In Case of Emergency, Read This Blog

In Case Of Emergency, Read Blog

A Citizen’s Eye View of Public Preparedness

Entries from October 2008

Interesting Preparedness Radio Ads From Ready Virginia

October 8th, 2008 · 4 Comments

Laura Southard, Public Outreach Coordinator for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, sent me two new radio commercials that Ready Virginia did for this year’s hurricane season. I like the ads because they use two themes/marketing angles — 1) having kids ask (even guilt) their parents about preparing and 2) putting the listener in the middle of a disaster situation — [...]

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Tags: Preparedness Advertising

Have A Question For DHS Secretary Chertoff On Cyber Security?

October 7th, 2008 · No Comments

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff has invited a group of us homeland security-related bloggers to meet with him tomorrow morning in Washington, D.C.. The subject of this “Bloggers Roundtable” is cyber security. You may not have known but October is “National Cyber Security Awareness Month” which is “designed to educate the public on the shared [...]

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Tags: Cyber Security

As National Preparedness Month Ends, Increased Number of Corporate, Non-Profit Partners Is A Positive Sign For Future

October 7th, 2008 · No Comments

With the fifth-annual National Preparedness Month now over, I wanted to point out an encouraging statistic regarding corporate and non-profit interest in citizen preparedness both on a national and community level. 
The Department of Homeland Security’s public preparedness efforts have received a good deal of criticism over the past few years. And, in fact, no one has [...]

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Tags: Department of Homeland Security

Gail McGovern (President, American Red Cross) — “What Should We Tell The Public?”

October 6th, 2008 · 2 Comments

On Friday, I had the chance to speak with Gail McGovern, the new President of the American Red Cross at her Washington office. We discussed citizen preparedness and some of her plans for the organization. I will write up that conversation in a future post. In the meantime, I also filmed two “What Should We [...]

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FEMA Head Paulison Prepares His Florida Home For Hurricanes On YouTube As Guide For Others

October 6th, 2008 · No Comments

One of the suggestions I’ve made to emergency preparedness communicators is that they talk more about their own personal efforts to ready themselves and their families. I think it makes what can be an imposing and off-putting process seem more accessible and relatable for average citizens. So, I was happy to see a video that FEMA [...]

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Tags: Hurricane Preparedness

Red Cross/National Fire Protection Association Survey Indicates Economic Concerns Could Increase Number Of Home Fires

October 5th, 2008 · No Comments

The American Red Cross and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) have just released results of a survey showing a majority (79%) of Americans are concerned about the rising cost of heating their homes, and may use an alternative heating source to reduce their bills this winter. That, according to the Red Cross and NFPA, could [...]

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Tags: Fire Safety · Preparedness Tips

In Recently Closed “Sun”, How Ike Recovery In Houston Has Been Community-Driven

October 4th, 2008 · 2 Comments

Unfortunately, the New York Sun, a six-year-old daily newspaper, printed its last edition this past Tuesday. Each day, the Sun could be relied on for an interesting, often provocative, take on the news — whether on its front, editorial or sports page — that a reader might not find elsewhere. I will miss it. The paper’s [...]

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Tags: Hurricane Preparedness

Fran Townsend (Ex-White House Homeland Security Adviser) — “What Should We Tell The Public?”

October 2nd, 2008 · No Comments

Fran Townsend served as President Bush’s top Homeland Security aide from May, 2004 through 2007. In this segment of “What Should We Tell The Public?”, Townsend urges parents to create and then go over a basic emergency communications plan so everyone in the family understands what to do and how to do it. She says she has set up [...]

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Tags: "What Should We Tell The Public?"

“On Native Soil” Movie About “9/11 Commission” Underscores Power & Potential Of Citizen Action

October 2nd, 2008 · 1 Comment

When I was visiting Mary and Frank Fetchet at the Voices of September 11th offices in New Canaan, Connecticut last month, I met Linda Ellman, the director/producer of the documentary “On Native Soil” which chronicles the effort to effort to create the “9/11 Commission” and follows its proceedings. I had not seen the movie when it first [...]

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Tags: Entertainment · Media

As National Preparedness Month Ends, Make A “Pledge To Prepare”

October 1st, 2008 · No Comments

National Preparedness Month is now over, but you can make a last minute preparedness ‘commitment’ through the American Red Cross’ Pledge To Prepare checkoff here.
Among the possible pledges:
I will start gathering the supplies I need for my emergency preparedness kit.
I will make copies of important information for my emergency preparedness kit (insurance papers, proof of home ownership, lease, [...]

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Tags: Uncategorized