I love the way that smartphones bring libraries-full of information to our pockets. That includes the information we need to prepare for emergencies as well as instructions to respond to emergencies in the moment. For the iPhone, there is a wonderfully complete and easy-to-navigate app by evolvingmonkeys.com called simply Emergency Preparedness Checklist and Guide. Developed…
Category Archives: emergency
Where Do I Keep Emergency Supplies?
Oregon-based professional organizer and blogger extraordinaire Krista Colvin had the genius idea to do a series of peeks inside the homes and lives of other professional organizers. Today she featured a few of my tips on where to keep emergency supplies, with photos. Pay her blog a visit for the inside scoop on some of…
Homeland Security Asks Us to Use Social Media in an Emergency
This tweet came out this afternoon from @DHSJournal, the twitter account of the Deparment of Homeland Security: Quake: Tell friends/family you are OK via text, email and social media (@twitter & facebook.com). Avoid calls. Never mind the lack of a helpful hash-tag. This government agency clearly understands the uses of social media. When today’s earthquake…
Are You Emergency-Ready? Use the Start of Summer to Update Your Preparations
Once you’ve set up your basic emergency plans and gathered supplies, do you have trouble remembering to do the little tasks of maintaining your emergency preparation? Use the change of the seasons as a reminder to update your plans and supplies. Here is a checklist of simple steps to keep your preparations up to date:…
How Do You Cope With Stress in a Disaster?
Imagine an emergency in your area. Imagine that your neighbors and co-workers are suffering, not just physically, but emotionally as well. Can you help? Last month I completed the “Neighbor to Neighbor” course. Offered by the American Red Cross, it is designed to build coping skills and resilience in those people impacted by disasters….
Vacationing in Earthquake Country? Pack These Tips
Are you planning a trip to earthquake country? Wondering what to do if you experience an earthquake in an unfamiliar place? Here are a few pointers to help you prepare for that unlikely event. Bring some things from your emergency supplies at home. Here a just a few items to tuck into your carry-0n: A…
Is It a Disaster or Is It an Emergency?
What’s the difference between the words “disaster” and “emergency?” We often use these words interchangeably, but there are two distinctions worth keeping in mind. An emergency requires an immediate response to a life-threatening situation. It is usually local and specific, affecting one building, for example, or even just one person. A disaster, on the other…
Notes and Lessons from the San Bruno Blast
If the firemen knocked on your door to say you had to evacuate, what would you do first? My friend and professional organizing colleague Molly Brady, who lives in San Bruno, CA, was under an evacuation order on the night of September 9th this year, after a Pacific Gas and Electric pipeline exploded in a…
If It Were Easy, You Would Have Done It Already – are your vital records ready to grab & go?
Maybe you’ve wanted to get ready for emergencies for a long time, but you’re confused about what tools to use and what steps to take. Maybe you know you should organize some important papers to grab and go, but somehow you still haven’t taken the time to gather your vital records. Emergencies can happen to…
Guest Post: What the 7.4 New Zealand Earthquake Felt Like
Today I’m really happy to share with you a post by my New Zealand organizing colleague, Wendy Davie, owner and organizing guru at Totally Organised (yes, in New Zealand it’s spelled with an “s” rather than a “z.”) Beginning Saturday, September 4, when a magnitude 7.4 quake struck near her home city of Christchurch, in…