Oakland, CA – May 25, 2011:  Everyone is invited on Thursday, May 26, 2011 (between 10am–3pm) to the Get Ready! Public Emergency Preparedness Fair held at the Oakland Coliseum (7000 Coliseum Way, Oakland; BART accessible, Coliseum Station). The fair will include raffles, gifts, trainings, vendors and demonstrations! There will also be information on volunteer opportunities as well as FREE Whooping Cough Vaccinations while supplies last.  

CARD – Collaborating Agencies Responding to Disasters – will be holding onsite preparedness trainings on their SKIP (Safety Kept In Place) Kits. SKIP Kits are made from inexpensive, everyday objects that can serve as powerful preparedness tools in the event of a disaster. The first 1,000 people to complete the short training will receive a FREE SKIP Kit. CARD trainings will be given in English, Spanish and ASL (American Sign Language).

“Everyone is invited to CARD’s area.  We’ll have giveaways such as Potty Posters, wallet cards, and candy. Our trainings will show people how creative they can be AND that they are more prepared than they think. This is the fun part of preparedness!” says Âna-Marie Jones, Executive Director, CARD.

This event is organized by the Alameda County Public Health Department (ACPHD).  For more information on the Public Emergency Preparedness Fair, please contact Zerlyn Ladua at 510-208-5962or Zerlyn.ladua@acgov.org or visit www.ACPHD.org.

Other Get Ready! Preparedness Fair participants include the American Red Cross and the ACPHD iWHACK Germs program.

For info on CARD’s trainings and alternatives to traditional emergency preparedness, please contact Âna-Marie Jones at 510-451-3140 or AMJ@CARDcanhelp.org. More info and giveaways will be offered on:

www.Facebook.com/CARDcanhelp ~ http://CARDcanhelp.org/Blog ~ www.Twitter.com/CARDcanhelp

CARD was created after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake by local nonprofits to address the preparedness and response needs of agencies serving vulnerable consumers.  CARD has created an alternative curriculum and a fear-free approach to fit the cultures, structures and budgets of the nonprofit sector.

CARD’s work to prepare nonprofits and vulnerable communities is made possible by: Alameda County Public Health Department, Alameda County OES, United Way of the Bay Area, Walter and Elise Haas Fund, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, City of Oakland, San Francisco Foundation, and many individual nonprofit agencies.

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May 26th, 2011 | Tags: CARD, communication, community, Couch Potato Preparedness, emergency preparedness, go kit, go-kits, Planning, Preparedness, Public Health | Category: Alameda County, CARD Tools, Public Health, Useful Tools | Leave a comment

CARD trainings provided in English, Spanish and ASL (American Sign Language).Get Ready! Preparedness Fair: Thursday, May 26th, 10am-3pm, Oakland Coliseum, FREE!

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May 25th, 2011 | Tags: American Sign Language, ASL, CARD, prepare, skip kit, Spanish | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Born April 23rd 1564, William Shakespeare wrote some of the most famous plays in history: Hamlet; Macbeth; Romeo and Juliet. His lyrical, evocative style is still appreciated around the world, despite using a vocabulary unfamiliar to many audiences. The less-lyrical vocabulary of emergency services is often burdened by acronyms and jargon. For insiders, jargon and acronyms can increase speed and comprehension. For guests and new people, they can alienate and make full participation a challenge. To reduce barriers when writing: use everyday language when possible; explain words and acronyms in the text; and include glossaries. When speaking, empower audiences to question unfamiliar terms, and list them at the front of the room. Help people move along the preparedness continuum by ensuring they can follow along.

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April 25th, 2011 | Tags: CARD, communication, community, emergency preparedness, Preparedness | Category: 2011, STAT | Leave a comment

San Francisco Interactive Media Summit (SF-IM) at USF: Interactive Media for Public Purposes in Journalism, Government and Public Relations

Saturday, March 05, 2011 from 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM (PT),,San Francisco, CA

SF-IM is featuring a diverse array of presenters, including:

• Susan Piper, who will share her thoughts on creating a communications infrastructure for the City of Oakland incorporating social media.
• Kwan Booth who will talk about how Oakland Local website uses social media to make journalism more of a two-way dialogue.
• Ana-Marie Jones, who will share her organization, CARD, uses social media as it trains and supports nonprofits in an empowered approach to disaster preparedness, response and recovery activities.
• Jonathan Bernstein of “Not In Our Schools,” a peer-to-peer learning program that uses social media to provide students and teachers with real tools to counter hate and create respectful environments on their campuses.”

Get 50% off the Regular Registration price by using the discount code “fop” (short for Friend of Presenter) when registering at:

http://sf-im.eventbrite.com/

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February 25th, 2011 | Tags: CARD, City of Oakland, Media Summit, social media, USF | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Requiring your staff to be prepared, trained, and ready to deal with emergencies helps our communities to be more self-sufficient, better able to respond, and ultimately more empowered. Simple requirements for staff include:

• Carry a whistle and flashlight – and know the code (1=Yes, 2=No, 3= Help)
• Keep employee emergency contact information updated
• Program cell phones with key contact information, medical data, rally points, etc.
• Have basic safety and preparedness information in wallets, glove compartments, back packs, etc.

Check periodically to make sure that everyone is maintaining this simple level of required preparedness. Have your team track the successes that arise from having these tools with them every day. This will help your employees to be heroes for themselves, their families, and their communities. They will become more confident as they walk the world prepared.

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May 10th, 2010 | Tags: CARD, CUE, employee, Preparedness, require, Safety, staff, whitle and flashlight | Category: 2010, STAT, STAT 5MM | Leave a comment

The warmer weather that Spring brings encourages outdoor activity. This is a great time to plant some preparedness ideas with anyone responsible for maintaining outdoor and green spaces near homes or offices.

Some helpful actions to make outdoor spaces more safe and secure include:

1. Search the space to find the best places for people to congregate. Good spaces are often flat, easily accessible and far from falling hazards, power lines, gas mains, etc.
2. Clear the area of common natural hazards, including rocks, vines, dead leaves, fallen branches or overgrowth.
3. Choose plants, flowers, trees, and ground-cover with preparedness in mind. Depending on your likely hazards, consider fire resistant, low maintenance options which stand up to weather extremes, and won’t attract bugs, vermin or other pests.

Tip: Make sure everyone knows specifically where to rally in your outdoor space.

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March 29th, 2010 | Tags: CARD, hazards, ideas, outdoor space, Preparedness, Safety, vegetation | Category: 2010, STAT, STAT 5MM | Leave a comment