Emergency Tip: June's Do1Thing.com Prep Task - Unique Family Needs

GOAL FOR JUNE: Be aware of and prepare for your family’s unique needs.

Do1Thing.Com's Goal for June: Make sure your family's unique medical, physical and pet needs are covered during a possible emergency.

Below is a list of things the Do1Thing team recommends you can do to achieve your goal this month.
Choose at least one, and complete it!

• Talk with family members to identify your household’s unique needs.
• Make a plan to make sure pets are taken care of in a disaster.
• If you or someone in your household has a disability, create an evacuation plan that works for them.

Visit this month’s Do 1 Thing topic page for fact sheets, videos and additional resources on ensuring your family gets the correct emergency information.


Background

Do 1 Thing is a web-based, twelve-month preparedness program that focuses on a different area of emergency preparedness each month. Remember: emergency preparedness doesn’t have to be hard or expensive.

It’s as easy as:

1. Click on this month’s topic
2. Select one of the easy “Tasks”
3. Do that one thing!

So visit http://do1thing.com/ today and get started preparing yourself, your family, and your community right now!

Please see my January 2015 post about the entire Do 1 Thing program for additional information.

Image credit: Do1Thing.Com

Emergency Tip: March's Do1Thing.com Prep Task - Shelter

Do1Thing.Com's Goal for March: Practice what your family would do if they needed to evacuate or shelter-in-place.

Below is a list of things the Do1Thing team recommends you can do to achieve your goal this month.
Choose at least one, and complete it!

• Identify the best storm shelter in your home and practice getting to the shelter with your family.
• Learn how to safely shelter in place.
• Make a Go Bag for emergency sheltering.

Visit this month’s Do 1 Thing topic page for fact sheets, videos and additional resources on ensuring your family gets the correct emergency information.


Background

Do 1 Thing is a web-based, twelve-month preparedness program that focuses on a different area of emergency preparedness each month. Remember: emergency preparedness doesn’t have to be hard or expensive.

It’s as easy as:

1. Click on this month’s topic
2. Select one of the easy “Tasks”
3. Do that one thing!

So visit http://do1thing.com/ today and get started preparing yourself, your family, and your community right now!

Please see my January 2015 post about the entire Do 1 Thing program for additional information.

Image credit: Do1Thing.Com

Note: The March emergency planning post unfortunately slipped to April. Look for the actual April article soon along with even more frequent postings in the coming months!

Emergency Tip: September 30th is National PrepareAthon! Day!

September is National Preparedness Month 

 - And today, September 30th, is National PrepareAthon! Day!

From Ready.gov/prepare:

OVERVIEW OF AMERICA’S PREPAREATHON!

America’s PrepareAthon! is a nationwide, community-based campaign for action to increase emergency preparedness and resilience. Each spring and fall, America’s PrepareAthon! will provide a national focus for individuals, organizations, and communities to participate through drills, group discussions, and exercises to practice for local hazards.

Campaign Goals
Increase the number of individuals who:

• Understand which disasters could happen in their community;
• Know what to do to be safe and mitigate damage;
• Take action to increase their preparedness; and
• Participate in community resilience planning.

To learn more about how you can play a role in your community’s preparedness, visit www.ready.gov/prepare. 

For more information on National Preparedness Month, visit Ready.gov/September or follow the campaign on Facebook, at https://www.facebook.com/readygov, on Twitter, at https://twitter.com/Readygov,

Images credit: FEMA.gov

Emergency Tip: Make a Plan for Power Outages during this Fourth Week of National Preparedness Month

September is National Preparedness Month 

 - This week's theme from FEMA is Planning for Power Outages!

From Ready.gov:

Before a Power Outage

• Build or restock your emergency preparedness kit, including a flashlight, batteries, cash, and first aid supplies.
• Make sure you have alternative charging methods for your phone or any device that requires power.For more information visit: Get Tech Ready
• Charge cell phones and any battery powered devices.
• Know where the manual release lever of your electric garage door opener is located and how to operate it.
• Purchase ice or freeze water-filled plastic containers to help keep food cold during a temporary power outage.
• Keep your car’s gas tank full-gas stations rely on electricity to power their pumps.If you use your car to re-charge devices, do NOT keep the car running in a garage, partially enclosed space, or close to a home, this can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Learn about the emergency plans that have been established in your area by visiting your state’s or local website so you can locate the closest cooling and warming shelters.
• If you rely on anything that is battery-operated or power dependent like a medical device determine a back-up plan.For more planning information tips visit: Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities and Others with Access and Functional Needs.

During a Power Outage: Safety Tips

• Only use flashlights for emergency lighting, candles can cause fires.
• Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed. Most food requiring refrigeration can be kept safely in a closed refrigerator for several hours. An unopened refrigerator will keep food cold for about 4 hours. A full freezer will keep the temperature for about 48 hours.For more information about food safety visit our food page.
• Take steps to remain cool if it is hot outside. In intense heat when the power may be off for a long time, consider going to a movie theater, shopping mall or “cooling shelter” that may be open in your community. If you remain at home, move to the lowest level of your home, since cool air falls. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing. Drink plenty of water, even if you do not feel thirsty.
• Put on layers of warm clothing if it is cold outside. Never burn charcoal for heating or cooking indoors. Never use your oven as a source of heat. If the power may be out for a prolonged period, plan to go to another location (the home of a relative or friend, or a public facility) that has heat to keep warm.
• Turn off or disconnect appliances and other equipment in case of a momentary power “surge” that can damage computers and other devices. Consider adding surge protectors.
• If you are considering purchasing a generator for your home, consult an electrician or engineer before purchasing and installing.
• Only use generators away from your home and NEVER run a generator inside a home or garage, or connect it to your home's electrical system. 

After a Power Outage

• Throw away any food that has been exposed to temperatures 40° F (4° C) for 2 hours or more or that has an unusual odor, color or texture. When in doubt, throw it out!
• If food in the freezer is colder than 40° F and has ice crystals on it, you can refreeze it.
• Contact your doctor if you’re concerned about medications having spoiled.
• Restock your emergency kit with fresh batteries, canned foods and other supplies.

IMPORTANT: See my post from last year: "It's 9/11 - Do You Have a Family Communications Plan?" for great advice on simple ways your family can stay in touch during an emergency.

For more information visit Ready.gov/September or follow the campaign on Facebook, at https://www.facebook.com/readygov, on Twitter, at https://twitter.com/Readygov,  or for FEMA Region VII, www.twitter.com/femaregion7. For more information about events for America's PrepareAthon throughout September, and for National PrepareAthon! Day information, visit www.ready.gov/prepare.

Images credit: FEMA.gov

Emergency Tip: Make a Plan for Hurricanes during this Third Week of National Preparedness Month

This week's theme from FEMA is Hurricane Prep. 

September is National Preparedness Month 

 - This week's theme from FEMA is Hurricane Preparation and it's hurricane season in the North East!

From FEMA.gov:

What is a hurricane?
Hurricanes are massive storm systems that form over the water and move toward land. Threats from hurricanes include high winds, heavy rainfall, storm surge, coastal and inland flooding, rip currents, and tornadoes. These large storms are called typhoons in the North Pacific Ocean and cyclones in other parts of the world.

Which parts of the U.S. are threatened by hurricanes?
Each year, many parts of the United States experience heavy rains, strong winds, floods, and coastal storm surges from tropical storms and hurricanes. Affected areas include all Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coastal areas, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Hawaii, parts of the Southwest, the Pacific Coast, and the U.S. territories in the Pacific.

When is hurricane season?
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, with the peak occurring between mid-August and late October. The Eastern Pacific hurricane season begins May 15 and ends November 30.

Know your risk: 
Do you want to have a better understanding of the hurricane risk you and your community face? Below is a map of the United States and the frequency of hurricane and tropical storm activity by county. Atlantic data dates back to 1851, while Pacific data includes storms since 1949.

See the complete list of hurricane tips at http://www.ready.gov/hurricanes.

IMPORTANT: See my post from last year: "It's 9/11 - Do You Have a Family Communications Plan?" for great advice on simple ways your family can stay in touch during an emergency.

For more information visit Ready.gov/September or follow the campaign on Facebook, at https://www.facebook.com/readygov, on Twitter, at https://twitter.com/Readygov,  or for FEMA Region VII, www.twitter.com/femaregion7. For more information about events for America's PrepareAthon throughout September, and for National PrepareAthon! Day information, visit www.ready.gov/prepare.

Images credit: FEMA.gov

Emergency Tip: Make a Plan for Wildfires during this Second Week of National Preparedness Month

This week's theme from FEMA is Wildfire Prep. 

September is National Preparedness Month 

 - This week's theme from FEMA is Wildfire Preparation and very timely - see the latest California Wildfires news.

From Ready.gov:

Basic Safety Tips 

• If you see a wildfire and haven't received evacuation orders yet, call 9-1-1. Don't assume that someone else has already called.
• If ordered to evacuate during a wildfire, do it immediately- make sure and tell someone where you are going and when you have arrived.
• Many communities have text or email alerting systems for emergency notifications.To find out what alerts are available in your area, search the Internet with your town, city, or county name and the word “alerts.”
• If you or someone you are with has been burned, call 9-1-1 or seek help immediately; cool and cover burns to reduce chance of further injury or infection.
  

Prepare Your Home

• Regularly clean the roof and gutters.
• Maintain an area approximately 30’ away from you home that is free of anything that will burn, such as wood piles, dried leaves, newspapers and other brush.
• Connect garden hoses long enough to reach any area of the home and fill garbage cans, tubs, or other large containers with water.
• Review your homeowner's insurance policy and also prepare/update a list of your home's contents.
  

Before Wildfire season- Make a Wildfire plan

• Know your wildfire risk.
• Make a wildfire emergency plan.
• Build or restock your emergency preparedness kit, including a flashlight, batteries, cash, and first aid supplies.
• Familiarize yourself with local emergency plans. Know where to go and how to get there should you need to get to higher ground, the highest level of a building or to evacuate.
• Stay tuned to your phone alerts, TV, or radio, for weather updates, emergency instructions or evacuation orders.

See the complete list of wildfire tips at http://www.ready.gov/wildfires.

IMPORTANT: See my post from last year: "It's 9/11 - Do You Have a Family Communications Plan?" for great advice on simple ways your family can stay in touch during an emergency.

For more information visit Ready.gov/September or follow the campaign on Facebook, at https://www.facebook.com/readygov, on Twitter, at https://twitter.com/Readygov,  or for FEMA Region VII, www.twitter.com/femaregion7. For more information about events for America's PrepareAthon throughout September, and for National PrepareAthon! Day information, visit www.ready.gov/prepare.

Images credit: FEMA.gov

Emergency Tip: Make a Plan for Floods during this First Week of National Preparedness Month

This week's theme from FEMA is Flood Prep. 

September is National Preparedness Month 

 - This week's theme from FEMA is Flood Preparation. 

Did you know flooding is the most common and costly disaster in the United States? Even here in the NorthEast, flooding is a significant problem, especially during hurricane season and our winter months.

Quoting FEMA:
“Flooding is fresh on the minds of many people in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. With so much flooding during the past few months, it’s a good time to consider the true risk,” said FEMA Region VII Regional Administrator Beth Freeman. “But it’s not enough to simply realize flooding is a real threat for us all. This month, this week, today, we hope everyone will take action to develop and practice a family emergency communication plan for hazards like flooding. This year our theme is, 'Don’t wait. Communicate. Make your emergency plan today.'”

Fewer than half of Americans have taken the time to plan what they will do if there is an emergency. Sitting down and developing a communication plan with loved ones doesn’t cost a thing, but can save a lot if a flood or another disaster impacts you and your family.

IMPORTANT: See my post from last year: "It's 9/11 - Do You Have a Family Communications Plan?" for excellent advice on simple ways for your family to stay in touch during an emergency.

For more information visit Ready.gov/September or follow the campaign on Facebook, at https://www.facebook.com/readygov, on Twitter, at https://twitter.com/Readygov,  or for FEMA Region VII, www.twitter.com/femaregion7. For more information about events for America's PrepareAthon throughout September, and for National PrepareAthon! Day information, visit www.ready.gov/prepare.

Images credit: FEMA.gov

Emergency Tip: August's Do1Thing.com Prep Task - Get Involved

Get Involved! There are many ways you can help in an emergency - becoming a CERT volunteer is just one way.

Do1Thing.Com's Goal for August: Make your community stronger by getting trained and getting involved.

The police and fire department can't do it all when an emergency occurs.

Everyone in our community has a role to play when disaster strikes.

First prepare your family, then think of ways to help others in your neighborhood.

Below is a list of things the Do1Thing team recommends you can do to achieve your goal this month.
Choose at least one, and complete it!

• Get Involved : Connect with an isolated individual in your neighborhood or start a neighborhood organization.
• Get Involved : Promote emergency preparedness in your community.
• Get Involved : Become a volunteer in your community (CERT, Red Cross, Neighborhood Watch, etc.).

Learn more: The "Get Involved" fact sheet has more information about being aware of and preparing for your family’s unique needs. (This fact sheet is available in multiple languages and formats here.)

Visit this month’s Do 1 Thing topic page for fact sheets, videos and additional resources on family preparation.

Background

Do 1 Thing is a web-based, twelve-month preparedness program that focuses on a different area of emergency preparedness each month. Remember: emergency preparedness doesn’t have to be hard or expensive.

It’s as easy as:

1. Click on this month’s topic
2. Select one of the easy “Tasks”
3. Do that one thing!

So visit http://do1thing.com/ today and get started preparing yourself, your family, and your community right now!

Please see my January 2015 post about the entire Do 1 Thing program for additional information.

Image credit: FEMA.gov

Emergency Tip: Minimizing Winter Multi-Car Accidents

Winter driving can get very exciting. Be extra vigilant and get home safely.

Massive 35 Car Pileup Woke Me Up

Last Friday, our family narrowly missing being part of a 35 car accident on Rt. 93 in New Hampshire.

It got me thinking: "How do you prevent being part of such an accident?" and "What would you do if this happened to you?"

Before a Winter Accident

As most of us know, driving in winter is not the same as driving during a sunny summer day.

Don't be like this video's drivers who believed extra speed was the right winter driving choice. (Warning: Some of these crashes are painful to watch.) 

Basic Winter Driving Tips

• Prep your vehicle for winter: Check your tires - do they still have enough tread? Consider changing over to snow tires if you regularly drive in snowy conditions. The big point is to keep up on your car's maintenance so that everything works when you need to avoid an accident. (http://www.ready.gov/car has some excellent car safety tips.) 
• Prep yourself for winter: Make sure you have warm clothes and blankets in your vehicle. If you get into an serious accident, you and your family may have to stand outside of your vehicle for an extended period of time waiting for police and fire to arrive. Also, keep your cell phone charged - you can't call for help if it's dead. (http://www.ready.gov/car has an excellent car safety kit list.) 
• SLOW DOWN & drive carefully: Every accident in the this video could have been prevented if the drivers adjusted their speeds to their driving conditions. It's absolutely stupid to speed during bad winter conditions, trying to shave off a few seconds of your trip. 
• Leave space: Tailgating during the summer commute is now standard practice, but during the winter, leave at least 3 seconds of space between you and the car in front of you when the weather gets bad. Additionally, if the car behind you is following too closely, move over if you can and let them pass. This way you'll be able to call for help when they go off the road instead rear-ending you.
• Turn your lights on: When the visibility decreases - in any season - turn your on your low beams. Most cars have automatic driving lights, but by turning on your low beams, you also turn on your rear and side marker lights. I've lost track of how many times I've almost hit a white or grey car in bad weather because they didn't have their lights on. Yes, it's daytime and yes, you can see the road just fine. BUT THE REST OF THE WORLD CAN'T SEE YOU! In bad weather especially, you need to drive defensively - that means letting the other drivers know you are there.

After a Winter Accident

If you are unfortunately involved in an accident during a winter storm, remain calm, follow these safety tips, and call for help.

• Try to get to the right side of the road as far away from traffic as possible.
• Stay in your car with your seatbelt on. Put the hazard lights on so others on the road can see you. Get out of your car only if it's unsafe to stay inside (your car is on fire, etc.). If you must get out of your car, be extra cautious during the winter. Limited visibility and slippery conditions can get you run over by other drivers behind you. Get as far to the right as possible, away from traffic. If you can, get on the other side of the guard rail to protect you and your family.
   - This is where having warm clothes and blankets in your vehicle is important - you and your family will now be outside in the cold waiting for police and fire services to arrive.
• If a flare or strobe light is available, use that to call attention to your vehicle. Tying a bright piece of cloth to the antenna works as well.
• If you get stuck in snow, straighten the wheels and accelerate slowly. Avoid spinning the tires and digging yourself in deeper. Rock the vehicle back and forth, using its weight and momentum to get unstuck.
• If you can't get going, run the engine only a few minutes at a time to stay warm. Periodically crack a window to get fresh air. Keep the exhaust pipe clear of snow so harmful carbon monoxide fumes don't drift back through the car's interior.

Agencies like AAA and FEMA recommend staying off the roads if the weather is too hazardous in your area. Not knowing how to maneuver your vehicle ­through a winter storm jeopardizes you, your passengers, and other drivers sharing the road with you. Getting your car ready for winter and anticipating and avoiding dangerous circumstances will help keep you safely on the road and in control.

Please stay safe out there - Spring's only 70 days away!

Sources: Various auto safety sites plus 30 years of personal winter driving experience.

Image credit: Copyright http://www.wmur.com/ 

Emergency Tip: Holiday Fire Safety

With REAL CANDLES on our Christmas tree every year,
we have stepped up our fire safety plan!

Having a German mother, I've grow up with candles on our Christmas tree, plus German decorations that use candles and fire such as Pyramiden and Räuchermänner. We learned at an early age that candles are not something to take lightly, but can be very beautiful when you are careful.

I've now continued this tradition in my own home, and while it sounds scary at first, we are just as careful as my parents were, sometimes even more so.

Holiday Safety Tips for Everyone (not just the crazy ones with real candles on their tree!)

The Tree

1. Buy a fresh tree if you can, cutting one down at a tree farm is the best. See this video comparing the flamabilty of the dry tree vs. a fresh one!
2. Your tree should be cut at an angle again once you get it home and immediately placed in water.
3. Place your tree away from sources of heat. (Such as candles!)
4. Use only non-flammable decorations.
5. Use only UL-approved lighting.
6. Inspect your lights for frayed/damaged wires before decorating.
7. Do not leave your tree lights on unattended.
8. Keep your tree stand full of water at all times.
9. Once you notice your tree drying out, be even more vigelant and discard as soon as possible.

DISCLAIMER - Don't Try This at Home: Yes, we do put real candles on our live Christmas tree every year. But the tree is freshly cut, it is a breed that is strong enough to hold the candles, the tree is not trimmed - so there are many branches that stick out - allowing candles to be placed without limbs above the flame, the candles are small and designed to fit into special metal clips, we only light the tree on special occasions with many adults watching the candles, and NEVER leave the tree alone once the candles are lit. 

Important: Tree fires get out of control amazingly fast - this YouTube video proves it - keep it watered and free of sources of ignition. If it does catch fire, don't be a hero - get you and your family out and call 911 from outside your home.

Battery-operated flameless candles can look &
smell like real candles.

Candles

1. Candles add a festive mood to your holidays, but be very careful this time of year - wrapping paper and decorations can easily catch fire, depending on where your candles are placed.
2. If you do use lit candles, make sure they are in stable holders, and place them where they cannot be knocked down easily.
3. Avoid leaving candles burning unattended. Even those in glass containers, such as "Yankee Candles", can be dangerous if something flammable falls on top of them.
     -  Falling asleep was a factor in 11% percent of the home candle fires and 37% of the associated deaths. 
4. Consider using battery-operated flameless candles. Today's models can look, smell and feel like real candles.

I really hope you have a fun and safe holiday season - we're going to keep the fire extinguishers close and only light the few candles on our tree on special nights, with many adults focused on each candle!

For more information on holiday fire safety, please visit the National Fire Protection Association's Holiday Safety site.

Friday's Emergency Tip: Kid Plans

Talk with your family this weekend and figure out plans
for various situations. 

Not every event is a major catastrophe, but you should still plan

Back on 9/11, I wrote about Family Communications Plans. These plans were focused on major events and reaching distant family and friends - not the immediate, local family.

But recently I was reminded by a neighbor with younger children that events happen every day that are not real emergencies, but would be much less stressful if a plan was thought out first.

Events such as:

• Child arriving home to an empty, locked house
   - Do they have a key?
   - Can they stay in the backyard?
   - If it's winter, which neighbor should they go to? 
• Child lost in a mall
   - Who should they ask for help?
   - Do they know your cell #?
• Child left at school
   - During normal hours, there are always administrators with family contact info, but what about after hours: sports, drama club, band?
   - How can your child call you? Do they have their own phone or can they borrow a friend's?
   - Should they go home with a neighbor? 
• Child hurt outside
   - If there are no adults present, what will they do?
   - How will your child get help or help the other injured person?
• Fire at home
   - This is a real emergency that must be planned for.
   - When was the last time you held an actual fire drill at home?
   - Does every room have 2 ways to get out?
   - What if an adult is not home? Do your children know what to do? Where to go?

These are just a few events to think about and plan for. Each family and home is different, so every family's planning process will be different. The important thing is to regularly talk about possible events and how you and your family would deal with each one.

There are many excellent family emergency plans out on the web. I've linked to a few below:

• Ready.gov's Family Emergency Plan Site - has links to an excellent Family Communication Plan for Parents and Kids (PDF) with forms for phone numbers, meeting spots and fire drills.
• Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency's Make a Plan Site - contains checklists and links to a great Family Emergency Plan (PDF) with info lists and contact cards for the whole family.

Friday's Emergency Tip: Protecting Your Documents

Store your important docs in a waterproof file folder case.
Then they are organized, protected and portable.

When an emergency hits and you have to get out of your house in a hurry, do you have all your important documents ready to go?

I'll have to be honest - we have some of our important documents together in a file folder - but many other important items are scattered in various filing cabinets around our home.

The Emergency Financial First Aid Kit

21 Page PDF with checklists you can fill out
and then save or print.

I recently found this extremely well written and organized document from FEMA: the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit. 

Download this file and use its various checklists to build a complete collection of family information and important documents. You can then store the completed PDF digitally in a secure online location or print it out and add it to your document case (see first image at top of this page).

It's also an excellent practice to make copies of your main personal and financial documents. After using the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit to gather all your prime documents together, visit your local library or copy center - just remember to check the backside of your documents for important info that may need to be copied as well. Then seal them in a large document envelope and have either your lawyer or a trusted friend/relative hold onto this package for you. 

I hope this info helps you with your document prep efforts. I know I'm going to use this new "First Aid Kit" tool in the upcoming week to really fill up what's in my portable document case. 

For additional emergency preparation tips, visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency's site @ www.fema.gov

For my Massachusetts friends, please visit the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency's site for excellent preparation info and updates.

America's PrepareAthon is Today! Get Involved! Become Prepared!

It's the last day of September's National Preparedness Month. Are you better prepared? It's not too late - join in today's National PrepareAthon! Day!

View the "It Started Like Any Other Day" video on YouTube.

America's PrepareAthon! is an opportunity for individuals, organizations, and communities to prepare for specific hazards through drills, group discussions, and exercises.

National PrepareAthon! Day focuses on taking the time to prepare for these six specific events:

• Earthquakes
• Floods
• Hurricanes
• Tornados
• Wildfires
• Winter Storms

Campaign Goals

The goal of this campaign is to increase the number of individuals who:

• Understand which natural disasters could happen in their community
• Know what to do to be safe and minimize damage
• Take action to increase their awareness and preparedness
• Participate in community resilience planning and training

What can you do?

• Register to participate in America’s PrepareAthon! and provide details about the activities you’re planning.
• Plan your own local community or organizational preparedness event
• Participate in discussion forums online with like-minded community members
• Learn the actions to take for disaster preparedness and practice them regularly

Where can you find more information?

There are many great resources on the FEMA site:

• America's PrepareAthon! Fact Sheet and Frequently Asked Questions
• America's PrepareAthon! Webinar

Stay connected

Email: prepareathon@fema.gov

Twitter: 

• @PrepareAthon follow #PrepareAthon
• @Readygov
• @FEMA

Communicate with Peers:

• FEMA's Community Site
• National Preparedness Community

On the web:

• http://www.community.fema.gov/connect.ti/AmericasPrepareathon
• http://www.ready.gov/
• http://www.fema.gov/

So don't wait too long to visit these resources and start your planning activities - for us in the Northeast U.S., winter storms are right around the corner!

It's 9/11 - Do You Have a Family Communications Plan?

Can't believe it's been 13 years.

I can remember that morning like it was yesterday and the main thing that sticks in my mind was the amount of confusion and worry that day.

We all didn't know what was happening in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania. We all wanted to know our family and friends in those areas were safe. But many phone systems in those areas were either down or jammed with call traffic.

The good news is that today there are many more options to keep in touch and stay informed.

Communication Plan - make one today.

With the advent of smart devices and social media, getting the word out that you are OK or contacting loved ones to check on their status is much easier, but it still requires some thought and planning.

1) Determine the best ways to let your family and friends know you're OK in an emergency. Here's my ranked list:

1. Social media: Facebook, Twitter, Google+
2. Text messages
3. Voice: cell or landline

• I chose social media as my first method due to it's redundancy and one-to-many communication method. Any one of these channels can let your family know you're OK and can also be used to query loved ones on their status. You can also access these channels from multiple devices - if WiFi is down, but cell service is still working, you can still communicate through your smart phone.
• Text messaging is a good back up to social media, especially if you need to communicate with family and friends who may not be tied into social media or unable to access it from work, etc. You can use group texts to contact multiple people more efficiently.
• The phone call or message is my last resort, mostly aimed at my older relatives and friends who don't have smart phones and don't live on social media like I do.
   - I'm assuming that my status is "OK". If I'm in trouble, a phone call to my local police or fire department would be my first choice.
   - Also, have important phone numbers written down - when your cell phone dies or is lost, that speed-dial function is going to be useless.

2) Make sure your family & friends know how you're going to let everyone know you're OK.

• If you're going to use social media, let everyone know that's your plan. Worst case, a friend or relative outside of the emergency area that saw your update on social media or spoke to you on the phone can let others know what's going on through various methods.

3) Have backups in your plan. For example:

• What will you do if your cell phone dies, is broken, or lost? (Borrow a neighbor's phone?)
• What if the cell service is down or locked up due to excessive traffic? (Can you still get on the Internet? Use social media?)
• What if the land lines are down? (Use Cell or Internet?) 

I realize that having a communication plan is not a silver bullet to solving an emergency crisis, but being able to easily communicate your status or check up on a loved one's condition will give you a greater peace of mind, enabling you to focus on more important tasks during an emergency.

Get started now with this great planning resource from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA).

September is National Preparedness Month, visit FEMA's site for more info and excellent resources.
For my readers in Massachusetts, visit MEMA's site for additional local preparedness info.


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