Resources

Our Favorite Resources

Crisis Comm & Media Relations E-Newsletter Hennes Paynter Communications' twice-monthly electronic newsletter covering a wide variety of stories, tips and best practices. For more information click here.

Our favorite blog on the subject of public and citizen preparedness. Undoubtedly, you will find it helpful to you, your family, your business, nonprofit, government agency and your community when it comes to preparing for emergencies -- big and small: http://incaseofemergencyblog.com/  Written by John Solomon, he's also the writer of "It's An Emergency - We're Not Prepared," which can be read here (free registration required)

"Our Own Worst Enemy: Asking the Right Questions About Security to Protect You, Your Family, and America" by Randall Larson, director of the Institute for Homeland Security. The book provides a solid, practical, logical approach to personal security for all Americans and explains why the government is not prepared to help us in a time of crisis. For more info click here.

As we learned on 9/11 and after Hurricane Katrina, when landline and cell phone telephone lines go down or are jammed to overcapacity, short text messages (150 characters maximum) can often get through. This is because person-to-person voice phone calls basically require an "open pipe" while text messages occupy very little bandwidth and can be “lined up” for delivery. The easiest way to send a text message is cell phone to cell phone (for instructions on how to do so, we suggest you find a 13-year-old, as they all appear to be quite capable of texting).
You can also use your computer or Blackberry-type device to send a text message, also known as SMS, to a cell phone, just like a regular email. Here are the exact email addresses you can use to send computer-to-cell phone emails (the x’s represent the cell phone's area code and phone number, without the '1' and without any dashes):
AT&T xxxxxxxxxx@txt.att.net
Nextel xxxxxxxxxx@messaging.nextel.com
Sprint xxxxxxxxxx@messaging.sprintpcs.com
T-Mobile xxxxxxxxxx@tmomail.net
Verizon Wireless xxxxxxxxxx@vtext.com
Virgin Mobile xxxxxxxxxx@vmobl.com
For a complete list of all cell phone company "texting domains," type in http://sms411.net.
WARNING: 1. Depending upon the recipient's cell phone contract, they may pay a few cents to send or receive a text message; 2. Sometimes computer-to-cell phone text message are nearly instantaneous, sometimes they can take hours to go thru the system. Best bet: we suggest you try sending a few computer-to-cell phone text messages now - before you need to do this in an emergency.

It's been eight years since the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and four years since the issuance of The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States Report. Are we safer today?  The authors of that official report think the answer is no. You can read what they recently wrote here.

Make a Plan: With ready.gov/business, the business you've worked so hard to build can be as prepared as possible should a disaster strike. Download free, easy-to-use checklists, templates and other resources to help you develop an affordable plan. Protect your business or life's work - start or update your plan today. Becoming a success is hard work. Protecting it isn't.
Here's how: http://www.ready.gov/business/

Emergency & Crisis Info: Do you live in Greater Cleveland? If so, you may be in range of these new, low-power, community and emergency information stations: Mayfield Heights 1700-AM; Mayfield Village 1640-AM; Beachwood 1630-AM.; Pepper Pike 1670-AM; Lakewood 1660-AM; Strongsville 1640-AM; Brunswick 1700-AM; Mentor 1620-AM; Westlake 1680-AM. In the event of an emergency, you will find these stations to be an important source of information. Please consider setting a button to one on your car radio.

When disaster strikes and cell phone and land lines are jammed, how can you assure your critical calls go through? The National Communications System (NCS), part of the Department of Homeland Security, offers priority telecommunications services to first responders, police, fire and rescue, public safety officials at all levels of government, and other national security and emergency preparedness personnel to ensure ongoing communications during crisis situations. Sign up today at www.ncs.gov or call 800-NCS-CALL.