New custom book examples and some ways groups use our preparedness books

We recently did a bulk print for several agencies and a Rotary Club and wanted to share their custom covers and briefly describe how groups use our customizable books.

Since 1999 agencies, businesses and nonprofit organizations across the U.S. and Canada have used custom preparedness books as educational giveaways to employees, volunteers, customers and communities. They also make great gifts that show you care about your recipients’ health and well-being (esp. for the holidays!)

We discount our 266-page book 50% to 70% off list (as low as $4.50 U.S. each) and customize them for free — either in print process [1,000 units & up] .. OR .. with peel & stick labels using our standard red books in small quantity.

Some creative ways agencies, businesses and organizations use “IT’S A DISASTER!” …

• Agencies / First Responders = for staff, volunteers and local communities
• Banks & Credit unions = for new accounts and/or new home loans
• Civic Clubs, Chambers and Associations = for members, events, sponsors and communities
• Human Resources, Risk Management & Business Continuity Depts = for employees and contract workers
• Insurance companies = for new or existing policyholders
• Marketing & Sales Depts = for meetings or Conferences … or gifts to clients and customers
• Real estate / mortgage professionals = for new homebuyers or use as relocation gifts
• Utility companies = for customers / members, employees, and safety classes

Groups can change the entire book cover (including the title) and the first 12 pages can be personalized with emergency ph#s, marketing and safety data, advertisements or sponsorship information, or whatever you’d like … then books are all the same after the first 12 pages.

And a new feature we are now offering is a 48 page color glossy insert that can be bound into books for an up-charge (so up to 60 customizable pages) creating a very substantial personalized reference manual.

Agencies, businesses or nonprofits can use the color inserts to collaborate with local partners and offer coupons and savings to motivate the public while raising funds to sustain your projects. Collect anything you can for ads or sponsorship … cash, lines of credit, barter or trade … and keep it all since Fedhealth prints the ads for free. See some funding ideas here.

Below are some custom covers and pages from a few groups we recently printed books for and how they are using them in their respective communities. More samples are viewable here.

Rotary Club of McHenry County Sunrise

On September 28, 2013 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. the Rotary Club of McHenry-Sunrise will host the Disaster Response Appreciation Day at Petersen Park in McHenry, Illinois.

The Chasing4Life Team along with local organizations will present and demonstrate the role of a variety of response teams in the event of a disaster.

Some attractions at the event will include a portable disaster response command center and hospital, a K-9 demonstration, a drone equipped with a camera and thermal imaging technology to find missing persons and an exceptional attraction for kids. Children in attendance can maneuver their way out of a mock safety house during a simulated fire.

Admission will be free though donations will be welcome and encouraged. (RCOMS is selling their customized book direct to the public.)

Rotary Club of McHenry-Sunrise’s custom covers and several custom pages are wrapped around our 266-page preparedness and first aid manual.

Connecticut Region 2 Medical Reserve Corps

The Connecticut Region 2 Medical Reserve Corps Partners include Shoreline MRC, New Haven MRC, West Haven MRC, Wallingford MRC, Milford MRC and Naugatuck Valley MRC. The Region 2 Coordinator at East Shore District Health Department along with Naugatuck Valley Health District pooled funds to purchase books for their MRC volunteers.

CTMRC Region 2’s custom pages include information about Training, MRC Policies, Liability Protections, Volunteer Rights and Responsibilities, safety and more.

Albany County (New York)

In a May 30, 2013 press release (after the Albany County Sheriff’s Office initial purchase) Sheriff Craig Apple asked individuals or organizations who wished “to partner with ACSO in further productions of this important publication” to contact his office. The Albany County Health Department and County Executive Daniel McCoy joined forces with the Sheriff’s office to reprint more custom books for their community using some Homeland Security grant funds.

Standard red books with stickers

Remember … in small quantities and on rush orders we can always customize our standard red books with free peel and stick labels to convey your messages to your recipients.

View more samples (or call or email for full size PDFs), learn more about our book and funding ideas or call Fedhealth at 520.907.2153 to discuss your needs. 

Colorado floods (photos plus resources for victims and tips on how you can help)

The recent floods in Colorado destroyed about 2,000 homes in 17 counties, especially in hardest hit Boulder and Larimer counties.

Floodwaters have also damaged about 200 miles of road and 50 bridges, causing more than $2 billion in property losses and are blamed for spills of about 27,000 gallons of oil in northern Colorado oilfields.

As of today (23-Sep-2013), the confirmed death toll stands at eight and the number of missing has dropped to six, according to officials.

We’ve compiled some photos of the devastation from the National Guard and DoD archives, and including several links and resources at the bottom for those dealing with the disaster, as well as those who want to help communities impacted by the floods and landslides.

U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Joseph K. VonNida

U.S. Soldiers evacuate fifth-grade students from Firewood Elementary and the Denver public school system from Cal-wood and Balarat Camps during search and rescue operations from homes between Boulder and Lyons, Colo., Sept. 14, 2013. Colorado and Wyoming National Guard units were activated to provide assistance to people affected by massive flooding along Colorado’s Front Range. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Wallace Bonner/Released)

U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Wallace Bonner

Jamestown, Colo., Sep. 15, 2013 — The small mountain town of 300 has been cut off because of Boulder County flood. FEMA Urban Search & Rescue (US&R) teams deployed to the state to help in Search and Rescue operations. Steve Zumwalt/FEMA

U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Jonathan C. Thibault

Individuals in Colorado’s Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Clear Creek, El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer, Logan and Weld counties can apply for assistance and locate a Disaster Recovery Center

Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) and Colorado Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (COVOAD) have launched a website with data for people wanting to help those impacted by the Colorado floods and wildfires at www.helpcoloradonow.net

Also please read It’s A Disaster! Now what..? to learn more about the declaration process, tips on what to do (and not do) to help disaster victims, and more.

Our hearts go out to the families and businesses dealing with the disasters in Colorado and elsewhere around our planet. Remember … emergencies and disasters happen each and every day so learn how to prepare for and recover from various types of scenarios with a free ebook portion of our IT’S A DISASTER! book and please share it and this post with others.

Take care and stay safe out there, j & B

Sources: ABC News , DoD  and FEMA 

Never Forget (photos of 9/11 Ground Zero Responders)

As we approach the anniversary of the 9/11 attack on our country, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the 2,977 lives lost…

• 2,753 victims at the World Trade Center (including 343 firefighters, 60 police officers, and 8 private EMTs);
• 184 who died at the Pentagon;
• and 40 at Shanksville, PA.

There have also been about 1,000+ responders who have since passed due to 9/11 related illnesses from working at Ground Zero.

People often forget terrorist attacks against our nation began long before the 2001 attack and, with all the unrest around the world, we will continue to deal with threats going forward. But we need to remain calm about the threat of terrorist attacks since they are a low risk possibility, and we should all be vigilant.

Our company works very closely with first responders across the nation so we ask you to please remember the sacrifices many responders and volunteers gave so willingly on that day – and everyday – to keep us safe. Never forget…

Credit: Robert Pears Photography

Photo via Seal of Honor FB page

Credit: FEMA

Credit: Andrea Booher/FEMA

Credit: FEMA

Credit: Michael Rieger/FEMA

Credit: NY Daily News

Some free Sep 2013 webinars to help businesses get prepared

Last week we shared several ideas, contests and events for National Preparedness Month, but there are also several free webinars planned this September focusing on business preparedness.

Research shows at least 25 percent (and potentially as high as 40 percent) of small businesses do not reopen after a major disaster. Those that do, often struggle to stay in business. By planning in advance, the odds of a company surviving and recovering from a disaster increase dramatically.

Some free webinars planned for Sep 2013 include…

• September 5, “Disaster Response: Preparing Your Business for the Unexpected,” hosted by Bank of America Merrill Lynch, will feature Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Association and Richard Reed, Senior Vice President, Disaster Cycle Services, American Red Cross. Space is limited. Click here to register.

And the U.S. Small Business Administration and Agility Recovery will host three popular “Prepare My Business” webinars:

• September 11, “Protecting Your Organization by Preparing Your Employees.” To register go to: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/668927705

• September 18, “The NEW 10 Steps to Preparedness – Lessons from the Past.” To register go to: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/613804840

• September 25, “Crisis Communications for any Organization,” To register go to: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/918980200

Also check out Open for Business and OFB-EZ (Free business continuity tools from IBHS) … and please share these ideas with others!