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19, 1995 • T he
P ortland O bserver
HEALTH
When Someone Lies Bleeding,
Help Without Risking Infection
Northwest summers see a jump
in gashes, cuts and other bleeding
wounds as people head outdoors to
hike, ride bikes and play softball. So
now’s a good time to review how to
help accident victims while avoiding
exposure to any possible blood-borne
diseases.
According to Michael Blahnik,
MD, chiefof emergency medicine at
the Bess Kaiser Medical Center in
Portland, the two most common in
fectious blood-borne viruses in Ore
gon are AIDS and hepatitis B Peo
ple often carry these viruses without
being aware they are infected. “You
can't tell just by looking whether
someone has an infectious disease,"
says Dr. Blahnik. “So treat every
bleeding person with the same cau
tion. Avoid getting blood on your
skin.”
To do that. Dr. Blahnik offers
these suggestions:
If the injured person is awake
and not hurt too badly, ask him or her
to raise the bleeding wound above
the heart.
This greatly slows the flow of
blood.
Give the victim a tissue, a towel
or piece of clothing and have him or
her apply firm pressure to the wound.
If the injured person can't stop
the bleeding, you may need to raise
the wound and apply pressure. To
keep from touching the blood, Dr.
Blahnik suggests apply ing pressure
using layers of clothing, such as a
balled up t-shirt.
“Grab a piece o f rubber, plastic
oreven aluminum foil to put between
the cloth and your fingers,“ he says.
“If clothing becomes blood soaked,
place another piece o f clothing over
it. For serious bleeding, make sure
that 9-1-1 has been called ’’
Dr. Blahnik further advises:
As soon as possible wash thor
oughly with soap and water.
Take care not to touch clo th
ing or objects that have become
spattered or soaked with blood.
Give param edics every thing that
has been in contact with blood
for safe disposal.
If som eone else's blood does
get in your eyes, mouth or on an
open wound or sore, seek m edi
cal advice.
Moose Helps Developmentally Disabled Group
An organization serving people
with developmental disabilities has
honored PoliceChiefCharles Moose
and others for their community ser
vice.
Moose was singled out by the
Arc of Multnomah County for his
commitment and support of a train
ing project to educate all police per
sonnel in matters pertaining to indi
viduals who are mentally challenged.
A task force facilitated the train
ing and continues to meet and with
Moose's endorsement, develops cri
sis intervention teams.
A total of 17 awards were made
to outstanding volunteers, parents,
employers, professionals and others
at a recent annual meeting of the
organization .
The others honored included
Educator of the Year Sly Martin, a
Police C hief Charles M oose
special education teacher at
Roosevelt High School where she
designed a comprehensive commu-
nity based curriculum for students in
her life skills classes;
Volunteer of the Year Roberta
Gould of St. Vincent DePaul Eman
uel Plaza; and FosterCare Providers
of the Y ear Lequata and Willie Mont
gomery.
Recognized posthumously for
her service as a foster care provider
was Margaret Irons. Duane Cleary, a
resident of the St. Vincent DePaul
Emanuel Plaza, was honored as Cit
izen of the Year, an award which
recognizes an individual who has a
developmental disability and who has
made unusual personal gains and
contributions to the community.
The Arc o f Multnomah Coun
ty is a non-profit advocacy org a
nization serving children, adults
and fam ilies through an array o f
program s.
Hot Weather Dangerous For Pets
High temperatures can be dead
ly to unprotected animals. The Ore
gon Humane Society urges pet own
ers to take precautions to safeguard
their pets.
During a heat wave, the society
receives dozens of calls daily about
animals in distress.
Pets that live outdoors are par
ticularly at risk and need large quan
tities of fresh water and to be able to
rest in shade throughout the day.
When animals cannot be brought in
doors to a cool garage or basement it
may be necessary to construct a tem
porary shelter for protection from
the sun.
The society also asks pet owners
not to take their animals on trips
where they will have to be left in the
car even for a few minutes.
“You never know when that two-
minute dash into the grocery store
will take 10 or 15 minutes,” said
Karen Brittain, a spokesperson for
the human society.
“The inside of a car can reach
120 degrees within five minutes, even
with the windows left cracked. You
may come back to your car to find
your pet dead or dying. This is just a
good time to leave Bowser at home
for his comfort and your peace of
mind," Brittain said.
Anyone finding an animal in
distress is asked to immediately call
the Oregon Humane Society at 285-
7722. Should pet owners see that
their animals are suffering from heat
stroke. they should take immediate
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( ¡ J o r ila n h <©b s e m e r
R e a l W orld
Life presents
a lot of chal
lenges.
steps to lower the animal's body tem
perature and call a veterinarian.
The Oregon Health Plan
The Oregon Health Plan was
created to provide medical and den
tal care at no cost to low-income
Oregonians. A public information
session on the Oregon Health Plan
will be held on Thursday, July 27,
1995 at 2.30 pm The session is to be
held at Portland Community Col
lege 2850 SE. 82nd St. (Room C2)
You can get angry, and let your fear separate you from
your ambition. Or you can do something about it.
For fifty years the Urban League of Portland has helped
people of every age, sex and color take the steps necessary
to live their dreams.
Question: Does medicare cov
er mammograms?
Answer: Medicare medical in
surance (Part B) helps pay for X-ray
screening for the detection o f breast
cancer, if they are provided by a
Medicare-approved supplier. Wom
en 65 or older can use the benefit
every 24 months. Some younger
women covered by medicare can use
the screening benefit more frequent
ly. Your Medicare carrier can tell
you how often Medicare will pay for
a screening mammogram for you.
Medicare also pays for diagnostic
mammograms as needed when symp
toms are present.
Question: My son applied fora
drivers license recently and they
asked for his Social Security num
ber. He said they actually checked
with Social Security to see if it is
correct. Is this true?
Answer: Probably. State motor
vehicle agencies can now verity the
Social Security numbers provided
by applicants fordrivers licenses with
the Social Security Administration
under a new rule effective recently.
The provision is aimed at persons
who use fraudulent Social Security
numbers to get drivers licenses to use
as false identification for various il
legal activities, I E., to cash checks.
T he urban league
of P ortland
E àucation, E m ploym ent, E q u a lity
B
<£lp' Ü J u r tla n ô ( D b s e r u r r
We're
working
for you,
so you're
always
connected.
Sometimes, building a successful
business means you have to do it all.
You work into the wee hours o f the
yet again, just so you can make the
most important connection—that first
soccer game or that sixth birthday
party. And one day your hard
w ill pay off—for you, and for those
w ho w ill follow.
U S WEST understands w hat goes
into building a tradition o f excellence
that lasts for generations—because
w e’ve been w orking hard at it ourselves
for more than 100 years Today we offer
you unparalleled reliability in products
and services that helps your business
run just that much easier.
And so is your business.
liehest
10 N . R u u e ll S tre e t, P o rtla n d . O R 9 7 2 2 7
(5 0 3 ) 2 80 2600
• 1995 U S WEST, Inc
use credit cards, avoid child support
purchase or service for which your
payments.
number was requested
Question: Will my retirement
Question: I started receiving
pension from my job reduce the
Social Security retirement benefits
amount of my Social Security bene
this year. Will I have to pay taxes on
fit?
my benefits?
Answer: If you get a pension
Answer: About 20 percent of
from work where you paid Social
people who get Social Security have
Security taxes, it will not affect your
to pay taxes on their benefits. This
Social Security benefits. However, if
provision affects only people who
you get a pension from work that was
have substantial income in addition
not covered by Social Security-for
to their Social Security.
example, the federal civil service or
At the end of each year, you will
some state or local government em-
receive a Social Security Benefit
Statement (Form SSA-1099) in thè
ployment--your Social Security ben
efit may be lowered or offset.
mail showing the amount of benefits
Question: I applied for a charge
you received You can use this state
card and the company asked for my
ment when you are completing your
Social Security number. Isn’t it
federal income tax return to find out
against any kind of law to ask for
if any o f your benefits are subject to
someone’s Social Security number?
tax.
J
Can I refuse to give it to them?
For more information, call thic
Answer: The law generally does
Internal Revenue Service's toll-free
not prohibit any use of Social Secu
telephone number, I-800-829-36 7<i.
rity numbers by the private sector.
to ask fo r Publication 554 Tax In f o n
Although Social Security can’t pre
mat ion fo r Older Americans and
vent others from asking foryour num
Pubiication 915 Social Security Ben
ber, you should know that giving it to
efits and Equivalent Railroad R e
them does not give them access to
tirement Benefits.
J
your Social Security records. If a
For Social Security or Suppler
business or other enterprise asks for
mental Security Income Assistance
your Social Security number, you
telephone 1-800-772-1213. For
can refuse to give it to them. Howev
speech & hearing impaired assis
er, that may mean doing without the
tance, call 1-800-325-0778.
LOOKING FOR THE BEST VALUE IN ADVERTISING?
That way, you're always connected.
Now it's your turn. Call 280-2600.
y o u ’re applying.
For more eligibility informa
tion, call toll-free: I -800-359-9517
Local Portland Line: 273-
4310
TDD Line (For Hearing Im
paired): 1-800-621-5260
Local Portland TDD Line:
228-0236
Questions And Answers
morning, running those numbers
Like people
who will tell
you, "You'll
never make
it. You're not
smart enough.
You don't have
what it takes."
on Friday July 28, 1995 in the Port
land - Matt Dishman Center on 77
NE Knott, ( Room A -1 ).
Come to the inform ation ses
sion if you think you might be
eligible for the Oregon Health
Plan. Bring a copy o fy o u r social
security card and a copy o f p ro o f
o f income for the month in which
fl
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