One of the best ways to build your disaster resilience AND become more powerful everyday is to become masterful at communicating. A great first step is to get a comprehensive list of the people you need to communicate with in an emergency. For most agencies, the list includes the following: staff, volunteers, emergency contacts of staff and volunteers, your clients or consumers, neighbors and immediate community, Board of Directors, community partners, sister agencies, funders and donors, media (traditional and social), suppliers and vendors (i.e. insurance, legal services), and of course, local emergency agencies.

Get your team brainstorming and add or remove groups from the list as necessary. With a complete list you’ll be better equipped to prioritize your resources and reach the right people, at the right time, with the right message.

Resource: How to build a phone tree

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February 1st, 2010 | Tags: communication, community, disaster, donors, partners, resilience | Category: 2010, STAT, STAT 5MM | Comments (1)

For many, this holiday season comes with some extra stress. Some stressors include: how to have safe gatherings during a pandemic, gift giving when money is limited, or simply helping friends or family through hard times. There is one key preparedness solution to help with all of these issues: communication. Get EVERYONE communicating. Some things to address: handling flu safety, using free services (including Skype) to include people who can’t attend in person, and limiting or foregoing gifts entirely.

The important thing is to get EVERYONE communicating, updating everyone’s contact information, and flexing your individual and collective capacity to reach each other by email, text messages, conference calls, social media or other means.  Prepare for a wonderful, loving holiday season by communicating and building resilient communication systems with the people you love most.

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November 16th, 2009 | Tags: communication, Family, Holiday | Category: 2009, STAT, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Abraham Lincoln delivered the famous Gettysburg Address on November 19th, 1863, beginning with “four score and seven years ago” and ending with “government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”  The speech became famous because it eloquently framed a difficult subject — the Civil War — in just ten descriptive, emotionally stirring sentences.

Planning for disasters is a difficult, stress-laden subject for many people. Learn a lesson from Lincoln and create your own “Gettysburg Address” to frame your disaster planning initiatives.   Strive for your words to be honest, relevant to the participants, and inspiring — while keeping it short and sweet.  People won’t remember all the content of a presentation, but they will remember whether they were inspired to take action.

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November 17th, 2008 | Tags: communication, inspiration, motivation | Category: STAT 5MM | Comments (1)

The second Monday of July is International Town Criers Day, a chance to celebrate the noble tradition of disseminating important information through yelling. While town criers are no longer commonplace, word-of-mouth remains one of the most potent tools – particularly in emergencies. Information spreads by word-of-mouth regardless of your “plans” and if no information is available, many people will share assumptions and rumors. Bump up your capacity to get information in and out of your agency quickly. Use as many different methods as possible; multiple languages when appropriate; diverse media outlets; high and low-tech options; as well as runners and town criers. We can’t control what some people will actually say, but we can eliminate the familiar breakdown of people not getting the message in the first place.

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July 14th, 2008 | Tags: communication, low-tech, Rumors | Category: 2008, STAT | Leave a comment

On June 2nd 1896, Enrico Marconi patented the radio. Early radios couldn’t transmit sound and instead used Morse code, limiting them to maritime communications. Radios still are used not just for entertainment purposes but as key communication tools in emergencies.

Consider the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Weather Radio (NWR). The NWR broadcasts local and national emergency weather information 24 hours a day, from fire-risk conditions and flash floods to tornado warnings, as well as post-event information. These receivers activate and emit a buzz during a warning. You can buy dedicated NOAA radios in various sizes, and some have additional features, such as clock radios or walkie-talkies. If you include an NWR in your agency or personal go-kit, you can get information when you need it most!

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June 2nd, 2008 | Tags: communication, go kit, Technology | Category: 2008, STAT | Leave a comment

May 13th, 1937 is the birthday of Englishman Trevor Baylis, inventor of the wind-up radio. After watching a TV show exploring barriers to effective communication in regions of Africa lacking electricity, Baylis developed his first prototype in 1991. By 1996, his wind-up radio had won a BBC Design Award for Best Product. Functioning without batteries and electricity may become necessary in a crisis. When assembling an emergency Go-Kit, include some wind-up choices: radios, flashlights, lanterns, clocks, signals, and cell phone chargers (or perhaps combinations of the above). These items are readily available, especially in camping supply stores, and often cost under $20. Choosing essential items with hand cranks can reduce costs, may be lighter to carry, and is a “green” way to use fewer batteries.

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May 12th, 2008 | Tags: communication, crisis, Technology | Category: 2008, STAT | Leave a comment

Guglielmo Marconi gave the first public demonstration of his radio equipment in London on December 12, 1896. Exactly 5 years later, Marconi sent the first transatlantic radio signal from Cornwall, England, to St. John’s, Newfoundland, ushering in a new era of speedy and accurate communication.

Radios can be extremely important in an emergency. They can provide immediate information about what happened, where to go, and how to secure help or supplies. Include a portable radio in your emergency supplies, along with fresh batteries. Mark the frequency of your local emergency radio station with a sticker, and program pre-set buttons on car radios. Hand-crank and solar powered radios are battery- and stress-free, environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional models.

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December 10th, 2007 | Tags: communication, Emergency, Information | Category: 2007, STAT | Leave a comment

On March 4th, 1845, newly-elected President James K. Polk had his inaugural address broadcast “live” over the newly-invented telegraph by its creator, Samuel Morse (of Morse Code fame). Both the telegraph and Morse Code itself were the latest in high-tech at that point – but have since faded in popular use. No matter how hi-tech your systems become, there are times when they may not work for you. During emergencies it’s important to know how to communicate using low-tech or no-tech alternatives. Share with the people in your circle of influence how you will communicate, even if all modern systems are down. Pre-designated place to leave notes, runners on foot — even sheets on a flagpole can be used effectively.

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March 5th, 2007 | Tags: communication, Technology | Category: 2007, STAT | Leave a comment

This week holds the one year anniversary of when Howard Stern, America’s best-known radio shock-jock, left public airwaves for the uncensored opportunities offered by Sirius Radio – a subscription-only cable radio network. Cable radio and television, podcasts, blogs and RSS feeds (Real Simple Syndication) are a few of the many ways customers, consumers and community leaders now choose to receive their information and entertainment. Take a moment to review the ways you communicate, and consider whether you are using the tools – before, during or after an emergency – that will reach your target audiences.

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January 8th, 2007 | Tags: communication, community | Category: 2007, STAT | Leave a comment