County Executives Honor Customer Service Superheroes

/

No matter what's going on in their personal or professional life, they've got a smile on their face. And they get the job done right.

That's how Chief Administrative Officer Walt Ekard described the 23 County employees who were honored last week as "Customer Service Superheroes" at the Breakfast with Executives, an annual event hosted by the Department of Human Resources.

"If you're here today as a Superhero, it means you are the best of the best of what we have," Ekard told the Superheroes and department heads who gathered for breakfast at the Holiday Inn on the Bay.

"It's a big deal when someone takes the time after interacting with you to fill out a card, make a phone call or send an email."

The Superheroes were selected based on the number of Customer Service Hero nominations and/or customer service nominations they received over the past year. And two were included for going above and beyond in their jobs to help someone in need.

CTN.org was at the breakfast:

You can learn more about the program, and to see photos of the winners, here.

Microchips Reunite Lost Pets and Owners

/

Fewer than 4 percent of lost cats brought to shelters are reunited with owners. A microchip gives pets the best chance of being identified and returned home safely should they ever become lost.

The device is a small transponder, the size of a grain of rice, injected under the skin. It remains there for the life of the pet. The Department of Animal Services scans all incoming animals for the presence of a microchip. Animal Services is then able to locate the owners information through the number on the microchip.

Animal Services is providing free microchipping for cats during the month of October. CTN.org takes a closer look at micropchipping.

A Message from Deferred Compensation

/

National Save For Retirement Week is just around the corner: Oct. 18-24. The week should be a good reminder of the importance of saving beyond the pension system.  A crisis like we’ve had over the past year does not occur very often and it presents us with a great opportunity to improve our long-term investment returns. 

Nationwide retirement specialists will be available to answer all of your Deferred Compensation questions such as what the Deferred Compensation program is, what it means to invest pre-tax dollars, or how a change in contribution affects your paycheck.  They are available to meet with you for a one-on-one account review at your workplace. While they are not allowed to give financial advice, they are there to help guide you through the process so you can make the right investment decisions for yourself. For further information call the Deferred Compensation office at (619) 531-5840.

  • Oct. 20: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m, CAC Cafeteria, 1600 Pacific Highway, San Diego
  • Oct. 21: noon to 2 p.m., HHSA Rosecrans Lobby, 3851 Rosecrans St., San Diego
  • Oct. 21: noon to 2 p.m., COC Annex Hallway at Suite B, 5201 Ruffin Road, SD
  • Oct. 22: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Vista Courthouse Lobby, 325 S. Melrose Dr., Vista
  • Oct. 22: noon to 2 p.m., Hall of Justice Lobby, 330 W. Broadway, San Diego

Girl Raises Money for Animal Services

/

A little TV time for a local 10-year-old turned into a community project that got a University City neighborhood involved in helping local shelter animals.

Fifth-grader Chloe Dillingham-Jones was watching television when she saw an ad about abused and neglected animals.  The images stuck with her, and she decided she needed to do something.

"We've had animals my whole life, and it made me sad that some didn't have homes," Chloe said.

Before long, Chloe enlisted the help of family and a neighbor to bake cakes, cookies and bread.  Not willing to depend on word-of-mouth, Chloe also made flyers, posting them in her neighborhood and handing them out door-to-door. 

The result? Chloe raised $97 and some change in just two hours, selling out of every last treat.

Chloe’s parents rounded out the earnings to an even $100 and recently presented a check to the County of San Diego Department of Animal Services shelter.  The money will benefit the shelter’s medical fund.

"It felt really good to raise money for the animals. Animals that were sick will now be able to get better," Chloe said.

And, it made the shelter staff feel good to meet someone as caring as Chloe.

“In this time of economic hardship, Chloe is to be commended for her selfless act of kindness and generosity,” said Dawn Danielson, Director of the Department of Animal Services. 

“While many children are only concerned with buying the newest toy or doll, Chloe’s compassion should serve as an example for everyone.”

Chloe completed her trip to the shelter by visiting with some of the animals that will benefit from her donation.

Wildfire Season's Here; Pack Your Financial Grab 'n' Go

/

Every year as the Santa Ana winds kick up, we make mental notes of the things we’d take with us if a fire was headed our way. Sometimes we even put a few things by the front door. Photos, jewelry, baby books.

But what about identification, property records and health insurance cards? They’re a few of the things that should be packed away in an easy-to-carry, easy-to-access “financial grab ‘n’ go box,” and they’re crucial to your recovery should you lose your property, the County’s consumer expert says.

“These are records that would be necessary to establish your identity, apply for aid and start rebuilding your life,” said Patti Wooten Swanson, Nutrition, Family, and Consumer Science Advisor in the County’s Farm and Home Advisor Office.

“Packing these items ahead of time gives you peace of mind and allows you to concentrate on the most important thing in an emergency: getting yourself and your loved ones out safely,” Wooten Swanson said.

How do you do it? Gather all your important documents and photocopy or scan them. Add cash – about $50 per person – and a credit card, if desired. Place it all in re-sealable plastic bags and store them in a portable, secure, waterproof and fireproof container. Store the box in an easy-to-reach place and make sure everyone in the household knows where it is.

Among the documents to copy: IDs, a photo of each family member, marriage and divorce papers, adoption and birth records; important phone and account numbers and email addresses; credit cards and loans; tax returns; medical information; property records; and estate planning documents.

Learn more about putting together your financial grab 'n' box in this CTN.org video:


Be Careful With Pets During Heat Wave

/

The County Department of Animal Services is offering advice to keep pets safe and healthy as temperatures rise this week.

“Animals can suffer from heat stress just like humans do. It’s important to take steps to prevent it and to know when you should seek help,” said Dawn Danielson, Director of the County Department of Animal Services.

Signs of heat stress include: panting, rapid heartbeat, high fever, unresponsiveness, extreme listlessness or hyperactivity, vomiting, collapse or seizure. If you think your pet may be suffering from heat stress, try to lower its body temperature by moving the animal into the shade and applying cool water. Contact your veterinarian immediately.

You should also take the following steps to keep pets cool:

  • Walk your pet before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. when temperatures are cooler. Hot concrete and black top can burn and blister your pet’s paws.Bring your pet indoors into a cool area.
  • Give your pet fresh, cool water, and replenish it often.
  • Never leave animals unattended inside a vehicle at any time. Temperatures can quickly reach deadly levels even with windows slightly open and in mild weather.
  • If you see an animal in a car exhibiting any signs of heat stress, call your local animal control agency, humane society or police department immediately.

Text Your Loved Ones to Test Your Readiness

/

What would you do if a disaster occurred while you were separated from your family and you couldn’t reach them to see if they were ok? If you had an out-of-state contact, your family could text that person to provide an update on their safety status and location, and your contact could notify other family members as they checked in and assist in your reunification.

“We recommend that all residents talk with their families and establish an out-of-state emergency contact and meeting place in the event of an emergency,” said Ron Lane, director of the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services.

“Then we encourage them to take a few minutes out of their day on Friday to put that plan into practice.”

In San Diego County, County employees, 68 schools and up to 1,700 businesses will be participating in a nationwide “9/11 Drill Down for Safety” in partnership with the Safe America Foundation. In San Diego, employees and students are encouraged to text a simple message to their emergency contact that says, “I am safe. Heading to meeting place.”  

The drill will take place between 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. today.

The exercise will also serve as a test of our region’s phone texting surge capabilities as Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, Cricket and T-Mobile are participating and plan to track the number of text messages sent during this short time period.

The drill has three goals: to influence people to select an out-of-state emergency contact for their family; confirm that all family members are trained to text a message to that contact; and to ensure that the phone system can handle a surge in text messages or phonecalls during a specific time frame.

To pledge to drill, go to www.safeamerica.org. To obtain additional information on preparing for an emergency, visit www.readysandiego.org and download a copy of the family disaster plan under the Family tab.