Winter Storm Remus: Checklist of preparations (and why it matters)

For those in the South and the Southeast, today (or tonight ) is a time when we should be prepared for a potential power outage, according to the weather reports that emphasize the potential for heavy snow, downed tree limbs and more. With heavy snow, it may take a few days for stores to be accessible and resupplied with goods. Good leaders, whether of a business, a department, or a family, think ahead and do a risk assessment.  Are you prepared adequately for this severe storm? Do you have flashlights, and extra batteries of the right size? Have you checked the flashlights recently to make sure they still work? Do you have sufficient water on hand? Electricity is needed to power the water pumps. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends 1 gallon per person per day. Many people recommend filling up buckets with water in advance of the storm to flush toilets. Is your laundry done ahead of time? Are your faucets dripping, so they don't freeze and burst? Are the under-sink cabinets also open (and any harmful chemicals that are normally stored there  put up high if there are children or pets)? Opening the cabinets warms the pipes. Do you have a way to stay warm if the power goes out? Do you have food prepared, extra canned goods and foods that do not need refrigeration (such as peanut butter, bread, fruit, cereal, and milk in aseptic containers), and a mechanical can opener available? Do you have a safe way to heat food inside, or if necessary, outside, if there is a power failure? Do you have a carbon monoxide alarm and does it work, in case you are attempting to use a dangerous way to stay warm inside a dwelling, and are not aware it is dangerous? Are your electronics, such as your computer, tablet and cell phone, charged up before the storm? Do you have a way to charge them if the power goes out? If you use electrical medical equipment such as a CPAP machine or other device, how do you plan to keep it working during a power outage? If you take medication, do you have sufficient on hand for the length of the storm and a few days' afterwards? If it needs to be kept cold, such as insulin, how will you do that? How will you get communications about the storm during the storm and afterwards? Do you have a battery-operated or crank-powered NOAA (weather) radio, and extra batteries if it is a battery-operated radio? If it is solar-powered, is it charged fully before the storm starts? If you have babies, do you have sufficient diapers and formula on hand for the length of the storm plus several more days? If you have pets, do you have enough pet food and pet supplies such as cat litter or pee pads on hand for the length of the storm and several more  days? If you have a car, is the gas tank full? Is there a car emergency kit in the trunk, with such items as extra water, emergency foods, blankets, extra hats, gloves and dry socks (as extremities freeze first)? Do you have a snow shovel and rock salt, if you may be responsible for clearing a path outside your home? Many Southerners do not normally have snow shovels, but they may make a big difference with the expected amount of snow. If you have renter's insurance, homeowner's insurance and/or car insurance, do you have your policy numbers and contact information written down on paper (in case electronics don't work), in case you need to contact these insurance companies because of damage?  Details on more preparations for an emergency kit can be found at www.ready.gov/kit  . Why do all this planning? Think what the implications could be for you or your family if you are not prepared! Great leaders  not only plan ahead, they also learn to communicate well. Business Speech Improvement offers Executive Communication Techniques, a concise e-book of 18 vital communication skills today's leaders need. Think like a leader; get this book now to know how to communicate better tomorrow. (Yes, you can read it with a flashlight if necessary!)

Winter Storm Coming and Your Risk Assessment

Winter Storms Neptune and Octavia are on their way! Are you prepared?

1. Now is the time to plan ahead for future business-oriented weather-related potential risks.  Depending on your business and location(s), who will make the crucial decision to close (if that is an option for your work-site)? If you close, what processes will be affected? Is there a way to transfer those responsibilities to someone else to handle remotely - and do they have the right equipment to do so, at an appropriate level of security? 

Who will respond to phone calls and e-mails, handle expected deliveries or products to be shipped out? Whose job will it be to notify patients, clients, students, customers, vendors or others that you are closing?

If your plan is to shelter in place, who will make that decision and how much advance notice will employees have?

Will those employees who have children in schools, elders in daycare or other responsibilities such as pets have an option to take the day off?

2. Be prepared at home for a winter storm. Information at www.ready.gov can help prevent frozen water pipes and much more.  If power lines come down, do you have alternate sources of light, such as extra D-batteries and flashlights that use them (as they last longer than smaller batteries and generate more light)? Do you have a way to cook and a manual can opener? How do you plan to stay warm if you have a home with electric heat? Do you have extra bottled water?  Do you have extra diapers, medicine and other supplies if you can't get to a store due to icy roads? If you use a C-pap machine or other electrical equipment for medical purposes, do you have a home generator or a battery-powered option for the machine? If you have medicine that needs to be refrigerated at a constant temperature, how will you manage that if your electricity goes out?

Do you have renter's or homeowner's insurance? If so, have you read the policy and know what it covers? For example, if a tree falls, does it cover some or all of the cost of having it removed? What about if it damages your home or vehicle? Are the contents of your refrigerator and freezer covered if there is no electricity and the food spoils?  If you have to stay in a hotel because of home damage, is that covered in your policy?  Do you have the telephone number and policy number to call the insurance company if you need to file a claim for renters', homeowners' or auto insurance? If you have this information, is it written down on paper in case your electronics do not work? (If you don't have renter's insurance and you rent,  do consider getting this insurance as soon as possible, definitely before the next storm. It can be inexpensive to get, and can be a lifeline if you have a disaster in your apartment or rented home.)

3. Lastly, how well is your vehicle equipped for being on the road in bad weather, even if your commute is usually a short one? Do you have an emergency kit consisting of blankets, extra hats, gloves and warm socks (because cold affects extremities first),  a flashlight with extra batteries,  an orange emergency triangle, emergency foods, water,  jumper cables and more? (There are lists of what to include at http://www.dmv.org/how-to-guides/emergency-kit.php.) If you have babies or young children, do you have necessary supplies such as extra diapers and toys in the car for them?  Do you fill up your gas tank when the weather starts looking ominous, and make sure your cell phone is fully charged?  You can't control the weather, so think ahead about what you could need and put it in a vehicle emergency kit today!Be prepared for the these severe storms; plan now!

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A weather disaster and your personal financial documents

If a severe weather disaster occurred, and you and your family were fortunate enough to have survived, would you have your personal financial documents? Would your birth certificate, marriage/professional/driver's licenses, insurance policy numbers, passport and other documents be easy to grab if needed? After a tornado, survivors' personal documents were scattered over a wide area. After a hurricane, many documents were either lost or very soggy. Imagine how long it would take to put your documents back together again! If they came from local sources, it might take even longer. Planning ahead can save you a lot of grief. Complete the Financial Overview form at www.myfinancialrecords.net and have your essential personal documents in one place, with all account numbers, contact information, etc neatly on the 17 page form. From insurance policy numbers to bank account information, this is ready for you to write down the information you might need. You will have this together for your everyday use, too. Do you need to know your passport number or the way to contact your bank? With this document, it's a snap! For a limited time only, this document is free for those who answer a single question at www.my financialrecords.net. This is an exceptional deal, so hurry today to www.myfinancialrecords.net now to get the document! www.myfinancialrecords.net helps people with preparing information for eldercare, for gathering and understanding your own finances, and with disaster documents. Check out this great new resource!

After Hurricane Isaac: Are You Prepared for a Disaster?

"We've never had a disaster here", said a young father of 2, when asked if he had prepared for a disaster should it strike his home. His implication was if a disaster had never happened before, it wouldn't happen now. Is this what you or others you know are thinking?

Disasters can strike anywhere, regardless of whether one has struck there before. (There's always a first time.) The only control you have is whether you are prepared.

Don't wait! Visit http://www.ready.gov/are-you-ready-guide/
to be as prepared as possible. Your life, and the lives of your family, may depend on your willingness to think ahead and gather the supplies you need for potential disasters in your community.

Ger an emergency radio and put it where it can wake you up in the night in the event of an emergency in your area. You want all the warning time you can get; don't assume you will know about a disaster because the wind will wake you up in time to get somewhere safe.

Also scan and put essential documents on a flashdrive. These may include copies of professional and drivers' licenses, a will and power of attorney, medical records, financial documents, your home or renters' insurance papers, a home inventory, a list of family contact information and more.

Exert your control. Think ahead and make a plan for your family in the event of an emergency - today!

Giving in Times of Disaster: What Do You Need?

When a community experiences a disaster, such as a weather-related one, it goes through specific steps. The first one is search and rescue. Outsiders should ask people if they are OK, and then be prepared to listen - often repeatedly - to what they went through. Before offering help, whether bottled water, clothes, toiletries or whatever, ask first "What do you most need?" Those asking may be surprised at the answers.

The disaster doesn't end in a few days when the news media tires of the story and goes on to something else. Take time to keep asking, "How are you doing? What do you need?"

Whether it's a listening ear, a sense of routine and calm, replacement furniture, batteries or specialized equipment, the answers keep changing. Disasters take a long time to recover from...and life will never be the same.

If you have never experienced a weather disaster, it's a great time now to get prepared. Visit www.ready.gov and follow their suggestions. Get a weather radio, and prepare for the most likely weather emergencies in your community. Make copies of the most important financial, legal and professional records you might need after a disaster, such as your homeowner's or renter's insurance documents, your car insurance papers, your licenses, diplomas and certificates - and send one set of these to a trusted family member or friend who lives in another state, to hold in case it is ever needed. Make a second set and put it where you could grab it in the event of an evacuation. Being prepared increases your feeling of control and may reduce the after-effects of a disaster.

You can't prevent disasters, but you can get prepared for them and listen carefully to those who have experienced one.

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