'Who You Gonna Call?'

Are You Prepared for the Worst
Should Disaster Strike Tonight?

Philadelphia (December 5, 2001) - Winter is upon us and weather patterns can change in a matter of hours, but the nation is also at war. If a disaster happened right now, whether natural or man-made, would you be prepared when it came time to bed down at the end of the day.

If you were to lose power in your home in the middle of the night, are you prepared for the usual stuff, such as ensuring their are fresh batteries in the bedside alarm clocks to keep them operational during a potential power outage so it wakes you in the morning? If you are that prepared, the next question is, "Are you prepared to operate your CPAP or BiPAP during a power outage."

Dave Minor, a manager at the Sears Auto Center, Cottman and Castor Aves., will speak on a variety of emergency power sources, including the three portable charges, as well as using deep cycle gel cell batteries, on Wednesday, January 9, 2002 Awake In Philly Community Education Group meeting. Information regarding state laws and electric utilities, as well. There will also be a general review of considerations for emergency and disaster preparedness.

The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m., and the meeting will be held in the Conference Room at the Northeast Regional Branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia, 2228 Cottman Ave.

Sleep apnea can be a serious disorder with grave consequences. Apnea often goes undetected and undiagnosed for years. Untreated sleep apnea can lead to heart damage, memory loss, sexual dysfunction, and feelings of depression, among other problems. Apnea's impact is far-reaching. In fact, family life, job performance, social life, driving ability, and visual acuity are among a few of the areas impacted by untreated or undiagnosed sleep apnea. Research shows that treating sleep apnea normalizes one's risk for motor vehicle crashes.

A Control 3 Home Care Kit, from Maril Products, will be given away at the meeting. Maril Products donated the Home Care Kit to Awake In Philly for giveaway at the meeting. See the rules for all details.

Awake In Philly meetings are designed to offer support to anyone who must deal with the impact of sleep apnea, including the patient, the spouse, a co-worker or supervisor, researchers, physicians, attorneys, among others. Everyone is encouraged to attend the meetings.

To read the press release issued for the Wednesday, January 9, 2002 meeting, click here.

As of October 1, 2002 at 11:27:08 AM EDT (-0500), the U.S. population was 
288,181,442. With estimates that about five percent of the population suffers from

obstructive sleep apnea, that means there are potentially

14,409,072 apneics in the U.S.

As of October 1, 2002 at 11:27:08 AM EDT (-0500), the world population was 
6,253,616,576. With estimates that about five percent of the population suffers 
from obstructive sleep apnea, that means there are potentially

312,680,829 apneics in the world.

Awake In Philly is a support group for individuals who have been diagnosed with at least one of the recognized sleep disorders, as well as anyone else impacted by those with sleep disorders. The information on the Awake In Philly website is not intended to replace medical advice, nor is any information to be misinterpreted as an attempt to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. 

If you have questions about any of the medical conditions mentioned on this website, especially if you suspect that you (or someone you know) has sleep apnea, please contact a qualified medical professional immediately. The information is intended to provide support, guidance, and encouragement to others contending with the many challenges of sleep disorders. The goals of Awake In Philly are to support, educate, and inform those who feel the impact of sleep disorders, as well as the general public. Medical advice should only come from qualified, licensed, and trained health-care professionals.