The role of social media in emergency preparedness is something we at Quake Kare have been following closely for the past few years. According to a recent poll by Mashable.com, 71% of people would use social media for emergency purposes. Survival victims hope to use these services for information such as the location of emergency food and water, evacuation routes, and emergency shelter locations. Click on the thumbnail of the brilliant infographic to learn more fun and interesting factoids about social media use for emergency preparedness.
As a culture, we started rely more and more on social media. In recent disasters such as the earthquake in Haiti and revolution in Egypt, it has paid an important role as a method to communicate to others where they can find sanctuary. By spreading viral messages about disaster threats, emergency agencies can gather intelligence and have ongoing communication with victims.
It is no surprise then that The Red Cross and Dell have joined forces to launch the first social media-monitoring platform dedicated to disaster relief. The Digital Operations Center provides the American Red Cross with the ability to more easily share safety and emergency preparedness tips before, during, and after disasters. The hope is that the new Red Cross technology will enable communities of disaster victims to more easily seek and find help.
“Doomsday Preppers” is a new series on the National Geographic channel that focuses on people who taking emergency preparedness to a whole new level. The show cleverly explores the lives of seemingly ordinary Americans who spend the majority of their time preparing for a catastrophic disaster. It covers the diverse beliefs, strategies, and motivations that “preppers” take to ensure they are prepared for any emergency. The show also includes an “expert assessment” of who fares the best in terms of survival if their worst fears become a reality. You can even take the “prepper quiz” by clicking on the image on the right. Good luck!
The show fails to reveal any details behind the “expert” who assesses their strategies. But the biggest error I’ve seen people make is spending so much time storing dried food that require water to prepare when their water supply is insufficient. Also, a lot of the food stored, requires cooking; such as rice. Rice doesn’t even have enough nutrients to be a reliable emergency preparedness staple item. For all the time and energy these people spend on preparing for an emergency, they would be better off storing 55 gallon water storage barrels and survival food bars that are guaranteed to last for 5 years and provide the optimal balance of nutrients for survival victims.
It just goes to show that you don’t want to believe everything you see on TV.
Did you know that Quake Kare will send an emergency preparedness expert to your workplace to help make your employees safe? With our employee safety day program, we will make our emergency kits and supplies available at special prices and without the additional shipping costs. Our preparedness expert will also be available to demo products and answer questions. We can also provide a limited time online discount code for your employees to use to buy kits and supplies from our website.
We can tell you from experience that employees really appreciate the easy and cost-effective way of getting kits and supplies for them cars and homes. It will make your employees feel safe while at work and away from their families. And, it will remind them that your company cares about their safety and well-being. To take advantage of this opportunity, call us today at 1-800-2-PREPARE and ask about our Employee Safety Day Program.
2011 was the most active year in recent history for disasters causing more deaths and billions of dollars in damage than ever recorded before. The U.S. experienced its first hurricane landfall since 2008, a deadly series of tornadoes, significant earthquakes, and severe flooding – hazards that impacted every region of the country. And it wasn’t just in the U.S.; Japan suffered over 50,000 deaths due to a tragic 8.9 earthquake that devastated a large portion of the country which is still in recovery. All of these events have served as important reminders that disasters can strike anytime, anywhere, and being prepared is one of the most effective things we can do to protect our homes, businesses, schools, and loved ones.
As we reflect on 2011 and get ready to ring in a new year, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is encouraging all Americans to Resolve to be Ready by making a new year’s resolution to be prepared for emergencies. “One of the most important lessons we can take away from this year is that disasters can impact all of us, no matter what part of the country we live in,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “While we can’t control where or when they might hit, we can take steps in advance to prepare for them – efforts that can go a long way toward protecting our families, homes and business. Resolving to be Ready in 2012 could be the most important pledge you make this year.”
This year, make the new year’s resolution to follow our 3 steps to emergency preparedness: buy emergency kits and supplies, make a preparedness plan, and stay informed. And, if you already have kits and a plan, don’t forget to review, update, and replenish. By following these simple steps, you will feel better knowing that you and loved ones are prepared for anything mother nature throws your way in 2012.
Top international climate scientists and disaster experts meeting in Africa had a sharp message Friday for the world’s political leaders: Get ready for more dangerous and “unprecedented extreme weather” caused by global warming.
Making preparations, they say, will save lives and money.
These experts fear that without preparedness, crazy weather extremes may overwhelm some locations, making some places unlivable.
The Nobel Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued a new special report on global warming and extreme weather after meeting in Kampala, Uganda. This is the first time the group of scientists has focused on the dangers of extreme weather events such as heat waves, floods, droughts and storms. Those are more dangerous than gradual increases in the world’s average temperature.
“We need to be worried,” said one of the study’s lead authors, Maarten van Aalst, director of the International Red Cross/Red Crescent Climate Centre in the Netherlands. “And our response needs to anticipate disasters and reduce risk before they happen rather than wait until after they happen and clean up afterward. … Risk has already increased dramatically.”
The report said “a changing climate leads to changes in the frequency, intensity, spatial extent, duration, and timing of extreme weather and climate events, and can result in unprecedented extreme weather and climate events.” And it said that some — but not all — of these extreme events are caused by the increase of man-made greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
The role of social media in emergency preparedness is something we at Quake Kare have been following closely for the past few years. According to a recent poll by Mashable.com, 71% of people would use social media for emergency purposes. Survival victims hope to use these services for information such as the location of emergency food and water, evacuation routes, and emergency shelter locations. Click on the thumbnail of the brilliant infographic to learn more fun and interesting factoids about social media use for emergency preparedness.
It is no surprise then that The Red Cross and Dell have joined forces to launch the first social media-monitoring platform dedicated to disaster relief. The Digital Operations Center provides the American Red Cross with the ability to more easily share safety and emergency preparedness tips before, during, and after disasters. The hope is that the new Red Cross technology will enable communities of disaster victims to more easily seek and find help.
Did you know that Quake Kare will send an emergency preparedness expert to your workplace to help make your employees safe? With our employee safety day program, we will make our emergency kits and supplies available at special prices and without the additional shipping costs. Our preparedness expert will also be available to demo products and answer questions. We can also provide a limited time online discount code for your employees to use to buy kits and supplies from our website.
We can tell you from experience that employees really appreciate the easy and cost-effective way of getting kits and supplies for them cars and homes. It will make your employees feel safe while at work and away from their families. And, it will remind them that your company cares about their safety and well-being. To take advantage of this opportunity, call us today at 1-800-2-PREPARE and ask about our Employee Safety Day Program.
2011 was the most active year in recent history for disasters causing more deaths and billions of dollars in damage than ever recorded before. The U.S. experienced its first hurricane landfall since 2008, a deadly series of tornadoes, significant earthquakes, and severe flooding – hazards that impacted every region of the country. And it wasn’t just in the U.S.; Japan suffered over 50,000 deaths due to a tragic 8.9 earthquake that devastated a large portion of the country which is still in recovery. All of these events have served as important reminders that disasters can strike anytime, anywhere, and being prepared is one of the most effective things we can do to protect our homes, businesses, schools, and loved ones. 
Top international climate scientists and disaster experts meeting in Africa had a sharp message Friday for the world’s political leaders: Get ready for more dangerous and “unprecedented extreme weather” caused by global warming.
