Risky Business

I can't imagine why anyone would choose to sit around thinking about all the avian-flu-type things waiting to kill us. What a bummer it would be worrying about pandemics and blizzards and extended power outages all the time. And does anyone even listen? Yeah, we know: bottled water, batteries, canned goods, blah, blah, blah — all things a good Boy Scout has stockpiled in case of emergencies. But I like living a little more day-to-day, more Papa John's and Silver Mine delivery than Spam and canned soup. That's why it's a good thing the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is looking out for the likes of me.

Thanks to a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, What If? Colorado is a six-month campaign focusing on everything from stocking up on perishables to pandemic-influenza awareness. As one leg of the campaign, What If? is calling for Colorado residents to audition for a three-day Survivor-meets-The Real World reality program in which a houseful of people face daily challenges, such as how to survive without power for extended periods of time. If you're interested in auditioning, don't waste any time, because tomorrow is the last day to submit the required one-minute video.

According to Dana Erpelding, training manager at the CDPHE, "We're trying to make people aware of emergency-preparedness kits, get people to start taking yearly influenza vaccinations seriously and inform the public about pandemic influenza and how it differs from seasonal influenza." To submit a video or for more information, go to www.whatifcolorado.com.
Aug. 17-31