday, October 5, 2015.

We urge registered voters to ensure their name and address with the department is up-to-date, especially if they have had recent changes.

The Department of Registration and Elections regularly partners with groups and organizations to conduct voter registration drives. Groups interested in scheduling a drive can contact the Department of Registration and Elections by phone (404) 612-7020, by fax 404-730-7024 or via email at Elections VoterRegistration@fultoncountyga.gov. 

For more information on voter registration and the upcoming November Election, log on to www.fultonelections.com or call (404) 730-7072.

Fulton County Career Expo For Job Seekers to Feature 38 Employers

Job seekers in Fulton County will  have the opportunity to talk to 38 employers who are ready to hire new employees. Commission Chairman John H. Eaves, District 7, and the Department of Housing and Community Development Office of Workforce Development will host a Career Expo to connect job seekers  with employers who are ready to hire within the next 30-60 days.

The Expo will be held Wednesday, October 14, 2015 from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at the Welcome All Park and Multipurpose Facility located 4255 Will Lee Road, College Park, Georgia 30349.

The Office of Workforce Development has received commitments from  38 employers   who will attend the Career Expo.    Some of those participating include  Sam's Club, Frito Lay, MARTA/MARTA Police, Goldbergs Concessions Corporation, Starwood Hotels, ComCast, UniverSoul Circus, State Farm and the  Atlanta Marriott Marquis.

To assist those seeking jobs to prepare for potential interview opportunities, the Office of Workforce Development will host four workshops to help them prepare effective resumes and learn how to participate in interviews that will gain positive attention from potential employers. Additionally, the workshops will teach applicants how to dress for success. A lack of attention to any one of the aforementioned items can propel an applicant to the bottom of the list of candidates that could receive second interviews or a potential job offer.

The Job Readiness Preparation workshops will be held on the following dates:

Thursday, October 1, 2015 – 9:00am – 12:00pm and 1:00pm – 5:00pm
South Fulton Service Center
5600 Stonewall Tell Road
College Park, Georgia 30349

Thursday, October 8, 2015 – 9:00am – 12:30pm and 1:30pm – 4:00pm
Southwest Branch
3665 Cascade Road SW
Atlanta, GA 30331

Workforce Development offers the following resources throughout the year to help Fulton County citizens in need of employment:

• Career Advisement to help set career goals and education requirements

• Assistance with resume preparation

• Schedule participation in a Job Readiness Prep Workshop

• Learn appropriate ways to dress to file in-person applications or attend interviews and job fairs

• Obtain free training if the employment seeker meets eligibility criteria

Citizens in need of reasonable accommodation due to a disability including communications in alternative format should contact Audra Pender in the Housing and Community Development Department at 404-613-7944. For Georgia Relay Access, dial 711.

Become a Fan of Fulton County: www.facebook.com/fultoninfo.

Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/fultoninfo.

 

 

Atlanta Falcons Surprise First Responders with Visits to Fire Stations

In commemoration of September 11th, Atlanta Falcons players surprised fire stations in Fulton, Gwinnett and Hall counties to thank our city and county firefighters for their service, hard work, and dedication on Wednesday, September 9. 

Atlanta Falcons players Adrian Clayborn and Ryan Schraederbe signed autographs, posed for photographs and toured the different stations. Also courtesy of Papa Johns, the players and Freddie the Falcon handed out pizzas to the firefighters as well. 

Transportation Unveiled New Traffic Signal at the Intersection of Campbellton Road at Union Road / Riverside Drive in South Fulton County

Fulton County officially unveiled the new traffic signal and intersection improvements at Campbellton Road at Union Road / Riverside Drive on Wednesday, September 9, 2015.

 

The completion of the project comes after a collaborative effort between Fulton County's Traffic Operations Section, Community and Planning - Zoning Division, Walton Properties, Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), GreyStone EMC, Brooks Berry Haynie, SEI Engineering, as well as the Fulton County Board of Commissioners.

 

The construction of the signal at the intersection comes after several members of the community advocated for improved traffic controls in the heavily traveled area.  Fulton County Board of Commissioners were present at the event, as well as, community members and school officials.

Fulton County Manager Names Chief Information Officer and Finance Director

Fulton County Manager Dick Anderson has named two key members of the Fulton County Executive Team - Chief Information Officer Sallie Fulsom Wright and Finance Director Hakeem Oshikoya.  Both appointments are effective immediately.

 

"The roles of CIO and Finance Director are critical in helping lead Fulton County to realize the vision of being First in efficiency, service and impact," said Anderson.  “Wright and Oshikoya each bring decades of experience and expertise in their respective fields and we are excited to have them as members of the Fulton County leadership team.”

The CIO will lead the Fulton County Information Technology team 

and guide the County’s efforts to become a leader in digital government.  Sallie Fulsom Wright brings more than 30 years of experience in information technology executive leadership. She previously served as Deputy CIO for Georgia State University and held technology leadership 

positions at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the University of North Carolina and within the private sector.  Her specialty areas include strategic planning, enterprise infrastructure implementation, technology security and compliance, and business continuity and disaster recovery plans. Wright holds a Master’s degree in Management from Webster University and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Northeastern University.  Last month she was inducted into the PinkTech Hall of Fame, which recognizes female leaders in Information Technology.

The Fulton County Finance Director is responsible for preparing and managing Fulton County’s 

annual budget, totaling nearly $1 billion across all funds.  Hakeem Oshikoya has served Fulton County’s Finance Department since 2006, most recently as Interim Finance Director and previously as Budget Manager.  He has more than 25 years of experience in public sector finance, including service with the City of South Miami and the City of Florida City, where he served as Chief Financial Officer. Oshikoya is a Certified Public Account who holds a Master’s degree in Economics/Accounting and a Bachelor’s degree in Finance, both from Southern Illinois University. He is also a Certified Government Financial Manager.

 

Since joining Fulton County in March, Anderson has appointed 13 members of the Executive Team.

Fulton County’s Kinship Care Program Seeks Volunteer Tutors to Assist Children

Fulton County’s Kinship Care Program needs volunteers to provide homework assistance weekly for elementary, middle and high school students enrolled in the Kinship Care Program. Currently, the program is seeking qualified volunteer tutors to provide weekly homework assistance.  

The Homework Assistance program serves about 20 participants, all of whom reside in Fulton County, and attend school within the Atlanta Public School District or Fulton County School District. The academic subjects targeted will be math, science, and reading. 

Tutors can utilize library resources such as computers and books to provide further assistance.   Homework Assistance sessions will be held from 3:30 p.m.- 6:00 p.m. on Wednesdays in the East Point Library meeting room. The East Point Library is located at 2757 Main Street in East Point, GA 30344. Volunteers will be needed 1-2 ½ hours weekly. 

The 2015 Homework Assistance sessions will be held on the following dates: September 9, 2015, September 16, 2015, September 23, 2015, September 30, 2015, October 7, 2015, October 14, 2015, October 21, 2015, October 28, 2015, November 4, 2015, November 11, 2015, November 18, 2015, December 9, 2015 and December 16, 2015.

The Fulton County Aging and Youth Services Department, Office of Children and Youth’s Kinship Care Program provides services to children and youth who are being raised by their relatives (grandparents, uncle, aunt, etc.). For more information, contact Velma Hooker-Green at 404-612-9034 or via e-mail at velma.hooker-green@fultoncountyga.gov. All volunteers will have to consent to a background check.