In Case of Emergency, Read This Blog

In Case Of Emergency, Read Blog

A Citizen’s Eye View of Public Preparedness

On YouTube’s 5th Anniversary, Thank You From A Technology-Challenged Blogger

May 18th, 2010 · No Comments

Yesterday was YouTube’s 5th Anniversary, and I wanted to express my appreciation to the site for making it so easy for even a technology neophyte like myself to use.
Shooting with the equally user friendly Flip camera and then posting my (often shaky camera work) to YouTube, I have been able to utilize a lot of [...]

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Tags: "What Should We Tell The Public?" · Preparedness 2.0

As Forecasters Predict “Above Average” Hurricane Season, FEMA’s Fugate In Video Challenges Public: “We’re Getting Ready…Are You?”

April 8th, 2010 · 1 Comment

A day after Colorado State University released their forecast that the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season will be “above average”, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate has recorded a video urging the public to begin preparations.
The preliminary report, according to CNN.com, predicts 15 named storms and eight of those becoming hurricanes:
Forecasters William Gray and Phil Klotzbach said that [...]

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Tags: Federal Emergency Management Administration · Hurricane Preparedness

Ready.Gov/Ad Council PSA’s Launched Today; Urge Americans To Prepare In Case Disaster Turns Their “World Upside Down”

September 2nd, 2009 · 1 Comment

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano today joined with Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Craig Fugate and the Ad Council to launch a new series of Ready Campaign public service advertisements (PSAs) designed to encourage all Americans to take steps to prepare for emergencies, kicking off September’s National Preparedness Month.
“Preparedness is a shared [...]

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Tags: Preparedness Advertising

Becky Marquis, Ready.Gov: With National Preparedness Month Beginning, “It’s A Perfect Time To Think About Preparedness” (’What Should We Tell The Public?’ Series)

September 1st, 2009 · No Comments

With the launch of National Preparedness Month (NPM) today, below is a video featuring Becky Marquis, the Acting Director of Ready.Gov. as part the blog’s “What Should We Tell The Public?” series.
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 [...]

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Tags: "What Should We Tell The Public?"

Government Reevaluating Ready.Gov Preparedness Recommendations For Public: “Get A Plan” Getting More Emphasis, “Get A Kit” Getting Less, “Get Trained” Getting New Attention

August 24th, 2009 · 4 Comments

U.S. officials are reevaluating the government’s original post-9/11 Ready.Gov citizen preparedness recommendations and in public statements are already reprioritizing what they are urging Americans to do to prepare for disasters.
It means that Ready.Gov’s “Get A Kit, Make A Plan, Be Informed” framework — which has been used by many federal, state and local preparedness sites since [...]

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Tags: Federal Emergency Management Administration · Preparedness Tips

Playing Games For Preparedness: DHS, NYC Offer Some Online Fun For Kids (& Adults) To Get Ready

August 6th, 2009 · 2 Comments

My New York City Office of Emergency Management “Tip-Of-The-Week” email tipped me off to some interactive web preparedness games the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has created to help teach children how to prepare for emergencies. They can be found on the Ready Kids website and the Ready New York For Kids site. The games include: [...]

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Tags: City Preparedness · Preparedness Games

Ready.Gov, Red Cross Adding Mobile Phones To Basic Emergency Preparedness Supply Kit Recommendation

May 18th, 2009 · 5 Comments

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Ready.Gov program and the American Red Cross are adding mobile phones and chargers to its recommendations for basic supplies in citizen emergency preparedness kits. This marks both a real and symbolic step for wireless communications and social media in public emergency preparedness and response. 
The Red Cross has already changed [...]

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Tags: Department of Homeland Security · Preparedness 2.0 · Red Cross

As U.S. Faces Swine Flu, Ad Council Study Finds Citizen Preparedness “Leveling Off”

April 27th, 2009 · 1 Comment

At a webinar promoting September’s National Preparedness Month activities, officials from The Advertising Council and the U.S. Homeland Security Department’s Ready.Gov program said that their most recent tracking polls indicate that citizen emergency preparedness is “leveling off”. (The webinar took place earlier this month before Swine Flu was diagnosed in the U.S.) Some of the results that underlie the [...]

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Tags: Preparedness Reports

New Emergency Info ‘Widget’ From U.S. Homeland Security Department Now Available

February 4th, 2009 · 1 Comment

The U.S. Homeland Security Department’s Ready Campaign and The Advertising Council have created a new ‘widget’ to provide citizens with emergency information. The widget provides users: 
“with updates on emergency situations, local emergency contact information, an instructional video, emergency kit checklists and guidelines on how to better prepare for an emergency. Users can also access a clickable map to find contact [...]

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Tags: Department of Homeland Security · Preparedness 2.0

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