Avagene Moore: Welcome to the EIIP Virtual Forum! Amy Sebring, my partner/associate, and I are pleased to see you in our audience today. Avagene Moore: Today's topic is ... Avagene Moore: "National Preparedness Month - September 2004." Avagene Moore: If you have not read the background materials, please do so after the session. Avagene Moore: For the benefit of any first-timers, we will begin today's session with a formal presentation followed by an opportunity for your questions. Avagene Moore: We will provide further instructions on the protocol for asking questions or commenting just before we begin the Q&A section. However, it is wise to jot down your questions or comments as we go along. Avagene Moore: Please do not send private messages to our speakers or the moderator, as we will be busy with the presentation. If you need assistance, you may send a private message to Amy Sebring. Avagene Moore: The transcript of today's session will be available late this afternoon or early this evening -- just check back on our home page. Avagene Moore: Now it is my pleasure to introduce our speaker. Avagene Moore: Lara Shane is the Director of Public Education in the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Public Affairs. She manages a number of high profile projects that are designed to educate the American public about the Department's mission, goals and various programs. Avagene Moore: Among the projects is the department's national public education campaign, Ready, which was developed with the Advertising Council. The campaign is designed to inform and empower citizens about how to prepare for a terrorist attack or other emergency. Avagene Moore: Other projects include a national media workshop series being undertaken in partnership with the Radio-Television News Directors Association (RTNDA) and the National Academies to improve communication between government and media during a crisis. Avagene Moore: Prior to moving to DHS headquarters, Lara served as media advisor to the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). In that role, she served as spokesperson for, and strategic advisor to, the director of the agency on matters pertaining to media relations and outreach during national disasters. Avagene Moore: Lara worked for nearly three years as an associate producer at CBS News for the Early Show. Avagene Moore: Lara, we thank you for being here today to share an important overview with the EIIP Virtual Forum audience. We hope this will create more interest in National Preparedness Month and more people will be aware of the effort and get involved. ... Avagene Moore: Lara, I now turn the floor to you. Lara Shane: It is a pleasure to be with you today on the EIIP Virtual Forum. I am excited to have this opportunity to talk to the emergency management community about National Preparedness Month….. Lara Shane: Let me tell you about this important effort, then, I will be happy to take your questions….. Lara Shane: During the month of September, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will be part of a national coalition of more than 60 private sector and government partners that will encourage all Americans to become better prepared for terrorist attacks and other emergencies. . . Lara Shane: In addition, all 56 states and territories are participating in National Preparedness Month. It's a great coalition and we are really excited about working with all these groups. .. Lara Shane: Throughout September the coalition will hold a variety of events across the country that will provide valuable information describing basic steps individuals can take to become better prepared for different emergency situations….. Lara Shane: There will be all kinds of activities and events throughout the month by all the different partners . . . Lara Shane: and the Department of Homeland Security will expand the Ready Campaign to include Ready for Business and Ready for Kids. We will also launch new public service announcements in September .. . . Lara Shane: The official kick-off of National Preparedness Month will be on Capitol Hill on September 9. Representatives of the more than 60 National Preparedness Month partner organizations will be on hand for the event, which is co-chaired by Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-CT), Rep. Christopher Cox (R-CA) and Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA)….. Lara Shane: Of special interest to all of you will be the members of the emergency management community who will be part of this effort and what you can do….. Lara Shane: The International Association of Emergency Managers and the National Emergency Management Association will both be National Preparedness Month partners. Homeland Security staff are working closely with IAEM and NEMA on their plans for September….. Lara Shane: But overall, members of the emergency management community can be a key part of National Preparedness Month by sharing this important message in their community….. Lara Shane: Some ideas for events you can undertake in September include…. Lara Shane: Hosting first aid or preparedness training classes; or "kit making" or "communication plan making" events in your communities…. Lara Shane: Hosting town hall meetings to share your local emergency plan…. Lara Shane: Sending emails to your colleagues and partners informing them about "National Preparedness Month" and asking them to get prepared…. Lara Shane: Distributing emergency preparedness materials in your offices and at public events…. Lara Shane: Talking about your community emergency plans at local events; working with local papers to print information about local emergency plans….. Lara Shane: Working with your local Citizen Corps councils to plan unique events or training sessions . . . . Lara Shane: Urging your local area leaders to customize Ready public service announcements and brochures …. Lara Shane: One important tool that many National Preparedness Month partners will use and that each of you can use to teach citizens about emergency preparedness is the Ready campaign….. Lara Shane: Ready is a nation-wide public service advertising (PSA) campaign to educate and empower American citizens to prepare for and respond to potential future terrorist attacks and other emergencies…. Lara Shane: Its Spanish language version, Listo was launched in December 2003….. Lara Shane: The PSAs offer practical suggestions for citizens to increase preparedness, including learning about serious threats, making emergency supply kits, creating a family communication plan and keeping emergency phone numbers near the phone….. Lara Shane: The ads direct Americans to call 1-800-BE-Ready to access a free brochure or visit www.ready.gov where they can learn the best ways to protect themselves and their families against terrorism and other emergencies….. Lara Shane: Visit the Ready website for materials and further information that you can use in September or anytime….. Lara Shane: Now that I have updated you on our efforts to promote citizen emergency preparedness, feel free to ask me any questions you might have. Avagene Moore: Thank you very much, Lara. I trust the audience has questions for you. ... Avagene Moore: Our protocol for audience questions is to enter a question mark ? to indicate you wish to ask a question or make a comment. ... Avagene Moore: Then go ahead and compose your question or comment to have it ready, but do NOT hit your Enter key or click on the Send button until you are recognized by name. Please WAIT your turn. ... Avagene Moore: We will take questions in the order the question marks are sent to the screen. One question at a time please. If you have a follow up question, please get back in line with another ? - courtesy is the order of the day. ... Avagene Moore: We are ready to begin now. Please input a question mark (?) at any time. Amy Sebring: ? Avagene Moore: Amy, whenever you are ready. The first question takes a minute or so. Amy Sebring: Lara, I understand a media kit has been put together for this event? Is it available now and if so, from where? Avagene Moore: Others, please input your ? at any time. Jennifer Moorer: ? Tom Orlando: ? Joe Counsil: ? Meg McLaughlin: ? Michael Kiley-Zufelt: ? Lara Shane: We have issued a news release about National Preparedness Month . . Lara Shane: It is up on the dhs website, dhs.gov. . . Jo Moss: ? Lara Shane: That news release really just throws down the marker to let people know it will happen. We will issue a more complete news release when we get a little closer. Amy Sebring: ? Avagene Moore: Jennifer Moorer, please input your question now. Jennifer Moorer: Can we customize these materials and when can we begin using them? Lara Shane: Yes, you can customize them. Right now on our website are two brochures you all can download and customize on the back panel Lara Shane: We are also refreshing the brochure and the new customizable brochure will be available in October. . . Lara Shane: We are also refreshing the brochure and the new customizable brochure will be available in October. . . Jennifer Stephens: ? Lara Shane: In addition to the brochures, we are producing new public service announcements. We will produce 25:5 spots instead of 30 second spots so they can be tagged by local officials. We will distribute those throughout September. . . Mary Lenz: Texas Prepared materials are on the Texas DEM website Lara Shane: We will distribute them through all of our partners and state and local organizations like U.S. Conference of Mayors, NGA, NACCHO etc to let people know they are available to them. Avagene Moore: And the latter part of Jennifer's question, Lara - when can we begin to use materials? Lara Shane: You can use the materials on our website right now. . . Lara Shane: The new materials are currently in development and will be available in Sept./October if everything goes according to our well-laid plan. Avagene Moore: Thanks. Tom Orlando, your turn, please. Tom Orlando: Wondering what is being done to enhance local relationships between the 60 or so organizations you're working with. Anything being offered specifically to build relationships between local E.M., local public health, local law enforcement, and local non-profits like Red Cross? What national public health, law enforcement, and related (more than EM agencies) are involved? Lara Shane: We are encouraging everyone to work with each other at the local level. For example, we got the U.S. chamber of commerce together with Red Cross, . . Lara Shane: so that Red Cross can do some trainings at local businesses. . . Jennifer Stephens: ! Lara Shane: We are encouraging all the participating groups to see who in their communities are also involved so they can get together on some of their ideas. Avagene Moore: Lara, are the 60 groups listed on the DHS Web site? Lara Shane: To the latter part of your question, there are more than 60 partners, including Fraternal Order of Police, National Assn. of Chiefs of Police, Assn. of County and City Health Officials, etc . . . Amy Sebring: ( See also http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/interapp/press_release/press_release_0481.xml ) Lara Shane: The complete list isn't listed yet, though we will have it posted soon. The list as of August 10 is posted, but people are signing on by the hour!! We Lara Shane: have have tremendous interest and are really excited. Avagene Moore: Thanks, Lara. Joe Counsil, please. Joe Counsil: Are there regional or national databases of presenters who are available to come to our community? Our Citizen Corps would like to sponsor seminars for the public, etc. Lara Shane: We are hoping that local emergency management officials will be invited to speak about community plans . . . Lara Shane: We think it's important for citizens to know what the plan is for their particular community - rather than having a national or regional figure speak broadly. . . Lara Shane: The Council for Excellence in Govt. recently released a report about a communication gap that exists between how much planning is being done at the community level, and how much residents know about those plans. . . Lara Shane: I hope National Preparedness Month will provide a forum to talk about all the good work that is being done. Hopefully NPM will give our friends . . . Lara Shane: in the media a good opportunity to do these preparedness stories. Avagene Moore: Meg, your question, please. Meg McLaughlin: One idea that came up in Missouri was getting language inserted into the National Weather Service emergency broadcast test recording re: preparedness steps. Is this something that could be pursued at the national level? Lara Shane: Yes, that is something worth exploring, though sometimes events happen with no warning or the broadcast system is activated immediately before an incident . . . Claudia Bitner: ? Lara Shane: One other thing we are doing is working with the National Association of Broadcasters and the Weather Channel . . . Lara Shane: to encourage them to talk about preparedness steps when local channels or the Weather Channel is doing weather related coverage. Avagene Moore: Michael, your turn, sir. Michael Kiley-Zufelt: Lara, you mentioned several times that the efforts were targeted at "Americans" and "citizens." As a Red Cross Disaster Educator and in keeping with the guiding principals of the Red Cross, I feel strongly that our preparedness education efforts be aimed at everyone in our country, regardless of their nationality or status as a citizen. I just want to be clear that National Preparedness Month is open to everyone and not just US citizens. Lara Shane: I should mention as well that the NAB is putting out a broadcasters guide on preparedness stories. Lara Shane: Michael, to answer your question . . . Lara Shane: I couldn't agree with you more. When I say "citizen" I mean it inclusively for all residents. Avagene Moore: Jo Moss, your question, please. Jo Moss: I have a very specific target audience of school districts...both internal to districts themselves and for community outreach. Any suggestions? Especially since school systems tend to fall into the referenced "gap" that the Council for Excellence has identified. Lara Shane: The Department of Education has been working with schools on their emergency preparedness plans. . . Lara Shane: They are part of National Preparedness month as well and I know that they are really trying to get schools motivated. . . Amy Sebring: ? Tom Orlando: ? Lara Shane: They have a website you might want to look at in their Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools, I know they offer a sample plan . . . Lara Shane: Also, one other tool you will have this fall is Ready for Kids. Not for schools, but for school kids and teachers. Hopefully, it will be another resource for you in the future and can close some gaps. Jo Moss: I have the plans, need the outreach. Avagene Moore: Jennifer Stephens, you have a comment you wish to make. Please input now. Michael Kiley-Zufelt: ? Avagene Moore: Jennifer, do you have a comment? Jennifer Stephens: i was just gonna mention that the american red cross chapter that i am part of is putting together a day of disaster preparedness and involving the local EMA as part of hte effort Avagene Moore: Thanks, Jennifer. Claudia, you are next, please. Claudia Bitner: Wouldn't Meg's question have to be answered by the FCC. They have rules on what can be sent through the EAS. It is a great idea! Bob Robinson: Bob Robinson? Lara Shane: The Red Cross is focusing a lot of its efforts on September 18. They've been great to work worth and I know would love to work with all of you at the local level. Lara Shane: Actually Claudia, the Department of Homeland Security can access the Emergency Broadcast System under a new agreement iwth NOAA. We can access it now as well. Avagene Moore: Amy, please. Amy Sebring: Lara, I assume the timing of this has to do with 9-11. Are you anticipating that this will become an annual event at the same time of year? Lara Shane: Timing is 9-11 anniversary as well as back to school, and Congress is back in session, etc. We aren't sure yet if it will be annual. I think it's a real possibility -- I certainly like the idea. Amy Sebring: (Incidentally, I DO like the timing as we are entering our most active hurricane season in Sept.) Avagene Moore: Tom Orlando, you are next, sir. Lara Shane: We'll have to see if our partners want to pursue again next year. Tom Orlando: When did planning on this begin, and why did it take so long to get the word out? The month is almost here, and we're just now hearing about it... Tom Orlando: (end) Avagene Moore: If you have a question or comment for Lara, please input your ? at any point. Lara Shane: Planning started several months ago. NEMA and IAEM are partners. We have been doing outreach for several months, but it takes a long time to build a coalition like this and get it ready to announce. Avagene Moore: Michael, please. Michael Kiley-Zufelt: Lara, I just wanted to follow up on your answer to my original question. I think we need to be very careful not to use words or phrases that might send a message of exclusion, either to educators or to those we are trying to reach. I don't want to harp on the issue, but it really does have an impact. Barbara Fay: ! Avagene Moore: (We have time for a few more questions. Input your ? now.) Jo Moss: ! Lara Shane: I think it's a good point, Michael. We'll try to use inclusive language . . . Lora Hainy: ? Amy Sebring: ? Lara Shane: When we talk about Listo, our spanish-language campaign, we always say citizens and residents, but you're right we should be careful. Avagene Moore: Bob Robinson, please. Bob Robinson: Thanks, Lara, where does business fit into this? I see a lot of public sector involvement, but it seems a critical path to individuals would be through the work place. Lara Shane: Bob, thanks for asking. You are right . . . Lara Shane: We are launching an entire new campaign called Ready for Business at the end of September as part of National Preparedness Month . . . Lara Shane: Ready for Business offers some tips for small to medium sized business about how they can prepare their own operations and how they can talk to their employees about individual preparedness. . . Jennifer Stephens: ! Lara Shane: It covers things like business continuity planning, evacuation plans, communication plans, cybersecurity tips, etc. . . . Lara Shane: It will be an expansion of the Ready website as well as an accompanying advertising campaign. . . Avagene Moore: Barbara, your comment, please. Barbara Fay: PLEASE consider annual! I was assuming it would be and we would have the lead time necessary to coordinate all the partners at the local level and vary the emphasis from year to year. There will be a lot to learn from this campaign and how effective it is. Thank you! Lara Shane: We developed Ready for Business with a business advisory panel and hope that it is a tool -- some actionable steps business can take. Avagene Moore: I am sorry, Lara. I jumped the gun. Joe Counsil: ? Lara Shane: Barbara, we definitely are working toward it. We just have to get those partners on board again. Thanks. Avagene Moore: Jo Moss, please. Jo Moss: I agree with Michael, terms like "citizen" can have a variety of meanings, as we discovered when doing disaster recovery community outreach. (By the way, Ready for Business sounds like a great idea!) Isabel McCurdy: ? Lara Shane: Thanks. Do you all have preferred terms you use instead of citizen? Residents? What do you all like? Burt Wallrich: I prefer residents for all the outreach work I do. Avagene Moore: Please throw in your preferred word, folks. Then we move on to the next question to keep us on time. Tom Orlando: People works well in most cases. Jennifer Vuitel: Residents. Tom Orlando: Community Residents (when referring to a locality)... Michael Kiley-Zufelt: I would agree that "people" covers it well. Jo Moss: residents, individuals, people depending upon the context...we try to avoid the use of "victims" Amy Sebring: Families. JuanM Fraga: community members Lara Shane: Thanks, everyone. I appreciate this input and find it helpful. Avagene Moore: Thanks, everyone. Lora Hainy, your question please. Lora Hainy: I've been a disaster educator both in the USA and overseas (for the American Red Cross). This "Ready" campaign -- is it a duplication of earlier materials from FEMA and American Red Cross or something completely new? I am always interested in new ideas, but if we are saying the same message and giving it different titles, doesn't this lead to confusion? We have been using some really good materials for kids, disabled, elderly, communities, and businesses -- is the new group reviewing any of Bob Robinson: ? Lora Hainy: these materials? Lara Shane: We build on the foundation that FEMA and Red Cross have been buidling for years. We certainly don't want to mess with an effective message. . . . Lara Shane: What is new about Ready is the "communication megaphone" if you will . . . Jennifer Stephens: so y reinvent the wheel? (forgive me for interupting) Lara Shane: We are working on this with the Advertising Council who did Smokey the Bear, Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk, Rosie the Riveter and so on. . . . Tom Orlando: ! Meg McLaughlin: ! Lara Shane: What we are able to do is reach more people with the messages through the public service announcments, and the public relations outreach. It's definitely not reinventing the wheel, just delivering the message in more places, with more resources . . . Jo Moss: ! Lara Shane: The campaign has received $270 million in donated media value and has gotten 1.7 BILLION hits on the website so far. Avagene Moore: Amy, please. Amy Sebring: Lara, are you aware of the new Interim Continuity of Operations (COOP) guidance for local governments? I hope you will incorporate it into your outreach materials. Lara Shane: Yes, FEMA sent over the COOP information recently. I am looking at it. Thanks. Avagene Moore: Jennifer Stephens, please. Jennifer Stephens: Never mind now... i am a little upset at some of the things that i am seeing... like the lack of coordination between organizations and government within communities Avagene Moore: Comment, Lara? This will be the end of our program today. Lara has other appointments. Avagene Moore: Closing remarks, Lara? Avagene Moore: That's all we have time for today. We greatly appreciate your efforts and time on our behalf today, Lara. We wish you great success in September with National Preparedness Month! Thank you! Lara Shane: I think the coordination has been tremendous. There is always more work to do, but we are working really hard to get these messages to the community level and to encourage everyone within communities to work together. Jo Moss: I'm not part of Red Cross so this comment is not self serving... FEMA and Red Cross' work the Family Preparedness Program and its offshoots are still some of the best stuff around. Kudos especially to Dr. Lopes. Avagene Moore: Next week, Wednesday August 25, 12:00 Noon EDT, Gil Jamieson, Director, Program Coordination Division, Preparedness Directorate, DHS, will address the National Incident Management System (NIMS) Integration Center. Make plans now to join us next week. Avagene Moore: Please stand by a moment while we make some quick announcements .... Avagene Moore: If you are not currently on our mailing list, and would like to get program announcements and notices of transcript availability, please see the Subscribe link on our home page. Avagene Moore: The EIIP Virtual Forum is pleased to announce that we have two new Partners this month. They are: Avagene Moore: the North Central Texas Council of Governments http://www.nctcog.org/ep/ with Christine Y. Jacobs, Emergency Preparedness Specialist, serving as our Point of Contact (POC); and Lara Shane: In closing, I just want to thank you all for your participation in the this forum. I really appreciate all of your comments and feedback. And I agree completely about kudos to Dr. Lopes. The Red Cross has been a very trusted advisor on all of these efforts. Avagene Moore: the POC from the following new partner is here todya .... Avagene Moore: Asesores en Emergencia y Desastrres (Mexico) ... Avagene Moore: http://www.asemde.com with POC, Juan Manuel Fraga Sastrias. Lara Shane: Bye, everyone. Thanks again. Avagene Moore: If your organization is interested in becoming an EIIP Partner, please see the "Partnership for You" link on our home page. Avagene Moore: Thank you, Lara. Please give your kudos to Lara, everyone. We are adjourned.