JOHN SHEA, FEMA SOCIAL MEDIA (ABOVE)

In the video, Gibb recommends that citizens subscribe to government emergency text/e-mail notifications such as the NY-Alert system that he oversees (and which I get on my BlackBerry). We shot the video after Gibb spoke to the White House’s Long-Term Disaster Recovery Task Force stakeholder forum earlier this month.

JOHN GIBB, NEW YORK STATE’S EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR

I shot this video at Chertoff’s Washington, D.C. office just before the release of  his new book, Homeland Security: Assessing The First Five Years.

MICHAEL CHERTOFF, CHERTOFF GROUP (ABOVE)

In the video, Ben urges the public to “ask questions” because “the more questions you ask, the more information you’ll get about local preparedness”. One way you can “ask questions” about local preparedness is as a volunteer Disaster Accountability monitor helping verify gaps in disaster relief services so they can be addressed. You can learn more about DAP’s work on its website. The video was shot at the Natural Hazards Workshop this summer.

BEN SMILOWITZ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DISASTER ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT (ABOVE)

In the short video, Allison explains the steps every pet owner should do to prepare their animals for emergencies. In the background there is a Golden Retriever, Hunter, who stopped by (with his owner) to be microchipped and have a ‘go bag’  photo taken. I have found that pet owners tend to be among the most prepared groups, but I’m sure Allison’s recommendations will be helpful.

ALLISON CARDONA, ASPCA DISASTER RESPONSE DIRECTOR (ABOVE)

Unfortunately, the event was held during a rain storm (see photo below) so we did the interview inside the organization’s trailer located in the middle of Manhattan’s Union Square. For more information about emergency preparedness for pets, go to the ASPCA’s website here.

THE ASPCA/NYC OEM PET PREPAREDNESS EVENT IN NEW YORK’S UNION SQUARE; THE ASPCA TRAILER IS BEHIND THE TENT

In the video, Arteseros encourages citizens to consider volunteering for NERT or CERT because “getting involved is one of the most empowering things you can do.”

LT. ERICA ARTESEROS,  SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT/NERT PROGRAM (ABOVE)

Mary and her husband Frank lost their 24-year-old son, Brad, in the World Trade Center attacks eight years ago today. Soon after, she founded Voices of September 11th as a clearinghouse for information and support for those affected by the 9/11 attacks. The group now serves more than 7,000 members with information, outreach and programs on the many aspects of post-9/11 life, with a particular focus on helping 9/11 families, survivors, rescue and recovery workers and others affected by the attacks.

Voices has created the 9/11 Living Memorial, an amazing digital archive which commemorates the lives that were lost and documents firsthand accounts of rescue workers and survivors at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Mary and Frank have made emergency preparedness a central part of the Voices of September 11th mission. And in this video, shot at the Voices offices in New Canaan, Connecticut, she makes the important point that preparation and information could have saved lives at the World Trade Center on 9/11. Mary says we must learn from history and all of us should make sure our homes, schools, workplaces and communities are prepared for emergencies.

MARY FETCHET, VOICES OF SEPTEMBER 11th (ABOVE)

In the video, shot at FEMA headquarters, Marquis says National Preparedness Month is the “perfect time to think about preparedness”, and she outlines some steps every American should take to become prepared.

BECKY MARQUIS, ACTING DIRECTOR, READY.GOV

For more information on National Preparedness Month, including events going on across the nation, go to www.ready.gov/america/npm09/index.html.

In the video below (shot between sessions at the Natural Hazards Workshop in Colorado last month), Claire makes the point that “you’re responsible for you” in an emergency, and she points out that volunteering for CERT and the Citizen Corps is another way to help out in your community.

Claire Rubin, Author, Emergency Management: The American Experience, 1900-2005

In this video, she debunks some myths about social media during disasters and urges citizens to learn how applications such as Twitter, Facebook and MySpace can help them in an emergency situation.

Jeannette Sutton, Natural Hazards Center