(Here's To Hoping You're Prepared for the Next) Seventeen Years!

Good morning, Charlotte!

It is with a heavy heart that I am completing my last week working with AmeriCorps' Community Emergency Preparedness Corps and Hands On Charlotte. It has been an amazing past six months, and I am so happy I was able to take advantage of this opportunity to learn so much about preparedness and give back by keeping Charlotteans safe. This isn't a field in which I ever imagined I would find myself when I was studying economics in college, but I am so happy I fell into such a valuable and exciting line of work.

This might be the first time I've ever had a clear desk.

All that said, I would like to leave you all with some general links given that this will be my final blog post as an AmeriCorps member. Over the past ten months, I've tried to share as much as possible over an array of specific disasters. With this, I feel like you have been prepared for all sorts of potential emergencies, and I like to think I've kept you on your toes, adding potential new threats and preparation advice in more, and many times, less traditional scenarios. However, I would like to leave you with a few important links through which you would be able to filter to find many of the situations I have covered over the past ten months, if for no other reason than to have them in one place and not have you filtering through months of blog posts named after wacky song titles.

Need general preparedness advice for just about anything? Fire? Tsunami? Earthquake? The list goes on! Click here to link to Red Cross' general emergency preparedness page. They have links for steps to prepare, as well as advice for during a disaster and its recovery. Enjoy!

Further, and with some more detailed recommendations on things like what to include in your emergency preparedness kit, click here to check out Ready.Gov!

And, because I really can't sing their praises enough, click here to check out Do1Thing! As I've mentioned before, Do1Thing has one thing you can do every month to make yourself a little more prepared and not have to spend a ton of money or effort at one time. Getting yourself prepared can take time, and Do1Thing does all they can to help you get prepared in a realistic fashion!

It is my hope that these blog posts have made all your lives a little more entertaining and helped you all become that much more prepared. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much to any of you who have followed along, and I wish you the best for a fully prepared and happy life!

Stay safe, y'all, and enjoy some Ratatat in your day!

I Want You (To Have a Plan Ready for Emergencies)!

Good morning, Charlotte!

One part of this blog that I recently realized might be missing is the basic information to have on your person in case of emergency. Of course, we still recommend you keep a FEMA financial first aid kit in a safe place (You can download it from FEMA here!), but you don't need to keep all that information in your pocket all the time.

Not sure what information you should keep on you in case of emergency? You can download a really great foldable card from Ready.Gov here! This asks for the information you might need given a variety of places you (or someone taking care of you) may need to contact in a time of crisis.

Further, all of this is part of what we here in the Community Emergency Preparedness Corps would recommend as part of a larger strategy: creating a family plan just in case your family isn't together during an emergency. Want some information on considerations to make in your family plan? Check out this short page from American Red Cross!

We even have some simple worksheets here from FEMA for sitting down with those with whom you live and crafting your emergency plans and having contact information in one easy-to-find place.

Click here for the emergency planning worksheet for adults!

Click here for the emergency planning worksheet for kids!

At the end of the day, all we want is for you to have the information you need and know what to do to keep those you love safe. If you have any questions about the information presented here or emergency preparedness in general, feel free to e-mail me at rob@handsoncharlotte.org!

Stay safe, y'all!

(How Best To Be Prepared When Two Fault Lines Get) Abrasive!

Good morning, Charlotte!

The other day, Molly mentioned to me that she had recently read an article about a potential major earthquake, one which was overdue to hit the Pacific Northwest at a moment's notice. Given our field of emergency preparedness, I was hesitant to believe the imminent danger, as we are constantly bombarded with potential hazards that could make anyone paranoid beyond reason, and at the end of the day, I do really value my de-stressed low blood pressure. However, I made sure to research this potential earthquake of legends, as I do have a really wonderful childhood friend in Portland, Oregon, and I wanted to see if there was anything substantive to back up these claims.

Want to read the article that sparked this earthquake preparedness conversation? Click here to read Kathryn Schulz's article from The New Yorker!

As fate would have it, it seems there actually is quite a great deal of scientific research behind this warning for "the big one," and the Pacific Northwest, statistically, is already overdue.

Want to check out an article from a more local source, too? Check out Richard Read's article in The Oregonian here!

But enough about my newfound worry. I'm all about sharing preparedness knowledge, not fear. What do you need to do to be ready for an earthquake? Check out these resources!

Click here to check out the CDC's earthquake preparedness page! This page has resources for everything from planning earthquake drills to making your evacuation plans. Want to know some more specific details about things to keep in storage in case an earthquake knocks out your access to electricity, water, and sewer services? Click here to check out the CDC's list of recommended emergency supplies to have on hand just in case!

Another important concern raised in the article was regarding the time of day the great earthquake might hit. What do you do if the earthquake hits while you're in your home in the middle of the night or while you're getting ready in the morning? Check out this page from FEMA about preparing your home and what to do if you experience an earthquake while you're there! What do you do (and the article points out this case could actually be more problematic if not planned in advance) if the great earthquake hits while you're at work? Check out this page on earthquake preparedness for the workplace from OSHA! The OSHA page also includes a pretty nifty map of seismic activity risk based on location within the United States that I found to be pretty interesting. Check it out!

However, as both Schulz and Read pointed out in their articles, the earthquake itself is not the only threat facing the Pacific Northwest, and by that same token, even Japan if a quake of this magnitude strikes the Cascadia Subduction Zone. Tsunamis are an important consideration to make, especially in the areas closest to the coast. A wall of water estimated to be up to sixty feet tall and seven hundred miles long could slam into the coast, and a quick jaunt to high ground could be what saves your life if tragedy strikes during a day on the coast.

Check out safety and preparedness tips from Red Cross for tsunamis here!

Red Cross even has an app for iPhone and Android for earthquake safety. Want to find out more about it or download it on your phone? Click here to check it out!

Also, think that just because you aren't on the West Coast that you're immune and don't need to think about earthquake safety? Check out this article about the 2011 earthquake that shook Virginia, DC, and much of the East Coast. I was in DC in college at the time, and it was a crazy surprise. It was a reminder to be prepared for anything, even if it's a 5.8 quake that does little more damage than throw a bag of sugar across your kitchen and unfold your laundry.

At the end of the day, we don't want to scare everyone into becoming a recluse living in a steel-walled fortress in seclusion to be safe from disasters; we want everyone to have fun and live exciting, productive lives while knowing how to plan in case nature (or man) decide to get in the way. Have any questions? Feel free to e-mail me at rob@handsoncharlotte.org. We love reaching out and engaging in conversation with anyone we can.

Enjoy this beautiful day, Charlotte, and to all of you reading this, please stay safe, and enjoy some tunes from the new Ratatat album. Molly and I are pretty excited about its release, and we figured if it brings us this much joy, it might do the same for you!

 

(How To Stay Safe When Storms Decide To) Flashdance!

Good morning, Charlotte!

Over the past few weeks, Molly and I have been rockin' and rollin' with Red Cross' and Disney's Pillowcase Project, a preparedness presentation aimed at 3rd through 5th grades. Thanks so much to every site that has hosted us; we truly have an amazing time working together, with other Red Cross volunteers, and with our host sites to bring some fun learning about how to be ready for everything to willing young ears!

With this, one component of the preparedness presentation does allow for the presenter to talk about specific local hazards, and Molly and I love to talk about thunderstorm safety. Imagine my happiness this morning when I found that the front page of NPR's website included an article using our favorite catch phrase: "When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors!"

To read the article, click here!

The article from NPR covers a lot of really important points about thunderstorm safety. For example, while many people think (and rightly so) that lightning strikes cause mainly burns, lightning is actually quite likely to cause brain damage, damaging nerves and causing chronic pain that can potentially last for life. It's definitely an interesting read about a very real danger in almost everyday life here in the Southeast.

Looking for some extra tips on thunderstorm safety to share with you and yours? Check out these awesome pages from Red Cross!

For thunderstorm and lightning safety tips, click here!

And for another recent article with our favorite catch phrase from Red Cross, click here!

And since I'm feeling myself with some 1980's cheesy realness at my desk this morning, I feel like I must share the music in my earbuds with you. Enjoy some Flashdance, and stay safe, y'all!

(Prepping Early So We Don't Have Any) Tears On My Pillow!

Good morning, Charlotte!

Last Thursday, Molly and I had the immense pleasure of helping out with a Red Cross/BB&T partnership to bring Disney's Pillowcase Project educational materials to the Boys and Girls Club at Charlotte's Marsh Road location. I would like to extend a HUGE thank you to everyone at Red Cross and BB&T, as well as at the Boys and Girls Club, for all you did coordinating this presentation, as we had about 100 kids in that huge gymnasium! Most of all, however, I would very much like to thank the kids who participated. You all were awesome and active participants, and I hope that everyone went home and was able to share what you learned with those you love most.

Want to learn more about the Pillowcase Project? Click here to learn more from the Red Cross' website!

Want to see some of the material we used to discuss thunderstorm safety for your own use at home? Maybe even to share with your family? Check out this info sheet on thunderstorm safety from Red Cross here!

And in case you want to know a little bit of the ins and outs of our everyday presentation, here are some pictures and blurbs about what exactly we like to talk about! Further, should you so desire a Pillowcase Project presentation (for grades 3-5) at your local organization, please e-mail me at rob@handsoncharlotte.org!

After Molly and I talked about thunderstorm preparedness (it is summer after all!), we broke up into small groups and leads from BB&T led discussions on general preparedness, like knowing how to exit the home quickly if need be (windows count!) and knowing where to meet your family outside or whom you might call if you needed to leave your home for a period of time!

After the general preparedness talk, the kids are able to draw on a pillowcase that they take home what all they might like to keep ready in case they had to grab a bag (or a pillowcase!) really quickly with enough things to make it for a couple days. Obviously this includes soap and toothpaste, among other essentials, but we want the kids to know to bring some items for comfort as well!

This awesome kid had some great ideas for what to include in his pillowcase, my favorite of which is a cheeseburger. We were definitely sure to include a quick chat about non-perishable food, but I like the enthusiasm.

The kids (and adults!) were treated to popsicles from King of Pops after the presentation. If you haven't ever tried their popsicles, check them out! They're local and they're delicious and all I want is another cookies and cream popsicle right now.

And lastly, because you all know I can't leave you without some trolly tunes for your soon-to-be afternoon, enjoy a nice throwback Monday. And most importantly, stay safe, Charlotte!

(Water Safety Tips for When Summer Takes You to the) Pools!

Good afternoon, Charlotte!

I don't know if you have stepped outside yet today, but in the case that you have, you may have noticed that it has gotten a little toasty outside. May I note that it isn't even technically summer yet? I'm about it, at any rate.

That said, with this heat wave comes a lot of incredibly fun activities. I know that I for one have already made a trip to the beach, and while a four hour drive each way does not likely make for an incredibly regular occasion for the average Charlottean, I am sure that many of you will be enjoying a few days by a local pool, whether at your home or at a local community center. While pools are great ways to stay cool in the sun while having a great time, there are definitely some important safety tips which we would love to share with you!

• First, if you have smaller children, always keep them supervised and within arm's reach. 
• Are you with a young or inexperienced swimmer? Give them a life vest!
• Small children do not have the ability to regulate their internal temperature in the same way that adults do. Be sure to be particularly aware of this if you are out in the sun and heat for a while!
• Be sure to maintain proper chemical levels in your pool at home. Levels too low can allow bacteria to grow, while excessive chemical levels can make the pool unsafe as well!
• Be sure to wash up before putting on swimwear, and don't spit in the pool! This will keep the water as clean as possible!

The ocean is really just one big swimming pool, right?

Find more in depth and specific tips at the following websites, and as always, feel free to contact us at rob@handsoncharlotte.org if you have any questions or want further resources about summer water safety!

• Home Pool Safety Guide from Red Cross
• General Water Safety from Red Cross
• Swim Safety from Red Cross
• Sun and Water Safety from American Academy of Pediatrics
• Summer Pool Safety Tips from Catawba County, North Carolina!

Also, after seeing them this past weekend in Richmond, I couldn't resist posting some Glass Animals for our return to regular blog posts. It's summer concert season, and I'm still just in awe of everything that happened on that stage on Saturday night. Y'all killed it! Enjoy, Charlotte, and stay safe!

(Tearing Up Pavement So We Don't Come Home To Our) Rooms On Fire!

Good afternoon, Charlotte!

Yesterday, Molly and I had the immense pleasure of joining forces with American Red Cross, the Charlotte Fire Department, and the infamous Sara to tear up some pavement and bring fire safety knowledge to the masses and offer free smoke alarms to those who need them!

Haaaay, Molly!

Sara sharing all that preparedness information!

On our trek, we distributed door hanger bags off Harrisburg Road including information from various organizations, including not only American Red Cross and Charlotte Fire Department, but Piedmont Natural Gas, Emergency Management, and others. If you aren't one of the lucky ones who received our door hanger bags yesterday, I have some links here so you can have the information as well! Check it out!

Are you Red Cross Ready? Click here to see what you can do!

Here's some natural gas safety realness from Piedmont Natural Gas!

Have you signed up for personalized local alerts through Char-Meck Alerts yet?

And don't forget to call 811 before you dig!

Molly and Sara with our Fire Department friends!

It was truly a wonderful time, and to CFD and ARC, we cannot thank you enough for allowing us to join you for an afternoon of safety spreading in east Charlotte. Can't wait to do it again!

As always, stay safe, y'all, and enjoy your weekend!

(Helping Everyone Become Prepared in Case) The Roof Is On Fire!

Good morning, Charlotte!

In case you haven't noticed, Molly and I have had a pretty rad start to our week, and yesterday was absolutely no exception. In fact, we were so excited to be able to join one of our Charlotte-Mecklenburg Volunteer Emergency Support Team (CM-VEST) members, Tara, with her after-school group Girls on the Run at Tega Cay Elementary over in Tega Cay, South Carolina. We were even able to take a ten-minute pit stop on the side of Lake Wylie and soak up a few beautiful moments in nature before we arrived at the school. It was a beautiful day, if I do say so myself!

Perfect day for a quick stop by the lake!

At this presentation, we showed Tara's students a sample of a bag that we would want for everyone to have ready somewhere near where they sleep in case he or she wakes up in the middle of the night to a smoke alarm sounding and needs to escape within that two-minute (on average) window. It is a great idea to assemble one if you haven't already; you would be amazed what will fit into an average-sized backpack. Ours includes many of these items:

• Bottle of water
• Snacks
• Book
• Toilet paper 
• Soap
• First aid kit
• Tissues
• Notebook and pen
• Bag for trash
• Flashlight
• Batteries
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Baby wipes
• Blanket

This is certainly not an exhaustive list, and this is the main message of the presentation we were able to share with these girls. What you keep in your emergency go-bag is, essentially, completely up to you, and it should reflect what you will need in that immediate period of time, as well as some things that will provide comfort to you in a time of stress. 

At the end of the presentation, we had the girls draw out some of the items that they would choose to keep in their emergency go-bags. Molly and I were quite impressed with the thought the girls put into their supply lists, especially with those who thought to include matches or a lighter (What if you need to heat something up with a fire?!), as well as those who brought chargers for electronics like cell phones which could lose battery life quickly during an emergency response. Of course, Molly and I had to draw out some items we would keep in our go-bags as well. Molly's comfort items included Cheese-Its, a kimono, her Kindle, cash (in case you can't make it to the bank!), and while they certainly wouldn't fit in her bag, she plans to carry out her cats and guitar with her as well. I decided to stow away some pretzels, dice, a can of kidney beans (my favorite comfort food) with a manual can opener, as well as my favorite shirt and sweater, and my trumpet!

Tara, thank you so much for letting us share our preparedness knowledge and admittedly wild and crazy spirits with your Girls on the Run session yesterday, and please know that we had the most amazing time and cannot stop telling hilarious stories from our shared afternoon!

We all have some great ideas for what to keep ready in case we need to get out fast!

If you have any questions about emergency go-bags or want some presentation ideas for this age group, feel free to e-mail me at rob@handsoncharlotte.org. We love to keep sharing preparedness ideas with as many people as we can, and we like to think everyone in this world is as excited about preparedness as we are.

Stay safe, y'all!

Time (To Share Information about Summer Safety)!

Good morning, Charlotte!

Yesterday, Molly and I had the immense pleasure of joining organizations from all around Charlotte at Duke Energy's health fair uptown. We were able to represent the American Red Cross, and had a blast sharing preparedness information with hundreds of Duke Energy employees, who (if y'all are reading this, I'm totally serious) really might be some of the most entertaining people I've met uptown.

Max (another Red Cross volunteer) poses at our table with us!

It was really awesome to be able to share seasonally relevant information with so many bright personalities, and if you thought we were finished, you really need to think twice. All the information we shared on our table can be found on the Red Cross website in the links below. Be sure to click through the tabs about how to prepare, and how to respond during and after!

• Flood Safety
• Thunderstorm and Lightning Safety
• Tornado Safety
• Swimming and Water Safety

Duke Energy, thank you for hosting us yesterday; I really can't repeat enough how wonderful of a time it was (and Mary was the most awesome host in the hospitality room)! Red Cross, thanks as always for allowing us to help spread your message. And to all of you, enjoy your day, and as always,

Stay safe, Charlotte!

Takin' Care of Business (Plans for Disaster)!

Good afternoon, Charlotte!

So I know we have sang our praises for Do1Thing's amazing campaign quite a few times at this point, but they really only keep getting better, and we are thrilled to share their new campaign for emergency preparedness within businesses and organizations. With this new campaign, Do1Thing offers one action per month to take to assess your business or organization's ability to sustain a disaster.

Click here to check out their awesome twelve-step program! (See what we did there?)

And to take a brief break from our weird get back into our 1970's vibe, here's some tasty jammin' tunes for your afternoon!

Stay safe, Charlotte!

(Lobby Now So You're Able To Stay A) Digital Witness!

Good afternoon (again), Charlotte!

This morning, I came to work to find a quite applicable and concerning article in an e-mail from my supervisor (Thanks, Marcel!). Apparently two-thirds of today's smartphones have their FM radio switch turned off by the provider.

Click here to read the article by All Tech Considered's Emma Bowman.

While it makes sense from a financial standpoint for the provider to want for consumers to use data-dependent sources for their news, this raises a problem when power is lost and these data-searching apps suck up unnecessary battery life that could be used much more sparingly with FM radio waves. Further, Bowman notes that much of what she has found out is that mobile companies are doing this because there isn't a consumer demand for the FM ability to be switched back on. You may want to check and see if your provider allows for the use of FM radio on your phone, and if they do not, you may want to start asking for a switch. We never know how long we may be without power in the wrong situation, and the ability to find FM radio can be important if phone lines are bogged down like they were during Superstorm Sandy.

Also, Charlotte, you're on a tornado watch today so please be careful and be extra safe out there, y'all!

(How To Stay Safe While Gaining) Every Other Freckle!

Good afternoon, Charlotte!

With our couple hours of clearly visible sunlight finally breaking through after these few rain-soaked days, we figured it was only appropriate to make a sun safety post with summer just around the corner and our having already felt some pretty warm temperatures here in the Queen City!

One of the niftiest videos (from 34 years ago, as fate would have it) regarding sun safety was put out by the Slip! Slop! Slap! campaign in Australia. As this article in the Sunshine Coast Daily reports, Australia has the highest percentage of skin cancer cases in the world, with the number of cases there having risen by 60 percent from 1982 (immediately after the start of the Slip! Slop! Slap! campaign) to 2010.

Enjoy the original ad from 1981 below:

The Slip! Slop! Slap! campaign's message was simple: slip on a tee shirt, slop on some sunscreen, and slap on a hat to gain protection. Since 1981, they have added to seek shade and slide on some sunglasses.

And not necessarily this type of shade.

Regardless, the Slip! Slop! Slap! campaign's message still rings clearly. It's always smart to cover skin if able, add sunscreen to whatever remains exposed, use a hat and sunglasses to protect our skin and eyes, and seek shade when able to cut down on exposure to UVA and UVB rays. But, if you're like me and Molly, you probably want to know a little more about the science behind and effects of sun exposure, so we have some pretty exciting resources below:

This basic guide from the EPA has some action steps for sun protection, with an explanation of the UV index. 

This guide, also from the EPA, has some in-depth information on the differences between UVA and UVB rays, as well as some advice for effective sunscreen application and how sunlight adversely affects sensitive populations.

The CDC also has some recommendations regarding sun safety, including information on checking the expiration date and using sun protection with cosmetics, found here.

The American Cancer Society has a wealth of information on sun safety, including an image gallery helping you know what to look for in suspicious sections of skin.

And, to see the new Sun Smart campaign's website (the creators of Slip! Slop! Slap! back in 1981), click here and see what all they have going today!

And since you know we have to add a crazy jam, and because the Madison Square Garden show was amazing back on March 30 and I'm not sure if life has been the same since, here's some alt-J for your afternoon!

Stay safe, Charlotte!

(For When You Feel Ozone) In the Air Tonight!

Good morning, Charlotte!

As Laura Arenschield of the The Columbus Dispatch pointed out in her April 1 article, along with these beautiful spring blooms and warm weather comes the beginning of ozone season. While many of you will remember last summer's wonderful mild temperatures here on the east coast, this also meant a reduced ozone hazard, something not all of us may think about on a daily basis if we don't have a higher sensitivity. In fact, central Ohio went the entire summer without having to issue one single air quality warning!

However, last summer we were quite lucky with the way our temperatures never seemed to spiral out of control like I have seen in summers past. Who knows what this year may hold! And since it is the start of ozone season, I would love to pass along some great resources to help us all better understand the threats presented by high levels of ozone. Frankly, I didn't know all of the science behind it, and while it might the espresso talking (Thank you, Rhea, for your wonderful office gift to me and Molly!), it was pretty cool to see the effects of different levels of ground-level ozone.

In case you're trying to wave your nerd flag with me and Molly, check out this page from NASA with a more sciencey tilt!

Click here to read the CDC's page on air contaminants, the first of which gives some pretty grand details about ozone safety and populations who need to be particularly careful. Looking through this, I learned that you do not need to have a sensitive respiratory system to be more vulnerable to ozone. In fact, as a runner and as someone with an outdoor restaurant job, since I am outside as much as I am, I need to have an elevated consciousness of my ozone exposure as well. Other sensitive populations include anyone with a sensitive respiratory system, as well as older individuals, children and infants.

Looking for an easy way to check the air quality in your area? Look no further! Another amazing resource I found this morning is AirNow.Gov, where you can see the air quality not only for the entire country, but also in further detail for your local area just by typing in your zip code. Click here to check it out!

As always, stay safe, Charlotte, and enjoy your wonderful cloudy Wednesday! And, since you know we can't go without sharing a corny song with minimal relevance, enjoy some Phil Collins. The video's pretty weird, and we're pretty into it.

The Truth (about HIV Preparedness and Prevention in Light of the Indiana Outbreak)

Good afternoon, Charlotte!

This morning, while attempting to stay up-to-date on as much emergency preparedness-relevant material as I can, I ran across the rather concerning news from southern Indiana regarding the HIV outbreak declared by Governor Pence to be a public health emergency yesterday.

To read the Washington Post's article and catch some background on the information, click here. Essentially, Austin, Indiana has found itself becoming the epicenter of an HIV outbreak, spreading from its first confirmed case a mere three months ago to 72 confirmed cases as of Wednesday. While to some of you who find yourselves (as I do) more population statistically minded and living in a larger metropolis, this might not seem to be a huge number. However, note that Austin, Indiana has a population of only about 4,300, making this a public health emergency and a crisis emerging at an alarming rate.

In fact, Governor Pence has made a move to allow a pause for the state's ban on possession of syringes by anyone without a prescription in order to facilitate a needle exchange program by which residents can exchange previously used needles for clean syringes, regardless of the existence of a prescription, albeit in only Scott County, where Austin is located. The Governor, a Republican, had previously opposed any such policy allowing for needle exchanges, but it seems that drastic times are calling for drastic measures.

The declaration of a public health emergency in Indiana as the result of an HIV outbreak raises a lot of important points for emergency preparedness and readiness. Much of our work as Community Emergency Preparedness Corps members involves a focus on public health, and especially after going to college in DC and working in DuPont Circle for two years, a city and neighborhood hit especially hard by the AIDS crisis in the 1980's and the city with the highest prevalence of HIV in America, this is a concern that hits especially close to home.

First, there are the concerns about preventing the spread of HIV. If you are using intravenous drugs, please never utilize a previously used syringe. While I don't want to advocate for drug use, I understand that addiction is a very real and gripping concern, and I hope the needle exchange program put in place in Scott County, as well as in other parts of the country, is quick and effective. All it takes is one infected needle to contract the virus, so please take whatever steps are necessary to procure a clean syringe. When having sex, be safe. I cannot stress enough the availability of free condoms, and if you live in Charlotte you can visit either of two STD Control Clinics (addresses listed on this page) for free services, including free condoms and free screening for syphilis and HIV.

Further, if you are living with HIV, there are a number of concerns to be raised when preparing for disasters. Click this link to access the emergency preparedness page published by the US Department of Health and Human Services with specific relevance to those living with HIV. I am so happy that we are getting past the days of HIV/AIDS stigmatization and that treatment has progressed as far as it has over the past three decades, but there are some valid special considerations to think about. First, as with any prescription medication, always keep a two-week supply in stock. A tornado (or any other natural disaster) may cause you not to have access to your local pharmacy, whether by their closing or by your being stuck at home and unable to travel. Further, if the water supply is compromised during a disaster, infection can be easily spread through the water supply and HIV-positive status may make you more susceptible.

This outbreak of HIV in southern Indiana is a very real concern and a true public health emergency, but with a careful effort to prevent the spread of HIV, it is my hope that this contagion may soon be tamed. If you have any questions about what I've said in this article, or if you would like further resources on emergency preparedness relevant to living with HIV, feel free to e-mail me at rob@handsoncharlotte.org.

As always, stay safe, Charlotte, and after my visit to Asheville's Orange Peel for Dr. Dog's wonderful show last night, here's some great music for your damp afternoon!

Get Happy! (It's Good For Ya!)

Good afternoon, Charlotte!

In case you didn't know, it is the first day of Spring as well as International Happiness Day today! While I didn't need a badge and a soapbox to be authorized to tell you that happiness is more likely than not good for you, I am all about passing along the happiness inspiration, and this article from Yahoo! Health is a wonderful guide to different ways of finding happiness, whatever that may be.

Now I know there are probably some frown-faced sticklers out there who may be all too ready to say that happiness has absolutely nothing to do with emergency preparedness, but to you sad, sad sticklers, I say it has everything to do with helping you out in your time of need. Not only will living a happier life help you to live longer, but a sense of optimism and perhaps a little creativity may be just what you need after a disaster. Hurricane wipe out your town? Fire burn your house? Tornado literally turn your life upside down? It's not what happens that counts, but how we prepare and respond that really matters, and a great attitude can be key in a crunch.

What's my secret to happiness? Some days, caffeine, but the Yahoo! article suggests that food and drink laden with magnesium (coffee!) may actually be a mood enhancer. I know I've mentioned my wonderful desk neighbor/amateur photographer/soul sister Beth before, and she has some pretty awesome orchids that apparently have been overflowing our brains with happy chemicals without our even realizing it.

Beth's beautiful window orchid garden!

Other suggestions include volunteering. Feel free to check out the Hands On Charlotte calendar via this link if you're in the Charlotte area and are looking for a way to give back that fits in your schedule! Even more suggestions include things like having more sex (don't worry, we won't post any pictures of that on this page) and simply getting more sleep. As someone who works in an office and a restaurant and doesn't always get home until later at night, I can vouch for the need for sleep until the end of my days. At any rate, please do check out the article, crack a smile, and feel free to share what makes you happy with us so we might be able to integrate even more happiness into our own lives.

Click here to read the Yahoo! Health article with 30 different suggestions for improving your mood!

As always, stay safe, Charlotte! Share a smile with someone new today, and we promise to do the same! And because Molly and I are the two biggest diva hams I know, here's some Judy for your day.

Be True To Your School!

Good afternoon, Charlotte!

So as you may have noticed, Molly and I are pretty convinced that we live the best life ever, and I promise you we will not be slowing down with these awesome events any time soon. After the National Guard exercises last week, I wasn't sure if everything we did could hold up to such high standards, but I have to admit we had one amazing morning handing out information for Hands On Charlotte and the American Red Cross this morning at the Charlotte Fire Department's Life Safety Bowl! Essentially, we took an example of a go-bag someone might have packed in his or her closet, or near one's bed, so that if one wakes up to a house fire, one can grab the bag quickly and get out as safely as possible. 

What would you like to have in your go-bag? We took essentials like shampoo, soap, water and snacks, but we also had items we would enjoy and would be comforting during a tragedy. A book and a deck of cards were a couple of my favorites.

This kid wins my award for best dressed. Everyone had awesome tee shirts though!

If you had anything to do with the Life Safety Bowl, thank you so much for being part of such an awesome event. Molly and I had the time of our life, and it seemed like the kids were having a great time while learning all about preparedness and safety, topics which can be pretty dull if presented in the wrong light. Amazing job by all partners, and thank you a million times over to everyone who allowed us to be a part of it!

The best team ever, with items from our ready go-bag!

Now, while the education and conversations we were able to have with hundreds of CMS students were mind-blowingly wonderful, inspirational, and the main cause of our great time, we did also get to have some fun in the parking lot on our way out. Charlotte Fire brought our their pink firetruck (in support of breast cancer awareness), and we found Gus the Bus! If you haven't had the pleasure of meeting Gus (before today, I hadn't), he is a safety bus who tours Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, and we met the driver and educator who has been riding around town with Gus for the past 31 years! Amazing day!

I swear I work with a rockstar.

Because our life is a high school musical.

Molly with Gus' partner in education!

As always, stay safe, Charlotte, and if you have any questions about joining us in future emergency preparedness events, feel free to e-mail me at rob@handsoncharlotte.org!

And, because there is a video with John Stamos and trust me, he has jokes, here's a classic for your cloudy afternoon:

Breeze-(Felt So Nice While We Were Posting Flyers Around the)-Blocks

Good afternoon, Charlotte!

If you are one of our closest neighbors to the office, you may notice some brand new advertisements all around Plaza Midwood and NoDa for our home canning workshop next weekend, Yes We CAN! If you would like to purchase a ticket, you can click here and join us in the fun! However, regardless of your ability to attend, we would love for you to join in our fun and take selfies with our posters when you find them out and about, and please post them on Twitter and Instagram! Feel free to tag me (Twitter: @HOCDisasterPrep; Instagram: @robcoy715), Hands On Charlotte (Twitter: @HandsOnCLT; Instagram: @handsoncharlotte), or just come up with a slew of fun hashtags. We know we posted these flyers in some pretty nocturnally active neighborhoods as well, so we're excited to see what you creative spirits out there can come up with for a wacky picture to help us spread the word!

One of many posters up near the Common Market Plaza-Midwood!

Our poster in the heart of NoDa!

We hope to see many of you at our course, and we hope to see just as many if not more pictures out there in the Insta/Twitter-sphere. As always, we hope this finds you well, and if my reach of a title wasn't enough to let you know I've had a recent alt-J obsession, here's some funky waves for your day.

Stay safe, y'all!

Do the Can Can!

Good morning, Charlotte!

I really can't emphasize enough the importance of a 72-hour emergency food and water supply. In the event of an unexpected disaster and with the possibility of having to shelter in one's home, you really may not have time or the ability to go out and stock up on supplies before it is too late. And for any of you who have lived here for an extended period of time, you understand how quickly your neighborhood grocery store will run out of bread and milk, a phenomenon I may never understand.

To help make this process of stock-piling your three (or more!) day supply a little bit easier and a whole lot more fun, Molly and I will be hosting a home canning class on Saturday, March 28, from 10 AM - 1 PM at Friendship Trays. The class will include an overview of the processes involved in canning your own produce and food, a walk-through of canning a few fun and easy recipes, a delicious lunch provided by Friendship Trays, and all the corny jokes and wacky dance moves Molly and I can muster. I promise quite the good time, and it's our way of making emergency preparedness a little bit weirder and a lot more fun.

To learn more about the event and to purchase a ticket, click here!

To learn more about many of the benefits of home canning even beyond our always glamourous cause of emergency preparedness, click here to read a nifty article from Preparedness Mama!

And because Molly and I can't make it through a day without singing Moulin Rouge tunes across the office, enjoy the infamous can can scene from one of our favorite movies. And as always, stay safe, y'all!

(How We Told the National Guard That) We're Not Gonna Take It!

Good morning, Charlotte!

This weekend, Molly and I had the immense pleasure of helping out the National Guard with their Vigilant Guard exercises. If you happened to be driving down Brookshire Boulevard this weekend and saw crazy protestors in bright vests screaming outside the water treatment plant, it was us. We were so happy to include our Charlotte-Mecklenburg Volunteer Emergency Support Team in our efforts as well, and I believe everyone had quite the wild and wonderful experience. If you've ever wanted an excuse to make a ruckus and yell at your Armed Forces and pretend to get arrested and fight against riot gear, let me know; I'll include you in our plans next time.

It was a beautiful weekend to volunteer in Charlotte!

Zondra, Molly, Tara, and Shannon walked into a day of shenanigans on Saturday!

We also had volunteers helping out in the Emergency Operations Center at a different site. There, representatives from all sorts of government and non-government organizations had to practice their reaction given actions by the crazy protestors at the water treatment plant and different scenarios at other sites across town.

Here, Shannon, Zondra, Molly and I told the National Guard that we could lay down forever until we were able to speak with the appropriate personnel about chemicals in the water. Shannon even braided Molly's hair for a while as we laid in the streets!

Zondra berated the guards at the back fence for close to an hour, even throwing her legs under the fence as she tried to sneak through that way!

We didn't just protest, though. There were all sorts of crazy hijinks we were able to pull. At one point, Zondra faked a heart attack to initiate the medical team's response from another location, and Tara had an asthma attack, couldn't breathe, and a National Guard soldier had to initiate CPR. Thanks for taking one for the team, y'all!

Tara helping the National Guard walk through whatever steps necessary to save a life whenever needed, and I think she enjoyed every minute of it!

On Sunday, we brought in a whole new crew of protesting volunteers. Crystal, Kaitlin, Zach, and Chris joined us to fight against soldiers in riot gear, and we had some more nontraditional methods (like laying down in front of the riot gear and rolling toward them). I was even able to find a spot to break in after some good hassling, and I was immediately arrested.

It happens to the best of us!

All in all, it was really quite the exciting weekend and reminder that AmeriCorps' Community Emergency Preparedness Corps really can provide the time of your life. If you have any questions about what Molly and I do, or if you would like to become involved with our volunteer emergency support team and attend an upcoming training to join our ranks, please do not hesitate to e-mail me at rob@handsoncharlotte.org. It was certainly a weekend I will remember forever, and I am glad to have been able to share that experience with our volunteers.

The organizations involved at our site included both Army and Air Force National Guard, CM-VEST, Charlotte Fire Department, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Sheriff's Office, and staff from the water treatment plant. There were many, many more back at the Emergency Operations Center!

And, because a good protest isn't complete without some good Twisted Sister (Have any of you seen Rock of Ages??), enjoy this for your day, and please, join us next time and sing with us at our next faux protest. It's the time of your life, I promise. Stay safe, y'all!

(How To Help When There's) Fire on the Mountain!

Good afternoon, Charlotte!

I hope this finds you well on this dreary and wet day. One day every week, Molly and I have the immense pleasure of working out of the Charlotte American Red Cross office. One of our recent endeavors in our time here is helping out with their Disaster Action Team.

If you don't already know, the Red Cross will sometimes send out volunteers from their office to see how best to address the needs of individuals and familied affected by house fires. These volunteers will actually show up to the fire scene, assess what the individual or family's immediate needs are, and connect them with solutions to assist them in getting through the immediate aftermath.

So happy that I get to work with this girl every week!

As fate would have it, the Red Cross is actually looking to expand this program. Should you read this blog and happen to get your blood boiling in all the right ways when you think about helping people out in times of disaster, please do not hesitate to send me an e-mail at rob@handsoncharlotte.org. I am really quite excited to be joining in on this venture, and would love to give back with some of you as well. I don't know if you've noticed, but Molly and I really don't know how not to make everything we do into a positive experience and have a great time while helping others.

As always, stay safe, y'all, and enjoy some tunes (and coffee, if you're like me) to make it through this rainy afternoon!

Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (And How We Need To Plan To Do the Same)!

Good afternoon, Charlotte!

As you may have noticed, we try to find some interesting and engaging material regarding emergency preparedness outside of the more typical hurricane/tornado/earthquake/fire safety tips. While those are all certainly important and applicable and I'm going to tell you to have a 72-hour emergency supply in your home until the cows come home, I would also like to raise a valid point I found in an article on Forbes this morning: the importance of cybersecurity emergency preparedness.

Many of you are probably familiar with the recent cybersecurity breach surrounding Sony's release of The Interview (now available on Netflix, may I note), as well as the release of credit card information in breaches at Target and other stores.

While many places focus on being ready in the case of a loss of power or hardware, or for the equally real threat of a fire or earthquake, Ray Rothrock points out in this article published on Forbes.com that many places do not have much-needed plans for how to deal with breaches of cybersecurity. In his piece, Rothrock points out many of the parallels between traditional natural disaster emergency preparedness and what is really needed in a quickly evolving world with perpetually growing electronic capabilities, and by that same token, perpetually growing threats to the cybersecurity of any organization with confidential information.

Even with something as simple as credit card and password information you have stored on your home computer, it can be important to have files backed up on an external hard drive in case of a future hack into your information. However, this risk goes all the way from the home personal computer to retail stores like Target, and banks like the ones on which this beautiful city has such a substantial foundation. It made for a great read this morning, and I definitely recommend it if you have a few minutes to spare some thought.

Please click here to access the article on Forbes.com!

And since you all know how I feel about getting a little weird, please enjoy some Flaming Lips with your afternoon coffee (or whatever it is you're into around this time of day). After all, it would be quite tragic were the evil robots to win.

Stay safe, y'all!

Takin' It to the Streets!

Good evening, Charlotte!

This morning, Molly and I had the immense pleasure of joining Charlotte's American Red Cross chapter, the Charlotte Fire Department, and Piedmont Natural Gas to distribute information about fire and natural gas safety, as well as to offer free smoke alarms, to residents in south Charlotte. If you would like a free smoke alarm, or need batteries for the smoke alarm you currently have and you live in a single-family home in Charlotte, please do not hesitate to e-mail either me at rob@handsoncharlotte.org, or Molly at molly@handsoncharlotte.org, and we will be sure to put you in contact with the appropriate person within the Charlotte Fire Department! No time like the present to make sure you have a functional smoke alarm in your home!

Here, the Red Cross, CFD, and PNG told Channel 3 to check your smoke alarms every Daylight Savings Day! It's an easy way to remember to check your alarms every six months. If you're like me, write it in your planner every Daylight Savings Day to make it even easier to remember!

It was great to see people from so many organizations coming together to keep Charlotteans safe!

Again, please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about getting a free smoke alarm, and feel free to contact us so we can keep you in the loop if you would like to join future smoke alarm canvassing events! It was a great time, and we met a lot of wonderful people.

As always, stay safe, Charlotte, and enjoy some Doobie Brothers on this chilly night!

(How To Be Ready When We Need To Shelter in Our) Little Boxes!

Good afternoon, Charlotte!

In case you haven't signed up already to have the monthly updates sent to your e-mail from the Do1Thing campaign, I would love to take this chance to share with you their March release, which is centered around sheltering.

Many times, emergencies and disasters can be predicted. For example, hurricanes take a while to reach land after forming over water, and snow storms that might require an evacuation to friends' or relatives' houses in lesser affected regions are predicted at least a couple days out as well. However, there are some cases in which one might not have ample time to plan an evacuation, like a tornado that can pop up and allow a very short amount of time to find a safe place.

It is in cases like these that we all need to be prepared to shelter in place, and this month, Do1Thing published a visual fact sheet, which you can read by clicking this link, detailing some guidelines for what to do when sudden and immediate shelter is needed. For example, if a tornado is headed your way, take shelter in the lowest most central area of the structure you're in, and be sure to avoid windows. Further, while if you are in your home you want to be sure you can be comfortable with your family for at least 45 minutes, one should also avoid large rooms, a fact I didn't know until I saw my e-mail this morning!

You can find the full March release from Do1Thing here, complete with some additional facts, the visual fact sheet I mentioned earlier, and a video about the need for sheltering plans. Further, if you'd like to join me in receiving Do1Thing's e-mails every month, please click here and enter your information. It's free, and can be a really great way to prepare yourself gradually over the course of a year.

And as always, stay safe, Charlotte, and enjoy this beautiful warm weather if you have the chance today!

Lemme Take a Selfie (And Please Send Your #Selfie or #Unselfie To Us)!

Good morning, Charlotte!

Molly and I are starting a campaign to compile as many pictures of volunteers in love with how they give back as we can for a really fun project, and we need your help!

While we love to share what we're doing with all of you, we think a product with selfies of volunteers from all over would be much, much more interesting than a bunch of pictures of just us in the office. This means, if you have any pictures from a volunteer project you love, please e-mail it and a little blurb about why you love volunteering to us at rob@handsoncharlotte.org!

If you're heading to a project soon, please don't forget to take a new picture and send it our way too! We're so excited to see how others like to give back, and we're really excited to get going with this project. Thanks for any and all pictures, and since it's inevitable I use this song, dance around your office (or wherever you find yourself), and enjoy your day!

Stay safe, y'all!

(Staying Warm When It's) Hot As Ice!

Good morning, Charlotte!

We hope this finds you staying warm. In light of the wild weather earlier this week and the lingering cold temperatures, we did want to let you all know about resources in case you are reading this and don't have access to regular shelter. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management and Mecklenburg County Community Support Services will be opening a warming station at the Homeless Resource Center Hal Marshall Annex at 618 North College Street at 10:00 AM today, Thursday, February 19, and tomorrow, Friday, February 20. These warming stations will remain set up until 6:30, when if transportation to an overnight shelter is needed, it will be provided as well.

For further information about the warming stations, please click here to see the full release from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management.

Please stay safe and warm, y'all, and enjoy some Britney to keep you extra toasty!