Collaborating Agencies Responding To Disasters

Busting Preparedness Myths!

Kandace — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 22:48:22 +0000

April is preparedness month so this is a great time to bust some longstanding myths and misconceptions! Many myths, rumors and tall-tales influence our willingness to take preparedness action, so join us in kicking the most harmful falsehoods to the curb.

The BIG MYTH #1 on CARD’s mythbusting list is the idea that fear motivates us to be prepared. FALSE! Research shows that even the fear of death is usually not enough for most of us to make lasting changes in our behavior. And using fear and threat to achieve long-term, volitional behavior change is both ineffective and brings several negative consequences including increased anxiety, negative coping behaviors, and decreased trust for the messenger.

Coming in as Myth #2 is the very popular notion that it’s best to use “standardized” preparedness messages. FALSE! For decades communities have only received standardized materials that were never designed to address their unique preparedness needs and life circumstances. Look at Limited English Proficiency (LEP) communities. Dual-language phrase books, bi-lingual emergency contacts, and access to native language services are just a few things that were not included in the translated English-language preparedness education.Translating materials that were written for American, English-speaking, middle-class audiences leaves these communities without the basic information they need. Going with standardized, one-size-fits-all thinking leaves everyone more vulnerable.

Earning the Myth #3 spot is the misleading and often-shared image of the smooth — and mythical — circular disaster cycle: where preparedness leads to response, which leads to recovery, which leads to mitigation, and then back again to the beginning. Real life does not happen in neatly organized phases. Throughout the life of a disaster (especially looking at many organizations playing different roles) these phases can occur simultaneously, repeat themselves, vary greatly in length and intensity, and they garner wildly different levels of political interest and financial support. Packaging and portraying these phases as happening as a smoothly flowing, harmonious cycle perpetuates multiple myths.

Finally, Myth #4 is actually a collection of extraordinary tales that could all be labeled “The End is Near!” There are lots of television shows, comic strips, movies, books, articles and news stories about the end of the Mayan calendar, as well as an asteroid potentially hitting the Earth. This has spawned a rash of interest in “doomsday” scenarios and “what if” dramas. These stories are picked up and spread around because they are sensational, and they spawn funny spoofs — not because they are true, reasonable or useful. Scientists refute them. Emergency managers have to address them. And scam artists absolutely love them.

If you need help with going fear-free or with providing training designed for diverse communities, remember — CARD can help! Feel free to post your favorite preparedness myth or misconception on our Facebook page to see how others have handled it.

Your Calendar Is a Preparedness Tool

Kandace — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:00:18 +0000

January is a popular time for long-term planning. The year stretches out before us clean and ready for all the greatness we can stuff into it. However, every resolution-maker knows that soon the hustle and bustle of daily life crowds out our good intentions and big plans. As you make plans for your organization, family and personal goals, set some time aside to build preparedness into your calendar.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

- Contacts: Don’t wait until it is time to send out holiday cards to update contact information! Select a date with less pressure to reach out to your network and get updated phone numbers, emails, physical addresses and social media connections. Not only will you be better prepared come card-sending season, you’ll have a robust network to rely on and communicate with in an emergency.

- Anniversaries: Are there important dates for your city, family or organization? The anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake can be a great time to update your earthquake supplies. An annual conference can be the perfect time to update employee emergency contact information. A wedding anniversary can be a trigger to update the family Go-Kit. Set a reminder at the appropriate date prior to the anniversary to make sure that everything is in place and you’re not caught off guard.

- Piggyback Big Movements: There are a number of public campaigns to help people connect important dates with key safety measures. A good example is Daylight Savings Time being the time to switch out batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. In California, The Great Shakeout is a statewide effort to help people practice for an earthquake. Mark these items in your calendar now and add your own “to-do” items to these popular events.

- Annual Renewals: Make a note of when your important certifications need to be renewed. First Aid and CPR are common ones, along with other classes that might be required for your work or community positions. Put a reminder in with plenty of time to book your next class or test, or even recruit others to join you for the classes.

Of course you are not restricted to putting these important reminders on your calendar in January! Keep using your calendar to plan ahead and prepare throughout the year. And you can use this as a brainstorming session with family or co-workers to include as much fast and easy preparedness as you can.

We would love to hear how YOU are using your calendar to be prepared! Please feel free to share your strategies in our comments.

Check out these Stat Messages for more details on using your calendar to prepare:

Preparing Your Calendar

Planning Ahead

Daylight Savings Time again!

New Year, New Beginnings

Kandace — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:00:45 +0000

We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives… not looking for flaws, but for potential. ~Ellen Goodman

At CARD, we lead with the philosophy that simple steps taken to prepare for the unexpected are the same steps we can take to prepare us for every day brilliance. In a world that looks for the worst case scenario, we look for opportunity to increase our resilience, our strength, our creativity and our reach.

As we start a fresh new year, we invite you to join us in this approach to preparing for emergencies, big or small, as well as to preparing to prosper in this New Year.

If you have not yet done so, please connect with us via social media

Facebook

Twitter

YouTube

Best wishes for a prosperous and safe 2012 from your friends at CARD!

Continuity of Operations Planning (COOP)

Kandace — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 20:47:16 +0000

CARD is very excited to have been chosen by The San Francisco Foundation to direct a Continuity of Operations Planning (COOP) project! Sixteen safety-net organizations will be increasing their capacities to deliver services and recover their operations in a serious emergency. The San Francisco Foundation will help make this happen by providing up to $25,000 in reimbursement for disaster-related expenses to participating nonprofits that successfully complete the COOP process with CARD. This is a wonderful acknowledgement by The San Francisco Foundation of the crucial role that nonprofits will play. Go Nonprofits!

As part of the process, the sixteen agencies will develop their knowledge and confidence in using CARD’s mission-centered ICS for Community Responders to empower staff and volunteers. Recognizing mission critical functions and fully understanding their importance both pre- and post-disaster is an important step agencies take in successful planning for continuity of operations. “Why are these functions so important to the community?” is the most important question that can be asked (repeatedly) during this process.

Following a serious incident, seamless communications between the community agency and those they serve, agency staff and volunteers, and county agencies is essential for mission continuity! To this end, CARD will help participating agencies develop redundant communications tools and work with them to “flex their communications muscle” during exercises. Text messaging, social media, blogs, VoIP, and even those old-fashioned 2-way radios…as long as it’s sustainable – the more the merrier! One thing all those tools have in common is the need for electrical power. CARD will support nonprofits with easy, understandable information on how to keep the juice flowing to devices ranging from smart phones to servers to food bank refrigerators.

We’ve come a long way since Alameda County nonprofits first embraced disaster planning in 1989, but some things remain the same: If you’re looking to make disaster planning a mission-fulfilling experience or to have emergency preparedness be fun, fear-free and easy, CARD can help!

5-Minute Message: International Day of Disabled Persons

Kandace — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 20:00:27 +0000

In 1992, the UN established December 3rd as “International Day of Disabled Persons” to increase understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights, and well-being of persons with disabilities. The UN hopes the observance of this day will raise awareness of the benefits of fully integrating persons with disabilities into society.

View your office from the perspective of disabled consumers. Is it easy to reach and enter your office? Are pathways clear and navigable – with no hazards or obstructions? Are escape exits clearly labeled and accessible? Are staff and volunteers properly trained to assist people with disabilities in an emergency? If you answered no to any of these questions, take action! Aspire to move beyond being ADA-compliant to being ADA champions!

5-Minute Message: Dr. Seuss’ Messages Apply

Kandace — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 20:00:01 +0000

Green Eggs and Ham, by Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel (3/2/04 – 9/24/91), is one of the most widely read and remembered children’s books of all times, loved by readers of all ages. The book contains many valuable lessons for community educators and could be used as a guide for creating new preparedness materials.

Example: The book uses only 50 unique words – 49 have only one syllable – making it very easy to understand. Colorful and creative illustrations accompany the story, making it easy to follow. Geisel used simple rhythm and rhymes, so all readers, even the youngest, can remember and repeat the story.

Before you create your next outreach piece or training document, try rereading Green Eggs and Ham. Seek to bring that same clarity and simplicity into your materials.

5-Minute Message: Happy Thanksgiving

Kandace — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 20:00:21 +0000

This Thursday is Thanksgiving, a traditional time to express gratitude. Consider acknowledging the people who have helped bring you a little closer to safety and preparedness. Funders who support your preparedness efforts are helping you build something valuable. Staff and volunteers who take proactive roles in fulfilling safety goals make an important difference. People with a passion for preparedness and the resolve to make it happen are heroes who help us avoid emergencies, accidents and disasters.

By recognizing the people who champion your preparedness, you help us all to recognize and remember the importance of preparedness to our health, safety and well-being.

5-Minute Message: Data Backup

Kandace — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 20:00:05 +0000

On November 26, 1973, Rose Mary Woods (President Nixon’s personal secretary) testified in federal court that she accidentally erased 18 ½ minutes of the Watergate tapes. With no backup system, this potentially critical data was lost forever. Losing critical information due to human errors and disasters can cause great financial loss, create breaches in trust and otherwise undermine your efforts to serve your community.

Check to see that key organization and personal information — especially computer files — are adequately backed up. Have one or more places off-site to store data; invest in jump drives or other alternate storage devices; and ensure that your files won’t be lost if a single system or network goes down. Always make sure all crucial data exists in multiple places.

5-Minute Message: Check Your Batteries

Kandace — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 20:00:38 +0000

In November 1960, a patent for an alkaline dry-cell battery (still common today) was issued to its 3 inventors. This new battery offered a significantly longer life span than older technology. Today’s alkaline batteries are 60% more powerful than that original generation.

Check out the batteries you have on hand, making sure you have the right kind and right amount of fresh batteries available. Label their dates: common alkaline batteries have a shelf life of 5-7 years (refrigerating doesn’t help much). Over time, alkaline batteries leak. Reduce the chance of leakage by not mixing different battery types in the same device, replacing all batteries at the same time, storing them in a dry place, and removing batteries from devices for storage. For a greener approach, use rechargeables!

General Strike and Occupy Oakland

CARD — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 18:50:44 +0000

The City of Oakland is bustling with activity related to the general strike. If you are in the area you can help by being a conduit of accurate, non-inflammatory information, and by supporting effective, peaceful and non-violent expressions.

The following hashtags are being used to track the activity: #OccupyOakland,
#OaklandStrike, #OO.

Many of the calls and inquiries from locals have been about traffic and alternate routes. Please remember:

5-1-1 is designed specifically for traffic related information
2-1-1 is available for “non life-threatening” information needs
9-1-1 should be reserved for life-threatening emergencies and situations

This is a real-time opportunity to flex your emergency communication systems. Please help to make this a successful expression of freedom of speech and a brilliant display of the best of Oakland.

Monitor TV, radio, social media and trusted sources, to keep up-to-the-minute with what’s happening.

Nonprofit and faith agencies serving the City of Oakland are encouraged to link
with CARD at:

http://CARDcanhelp.org/Blog

www.Twitter.com/CARDcanhelp
www.Facebook.com/CARDcanhelp

Thank you!

Ana-Marie