- Warren's Words of Wisdom: Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No!! "Holy Radio Frequency Batman...It's a small cell site mounted on power poles!!"
- Signal Spotlights: What Do Pilots, Surgeons and Traffic Signal Technicians Have in Common?
- 3 Seconds Behind the Wheel Has Been Nominated for Two Emmy Awards!
- Innovation Station: UTSA Creates Vehicle-Detecting Stop Sign to Improve Rural Road Safety
- Town Crier: Vernon Public Works Employees Awarded Citizen's Award
- Waterbury Celebrates National Public Works Week with Grand Opening of New Public Works Facility
- May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month
- Creating Parks and Public Spaces for People of All Ages
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Warren's Words of Wisdom: Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No!! "Holy Radio Frequency Batman...It's a small cell site mounted on power poles!!"
by Warren Rogers, C.S.P.
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Now that you know what to look for, what are they and how can they hurt you?
These small cell sites are being installed to fill in gaps in locations where cell signals are weak (ever have a call drop?). They emit high energy radio frequency (RF) that if you are close enough to, you can get internal injuries from, something like a microwave energy causing heat build-up in internal organs. In order for them to affect you, you have to be within 5 feet of an energized antenna for at least 5 minutes.
What can you do to protect yourself?
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Signal Spotlights: What Do Pilots, Surgeons and Traffic Signal Technicians Have in Common?
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The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress was key to the success of the Allied forces during WWII, dropping more bombs than any other U.S. aircraft. However, before the aircraft achieved greatness the prototype crashed during its first test flight in 1935, killing three. The well-seasoned Army Air Corps test pilot, who had piloted over 60 new aircraft, forgot to remove a locking device before takeoff. Following this incident Boeing implemented a pre-flight checklist and logged 1.8 million hours without incident, proving to the Army they were safe to fly. Due to this success, the pre-flight checklist is now a staple in the field of aviation.
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In 2007, the World Health Organization (WHO) implemented the Surgical Safety Checklist. The checklist was created by Dr. Atul Gawande, a successful surgeon, and a team of seasoned medical professionals. According to findings published in the New England Journal of Medicine, post-operative complication rates and death rates fell by 36 percent on average with the use of the checklist. Dr. Gawande, who helped create the checklist, has experienced several surgeries where without the use of the checklist he likely would have killed his patient.
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If you have traffic signal systems questions, please contact:
Theresa Schwartz, P.E., P.T.O.E. - Traffic Signal Circuit Rider
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3 Seconds Behind the Wheel
Has Been Nominated for Two Emmy Awards!
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In 2017, our colleagues from the Connecticut Transportation Safety Research Center (CTSRC) were asked to be involved in research for a Connecticut Public Television documentary about the dangers of distracted driving. That documentary,
3 Seconds Behind the Wheel
, follows eight drivers in Connecticut and Florida over six months, using in-car cameras to capture their driving behaviors and distractions behind the wheel. CTSRC researchers, along with experts from MIT and Cambridge Mobile Telematics, provided analysis and feedback about the observed behaviors to the documentary crew and the executive producer/director/writer Jennifer Boyd of Boyd Productions.
Describing it as a "groundbreaking documentary," the national television show Good Morning America ran a segment on
3 Seconds Behind the Wheel
, seen
here
, to kick off National Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April. And more recently, the documentary has been nominated for two New England Regional Emmy Awards in the categories of Documentary and Editing.
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Congratulations to Jennifer Boyd and editor Cecilia Préstamo, and of course to the Connecticut Transportation Safety Research Center. Job well done!
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UTSA Creates Vehicle-Detecting Stop Sign to Improve Rural Road Safety
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Engineers from the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) are building and testing a new low-cost, self-powered thermal system that can detect vehicles, improve the visibility of stop signs and help to improve safety, particularly on rural roads.
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Vernon Public Works Employees Awarded Citizen's Award
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On August 7, 2018, a Town of Vernon public works crew was working in the area of Merline Road when a motor vehicle accident occurred at the intersection of Talcottville Road and Merline Road. The accident turned out to be serious with victims trapped and needing extrication. The public works employees, Robin St.Germain, Brian Roy, and Kevin Gardner quickly assisted the Town of Vernon Fire Department at the motor vehicle accident.
With no hesitation, under the direction of the Rescue Company Lieutenant (also a DPW Foreman), Jeff Schambach, they assisted with direction of traffic, setting wheel chocks, and pulling out extrication equipment and cords for the Sawzall.
Because of their help, the Town of Vernon Fire Department was able to formulate a safe extrication plan to get the entrapped driver out of the vehicle. The Town of Vernon is proud to have members of the community such as these who are willing to help others in their time of need. They were awarded a Citizen’s Award by the Town of Vernon Fire Department for their efforts.
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Pictured above:
Front Row - Robin St.Germain Vernon DPW, Brian Roy Vernon DPW, Lieutenant Jeff Schambach Rescue 141 (DPW Foreman)
Back Row – Deputy Chief Chris Hammick, Assistant Chief Alan Arel, Assistant Chief Rob Babcock, Chief Steven Eppler
Not Pictured and unable to attend – Kevin Gardner Vernon DPW
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Waterbury Celebrates National Public Works Week with Grand Opening of New Public Works Facility
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"Public Works: It Starts Here."
The poster of the 2019 theme of National Public Works Week is proudly displayed in the foyer of the new City of Waterbury Public Works Facility at 526 Huntington Avenue, in Waterbury, CT. The City of Waterbury will be celebrating National Public Works Week in a very special way this year. On Sunday, May 19, 2019 at 1:00 pm, they will have a Grand Opening/Ribbon Cutting of their new Public Works Facility.
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This facility brings together all of the public works bureaus that perform operational tasks within the department, including Fleet Services, Traffic Maintenance, Street Maintenance, Refuse/Recycling Operations and Park Maintenance. Click
here
to view the event flyer, inviting all of those who would like to attend and celebrate this special occasion with the City of Waterbury. There will be guided tours, refreshments and entertainment in addition to the City of Waterbury Public Works Second Annual "Fill-a-Truck" Food Drive.
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May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month
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Many states have taken steps to raise awareness regarding Lyme and tick-borne diseases. Declaring May "Lyme Awareness Month” is one move to help remind people that spring is here, ticks are out, and prevention and proper education are your best tools to staying healthy.
The T2 Center has developed a
Tailgate Talk
for your crews, providing very practical tips to keep them safe during their spring and summer public works activities. Please take a moment during May to review with them.
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Creating Parks and Public Spaces for People of All Ages
A free, step-by-step guide to developing fun, safe and healthy outdoor places
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Public parks are important places to build a sense of community and social belonging. They are spaces that belong to everyone, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, religion or income.
However, the way parks are designed, maintained and programmed doesn't always reflect the purpose and promise of such uniquely public spaces. Pinched for funds by competing priorities, many municipalities neglect their park networks or fail to invest in these vital places as their communities grow and change.
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Use these links to get more information about the Connecticut Training and Technical Assistance (T2) Center:
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If you have any ideas or suggestions for future
Connecticut Crossroads
topics, please feel free to email the designer Regina Hackett at
[email protected]
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