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Write a 150 word reply to Micheal post below

Note: when you reply:

Is the reply mechanically clear enough for readers to understand the points?

Does the tone of the reply demonstrate respect towards the author of the original post?

Does the reply inspire further discussion among the class?

Micheal,

My selection from Week 2 is Special Needs. Special needs people need to be carefully tended to during the COVID pandemic. What is a person with special needs? A person qualifying for special needs is primarily someone medically dependent on electricity (i.e. electricity needed for life-support equipment), oxygen, or individuals with physical, cognitive, or medical conditions who may require basic assistance from medical professionals. Special needs clients may also include persons with regular need for assistance with medications and/or observation, dementia, chronic conditions that require assistance and persons with contagious health conditions that require minimal precautions or isolation (rare in shelter). (Florida, 2017)

During the pandemic, special needs people have difficulty getting to appointments with physicians, therapists, and other professionals due to the closings of many offices. During the pandemic, mental health issues will increase. People will be confined to their residence. These issues will only make the factors become worse especially those with mental health issues.

My reasoning for selecting special needs is, these people have more difficulty than those without disabilities. As a paramedic, I have been involved in stressful situations with those with special needs. I feel I have more experience than the average person who could help these people.

My response plan for those special needs people with mental health issues will be as follows.

People with pre-existing mental health conditions or substance use disorders may be particularly vulnerable in an emergency.  Mental health conditions (Links to an external site.)  (such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia) affect a person’s thinking, feeling, mood or behavior in a way that influences their ability to relate to others and function each day. These conditions may be situational (short-term) or long-lasting (chronic). People with preexisting mental health conditions should continue with their treatment and be aware of new or worsening symptoms. If you think you have new or worse symptoms, call your healthcare provider. (Control, July 2020)

Those with mental health issues need to be reassured that there is a delay in treatment and therapies. Explain to the people what a pandemic is and what is being done to resolve this pandemic.

If possible, take the people on a short walk or ride. A mask might be required for this task. This can aid the person by getting out of their residence and helping with any issues they are having.

Try to have extra supplies on hand. There are several community-based organizations and people that are willing to volunteer to pick up supplies and deliver for no charge.

 Prepare the residence. Try to have masks and hand sanitizers readily available. This will reduce the spread of the virus. Clean the residence often. Using an approved sanitizer for surfaces. This may also stop the spread.

Take time for yourself. During this pandemic and people being confined to their residence, mental health will take a toll. Take some deep breaths, go for a walk, read a book, watch a movie. These are suggestions to keep a sane household.

Check on family, friends, and others in the Community. This is important to check on others to make sure their mental health is well. You can reassure them that there are ways to cope with this pandemic. Checking on people in the community. People living in assisted living nursing homes have endured many setbacks during this pandemic. No visitors, no family are allowed inside. Hospitals are also in this situation as well.

 

References

Control, C. o. (July 2020). Coping with stress.

Florida, C. o. (2017). Emergency Preparedness - Special Needs.

 

Write a 150 word reply to David post below

when you reply:

Is the reply mechanically clear enough for readers to understand the points?

Does the tone of the reply demonstrate respect towards the author of the original post?

Does the reply inspire further discussion among the class?

David,

South Florida has many local infrastructure areas that need improvement. Each city has their own local mitigation strategies and projects that are funded by local, state, or federal funds that will improve roads, bridges, and all public transportation. With so many different types of projects, I have chosen the roads, bridges, and seawalls in Miami-Dade County for this assignment for several reasons outlined below.

Roads

The roads throughout Miami-Dade County don’t have the appropriate capacity to handle the increasing traffic flows that are using the roads. Additionally, many of the roads have large potholes which cause a tremendous amount damage to vehicles that strike them. In my opinion, roads that have undergone repairs seem to be in worse shape than before the repairs for example, pavement being uneven, large patch work, or have manhole covers installed directly in line where your tires drive. (Miami Road Safety Overview, 2019). To avoid them you have to swerve around them and could contribute to unsafe driving or an accident.                                                

Bridges

            Traveling around Miami-Dade County you’re sure to drive or walk over one of the 8 drawbridges or 195 vehicular or pedestrian bridges. (Services, M. n.d.). Bridges along coastal roadways and in residential neighborhoods undergo strict maintenance inspections, but with salt water erosion issues of metal components in both concrete and metal constructed bridges, have many bridges needing structural repairs. In addition to structural repairs, concerns with sea-level rise has mitigation projects for bridges to be raised. This type of project will be costly but could save millions of dollars of property damages and loss of life if residents cannot evacuate during extremely high “king tides” or in a hurricane scenario. In my opinion, these lower laying bridges over residential canals have just as many hazardous concerns as with elevated and draw bridges.  

Seawalls

In South Florida, especially in Miami-Dade County, “king tides”, the highest predicted high tides of the year occur in both the spring and fall months. If they occur at the same time as other bad weather conditions like an afternoon thunderstorm, windy conditions, and an approaching hurricane, results in severe flooding of low-lying streets near coastal areas. (Prepare for King Tides in coastal and low-lying areas October 24, 2019). Some areas around Miami have seawalls to prevent the rising waters to infiltrate the streets, however a larger percentage of areas are not protected by seawalls, primarily on Miami Beach. Mitigation projects have been ongoing to address this problem and will continue to be submitted, approved, and funded to resolve this problem of city streets being buried underwater.

 

References

Miami Road Safety Overview. (2019, April 10). Retrieved July 27, 2020, from https://www.makeroadssafe.org/miami-road-safety-overview/

Services, M. (n.d.). Dade County - Transportation and Public Works - Roads, Bridges & Canals. Retrieved July 27, 2020, from https://www.miamidade.gov/publicworks/roads-bridges-canals.asp

Prepare for King Tides in coastal and low-lying areas October 24, 2019 - Regulatory and Economic Resources. (n.d.). Retrieved July 27, 2020, from https://www.miamidade.gov/global/news-item.page?Mduid_news=news1506958000324763