Tampa, Florida, U.S.A - City mayor, Bob Buckhorn is declaring  from June 24th to June 30th , 2012, Lightning Safety Awareness Week, noting that education is the key to understanding lightning’s dangers.  Lightning safety advocates from the Lightning Protection Institute (LPI), the Lightning Safety Alliance (LSA), the National Weather Service (NWS) and other partnering organizations joined Mayor, Bob Buckhorn and Tampa Fire and Rescue Chief, Thomas Forward for a press conference at the Tampa Firefighter’s Museum at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 21st  to kick-off Lightning Safety Awareness Week and share educational resources. Dave Andreychuk of Tampa Bay Lightning was on hand at the event to help introduce a newly-produced, radio Public Service Announcement (PSA). The PSA will be used by the NWS to promote lightning safety to men ages 20-50, as 80% of lightning victims are typically male.

“People often underrate the dangers of lightning, yet it is a leading storm-related killer,” said Donna Franklin, director of the National Weather Service’s Lightning Safety Awareness Team. “Lack of awareness about what to do during a thunderstorm seems to be a common factor in many lightning injuries and deaths, which is why the National Weather Service launched the annual lightning safety campaign in 2001.”

“Tampa is known as the lightning capital of the country,” said Brian LaMarre, meteorologist-in-charge of the Tampa Bay area’s National Weather Service. According to the NWS, on average 54 people are killed by lightning every year in the United States.  Unfortunately, Florida usually leads the count with ten deaths across an area known as “lightning alley” stretching across central Florida—focusing on theTampa Bay region.”Tampa averages almost three million potentially deadly flashes each year—so lightning is a concern for us in terms of personal safety and property loss,” explained LaMarre.

“Lightning safety week is a perfect time to remind the fire prevention community and first-responders about the dangers of lightning and provide the public with information to help protect families and property,” saidBud VanSickle, LPI executive director. “Collaboration with like-minded partners, including those participating in our 2012 Tampa kick-off event, helps us align existing efforts and pool our expert resources accordingly, to better address lightning safety needs.”

The collaboration is part of LPI’s educational initiative to remind the public and the fire safety community about the dangers of lightning, an underrated and often forgotten weather hazard. LPI recently partnered with the Lightning Safety Alliance (LSA) launch a lightning safety initiative to provide educational resources for outdoor recreational facilities. The “Safer Design for Safer Play” initiative dovetails with new efforts by the National Weather Service to promote greater lightning safety at outdoor venues.

The article Tampa Mayor Declares the Lightning Safety Awareness Week appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The Great Prostate Cancer Challenge, the premier men’s health event series in America, managed by ZERO – The Project to End Prostate Cancer, will host events in 32 cities in 2012 to raise funds for prostate cancer research, advocacy and awareness.

“In 2012, more than 240,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and more than 28,000 will die from the disease,” said Skip Lockwood, CEO of ZERO — The Project to End Prostate Cancer. “As the success of our event series continues to grow, we’re better equipped to reduce these numbers by funding research, advocacy and awareness efforts.”

In 2012, the event series is expanding to 32 cities including new events in Fort Lauderdale, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Shreveport and Lancaster, PA. In 2011 the GPCC series raised nearly $2 million by hosting more than 12,000 athletes in 27 cities across the nation including Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Detroit and a celebrity golf tournament in Myrtle Beach, SC.

The goal of the GPCC is to end prostate cancer by building a network of local race partners across the country with a massive amount of participants in the same way that organizations like The Susan G. Komen Foundation have brought attention to breast cancer and women’s health issues.

In 2007, Chesapeake Urology Associates, one of the largest urology practice groups in the nation and located in the greater Baltimore area, created an event solely focused on prostate cancer. Other urology groups across the country soon joined the successful GPCC series to create awareness and raise funds for prostate cancer research through highly successful 5K run events.

In 2009, ZERO took on the GPCC as its signature awareness and fundraising program in its efforts to save lives through research and testing. Funds from the event series go to national and local efforts to save lives from prostate cancer. National funds help ZERO increase prostate cancer research funding from the federal government and provide free testing for high-risk men and local funds provide education and free testing in event communities.

Premier Partner Abbott and many other national and local sponsors are dedicated to ending prostate cancer and support the GPCC. To learn more about the GPCC, visit www.greatprostatecancerchallenge.com

The article Great Prostate Cancer Challenge to Raise Funds in 32 Cities appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.