IT’S A DISASTER! e-news Oct 2011
Our opt-in e-newsletter shares ideas and stories, program and product announcements, and other resources we hope you find of interest. (Note: Most links open a new window or tab.)
This month's topics:
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Get Ready to ShakeOut
Join CA, BC, Guam, ID, NV & OR for the 10/20 drill!
WEB STUFF
Christmas Ideas for Troops
New custom book samples
Ad Sales/Sponsorship & School Fundraiser Overviews
ON THE FRONT LINES
FEMA National Preparedness Goal
Formidable Footprint + Depiction exercise/tabletop
GovSec West
Rad Resilient City
DID YOU KNOW…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Get Ready to ShakeOut
The Great California ShakeOut, now in its 4th year, was created to help people and organizations become better prepared before the next big earthquake, and for everyone to practice how to protect themselves when it happens. On October 20, 2011 at 10:20 a.m., individuals, families, schools, businesses, nonprofits, governments, neighborhoods, organizations and groups will conduct ‘Drop, Cover and Hold On’ drills throughout the state of California. And it's not just California anymore!
In addition to the 8.2 million Californians participating in the drill ... British Columbia, Guam, Idaho, Nevada and Oregon are doing the drill on 10/20 too..! Each ShakeOut event has their own website where you can register and learn more…
The Great British Columbia ShakeOut www.shakeoutbc.ca
The Great California ShakeOut www.shakeout.org
The Great Guam ShakeOut www.shakeout.org/guam/
The Great Idaho ShakeOut www.shakeout.org/idaho/
The Great Nevada ShakeOut www.shakeout.org/nevada/
The Great Oregon ShakeOut www.shakeout.org/oregon/
ShakeOut organizers suggest at minimum the drill should last at least one minute, the length of strong ground motions from a major earthquake. People can participate in just the drill, but even better is to imagine how the environment will shake during this earthquake and plan other steps to make your home, office, school safer from this type of event. Many organizations will do much more than just the drop, cover, and hold on drill, and have more extensive tests of their emergency plans. Visit www.ShakeOut.org/howtoparticipate for more ideas.
And stay tuned since more ShakeOut events are planned in 2012!
For example… on February 7, 2012, at 10:15 a.m., people across 8 states (Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee) will participate in the 2012 Great Central U.S. ShakeOut! Learn more at www.shakeout.org/centralus/
Additional Resources:
ShakeOut Drill Broadcasts: Audio and video recordings are available for download in order to play during the ShakeOut Drill. Participants will be able to hear instructions on Drop, Cover and Hold On, and experience the extended length of time that the shaking would last during this type of real earthquake. Some of these products include a realistic earthquake “rumble.” All products are available in English or Spanish.The audio drill broadcasts are all available at: www.ShakeOut.org/drill/broadcast ... and the video drill broadcasts suitable for TV are available at: www.ShakeOut.org/drill/tv
Beat the Quake: This fun and informative game is now available at www.ShakeOut.org. Players must secure objects in a virtual living room before a simulated earthquake shakes and breaks those items not secured.
Quake Quiz SF: This game, hosted by San Francisco Emergency Management, game looks at typical environments at work, home, commuting, etc., to have users consider how to address different issues to make themselves safer. Find the game at www.ShakeOut.org or www.quakequizsf.org
Totally Unprepared is a unique and insightful multimedia campaign geared to help Californians better understand their risk of earthquakes and how to prepare for them. In addition to weekly videos, the Totally Unprepared campaign will incorporate the use of other social media sharing, blogging, and an accompanying website dedicated to spreading the message of preparedness. The use of these familiar online channels encourages the public to not only participate but share the message among their own networks and beyond. www.totallyunprepared.com 
Non-Profit organizations, Schools, Neighborhood Councils, and Agencies are encouraged to partner with ShakeOut as a fundraiser for your own organization! By becoming a ShakeOutShop Affiliate, your organization will receive ten percent (10%) of the Total Order (not including sales tax and shipping costs) of all merchandise available through the ShakeOutShop (including ShakeOut merchandise, printed materials, and all preparedness supplies through MorePrepared.com). You will be given a special graphic to put on your website that will be linked to the ShakeOutShop, and when anyone clicks this graphic their purchases will be linked to your account. Learn more at www.shakeoutshop.com/shakeout-fundraiser.html or www.shakeoutshop.comThe ShakeOut is organized by the Earthquake Country Alliance (ECA), a statewide public private-community partnership which links together public education efforts of organizations that provide earthquake information and services. ECA members include: scientists and engineers, non-profit organization and business leaders, community groups and activists, federal, state, and local government leaders and agencies, and others who are committed to an earthquake and tsunami resilient California. In addition to the ShakeOut, the ECA provides earthquake information and resources at www.earthquakecountry.org and coordinates local activities throughout the state year-round.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Christmas 4 Troops: We’ve compiled some tips, dates and links about how and when to send packages, gift cards or Christmas cards & messages to our nation’s warriors both here and abroad. Read more
New custom book samples: Check out some new customized versions of our disaster preparedness and first aid manual we did recently for Washington DC, The Cure, Inc and the Towns of Amherst, Cheektowaga & Lancaster .. along with some other book and label samples here
Ad Sales / Sponsorship overview: Our 10-page overview explains how volunteers, schools, youth groups, civic clubs, faith-based organizations, nonprofits and bloggers can earn 100% profits using our IT’S A DISASTER! books. Learn more
School and Youth group Fundraising overview: Our 18-page PDF has examples and overviews of our various fundraiser ideas for K-12 schools, youth groups and others to help fund your efforts. Learn more
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FEMA recently released the National Preparedness Goal which is the first deliverable called for by Presidential Policy Directive (PPD) 8. The National Preparedness Goal sets the vision for preparedness nationwide and identifies the core capabilities and capability targets necessary to achieve that vision across the five mission areas: prevention, protection, mitigation, response and recovery. The first edition of the document can be downloaded at www.fema.gov/PPD8
Formidable Footprint - A National Neighborhood Exercise Series - Members of CERTs, Neighborhood Associations, Faith-based groups and local Citizen Corps can join the Formidable Footprint tabletop exercise on Tornadoes on Saturday Oct 29, 2011 from 9:00AM - 4:00PM EDT. Note: It is only a 3-hour exercise so your group can be scheduled within the 9a-4p timeline as needed. For more information and to register for the 2011 exercises visit www.formidablefootprint.org
Also... join Depiction on Thursday, Oct 27 at 4p Eastern for the required pre-exercise webinar where valuable information and guidelines regarding exercise participation will be provided. www.depiction.com/webinars/formidable-footprint-oct
GovSec West provides relevant and timely insights, tools and tactics to anticipate, prepare, prevent and respond to terrorism, accidental and natural disasters, and attacks on critical infrastructure. If you are a government security decision maker--Military, Federal Civilian Agencies & Departments, State & Local Emergency Response Officials, Federal, State & Local Law Enforcement—consider attending GovSec West Tuesday, Nov 15 and Wednesday, Nov 16. Fully endorsed by USFRA.org ~ learn more
The Rad Resilient City fallout preparedness checklist, published by the Center for Biosecurity of UPMC, in collaboration with the Nuclear Resilience Expert Advisory Group, provides cities and their neighbors with a checklist of preparedness actions that could save tens of thousands of lives or more following a nuclear terrorist attack. The Checklist converts the latest federal guidance and technical reports into 7 clear, actionable steps that all communities can take now to protect residents from radioactive fallout. The workbook includes a wealth of background information, a phased implementation plan, guidance for using buildings as shelters, a community preparedness education plan, and guidelines for developing and samples of post-event messages to guide and save lives. Learn more at www.radresilientcity.org … and view entire 160-page report
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
...an internal U.S. Department of Homeland Security document indicates that a controversial program designed to predict whether a person will commit a crime is already being tested on some members of the public voluntarily?! DHS is betting on algorithms: it’s building a “prototype screening facility” that it hopes will use factors such as ethnicity, gender, breathing, and heart rate to “detect cues indicative of mal-intent.” DHS calls its "pre-crime" system Future Attribute Screening Technology, or FAST. Source: NationalTerrorAlert.com
…a computer virus has infected the cockpits of America’s Predator and Reaper drones, logging pilots’ every keystroke as they remotely fly missions over Afghanistan and other warzones?! The virus, first detected nearly two weeks ago, has not prevented pilots at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada from flying their missions overseas. Nor have there been any confirmed incidents of classified information being lost or sent to an outside source. But the virus has resisted multiple efforts to remove it and the infection underscores the ongoing security risks in what has become the U.S. military’s most important weapons system. Source: Wired.com
…Japan’s largest mobile phone carrier - NTT Docomo - has created smartphone covers that can gauge airborne radiation levels?! The case works in unison with an app which allows the user to combine the radiation readings with GPS data to mark out areas with high levels of radiation. Source: The Telegraph
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
COOL LINKS / IDEAS
With a growing awareness of the Zombie threat, one Midwest Ace hardware store has created a Zombie Preparedness Center reaching out to both humans to address all your zombie needs, including home repairs, defensive tools and zombie proofing … and to the zombie community, offering sealants and tapes that will help keep zombies from being hampered by decay. www.westlakehardware.com/specialties/zombies
Firecom’s new 50-Series wireless headsets use an encrypted DECT6 1.9Ghz frequency which means they provide 30 times the coverage area of a Bluetooth solution with no interference. You get clear communications all the time up to 1,600 feet line-of-site and 500-800 feet at a scene depending on buildings and other structures. And your crew can move safely and continuously, without being tethered to an intercom or belt pack. www.firecom.com
Discovery’s Volcano Explorer is a virtual volcano where you can create different types of volcanoes. You can even build your own volcanoes by changing the viscosity and gas levels then watch it erupt. Learn more at http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/pompeii/interactive/interactive.html
Got a cool link or idea? Email it to Janet at info@itsadisaster.net
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please help us spread the word about our customizable products and fundraising programs by sharing this with others. New readers are invited to join our mailing list and receive a FREE mini ebook version of IT’S A DISASTER! Be assured we do NOT share the list or your id with anyone.
We’re always looking for input, stories, news, products or services from agencies, volunteer groups, schools and others so feel free to email info@itsadisaster.net anytime.
p.s. If you know an agency, nonprofit, school, church, Scout troop, or volunteer group (like a CERT, MRC, Radio Club, Rotary, etc) who could benefit from our preparedness book and/or funding ideas, please have them call 1-888-999-4325 or email us for a FREE information kit!
Stay safe out there, j & B
Bill & Janet Liebsch
FedHealth
7739 E Broadway Blvd # 416
Tucson, AZ 85710-3947 USA
1-888-999-4325 7a-4p Pacific M-F
www.itsadisaster.net
Twitter: @itsadisaster FB: www.facebook.com/fedhealth
Back to 2011 e-news