We can't predict, but we CAN prepare!

Community safety

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

I have been in the emergency preparedness field for 20 years teaching families, organizations and companies how to prepare for an emergency such as an earthquake, fire and evacuation. We all need to be prepared and an emergency can happen at any time. 90% of all people are not prepared. It can be an overwhelming task and people do not know where to start. I help them do that. Additionally, this subject might not even be on a family or person's radar. I want to bring this subject to light and teach how important it is to be PREPARED!

I have created a program for school age children that teach them how to be prepared and prepare their homes for emergency situations. Being prepared can be so overwhelming and there are easy tricks that can help them get prepared in their homes with items that they might have around the house such as bottles of water, flashlights, etc. Depending on the age of the kids, we have coloring pages, work sheets and even hands on experiences to show the kids what to do. We practice DROP, COVER AND HOLD, how to take care of a small wound, call 911 and even show them how to use a fire extinguisher just to name a few. Additionally, I want to be able to provide supplies to those families who do not have and cannot afford to get supplies in order to be prepared. In an earthquake for example, most people run outside either during or after an earthquake. That is the wrong thing to do! I want to teach families what to do, where to go and how to protect themselves in the event of an emergency such as an earthquake. Evacuation is another topic that is so very important. How do we decide how to evacuate? Where do we go once we do evacuate, etc. Knowing the answers to these questions AND having hands on experience will give people the peace of mind knowing they can take care of their family and save lives.

When an emergency strikes, the focus for our emergency repsonse team is to help the most devastated areas effected. If there is no damage to your home or minimal damage, and you are just in need of a few supplies, you are ON YOUR OWN! By teaching people how to be prepared, not only will they be able to prepare their homes and be ready for an emergency, it will relieve emergency response teams from unnecessary 911 calls, etc.

I currently speak to students at some LAUSD and private schools. There is no lack of money for most of the families that I speak to and work with. Kids get so excited to prepare their homes. They feel like they are contributing to their home. A lot of parents don't even think about being prepared and when the kids go home and share what they learned, it is amazing how many parents have called me to say thank you for not only teaching this but inspiring the whole family to take action and get prepared. Taking my program into schools to speak with kids, especially those in the low income areas of LA will allow parents and kids to get involved witih a project in their OWN home. I feel it brings ownership and responsibility to these kids. They feel so proud that they can help their family. It also brings families together while preparing their homes and making an emergency plan.