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Thanks for stopping by our booth at the RBN Expo!

Who do you think you're kiddingWhat a busy evening that was!

We’re glad that you didn’t let all that business activity get in the way of taking your next step toward emergency preparedness.

Let’s get right to the answers to the quiz.

(How well did you do?)

  1. What’s the most likely emergency to happen to your business here in Southern California?  Most people answer without thinking: “Earthquake.” Yes, when The Big One hits, it will be a disaster. But the most likely emergency is a power outage.  Some 90% of businesses will experience one in the next 12 months!
  2. If a disaster hits at work, who should you think of first?  The most common answer is, “My family.” But that’s not the right answer. It goes like this. First, check on yourself. Are you OK? Next, check on the people closest to you. Do they need help? Can they help YOU? Remember, it’s the people next to you who are the true “first responders” in any emergency. The more everyone is prepared, the safer we all will be.
  3. If your business is shut down by a disaster, what are the chances of it never re-opening?  The answer here relies on statistics that are oft quoted but elusive as to source. Still, none of the statistics are good. Here is the accepted answer:

     Businesses without a preparedness or continuation plan are 40% likely to never re-open, and 60% of them, even if they reopen, will fail within the next 4 years.

  4. If your business is shut down, will you continue to get paid?  That depends on the plan mentioned above . . .! Is there one?
  5. What is the cause of most fires after a severe earthquake?  Gas leaks cause most fires. They are set off by a spark or flame. That’s why it’s so important to avoid starting a car, lighting a candle, even making a phone call until you are sure no gas lines have been damaged.
  6. What is the cause of most fires that kill people?  Surely you guessed this one: Cigarettes.
  7. Where will your children be taken if their school is evacuated?  There’s no one answer here. But if you haven’t done so yet, take the time to check with your children’s schools about their emergency procedures – for evacuation, lock-down, releasing children to family members, designated neighbors, etc. It’s your job as parent to KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.
  8. What’s the phone number of your out-of-town emergency contact? (Recite it by heart!) In a widespread emergency, all communications – mobile phones, computers, even regular land lines — may be down or overwhelmed.  Your chances are better of getting through by calling OUTSIDE the area. Pick a willing and capable person to be your out-of-town “communications hub” and be sure everyone in the family has that number.
  9. Do you take any medicines? Do you have enough extra medicine with you right now to last at least 3 days?  Yes, it may be hard to store up extra pills. Do your best to have a supply with you, and one at home to carry you through at least 10 days. The disaster will be bad enough. Suddenly stopping certain medicines can be life threatening on its own. If your doctor or pharmacist is hesitant to refill prescriptions before you’re down to the last few pills, write them a letter to keep on file.
  10. In a widespread emergency, how long will it take FEMA to get here?  Naturally, this depends on a lot of things. First, FEMA doesn’t respond to every emergency. The disaster has to be officially declared by the governor. Then people in the disaster area have to apply for assistance. Remember, FEMA money is mainly meant to help people and businesses whose property is damaged. It is not meant to make up for all financial losses or restore your life to what it was like before the disaster.That’s why taking your own steps to protect yourself and your business to get through the emergency on your own are so important.And that’s what Emergency Plan Guide is all about.

The booklet we promised (some of) you.

Putting down roots in earthquake country

Putting down roots in earthquake country

And for those who were interested in Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country, the booklet published by the Earthquake Country Alliance, just click on the links below. The booklet was published a few years ago, but the maps and graphic images are really great.

You can go directly to the Southern California edition, in English, by clicking here: Southern California Roots

And the Spanish language version is here: Southern California Roots – Spanish

What comes next?

It’s tough to set aside time to think about disaster preparedness. And for many people, it feels uncomfortable or downright scary.

We know how tough it is, and that’s why we have come up with a simple program to remind people, once a week or so, about the topic and to help them get started making simple, sensible changes.

The program? It’s our Advisories. Sign up and every week you can look forward to getting an email with

  • at least one good preparedness idea
  • news about the latest political developments
  • a review of survival equipment you might want to own
  • stories of what other people in your same situation are doing
  • where to get more, whether it’s training, checklists, etc.

Our Advisories are easy to read, easy to share, and filled with the best info we can find. Of course, you can unsubscribe at any time, but we are happy to report that most people stick around week after week because they know an emergency could hit at any time.

Our subscribers — that we call our “team!” — agree with us, that the more prepared we all are, the safer we all will be!

When you dropped your card into our fishbowl, we added you to our list, so you can look forward to getting an Advisory soon. Please make comments! Let us know what you are interested in, or maybe don’t agree with. Again, we believe that the more people are prepared, the safer we all will be.  Our Advisories are the best way we’ve found to keep the circle of awareness growing!

Welcome aboard.

Joe Krueger and Virginia Nicols
Your Emergency Plan Guide team

P.S. Would you like a bit more info about any of the quiz answers? We probably have an Advisory written about it!  Just type a key word into the search box at the top of this page.