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New booklet helps county residents prepare for disaster
By Norma Engelberg
A little over a year ago, the Teller County Local Emergency Planning Committee assigned a small group of people — the communications committee — the job of updating the “When Disaster Strikes” booklet that was designed to help county residents prepare for possible emergencies and disasters.
Because that original booklet contained an information template provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, some of it wasn’t relevant to Teller County. There are no tsunamis, hurricanes and nuclear plants nearby.
That was one of the first things the communications committee decided to change. The new booklet, which is entering its final editing stage, will be more useful to local residents. The next thing they changed was its name. The booklet is now titled “Disaster Strikes Home.”
During an interview for Teller Life to be broadcast on TellerNetcast.com on Nov. 19, committee member Bill Stevenson said the booklet is being tailored to the needs of the county and will focus primarily on weather-related emergencies.
“On the national level, Homeland Security and FEMA have created a partnership between business, civic organizations and faith-based groups,” he said. “We’re trying to replicate that locally. We’re trying to create a critical handshake with citizens, businesses, volunteer and service organizations through participation and sponsorship of this booklet.”
The booklet focuses on building community resilience through the stages of preparation, endurance, recovery and coping, he said. These qualities would be needed for any kind of emergency from a water line break to a major disaster that could last weeks.
Committee member Judith “JJ” Jamison said the booklet will happen only with community involvement, either through sponsoring an information page as a community partner for $50 or buying an advertisement.
The information pages include tips on evacuating with pets, keeping a vehicle in running order, creating a defensible space around homes and businesses and a look at the business aspects of surviving and recovering from disaster.
“We want to engage the community in what we have planned to be an award-winning booklet,” Stevenson said. “We made that decision early on. We know our business and community partners will be proud to be a part of this booklet.”
The plan, he said, is to make a product that will remain informative with a shelf life of six to 10 years. With a goal of printing 10,000 copies, there will be enough copies for every county household and then some.
Jamison and Stevenson will go to local businesses and organizations with samples of booklet pages and can be reached by telephone — Jamison at 719-686-7855 and Stevenson at 719-237-2852.
Information on volunteering to help Teller County citizens during an emergency and the Local Emergency Planning Committee, visit TellerCC.com.
Because that original booklet contained an information template provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, some of it wasn’t relevant to Teller County. There are no tsunamis, hurricanes and nuclear plants nearby.
That was one of the first things the communications committee decided to change. The new booklet, which is entering its final editing stage, will be more useful to local residents. The next thing they changed was its name. The booklet is now titled “Disaster Strikes Home.”
During an interview for Teller Life to be broadcast on TellerNetcast.com on Nov. 19, committee member Bill Stevenson said the booklet is being tailored to the needs of the county and will focus primarily on weather-related emergencies.
“On the national level, Homeland Security and FEMA have created a partnership between business, civic organizations and faith-based groups,” he said. “We’re trying to replicate that locally. We’re trying to create a critical handshake with citizens, businesses, volunteer and service organizations through participation and sponsorship of this booklet.”
The booklet focuses on building community resilience through the stages of preparation, endurance, recovery and coping, he said. These qualities would be needed for any kind of emergency from a water line break to a major disaster that could last weeks.
Committee member Judith “JJ” Jamison said the booklet will happen only with community involvement, either through sponsoring an information page as a community partner for $50 or buying an advertisement.
The information pages include tips on evacuating with pets, keeping a vehicle in running order, creating a defensible space around homes and businesses and a look at the business aspects of surviving and recovering from disaster.
“We want to engage the community in what we have planned to be an award-winning booklet,” Stevenson said. “We made that decision early on. We know our business and community partners will be proud to be a part of this booklet.”
The plan, he said, is to make a product that will remain informative with a shelf life of six to 10 years. With a goal of printing 10,000 copies, there will be enough copies for every county household and then some.
Jamison and Stevenson will go to local businesses and organizations with samples of booklet pages and can be reached by telephone — Jamison at 719-686-7855 and Stevenson at 719-237-2852.
Information on volunteering to help Teller County citizens during an emergency and the Local Emergency Planning Committee, visit TellerCC.com.
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