Month: March 2014

Bridgeport News: Homeless man severely burned in fire

3:36am–#Bridgeport CT–In this day and age of instant communications it was once again police on routine patrol reported to firefighters a fire at 1150 Main Street where 47-year-old Javier Berrios was severely burned.   He is listed in critical condition at Bridgeport Hospital, he was unable to speak to investigators.    The fire started in a room at the rear of the second floor of the building.  Berrios was trapped between door and security gate, the way he entered and exited the building was blocked by fire.  The entire block is owned by the Bridgeport Redevelopment Agency and has been vacant for years.

Driver will be billed for clean up of Route 8 shutdown

#Ansonia CT–cttraffic–Route 8 northbound was closed for over 14 hours Thursday.  State Police  say Chris Roche, 38, of Bayberry Road in Fairfield was found to be at fault for the accident .  Connecticut Tank Removal was called to the scene for the hazardous removal of of iso-cyanate derivatives which can cause lung and liver damage if not properly handled.  It is used to make foam insulation, in paint and in a protective coating to line truck beds .  Police say Roche was traveling in his Ford F-250 pickup, pulling a 24-foot enclosed box trailer when he swerved from the right lane and struck the metal guard rail at the side of the highway.   He then crossed over and crossed over to the left lane hitting the cement barrier in the median, spilling the 55-gallon drum barrels.   The chemical then froze during clean up and had to milled off the highway.  Roche will be billed for the clean up, milling and paving of the highway.  Special thanks to Connecticut Tank Removal for these photos.


GOV. MALLOY ORGANIZES GROUP TO REVIEW BEST PRACTICES IN GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATION

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that he is creating the Emergency Communications Taskforce, which will be responsible for reviewing how state government communicates with residents, with special attention to those who are non-English speakers, have disabilities, or have certain functional needs.  While the group will look at all communications, the immediate focus will be on communications during emergency situations, which will be followed by a more detailed look at overall communications due at the beginning of next year.

 

“Approximately 21% of Connecticut citizens speak a language other than English at home, and approximately 22% of Connecticut citizens report having a disability,” Governor Malloy wrote in a letter to Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) Commissioner Dora B. Schriro, who will head the taskforce.  “There is a need to establish a more comprehensive framework to overcome these communication barriers, particularly in emergency situations.”

 

The taskforce will be responsible for evaluating the cost, benefit, efficiency, effectiveness and measurable performance of the existing communications methods used by the state, and for developing best practices.

 

It will consist of 18 members, including:

 

  • Commissioner of DESPP, who will serve as chair
  • Commissioner of the Department of Aging
  • Commissioner of the Department of Consumer Protection
  • Commissioner of the Department of Developmental Services
  • Commissioner of the Department of Education
  • Commissioner of the Department of Public Health
  • Commissioner of the Department of Rehabilitation Services
  • Governor’s Liaison to the Disability Community
  • Executive Director of the Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities
  • Member of the Governor’s staff
  • Representative from the higher education community
  • Representative of 2-1-1
  • Representative of the Connecticut Red Cross
  • Representative of an organization that provides services to and/or advocates for immigrants and refugees
  • Member appointed by the African American Affairs Commission
  • Member appointed by the Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission
  • Member appointed by the Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission
  • Member of the media

 

The Governor has asked Commissioner Schriro to convene the taskforce no later than April 1.  A report of findings and recommendations regarding emergency situations should be submitted to him by October 1, and an additional report regarding non-emergency constituent communications is requested by January 1, 2015.

 

 

**Download: Letter from Governor Malloy to Commissioner Schriro on the Emergency Communications Taskforce

GOV. MALLOY: NONPROFIT GRANTS WILL ENHANCE PROVIDER SERVICES ACROSS CONNECTICUT

Announces Plan for Additional Round of Funding

 

(HARTFORD, CT) – Joined by board members and executives from provider agencies, Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that 146 projects have been selected to receive a total of $20 million in awards as part of the state’s Nonprofit Grant Program.

 

“Partnering with these organizations is a smart fiscal investment to ensure that these agencies can continue to provide services while doing so in an efficient, cost-effective way,” said Governor Malloy, who made the announcement at Chrysalis Center, a provider agency slated to received funding to provide job training, employment services and conference space. “This is the largest commitment our state has made to support and invest in these community-based organizations that provide critical services to individuals in every city and town in our state.”

 

Under Section 13 of Public Act 13-239, adopted last June, the purpose of the NGP is to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, safety and/or accessibility of health and human services being delivered by nonprofit organizations. The program was designed to invest in nonprofit providers that have contracts or agreements with state agencies.

 

Terry Edelstein, the Governor’s Nonprofit Liaison, stated, “The many organizations that submitted proposals demonstrated loud and clear that nonprofit organizations continue to face challenges in providing services and supports for individuals with disabilities and those with significant challenges. And yet their project proposals reflected the creativity, ingenuity and strategic approaches necessary to continue to fulfill their missions. I herald our administration for initiating the bond program, the legislature for supporting the program and the nonprofit community-based providers for articulating their needs so well.”

 

Grants will be awarded to 81 nonprofit agencies in 38 cities and towns.

 

Description of Awards:

 

Renovations, Improvements and Health and Safety Projects – $10,874,563

  • ·         Improving program accessibility, including compliance with ADA requirements, for disabled and other clients, many with special needs.
  • ·         Improving the health and safety for program clients through building security systems, fire safety improvements, code work and other improvements.
  • ·         Modifications, improvements and expansions to meeting growing demand for community services and to more effectively meet the needs of existing clients.
  • ·         Purchase and installation of generators to prevent service disruption to vulnerable clients with special needs and to avoid the need for alternative housing and lost food supplies during power outages.
  • ·         Addressing deferred maintenance and building capital needs, including roofs and other renovations, to ensure safe and efficient service delivery of services and prevent the need for greater expenditures in the future.

 

Information Technology/Emergency Medical Records – $3,688,775

  • ·         A number of IT projects involved new telecommunication systems and other information technology projects to improve client services and provider efficiency.
  • ·         Emergency Medical Records (EMR) projects will result in better information and decision making when caring for clients, increased productivity for clinical and other staff, reduced paperwork and more efficient compliance with federal and state reporting requirement.

 

Vehicle Purchases – $3,036,302

  • ·         Vehicle purchases help replace aging vehicles with safer, more reliable and energy efficient and accessible vehicles. Vehicles are often an important component of service delivery in terms of getting clients to appointments, educational opportunities and employment.

 

Energy Upgrades/Improvements – $2,400,360

  • ·         Energy upgrades include HVAC projects, installation of energy efficient windows, conversion, and other projects.

 

A second round of funding will be announced when additional funding is available afterJuly 1. In addition, Governor Malloy’s budget proposal recommends an additional $30 million for nonprofit organizations in FY15 bringing the total funding amount that year to $50 million.

 

More information is available on the OPM website.

 

 

**Download: List of 146 projects awarded funding as part of the 2014 Nonprofit Grant Program Awards

 

Bridgeport News: Police help burning man on Main Street

#Bridgeport CT–Once again, Bridgeport Police on patrol spot a building on fire around 3am Friday morning. This time at 1148 Main Street. Police quickly realized the fog the saw wasn’t fog but fire from this city block of vacant buildings. A man was quickly helped by police to extinguish him from his burns and firefighters and EMS were dispatched to the scene because of police actions. Additional searches of the building turned up negative. The man was transported to the Bridgeport Hospital’s Burn Unit for treatment. The fire marshal was called to the scene to investigate the cause of the fire.

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