Resolve to Prepare in the New Year

OEM TIP OF THE WEEK: Resolve to Prepare in the New Year With the new year only days away, it's time to make those annual New Year's resolutions. Whether eating healthier or getting fit top your lists, be sure to save space for emergency preparedness. For 2011, resolve to prepare a disaster plan for you and your loved ones. As a first step, decide on a household meeting place where everyone can reunite after a disaster. To help select local venues and landmarks, check out OEM's Meeting Place Finder on Facebook. Learn more about disaster plans Read the Tip of the Week online

Holiday Light Safety

Happy Holidays Private Sector:
FEMA Private Sector Tip of the Week 12/20/10: Maintain your holiday lights and decorations using safety tips from US Fire Administration. http://go.usa.gov/CWY.
FEMA · U.S. Department of Homeland Security · Washington, DC 20472

Bright Ideas for Better Supplies

OEM TIP OF THE WEEK: Bright Ideas for Better Supplies Tuesday night is the 2010 winter solstice, the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Is the bulb in your flashlight up to the task? Traditional flashlight bulbs burn out after a few years. Light Emitting Diode (LED) flashlights, however, are more durable and last up to 10 times longer than traditional bulbs. Learn more about emergency supplies Read the Tip of the Week online

Don’t Space Out On Your Space Heater

As temperatures in New York City dip this week, OEM reminds New Yorkers to take proper precautions with home heating. Remember to position space heaters at least three feet away from furniture, drapes, and other flammable materials. Also, always turn off space heaters before you go to sleep. Improperly used heating equipment is the leading cause of fires in New York City during the winter months. Learn more about safe home heating Read the Fire Department's advice on safe home heating Read the Tip of the Week online

Preparedness Mentoring

FEMA Private Sector Tip of the Week 12/13/10: Businesses can share their preparedness success using Ready Business Preparedness Mentoring tools. http://go.usa.gov/CWr.
FEMA · U.S. Department of Homeland Security · Washington, DC 20472

Get Off the Sidelines and Get Involved

New York City needs your help. Emergencies happen every day and sometimes even the finest first responders in the world can use a little community assistance. OEM's Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) are groups of community-based volunteers trained in disaster preparedness and emergency response. The training is run by OEM and spans 10 weeks. It covers topics like fire safety, light search and rescue, and disaster medical operations. A new training cycle begins in February. If you are over 18 and interested in helping your community prepare for emergencies call the CERT hotline (718) 422-8585, or email cert@oem.nyc.gov. Learn more about the CERT program Contact CERT Read the Tip of the Week online

Emergency Preparedness for the Disabled

FEMA Private Sector Tip of the Week 12/06/10: Access disability emergency preparedness materials and share them with your organization. www.disability.gov/emergency_preparedness/organizational_preparedness/businesses.
FEMA · U.S. Department of Homeland Security · Washington, DC 20472

Don’t Create a Candle Scandal

The holiday season is upon us, and people all around New York City will be using candles for decoration. While candles are beautiful and symbolic, they can also be dangerous. OEM and the Fire Department remind New Yorkers to be safe when lighting candles this month. Always blow out candles before you leave a room. And use flashlights, not candles, if you lose power. Learn more about candle safety Read the Tip of the Week online

Teaching about fire prevention

FEMA Private Sector Tip of the Week 11/29/10: Teachers can download fire prevention lesson plans, games and tips to share with their students. http://go.usa.gov/CWC.
FEMA · U.S. Department of Homeland Security · Washington, DC 20472

Choose Uncle Matty in Cincinnati

As you sit around the Thanksgiving table on Thursday, use the opportunity to pick an out-of-state contact for your household emergency plan. Every household should designate a person to call in case local phone networks are busy. During an emergency in New York City your out-of-state contact can help you stay in touch with local family and friends. Learn how to make a household emergency plan Download an emergency reference card Read the Tip of the Week online

share and use tips

FEMA Private Sector Tip of the Week 11/22/10: During the holiday season, share and use tips to protect your organization from disasters. http://go.usa.gov/CWa

FEMA · U.S. Department of Homeland Security · Washington, DC 20472

Register for Notify NYC

Notify NYC, the City's emergency messaging program, now offers subscribers the option to receive health-related alerts and unplanned school schedule adjustments. Notify NYC can provide updates for up to five ZIP codes of your choosing. Register today, and stay informed about your workplace, neighborhood, child's school, or family member's assisted living facility. Notify NYC messages are also available on Twitter. Sign up at www.twitter.com/notifynyc or text “follow NotifyNYC” to 40404 to receive text alerts on your phone. Check out Twitter's blog for more information about their text alerts Learn more about Notify NYC Visit OEM online

Prepare for Flu Season

FEMA Private Sector Tip of the Week 11/15/10: Update your company's emergency plan with your staff to prepare for the flu season: http://go.usa.gov/CWx.

FEMA · U.S. Department of Homeland Security · Washington, DC 20472

"Like" Being Informed?

Social Media has changed the way we connect and share, and it can also change the way we prepare for emergencies. OEM's Facebook page features a tool called "My Meeting Place" that helps users identify a place to reunite with family and friends if an emergency makes it difficult to communicate. More than 3000 people "Like" OEM's Facebook page and the resources and information it provides. Do you? Visit OEM's Facebook page Read the Tip of the Week online

FEMA Industry Liaison program

FEMA Private Sector Tip of the Week 11/08/10: Women, veteran and minority-owned businesses can review information about the FEMA Industry Liaison program. http://go.usa.gov/aDA

FEMA · U.S. Department of Homeland Security · Washington, DC 20472

Save More Than Daylight, Save Lives

Sunday was Daylight Savings Time, which is a great reminder to change the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. The NYC Fire Department recommends changing the batteries in smoke detectors every six months. Help your detectors keep you and your family safe. Replace the batteries today. Learn more about smoke and carbon monoxide detectors from the FDNY Download the Ready New York Household Guide Read the Tip of the Week online

Cast Your Votes, Win a Go Bag

This election week, you can vote on more than just elected officials. Cast a vote for emergency preparedness. Take OEM's Ready New Yorker of the Month quiz, for a chance to win one of five Go Bags. This month's contest is about pandemic flu preparedness. Learn more about the Ready New Yorker of the Month contest Download Ready New York: Pandemic Flu Read the Tip of the Week online