Resources for Sept 2017 National Preparedness Month + America’s PrepareAthon

September is National Preparedness Month (NPM) when Americans are encouraged to take action to prepare, now and throughout the year, for the types of emergencies that could affect us where we live, work, and visit.

The Ready Campaign recently released the 2017 NPM theme “Disasters Don’t Plan Ahead. You Can.” and toolkit, which includes graphics, hashtags, and social media content to help spread the word to others.

In addition to the overall theme, FEMA and the Ready campaign will be promoting different preparedness actions each week:

• Week 1:  September 1-9 – Make a Plan for Yourself, Family and Friends.
• Week 2:  September 10-16 – Plan to Help Your Neighbor and Community.
• Week 3:  September 17-23 – Practice and Build Out Your Plans.
• Week 4:  September 24-30 – Get Involved! Be a Part of Something Larger.

Learn more about National Preparedness Month at www.ready.gov/september.

Also consider getting our disaster preparedness and first aid manuals for your family, co-workers, customers, church members, neighbors, events and training sessions for only $4.50 U.S. each in bulk (70% off $14.99 list) and we can customize them for free!

The 266-page paperback provides quick-reference instructional bullets in 2-color format with tips on what people should think about and do before, during and after specific types of emergencies and disasters (e.g. hurricanes, hazardous material spills, nuclear incidents, active shooter scenarios, etc.), as well as how to administer basic first aid.

Fedhealth can ship red books within 24 hours of your order … plus we (Bill & Janet Liebsch) will donate a portion of bulk book orders to the U.S. First Responders Association in support of our nation’s first responders and veterans.

Learn how to order “IT’S A DISASTER!” books (or our 280-page ebook in PDF) or call Fedhealth at 520-907-2153. Stay safe out there, j & B

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Join REMS TA Center #PrepareAthonForSchools Twitter Chats July 27 and August 31, 2017

Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Technical Assistance Center (REMS TA Center) will be hosting 2 preparedness Twitter chats featuring stories, lessons learned, and key resources from states, localities, and additional Federal partners.

The 2017 topics include:

• July 27: Engaging Family and Community in Back to School Preparedness
• August 31: National Preparedness Month Preview

Here is how you can participate:

• Follow @remstacenter on Twitter. They will start posting chat questions at 3:00 p.m. ET on each of the dates listed above.
• Tweet your responses to questions live on Twitter using the 140-character count format.
• Share information about the #PrepareAthonForSchools Twitter chats with your followers in advance. REMS TA Center suggests using the following tweet:  Join @remstacenter for monthly #PrepareAthonForSchools chat series through August to discuss #emergencypreparedness .
• If you cannot participate live, read and contribute anytime on Twitter by searching #PrepareAthonForSchools.

Both July and August Twitter chats will be held from 3p to 4p EDT and share this post with others to help spread the word.

Resources for 2016 National Preparedness Month + America’s PrepareAthon

September is recognized as National Preparedness Month (NPM) which serves as a reminder that we all must take action to prepare, now and throughout the year, for the types of emergencies that could affect us where we live, work, and also where we visit.

Due to the success of last year’s theme, the Ready Campaign has decided “Don’t Wait, Communicate. Make Your Emergency Plan Today” will be returning for 2016 NPM.

Making a family emergency communication plan is a great way to prepare for disasters, but testing your plan is even better so you’ll be familiar with how to respond.

It’s also one of the 10 Ways to Participate in America’s PrepareAthon!

In addition to the overall theme, FEMA and the Ready campaign will be promoting specific topics each week of NPM:

• Promote NPM:  Aug 28-Sep 3  –  Kickoff to National Preparedness Month (Find resources to promote NPM at www.ready.gov/september )

• Week 2:  Sep 4-10  –  Preparing with Family & Friends (Make a family emergency communication plan )

• Week 3:  Sep 11-17  –  Preparing Through Service (Honor 9/11 by Getting involved in your community & planning with neighbors.)

• Week 4:  Sep 18-24  –  Individual Preparedness (Take steps to prepare for a disaster today like downloading the FEMA app.)

• Week 5:  Sep 25-30  –  Lead up to National PrepareAthon Day (Be counted and register your preparedness event for National PrepareAthon Day!)

National PrepareAthon! Day culminates NPM on September 30, 2016. Individuals, families, organizations and businesses are encouraged to use America’s PrepareAthon! materials as you plan, host and support events, drills and training sessions throughout the month and on 9/30.

Learn more about National Preparedness Month and find Ready’s NPM toolkit, graphics and more at www.ready.gov/september.

And consider getting some customized disaster preparedness & first aid manuals or ebooks for your family, co-workers, customers & events (up to 70% off $14.99 list) ~ learn more

Stay safe out there, j & B

Challenge yourself with #30Days30Ways Game during September #NatlPrep Month

September is National Preparedness Month (NPM or #NatlPrep) and we – along with thousands of private, public and nonprofit organizations – are encouraging Americans to take time to help your community get better prepared for disasters and emergencies of all kinds.

NPM wraps up with America’s PrepareAthon! as a national day of action (on 9/30 or anytime) when individuals, families, organizations and businesses have preparedness events, drills and training sessions to help turn “knowing into doing”.

A really fun way to get involved with NPM is to participate in the 30 Days, 30 Ways disaster preparedness game.

#30Days30Ways was started by the Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency (CRESA) in WA with the goal of challenging people to do one basic task per day to enhance their personal readiness for emergencies.

Each September, CRESA posts one simple readiness task each day and winners are selected from among the participants. The tasks are creative, fun and educational using an interactive social media based approach to reach an audience who may not be normally reached through traditional community events.

Check out this year’s 30 Days, 30 Ways promo video and scroll down to learn how to get involved and play…

How do I play?

Anyone can participate in the 30 Days, 30 Ways Preparedness Challenge — in fact, the game has had players in over 44 states and 38 countries — and there are 2 ways to play this year…

Daily Challenges:

• A daily task will be posted by 7am PDT to 30Days30ways website every day during September.
• The challenge will be cross-posted on Facebook and on Twitter @30Days_30Ways
• You can complete any task, any time as long as they are submitted by midnight on Sept 30th.
• You may enter as often as you like.

Weekly Challenges:

• This Year there will be 4 Weekly Challenges posted each Monday.
• You have until the following Sunday evening at Midnight Pacific Time to submit your entry.
• These Bonus Challenges will judged by a team of Emergency Management Coordinators at CRESA for creativity, relativity to the topic, popularity and how best it answers the overall theme of the game.

What can I win?

The number of winners and Amazon Gift Card prizes are based on the funds donated for this game. If you’d like to contribute to the #30Days30Ways crowdfunding campaign, visit their 30Days30Ways 2015 Preparedness Challenge page. (Any amount is helpful and all money donated goes directly into prizes awarded to those participating in the challenge.)

Learn more about the 30 Days, 30 Ways Preparedness Challenge at www.30days30ways.com or follow them on Facebook  or Twitter @30days_30ways  or #30days30ways.

Need custom preparedness books? Going to print soon

Several agencies and groups need custom books for their communities so we are trying to schedule a large bundled print by April 2015.

If you or any agencies, businesses or nonprofits you know would like a customized version of our 266–page disaster preparedness and first aid manual, please call Fedhealth at 520.907.2153 to discuss your needs.

Realize we bundle 1,000 unit & up custom jobs together and print 20,000+ books at a time. Also … we can do multiple versions of books for projects (1,000 & up per version) so you can customize covers and pages by area, county, division, agency, etc. (Fedhealth also supports small quantity orders using our red books and free stickers as explained below.)

The entire cover and title can be changed in the print process, and first 12 pages can be customized with local data, maps, reporting-in procedures, etc. in full color on glossy paper now.

We discount our books up to 60% off list and customize them for free.

And, if needed, agencies, nonprofits and groups can upgrade to add extra color glossy pages to include advertisements, coupons or sponsorship messages, grant specific data and more.

Another advantage is this Public-Private Partnership tool provides grantees about a $3 or $4-to-$1 return on match due to the deeply discounted Government price and other donated goods and services. And funds can be committed within hours. Fedhealth is a small business, sole source registered on GSA’s SAM database, Ariba and various local and state procurement systems.

Books make great educational giveaways for your employees, volunteers, members, customers and local communities esp. at events like PrepareAthon, health fairs, public safety expos, etc. Plus our customizable tool can help clear out leftover grant dollars that are time sensitive.

Also … groups needing smaller quantities can always purchase our standard red books and personalize them with free peel & stick labels. We can ship red books within 24 hours of your order anytime so you don’t have to wait for a custom print.

Learn more about our customizable book and fundraising ideas for volunteers, schools and nonprofits … or call Fedhealth at 520.907.2153 to discuss your needs.

Disaster book Special and more ideas for National Preparedness Month

In honor of National Preparedness Month, we wanted to share some Fedhealth specials and ideas in case they can help with your public education campaigns and efforts during NPM and throughout the year.

Special NPM Pricing

We are discounting our price on our 266-page IT’S A DISASTER! books to over 50% off list (or only $7.00 each) on ANY quantity purchase now through September 30, 2014. (Note, our ebook is only $5.)

Our book price price is always deeply discounted (up to 70% off list) in support of our grant and funding programs. (Price updated as of 2015)

Our disaster preparedness and first aid manuals make great gifts for employees, volunteers, family members, friends and communities, and books can be customized for free to include logos and special messages to recipients. Plus we will donate 10% to 30% of orders back to our partners and others helping spread the word. Learn more or call Fedhealth at 520.907.2153

Creative Public-Private Partnership programs

Many times agencies and volunteer groups want to purchase IT’S A DISASTER! books for local volunteers and citizens, but they don’t have any money in their limited budgets. Plus nonprofits, schools and First Responders are always looking for ways to raise money. So ~ a creative way to get local businesses involved is to sell advertisements or acknowledge sponsorship inside books (or eBooks) … and Fedhealth will print the ads and other data for FREE and throw the value in as “match” on your paperwork.

Groups can collect anything you can for ads or sponsorship … take cash, lines of credit, barter or trade (whatever you can get) … and keep it all since Fedhealth prints them for free..! It’s a whole community approach to resilience and preparedness. Learn more about our funding ideas.

School / Youth Group Fundraisers

A great way for schools and youth groups to participate in September’s National Preparedness Month is to use our preparedness book as a fundraiser (and collaborate with local Chambers, Rotarys and others to get discounts and freebies for the public) and earn profits while educating local communities! Learn more

Use up those leftover federal grant dollars

Many Federal grants close out September 30th so if your agency or nonprofit has dollars that need to be spent before a certain deadline, please consider using customizable IT’S A DISASTER! books to commit those funds. Our book qualifies as community education on grants providing almost a $4-to-$1 return on match. Learn more or call Fedhealth at 1-888-999-4325.

Read about some more creative ideas and activities for National Preparedness Month and please share these resources with others.

Stay safe all, j & B

Source: Fedhealth Aug 2014 enews

Some examples of National Preparedness Month activities and projects

September is National Preparedness Month (NPM or #NatlPrep) and we – along with a coalition of thousands of private, public and nonprofit organizations – are encouraging businesses, groups, schools and families to take time to help your community get better prepared for disasters and emergencies of all kinds.

Below are some creative projects and ideas that other organizations are doing (or have done) in case these could benefit your preparedness campaigns.

A key goal is to come up with fun and educational ways to get kids and adults involved..!

Some examples of NPM activities

During National Preparedness Month FEMA and Ready organizers are asking Americans to take action by planning a National PrepareAthon! Day on or around September 30th. America’s PrepareAthon! encourages millions of people to focus on simple, specific activities like hazard-specific drills, group discussions, and exercises that will increase preparedness.

Join the America’s PrepareAthon! campaign and register to participate in the September 30 national day of action. Once you register you have access to guides, social media tools, and customizable materials you can use during drills or exercises on 9/30 and year-round. The key is turning knowing into doing!

This is the 5th year of the 30 Days, 30 Ways Preparedness Challenge, in honor of National Preparedness Month. This game has grown exponentially over 4 years with over 10,000 preparedness tasks being completed. In the past, CRESA have relied on community donated prizes which have come in all shapes & sizes. This year, organizers want to reward players with $10-25 Amazon Gift Cards which are easier to share across the globe and don’t require shipping costs to their agency.

Help sponsor #30days30Ways and learn more about the Preparedness Challenge at www.30days30ways.com or follow them on Twitter@30Days_30Ways or Facebook

Entries are no longer being accepted for the APHA’s Get Ready Tips from Tots Photo contest but they will be announcing the winners in September, so stay tuned for some baby cuteness. Winners will be featured in a Get Ready calendar. Visit APHA’s baby photo gallery

And if you missed their past few contests, check out  APHA’s Get Ready Cat Preparedness Photo Contest  and Pup-Preparedness Photo Contest.

Learn more about APHA at www.getreadyforflu.org or follow them on Twitter@GetReady

The Emergency Kit Cook-Off challenges you to find creative use for the three day’s worth of food and potable water that you squirreled away for the family in case of an emergency. The Emergency Kit Cook-Off offers the public two ways to participate—1) vote on ingredients and 2) submit a recipe.

Learn more and join the fun at www.emergencykitcookoff.org or follow them on Twitter at @KitCookOff  or on Facebook

Another way to support your community is to join a local Citizen Corps , CERT or Medical Reserve Corps … or call your city or county Emergency Management, Fire, Police, Health or Sheriff Department and ask about volunteer opportunities. Or talk to your local Salvation Army or Red Cross office … and get involved!

Learn more about National Preparedness Month at www.ready.gov/september and encourage your families, friends, co-workers and communities to take action to prepare!

Source: Fedhealth Aug 2014 enews 

Get Ready to Participate in America’s PrepareAthon

America’s PrepareAthon! is a national community-based campaign for action to increase emergency preparedness and resilience through hazard-specific drills, group discussions, and exercises. 

Ready.gov explains the goal of America’s PrepareAthon! is to build a more resilient nation by increasing 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.

The spring and fall events are designed to encourage Americans to practice preparedness before an emergency or disaster strikes. For example, each year the Great ShakeOut earthquake drills encourage millions of people to physically practice what to do during an earthquake, and America’s PrepareAthon is modeled on the same principle. Participants must commit to take action and take at least one step (or more!) to prepare for a hazard they may face.

As mentioned above, the PrepareAthon! will occur twice a year — once in the spring and once in the fall — with the 2014 events planned on April 30 and September 30. Each event will concentrate on specific hazards and themes, but communities, organizations and families are encouraged to use the various resources throughout the year since disasters can happen anywhere and anytime.

According to Ready.gov the first National Day of Action is scheduled for April 30, 2014 and will focus on taking actions to prepare for four specific hazards:

— Tornadoes

—  Wildfires

—  Floods

—  Hurricanes

Agencies, organizations, businesses, schools and individuals can visit www.ready.gov/prepare and register to participate in America’s PrepareAthon! During the signup process organizers would like to know a few details about activities you are planning for the April call to action (similar to registering for ShakeOut events), plus you can join the National Preparedness Community to post events and network with others in the forum.

Also America’s PrepareAthon! organizers are providing customizable guides, social media tools and promotional materials for families and groups to use whether you just do the National Day of Action on 4/30 or hold drills or exercises year-round. The key is turning knowing into doing!

Additional Resources

In addition to the above and below links, consider learning more about FedHealth’s customizable disaster preparedness and first aid manual for your public outreach efforts too.

Our IT’S A DISASTER! book qualifies as community education on grants and provides about a $3 or $4-to-$1 return on match since we discount it up to 70% off list (or as low as $4.50 each) and customize it for free.

Plus we have collaborative funding ideas to help first responders, nonprofits and schools and educate local communities while saving people money! It’s a whole community approach to resilience and preparedness that can complement your Awareness campaigns. Learn more and download a free ebook

Some other informational tools include…

FLOOD resources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mold cleanup tips

EPA’s 20-page guide, “Mold, Moisture and Your Home”

FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program

Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (Floods)

NOAA’s Flood Safety

Ready.gov flood safety

HURRICANE Resources

Hurricanes 101 (hurricane basics and resources) / a 2013 post on our IAD blog

Florida’s Foundation “Make Mitigation Happen” (21-pg PDF for FL but could help most everyone)

National Hurricane Center

Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (Hurricanes)

NOAA Tropical Cyclones Preparedness Guide (12 pg PDF)

Ready.gov Hurricane safety

TORNADO Resources

Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (Tornadoes)

NOAA Tornado safety tips

More NOAA tips

Ready.gov Tornado safety

The Tornado Project Online!

WILDFIRE Resources

Wildfire Mitigation Tips

Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (Wildfire)

National InciWeb

National Interagency Fire Center

Ready.gov Wildfire safety

US Fire Administration Wildfire safety

Or download a free portion of our It’s A Disaster! book … or visit your state or local Emergency Management, Health or Fire or Police or Sheriff department’s website to find local emergency information, safety tips and tools to help you and your loved ones get prepared.

And again… learn how to take action and get involved with America’s PrepareAthon at www.ready.gov/prepare and follow them on Twitter @PrepareAthon or Facebook.