Nassau Notebook: Halloween Safety, Energy Assistance Program

Halloween Safety Tips

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nationwide the number of deaths among young pedestrians increases 4.5 times on Halloween evening compared with the same time period all other nights of the year. Children engaged in Trick-or-Treat activities frequently cross streets at mid-block rather than at corners or crosswalks, putting them at risk for pedestrian injury.

Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano and Acting Police Commissioner Thomas C. Krumpter advise drivers to be on particular alert. Motorists should be cognizant of the increased pedestrian traffic and operate their vehicles accordingly.

The Nassau County Police Department will also be utilizing marked and unmarked patrol vehicles to deter malicious property damage and other potential unlawful incidents.

FEMA Registration Deadline Monday

Residents of 28 New York counties, including Bronx, Brooklyn, Kings, Nassau, Queens, Richmond and Suffolk counties who were affected by Hurricane Irene between Aug. 26 and Sept. 5 have just five days left to register for disaster assistance.

To register, call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Phone lines are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET, seven days a week until further notice. People with hearing disabilities can use the TTY number, 800-462-7585. Applicants can also register online or with any web-enabled mobile device or smartphone. Follow the link to “apply online for federal assistance.”

Nassau BOCES to Join the Long Island Purchasing Council

The Nassau Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) has approved an agreement to join the Long Island Purchasing Council, a bi-county consortium formed by Mangano and Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy, that allows Nassau’s 56 school districts to participate in its various money-saving initiatives. BOCES officials will represent the districts on the consortium’s board and join in on bids that will benefit them.

To date, the consortium has issued a bid for copy paper, already saving thousands of dollars for each consortium member.  In addition, sewer, water and wastewater treatment chemical bids are expected to be awarded in November.

The LIPC is aimed at pooling common government needs to obtain better pricing to help cut taxpayer costs and execute bulk purchases for common goods and services. Municipalities interested in joining the LIPC simply need to pass a resolution authorizing them to join. There is no fee and, as a member, a district may participate in any of the consortiums’ bulk purchases. The next open meeting of the LIPC is Oct. 27 at Suffolk County headquarters in Hauppauge.

Home Energy Assistance Program Announced

The Nassau County Department of Social Services will begin accepting applications for the Home Energy Assistance Program’s (HEAP) regular benefits starting on Wednesday, Nov. 16 for the 2011-2012 heating season. Applications for emergency benefits will be accepted beginning Jan. 3, 2012.    

The maximum regular benefit an eligible household can receive is $500 for homes that heat with oil, kerosene or propane, and $300 for all others. A family of four can have a household income of up to $49,519 annually and still qualify for HEAP benefits.

To apply and determine eligibility for HEAP benefits in Nassau County please visit: EAC, Inc., located at 175 Fulton Avenue, 4th Floor, in Hempstead, or call them at (516) 565-4327. For seniors age 60 or older and persons who are permanently disabled, please contact the Nassau County Office for the Aging at (516) 227-7386. Households currently in receipt of food stamps or cash benefits should contact their worker at the Nassau County Department of Social Services.

To see if you are eligible for the Home Energy Assistance Program or an array of other emergency programs, please visit Nassau County’s Department of Social Services website or visit New York State’s myBenefits website.

Mangano, State Legislators Combat Prescription Drug Abuse

The Nassau County Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Task Force recently met with State Senator Jack Martins and State Assemblyman Edward Ra to discuss ways to further combat the growing epidemic of prescription drug misuse and abuse. By August of this year, 19 Nassau County residents had died as a direct result of Opiate drug misuse.

Mangano has charged the Nassau County Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Task Force — a sub-committee of the Nassau County Heroin Prevention Task Force — with studying the problem of prescription drug abuse and putting forth recommendations for action and change on both the county and state levels.

The meeting came just days before the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) hosts its National Drug Reclamation Day, where people can anonymously turn in their unwanted, unused and/or expired painkillers and other pharmaceuticals.

The DEA’s National Take Back initiative will take place on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with 32 drop-off sites in Nassau County and 18 in Suffolk County. Locations include police stations, hospitals, Adelphi University and the Bellmore LIRR station.