Here is one to keep an eye on..

Authorities are keeping a close eye on a new strain of swine flu detected in the United States (see where). The strain combines a rare strain of the flu (which one?) found in pigs with the more-familiar H1N1 strain.

http://specials.msn.com/a-list/news/cdc-confirms-new-swine-flu-strain

We certainly saw a good deal of elderly people in Japan who were dramatically impacted by that disaster.  Coping with disaster is hard enough when you are in the prime of your life, but when you are older and dependent on others a event like a natural disaster can not only be terrifying to experience but even to prepare for.

If you are a disabled person who is dependent on a wheel chair or other mode of transportation the idea of not being able to escape a natural disaster or hazard area is probably one of the most terrifying prospects of a natural disaster. Communicate with your family and friends and your care providers. If you are reliant on a elevator consider a backup plan that fits your needs and those of your community.

Seniors & Disabled

• Set up a Personal Support Network: Designate someone to check on you in an emergency and to help with evacuation or sheltering-in-place.
• Prepare and carry with you an emergency health information card: This will help you to communicate if you are found unconscious or incoherent. Include information about your medications, adaptive equipment, blood type, allergies and sensitivities, insurance numbers, immunization dates, communication difficulties and preferred treatment, as well as contact information for your health providers, personal support network and emergency contacts.
• Personal Care Assistance: If you receive assistance from a home healthcare agency or in-home support provider, find out how the provider will respond in an emergency. Designate backup or alternative providers that you can contact in an emergency.
• For Persons Using a Wheelchair: Plan for how you will evacuate in an emergency and discuss it with your care providers. If you use a motorized wheelchair, have a manual wheelchair as a backup.
• For Persons who are Blind or Visually Impaired: Keep an extra cane by your bed. Attach a whistle; in case you need to attract attention. Exercise caution when moving, paths may have become obstructed.
• For Persons who are Hearing Impaired: Keep extra batteries for your hearing aids with emergency supplies. Consider storing your hearing aids in a container attached to your nightstand or bedpost, so you can locate them quickly after a disaster.
• For persons with Communication Disabilities: Store paper, writing materials, copies of a word or letter board and preprinted key phrases in your emergency kit, your wallet, purse, etc.

Click for larger image

Today I was at a preparedness conference in Portland, where I came upon this harmless looking and stylish “Ready Book”

I wanted to talk about it because it does tie into my previous articles about being prepared but I also wanted to look critically at it.

First off you can learn more about Ready Book by going to their website here. http://myreadybook.com/

The ready book is clearly designed to give you a few tips about being prepared. It is laid out in 8 sections  referred to as Tabs.

Tab 1: gives you basic instructions for completing the book and a simple information sheet it also has a insert for putting a photo of your family I think this is great for any firefighter or first responder.

Tab 2: gives you A booklet to write down emergency phone numbers, and a in town and out of town contact list.. I think everyone should do this..

Tab 3: Gives you a insert for a list of medication’s you are taking.

Tab 4: gives you a insert for your important papers.

Tab 5: is how to make a basic go-kit

Tab 6: is got to make a basic Stay kit.

Barcoded wristbands

Tab 7: is where I start to get a little uneasy— Tab 7 consists of some very vague instructions and 5 personalized (numbered) Identification Wrist bands that you can pop out of the page and slap on yourself and your children. The book and website say that these barcode labels will help connect the information in the book to you.

“The next page contains five (5) personalized I.D. bands. Use these in the event of an emergency to help identify you and your belongings

Write your name on each band.

Detach the below I.D. bands only in the event of an emergency that requires an evacuation. Use them for the following scuggest purposes:

Around your wrist to help identify you
On your “go-kit”
On your assistive device(s)
On your pet’s collar
On your Luggage
__(write your own)__

Intake Form

Page 8 is a Medical Care Point or shelter intake assessment tool (form) from the American red cross & US Department of Health and Human Services.

So.. On 7 & 8 I think its important to note that the point of this website is to prepare yourself and your family.
And there are barcoded triage tags out there on the internet and that I do like those ones..

BUT I also this that personal freedom and security is paramount. I feel that adding this kind of tracking to a document published by the government blurs the line.. I do think the program has some potential value as a parent it would be good to be able to link my kids to me in a shelter if they ran off.. But as a parent I am not letting my kids out of my sight.  overall I think the Ready book has mostly good tools and the bar-code thing its even a good idea DURING a event, to be given out AT shelters

But to hand it out to people before an event and to condition them to accept it. to accept being numbered and scanned. Well that scares the crap out of  me. But
I would love to hear back from my readers. What do you think  do you think this is a well put together innocent booklet that aims to prepare our citizens and make life easier for our first responders..

OR

Does this go to far.. Barcoding and cataloging people & things and laying out directives, photos, official documents.

Does this lead to those FEMA camps?

Please comment with what you think and I will reply.

Ready.gov has created a wonderful set of printable plans on their website..

This is a GREAT  Way to start your FEP (Family Emergency Plan)..

Here are direct links for my readers, so that you don’t have to find them on the Ready.Gov site.

Family Emergency Plan Documents

Download All FEP Pages 3 Mb
Download the FEP Adult Folding Wallet Card 1.7 Mb
Download the FEP Child’s Folding Wallet Card 1.7 Mb
Download the FEP Additional Family Members List 500 Kb
Download the FEP – Web Version – active input fields to enter information. 516Kb
Download the MS Excel FEP 400 Kb

This presentation is on strategies for planning and responding to the needs of children during evacuations and features Marcie Roth, director of the Office for Disability Integration and Coordination at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and Richard Devylder, Senior Advisor for Accessible Transportation at the U.S. Department of Transportation presented.  Both presenters are national leaders in planning for and responding to the needs of children and adults with disabilities and others with access and functional needs.  The webinar will be an opportunity to look at planning and responding from a functional needs perspective and a universal team approach.

via Citizen Corps : Community Preparedness Webinar Series.