This is to inform you of a rate related change to Verizon’s FiOS TV service. The below rate adjustment will take effect June 21, 2009, along with other promotional offers and pricing that will bring more value to FiOS TV customers.  This rate change will only impact new FiOS customers.  

	Current Rate	New Rate
FiOS TV ACTIVATION FEE	$   34.99	$   49.99

 
Residents can contact the Verizon Customer Service Group at 1-800-GET-FIOS or check online at www.verizon.com/fiostv for further information.

Click below to view an informative Video which shows step-by-step instructions on building a Rain Garden.

Emergency Messages Provide Warnings
for Residents of Delaware County

Residents of Delaware County are invited to enroll in “Delco Alert,” a regional community alert system which transmits emergency text messages of public warnings.

County Council Vice-Chairman John J. Whelan said the alerts provide emergency information via text messages and e-mail devices of threats to security, severe weather, road closures by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation on major highways and other dangers and emergencies.

“Delco Alert” is the identity in Delaware County of ReadyNotifyPA, which is administered by the Roan Secure Alert Network (RSAN) in the five-county southeastern Pennsylvania region which also includes Bucks, Chester, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.

Residents can sign up to receive the alerts at www.co.delaware.pa.us, the Delaware County Government Web site, and using the “Delco Alert” link.

Entire families can be enrolled in the system under a single user name. Points of interest such as residences, schools and workplaces can be marked on a map so warnings concerning those locations can be sent to the user. Residents can receive warnings which are local or regional. Residents who work or go to school in Philadelphia or another county can sign up to receive warnings from those jurisdictions as well as from Delaware County, Whelan said. He said any information provided will remain confidential within the system and will not be used for anything other than sending emergency messages.

Whelan encouraged residents to enroll to receive text or e-mail messages from as many counties as necessary to fully benefit from the system.

“We live in a region with nearly 3.5 million people who cross county lines regularly to travel to and from their homes, jobs, schools and to pursue other interests,” he said. “Whether we are dealing with floods, severe storms or threats to homeland security or other threats or dangers, we recognize that emergencies don’t stop at our borders.”

There is no cost to enroll in “Delco Alert.” However, recipients of the messages may be charged a fee by their service providers if there is a charge to them for such messages.

If having difficulty understanding the instructions to enroll in the system, contact the Delaware County Emergency Services Department from 9 AM – 4 PM, Monday – Friday at (610) 565-8700 or send an email to rsanhelp@icdc.com for assistance.

County Council urges all to get flu vaccinations

Centers for Disease Control recommends school-age children get inoculated Delaware County Council urges all residents to get a flu vaccination. To ensure vaccinations are accessible, Council announces several initiatives to help children and adults get that all-important shot.

Working with the Delaware County Flu Task Force, Council is offering an online list of public flu shot clinics on its Web site so residents can find a convenient time and place to get their shot.

“A yearly flu vaccine is the first and most important step in protecting against this serious disease,” said Council Vice-Chairman Jack Whelan. “Council wants to ensure that every resident, from children to adults, has access to a flu shot. Public health is a priority for this Council and one of the best ways to address public health is through preventative measures like this.”

Council has joined with its public health partners to increase awareness regarding the importance of flu immunizations through the Delaware County Flu Task Force.

The Flu Task Force is comprised of representatives from the Delaware County Department of Intercommunity Health Coordination, the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s Delaware County State Health Center and partners in the health care community.

The mission of the Task Force is to educate the public about the importance of flu immunizations and to provide access to as many residents as possible, including senior citizens and members of the county’s culturally and ethnically diverse communities.

Public health leaders recommend that people should first seek a flu vaccination from their family physicians, however if they don’t have a medical home, they are encouraged to attend a public flu shot clinic.

Each year, in the United States, an estimated five to 20 percent of the population gets the flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The CDC states that the flu is a highly contagious viral disease. Each year, more than 200,000 people are hospitalized due to complications from the flu and an estimated 36,000 die each year from the flu.

Vaccinations are readily available this year. The best time to get a vaccination is October and November, however flu activity can occur as late as May so getting a vaccine in December or January still offers protection. In fact, the CDC has announced the week of Dec. 8-14 as National Influenza Vaccination Week to increase awareness of the importance of vaccinations.

For the first time, the CDC is advising that every child age 6 months to 18 years be inoculated, unless they have a serious egg allergy. Previously the recommendation was for children from 6 months to five years. Evidence suggests that children are the key flu spreaders and that inoculating children will reduce transmission to elderly people.

“Each year, the flu disrupts the health and well-being of children and families. This flu season, the CDC recommends that all children ages 6 months up to their 19th birthday get a flu vaccine,” Councilman Whelan said. “With more people of all ages inoculated against the flu, that will reduce the spread of the virus throughout our schools and communities.”

For information about influenza and vaccinations, including the inactivated vaccine and the intranasal vaccine, visit the county Web site at www.co.delaware.pa.us or contact the Department of Intercommunity Health Coordination at (610) 891-5311. Information is available through the Crozer-Keystone Immunization Hotline at (610) 447-2050.

People can also get extensive information on the CDC Web site at www.cdc.gov.