We’ve long known that it’s easier for healthy people to respond to emergencies and disasters. It’s easy to increase the health and wellness in your workplace (and increase preparedness) by changing your water habits. Water is a critical resource for maintaining every day health, and in an emergency it will be one of the first things people need.

Beyond having an adequate amount of water stored for emergencies, consider adopting these healthy water habits:
1) Ensure everyone has a personal emergency water supply at their workstation
2) Encourage carrying a refillable water bottle at all times
3) Have water as a selection in your vending machines

Help your team to walk the world happy, healthy, and hydrated! Your agency will be better prepared for emergencies, and your people will personally benefit from your commitment to their health.

Tip: Lead by example – take the actions above and let everyone see your commitment to proper hydration.

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For many people, the hardest concept to grasp with social media is that Facebook, Twitter and other platforms aren’t simply new portals for getting the same old messages out – they are part of a fundamental shift in how people select, share, receive, understand, and interact with information. This shift also changes who and what are considered the best sources for accurate information on emergency preparedness, public safety, and disaster response.

Gone are the days where a well-written press release was the key to garnering public attention.  Changing your behaviors and mindset to succeed in this new social media environment can be a challenge – especially if you don’t know the rules. Help your social media efforts to avoid some known pitfalls by reviewing the basics of good social media behavior!

Tip: Share this video with your whole team. Make sure everyone understands the scope of the social media revolution and what it means for your organization’s preparedness and response efforts.

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Of the major social media platforms, Twitter is the most simple in design: 140-character messages posted to people who choose to listen.  For emergency planners Twitter has demonstrated its power by allowing anyone who can send a text message the ability to communicate with a world-wide audience in seconds. No traditional media outlet can beat the speed of a person who is onsite with a text-enabled phone!

Go to Twitter to find trending conversations, or to read up on a pressing issue.  The 140-character limit allows you to scan messages quickly and make the best use of your time.  Please follow @CARDcanhelp and @CESA2010 and let us know how we can help you to embrace Twitter.  Notice how Tweets can be organized by topic and searched for using the “#” sign (called a hashtag on Twitter): #H1N1, #ACPHD, #humor, etc.

Tip: Registering your Twitter username in various Twitter directories and making sure your profile is loaded with keywords are great ways for people to easily find your Twitter site.

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Some popular ways to share preparedness on Facebook include:

Each of these options allows for sharing in several ways, including posting events on a calendar, writing notes, and (like most social media sites) Facebook allows 140-character “status updates“.

Whether or not you have a Facebook presence, if you seek to connect, fundraise, or educate your community – get your team talking about how this dynamic platform can best serve your preparedness needs!

Tip: Please join CARD’s Facebook Fan Page and tell us how you use our tools and resources! If you post comments, we’ll be able to post and share your links across our various Social Media platforms!

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The largest business networking site in the world, www.LinkedIn.com, offers anyone with emergency preparedness or disaster response duties a wide range of opportunities.  Once you’ve created a simple profile, with a picture and basic information, LinkedIn helps you to connect with anyone in your address book who also has a profile.  You can connect with others by joining groups of like-minded people who share your interests or responsibilities.  LinkedIn also allows you to post questions and submit answers, so you can get answers to questions or share your expertise. Whether you need to find a job, a vendor, a referral, or a new partner,  LinkedIn’s over 60 million members can help.

Like most Social Media sites, LinkedIn offers 140-character “status updates”  – so you can easily keep your contacts updated on your preparedness and response efforts!

Tip:  If you’d like to connect on LinkedIn, go to http://LinkedIn.com/in/MsDuctTape.  In your invitation PLEASE mention how you know CARD, Ana-Marie, or  how you use our tools or resources.

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Most nonprofit agencies have either already jumped into using one or more of the popular social networking platforms (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) or they are actively exploring how to best join the Social Media revolution.  Early adopters of social media have long been extolling the virtues and benefits of dynamic engagement with existing audiences, reaching new supporters, and fundraising using these new portals.  An unheralded benefit for nonprofits is that effective use of social media can radically increase their emergency preparedness and disaster response capacity!

No matter where your agency lives on the social media continuum, take a small step toward having these tools increase your ability to communicate with key constituents. Poll staff, volunteers, vendors, funders, and consumers to find out which platforms are already being used.  Building from a place of strength will produce immediate benefits.

Tip: Check out the Nonprofit Social Media Decision Guide, created by Idealware to help you think through your social media planning.

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Depending on the emergency situation, sometimes the safest choice is to stay where you are and protect yourself.  Everyone should know how to “Shelter-in-Place” or make their current location a safe haven. Here are the first key steps to master (notice that they are helpful for many situations):

1) SHELTER by going indoors.

2) SHUT doors and windows.

3) LISTEN for information (TV, radio, internet, etc.)

If there is an airborne hazard or other danger and you have to stay where you are for several hours, you’ll need some supplies: food and water; emergency radio; critical medications and a phone to communicate. Other Shelter-in-Place  protective actions include choosing an internal room, closing vents, sealing off cracks, turning off motors, fans, etc.

Remember: With a little creativity, most spaces can be turned into a temporary shelter!

Tip: Download this Shelter-in-Place checklist and make it available to your team.

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Many emergencies cause the need to evacuate. Creating a checklist in advance can help you evacuate more smoothly. Some items to include:

• Pre-designated and clearly labeled “Rally Point” (and back-up location) — where everyone will meet.
• Maps identifying exits and routes to Rally Points.
• People assigned to check that everyone heard the evacuation message and is able to comply.
• Reminder to perform a headcount before leaving, and again after reaching the rally point safely.  If evacuating from a meeting, use sign-in sheets to help account for people.
• Person (and backup) tasked to grab the agency go-kit (also note go-kit location!)

Remember to leave a note telling people where you’ve gone, the time you left, and the route you plan to take – so your friends, family, and loved ones will not worry.

Tip: Know how long it takes to evacuate everyone from your agency – timed from when you get the message to evacuate to when the last person is safely at the Rally Point.

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If you or your associates are communicating about the Mehserle Trial, Oscar Grant, etc., please use care and sensitivity http://tl.gd/2b1boo

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