Who depends on YOU in an emergency?

We encourage you to prepare for potential emergencies and disasters so you can reduce suffering by your loved ones. While there are many local organizations actively preparing to assist us; they can be overwhelmed by large incidents and may not be able to respond quickly enough.

Information is included on this website on potential risks along with methods to prepare so that we can take care of ourselves, our loved ones and our businesses until help arrives.

You will find a multitude of links to the many involved organizations. Please check out the Volunteer Opportunities page where you can find many opportunities to learn more while you assist others in need.

“ALERT Spokane”
Spokane County is planning to launch a new Emergency Notification System (ENS). The ALERT Spokane system will send telephone and/or email messages to residents and businesses within the county that are impacted by, or in danger of being impacted, by an emergency or disaster.

Prior to implementing ALERT Spokane, a series of test notifications will be sent to various homes and businesses in different sections of the county. Pre-recorded test messages will be sent during the early evening hours. Citizens receiving a call from ALERT Spokane will be asked to stay on the line until the message is finished, “This is ALERT Spokane, the community emergency notification system. This is a test…please do not hang up. We are conducting a test of ALERT Spokane throughout the Spokane County area. In the event of an emergency, ALERT Spokane could be used to alert you to take action or evacuate. Please go to www.alertspokane.org for more information.”

Do you have questions about what type of mask may help you from contracting the pandemic flu or other airborne viruses? Please see this article for some valuable information.

Disease Transmission Prevention. To protect ourselves and others from diseases, such as flu and colds, we all need to practice better hand and respiratory hygiene. Please see the information that has been extracted from other organizations on hand washing techniques and respiratory safety.

Voice Recordable Smoke Alarms
A recent study suggests that smoke alarms with your recorded voices are far more likely to awaken children 6 to 12 years old. In the study, only 58% of the children awoke to a conventional alarm while 96% awoke to a recording of their parents voice saying "First name! First name! Wake up! Get out of bed! Leave the room!" This study was published in PEDIATRICS Vol. 118 No. 4 October 2006, pp. 1623-1632. An excellent news report, with available video, is available from Boston's Channel 7 news station.

In line with our promoting citizen involvement in organizations such as SCOPE, CERT, COPS, HEART, etc. we also promote citizens using radios for emergency communications. When phones (cell and landline) are down, radio equipment is the most effective way to send and receive important messages. Citizens with inexpensive short-range FRS and CB radios can effectively team up with amateur (ham) operators with their greater range and capabilities to seek assistance for their families and neighborhoods. Please read this article produced by World Net Daily and check out the National SOS Radio Network site promoting citizens and ham operators working together.

For those with disabilities, here is a very good preparedness guide put out by Los Angeles’ Office of Emergency Management. Be patient, this is a large file.

2009 Flu Pandemic: The Spokane Regional Health District has extensive information on their www.srhd.org web site. They are also beginning a series of meetings involving community leaders to plan ways to minimize the local impact. The U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services has also released a new Pandemic Influenza Planning Guide for families and individuals. For businesses, the Continuity Central site has released a new report about the potential effects on business operations.

Emergency Resource Guide 2008 put out by the State of Washington is available to download or ordering at WA DOH. This thirty-eight page booklet contains excellent information on potential threats and preparedness for them.

For those interested in Business Continuity, check out the local Alliance for Business Continuity & Disaster Preparedness!

For information on additional topics, please click the links at the top.

(Icons and links included on web site do not represent endorsement by or of associated organizations.)