e-CYREN Blog

News Release FEMA ENCOURAGES AMERICANS TO START PREPARING FOR WINTER WEATHER NOAA Annual Winter Outlook Released Today Forecasts "Winter of Extremes" for U.S. WASHINGTON - Today, as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released its 2010 U.S.

Calling on President to develop national strategy on children and disasters The 2010 Report to the President and Congress issued last week by the National Commission on Children and Disasters cited “persistent gaps in disaster preparedness for children since Hurricane Katrina five years ago.” The Commission’s report called for the development of a national strategy for children in disasters to ensure children are protected before, during and after an emergency.” The report comes on the heels of another new report, America Remains Unprepared, from Save the Children that showed states along the East Coast in the path of a potential hurricane are not fully prepared to protect children during major and possibly catastrophic disasters. The report reveals that millions of children are vulnerable should a disaster strike the region. “Children are 25 percent of our nation’s population but they are neglected when it comes to disaster management,” said Mark Shriver,...

Are you a caregiver for a parent or an elderly adult? If so, have you discussed with other family members, and caregivers where you and/or your parent would go in case of an emergency when home is not the option? There is no time like the present and with Thanksgiving around the corner, I can't think of a better time to have this discussion. During this season family members will come together to laugh and share great family stories with one another. One may think that discussing an emergency during this happy time could put a damper on this festive occasion. But, this may be a good time to prepare now for peace of mind in the future. Whether you are a caregiver for an elderly family member with chronic diseases or you know of a healthy senior living alone, families, friends and caregivers should take the time...

By Rebecca Marquis, Acting Director, Ready Campaign

While you may think you have everything you need in the event of an emergency on hand and could wing it on the fly, you might not be as prepared as you think you. You are your family’s first responder, so you need to proactively prepare for emergencies. Local, state and national authorities are going to help, but they may not be able to get to you right away. September is National Preparedness Month (NPM), which is a great time to get your family Ready. Preparedness goes beyond fire alarms, smoke detectors, dead-bolt locks and extra food in the pantry. The Ready Campaign has made it easy with four simple steps: get an Emergency Supply Kit; make a Family Emergency Plan; be informed about emergencies and their appropriate responses; and get involved in community efforts.

To help get your family started, Ready Kids is a family-friendly tool to help parents and teachers educate children, ages 8-12, about emergencies and how they can help families...

At the time, it all seemed surreal. As I left work, on August 14, 20003, around 4:00 PM, I realized that the radio station I always listen to was not broadcasting, but I really didn’t think much of it until I tried other stations. None were working, and I immediately go onto the freeway home; oblivious to the traffic signals not working. Once I exited the freeway, I immediately realized something was wrong (the car radio still wasn’t working), and now there was traffic chaos because the signals were out. I tried my cell phone, which did not work (Cingular was my carrier then), so I used a pay phone and got through to my office. I was informed that there was a blackout across the state and that the hospital (where I work) was on generator power. A thirty-five minute trip home took me three hours, but I was able to buy a cold beverage because I had cash money, which came in handy at a gas station where the pumps and cash register were disabled. After arriving home, I realized there was no hot water, and that my decision to get rid of my land line telephone was a big mistake. However, I did find my battery operated radio and a couple candles. It was a long, dark night and the blackness of normal darkness was somewhat unsettling; we’re so use to artificial light. During the early hours of morning (4:00 AM) I learned that my hospital pager still worked, and they were trying to reach me. With no land line or operable cell phone, I left home in total darkness and went to a nearby hospital to use their land line phone. I learned a valuable lesson about redundant communications during this ordeal. What lessons did I learn from this event? There were a few, which are worth sharing....

Save the Children's U.S. Programs Finds Only Seven States Prepared to Protect Children; Five-point Plan is Unveiled

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 17, 2009) — Ten years after a relentless assault of unprecedented natural and manmade disasters, a report released today by Save the Children's U.S. Programs reveals that only seven states are meeting crucial minimum standards to ensure that schools and child-care facilities are prepared to respond to the needs of children during a disaster. The report, "The Disaster Decade: Lessons Unlearned for the United States," was released at a D.C.-area child-care center by Mark Shriver, Save the Children U.S. Programs Managing Director, along with actor and advocate Julianne Moore, Artist Ambassador.

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