Health and Safety

Editor’s note: This article has been updated since its original post on May 29 to include information on the quick link from the Poster home page.

Remember those fitness resolutions you made at the beginning of the year? Were you going to lose weight, quit smoking, reduce alcohol intake, or establish a regular workout routine?

If you have neglected some of these resolutions over the last few months, think about why—was it lack of time, lack of motivation, lack of direction, or some combination of these?

Dan Bertolette has been selected as the most recent NCI at Frederick Champion of Safety, as part of the Champions of Safety Program sponsored by the Environment, Health, and Safety Program (EHS).

The goal of the program, which began last year, is to raise awareness and promote a culture of safety by showing NCI at Frederick staff at work in their respective workplaces, according to Terri Bray, director, EHS. “Since we have so many varied work environments here, safety often takes on a different look, according to workplace. We want to take the opportunity to show real people in real situations, to encourage safety everywhere,” Bray said.

Editor’s note: This article is the second in a series describing one NCI at Frederick parent’s perspective on special needs parenting.

Many people living and working in the Washington, D.C., metro area have learned to speak the special language of acronyms, whether they are referring to the federal government, political groups, or other organizations.

The Fort Detrick gate hours will change beginning Friday, April 10.

The new hours were recently provided by the U.S. Army Garrison (USAG), Fort Detrick. NCI will continue to work with the USAG to address questions that may arise. Note that no changes have been made for facilities outside of the Fort Detrick campus (e.g., the Advanced Technology Research Facility).

By Jenna Seiss and Kylie Tomlin, Guest Writers, and Ashley DeVine, Staff Writer

Maryland residents face the possibility of dangerous winter weather each year—from icy conditions to frigid temperatures. You may be familiar with the different types of winter weather alerts issued by the National Weather Service (NWS), but do you know what each alert means?  

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Emergency Preparedness and Response website provides information on the different types of winter weather alerts.

As of Jan. 5, all visitors to Fort Detrick are required to undergo a National Crime Information Center background check prior to entering base. The background checks are conducted at Old Farm Gate. The new access procedures may cause delays at all Fort Detrick gates, but especially at Old Farm Gate.

Access requirements have not changed for employees and personnel with a federal/NIH PIV card. Other types of identification badges are no longer acceptable.

As winter weather approaches, take time to review the delayed opening, early dismissal, and closure procedures for NCI at Frederick on the facility’s inclement weather page.

To find out the operating status of NCI at Frederick in the event of inclement weather, call the recorded weather line at 301-619-7611, or check the Fort Detrick Facebook and Twitter pages. For complete information, consult Policy & Procedure No. 105: Delayed Opening/Closing or Early Dismissal of NCI at Frederick Personnel. 

Take a Hike Day – September 19

Occupational Health Services and the R&W Club teamed up again to hold Take a Hike Day on September 19. About 45 employees walked or jogged the 1.3-mile course around Fort Detrick during their lunch hours. The event is designed to encourage employees to engage in physical activity, according to Sarah Hooper, RN, manager of OHS. Sports pouch kits that included a water bottle, sunscreen, and an exercise band were given out as prizes to those employees who correctly answered walking trivia questions.  The next Take a Hike Day will be held in the spring.

Editor’s note: This article is the first in a series describing one NCI at Frederick parent’s perspective on special needs parenting.

By Melissa Porter, Staff Writer

My husband and I find calling ourselves “special needs parents” difficult. Yes, we do have a child who has autism, and yes, we approach each day differently, but I have never thought of that as special needs parenting.

Since the first outbreak of Ebola in western Africa and the subsequent cases in the United States, a lot of information has been circulating about the virus. To keep NCI at Frederick employees informed, the Poster staff has compiled the following list of reputable websites that provide accurate and up-to-date information about Ebola:

Global