.

Hotel Safety is something everyone should consider.
We’re all vulnerable when we travel. We’re distracted, thrown off our routines–and oftentimes, tired, sleepy, and can easily forget that we’re easy prey for those who want to do harm.

The most important point is to be aware.

Don’t think that just because you’re staying at a major chain in a nice looking part of town that you’re automatically safe.
Ask yourself a few questions before you make your reservations.
Have you checked online for hotel reviews?
Do you know much about the area?
Do you know anyone who has stayed there before?
Is it in an unsafe part of town known for high crime rates?
If you’re traveling out of the country, be sure to check the travel advisory site. Many times, we don’t have a choice about where we’re staying if we’re traveling for business.
It’s wise to talk to another co-worker who has stayed at that hotel. Ask them about their experience and if there’s anything you should watch out for. You can also check with the CDC for other travel warnings.

Parking Lot Safety:
If you’re a woman traveling alone, or if you have small children with you, spring for the extra bucks and use valet service. Park in lighted area and don’t let unloading your luggage distract you from noticing your surroundings.

Hotel Check In Safety:
If you’re traveling alone, go ahead and ask for both keys. That way, there isn’t an extra key floating around the front desk.

As mentioned in Part I, never open the door without checking through the peephole, and if you haven’t requested room service, or other hotel services, don’t open the door. Call the front desk to confirm. It’s better to appear rude and be safe.

Check All Entry Points:
When you enter your room, do a quick check–inspect the closets, under the bed, go into the bathroom and pull back the shower curtain before the bellman leaves. If you’re traveling alone and don’t have a bellman with you, call someone and chat while you do this.

Check windows and doors when you enter your room. Make sure the locks work. There should also be a safety bar on sliding glass doors. Don’t think that just because you’re on a higher floor that you’re safe–balconies can allow someone access to your room from another room. Is your room adjacent to another room via a door? Check to make sure the deadbolt lock works. If this makes you feel uncomfortable, ask for another room.

Don’t let your kids run around the hotel unsupervised. There are too many strangers and rooms that your child could disappear into. Use the buddy system for children who are old enough and mature enough to use safety precautions. Let them take your cell phone, and check on them often If you wouldn’t let your eight year old roam around alone in your neighborhood, then don’t consider it at a hotel.

Other Ways to Stay Safe:
Put the Do-Not-Disturb sign on the doorknob even when you’re not there–or after your room has been cleaned.

Turn on the TV or radio on while you’re not there as well. Leave a light on and if someone is in the hall, act like someone’s inside the room–talk out loud to them as you open the door, or call someone and tell them you’re going into your room.

Always go in and out of the same hotel door. If you use the room service card to order your breakfast, be aware that your name and room number is listed on the card. This could allow an attacker to call you by name and pretend to be from room service.

Always let people know where you are. If you travel a lot, it’s easy to let your guard down. Send someone an email and tell them where you’re staying. If you find a hotel you like and feel that their safety standards are acceptable, stay there often and recommend them to others. If you’re not happy and don’t feel safe–speak to management. It’s important not only for you, but for other guests as well.

Hotel Bar and Restaurant Safety:
Many guests who stay in hotels frequently are bored and can drink too much. Be aware of your drinks. Don’t leave your table to go to the restroom and leave your food and drinks or purse unguarded. Be aware as you walk to the bathroom–that you’re not followed. If you can lock the door to the bathroom, do so. If you feel you’re being watched, wait to use the bathroom in your room.

If you feel you’re being followed, don’t get in the elevator alone–go and talk to the person at the front desk–ask a question, get some local information. Just kill some time until they lose interest and they catch on that you’re not an easy prey.

If you’re being haggled by drunks, speak to your server or bartender. Ignore them, but don’t look scared. If you’re approached and you don’t feel comfortable, state in a loud, firm voice to leave you alone. Then be very aware before you go to your room or to your car. Wait it out and hopefully, they’ll leave. You can ask the bellman to walk you to your room. Tipping them is a small price to pay for your safety.

There are numerous travel safety products available, including door locks and alarms, but be aware that tasers or mace will be confiscated at the airport.

You don’t have to paranoid, but being aware is the smartest way to stay safe.

In light of the recent terrorist attacks in India, many people are wondering about hotel safety.

Most travelers will never experience the terror felt in Mumbai, but it’s still a good time to go over some basic safety tips and answer common hotel safety questions.

Are higher floors safer?
Yes, if you’re referring to crime. A traveler is more likely to have something stolen out of their room, and requesting a higher floor means that the perpetrators would have to work harder to get in and out of the building, and risk being seen.

What if there’s a fire or earthquake?
Hotels are usually equipped with sprinkler systems in each room, but emergency rescue is easiest if you choose a room below the fifth floor. It’s wise to choose a hotel that has either been renovated and is up to current fire safety codes, or is a newer hotel in which this is standard–if you do this–then you can choose a higher floor knowing you’re covered in regard to fire and crime. Ironically, if you choose a room near an exit (which would be convenient during a fire) you run the risk of being a crime victim since this is an exit for thieves.

Is my hotel door really safe?
Hotel doors should have a solid core wood or be made of metal. They should also be self-closing and self-locking. Hotels should have a deadbolt lock with at least a one-inch throw bolt. Inspect the door–are there pry marks or are the screws loose? If so, ask for anther room.

Many rooms have a knob-lock on the door with a button to push when you’re inside the room–which blocks all keys, whether it’s housekeeping or a former guest.

What about keyless entries–or card access?
Today, most hotel doors are accessed with an electronic card. These are relatively safe since the last card is zeroed out after the person checks out. Electronic locks are also good because when you’re inside and use the deadbolt, room service and housekeeping can’t get into you room.

But don’t leave your card lying around and be sure to destroy it after you leave–or return it to the desk. Your personal information including your credit card info is stored on that magnetic strip.

Always use the wide-angle peephole before you open the door. If you didn’t call housekeeping or room service don’t answer the door. Call the front desk to confirm.

Join us for Part II of Hotel Safety: Hotel Safety: Are You Prepared for a Disaster?

Disaster victims of the California’s Tea Wildfires that hit in mid-November and ravaged parts of Southern California now face voluntary and some mandated evacuation oreder from yet another natural disaster–mudslides.

Heavy rains threaten the city of Yorba Linda, birthplace of former President Richard Nixon and home to the Nixon Presidential Library. The voluntary evacuation notice went into effect Tuesday, November 21st due to an impending storm front that threatened to douse the area with more than an inch or rain on the already burned terrain. The National Weather Service forecasted a 60% chance of heavy rains to hit Southern California over the next few days.

Yorba Linda’s assistant city manager David Gruchow said, “Residents are encouraged to remove themselves from these areas until the current rain event has passed,” said D. Grouchow, Yorba Linda’s assistant city manager. Yorba Linda was hit hard by the fires. Over 300 residences were either damaged or destroyed and 30,000 acres were burned in the area.

Many residents have already begun sandbagging their homes and preparing for the worst. The city also placed concrete water barriers to help divert the rains away from neighborhoods and businesses.
The evacuations have affected about 3,400 people in the area. Evacuees can find shelter at the Thomas Lasorda Jr. Field House, 4701 Casa Loma Ave. This site will be open throughout the evacuation process, stated city officials.

About two inches of rain fell in the Yorba Linda area late Tuesday, and early Wednesday morning. A flash flood warning is now in effect. So far, there are only a few minor areas that have experienced any mudslides, and these areas are now contained, but officials are keeping a watchful eye.

Much of Orange County is now under evacuation orders. Rain has been falling at almost one inch per hour in the north Los Angeles County area since dawn, and over 2,000 homes in the Santa Barbara Country area are also under an evacuation order due to the area’s steep slopes that are now stripped of vegetation and vulnerable to the heavy rains.

Road closings are popping up around the area including a portion of the I-5 in San Diego which was closed for nearly three hours after flooding caused several car accidents due to hydroplaning.

DERA, the Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response Association, International (DERA) connects professionals, volunteers, and organizations that are dedicated to disaster preparedness and emergency management. DERA, founded in 1962 is a nonprofit association and is an independent, nongovernmental organization (NGO).

What exactly does DERA do?

DERA focus is both short term and long term goals. It follows major emergency response and relief operations as well as sponsors many preparedness and educational programs. DERA is managed by unpaid volunteers and relies on teamwork and dedication from its members to assist in developing and managing its programs.

Why is DERA important?

DERA offers support and expertise to governmental and professional organizations. Its role is to find what’s lacking, and seek how to meet these needs. These dedicated individuals work tirelessly to offset the impact of the disaster and to provide services to educate and prepare others to do the same.

Recent DERA Disaster Operations:

DERA deployed satellite communications teams and equipment to several states prior to landfall of Hurricane/Tropical Storm Fay and Hurricane Gustav in order to provide communications and logistics support to mass care operations and community recovery. DERA provided logistics support and technical assistance in three states, while making the DERA Online Emergency Operations Center available to numerous other relief organizations.

DERA’s international partner, NIAR, deployed communications teams to Northeast India in August following heavy monsoon floods which had caused dam and levee failures, destroying the homes of 750,000 and the evacuation of 2.3 million residents. NIAR teams provided the only communications out of vast regions of Bihar and continue to support logistics communications for medical teams and relief agencies.

DERA members at the Joint Field Office provided state and federal agencies with expertise in Special Needs planning and assisted in obtaining services for a large number of individuals for whom there were no other resources.

New England experienced a powerful Nor’easter in November 2007 and Western States, especially Colorado, had a severe blizzard in December. DERA teams provided emergency communications until the infrastructure could be repaired and continued to support communications and logistics needs of response agencies.

HURRICANES DENNIS, KATRINA, OPHELIA, RITA, WILMA IN 2005: DERA members from around the globe provided technical, financial, and logistical support to this response and recovery effort.

DERA’s role in an impending disaster includes:

DERA logistics teams and emergency management specialists assist other relief organizations with logistics, mission coordination and other special needs.

DERA continues to operate a clearinghouse to match offers of assistance with those in need for long-term recovery.

DERA members provided round-the-clock communications support and technical assistance to recovery teams in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama and will continue to provide assistance as needed.

DERA members are leading long-term recovery projects and will remain committed to this mission for the long term.

DERA is providing education and materials to families on ways they can restore vital paper documents and photographs that have been damaged.

For about DERA visit their site and consider becoming a member.

Perhaps no other segment of our society is more vulnerable than those who are disAbled.
When a disaster strikes, the delicate balance of care, medication, equipment, and the caregiving network a disAbled person depends upon is suddenly in jeopardy. If a disAbled person must be evacuated–or rescued–the situation can suddenly become critical.

Each region, city, community has their own protocol for managing the care needs of a disAbled person in the time of a disaster. FEMA, the Red Cross, and the CDC also have their own preparedness plans–but the tricky part is getting the word out, coordinating efforts, and reaching the disAbled during their time of need.

For the individual, knowing that so many agencies have a well thought out plan adds to a sense of safety. For the various governmental agencies and communities, it’s important to understand the needs of the disAbled community.

Here are 7 Key Principles That Should Guide Disaster Relief:

1. Accessible Disaster Facilities and Services:
Communications technology is vital for people with disabilities during a disaster to help assess damage, collect information, and deploy supplies. Access to appropriate facilities — housing, beds, toilets, and other necessities — must be monitored and made available to individuals with disabilities before, during, and after a disaster. This access also must be ensured for those who incur a disability as a result of a disaster. Appropriate planning and management of information related to architectural accessibility improves the provision of disaster services for persons with disabilities.

2. Accessible Communications and Assistance:
As communications technology and policy become more integral to disaster relief and mitigation, providing accessibility to the technology for people with disabilities becomes more essential. For example, people with hearing impairments require interpreters, TDD communications, and signaling devices. In addition, written materials must be produced on cassette tape, on CD-ROM, or in large print for people with visual impairments. People with cognitive impairments, such as those with developmental disabilities, Alzheimer’s disease, or brain injury, require assistance to cope with new surroundings and to minimize confusion factors. It is crucial that people with disabilities help develop accessible communications and reliable assistance technologies.

3. Accessible and Reliable Rescue Communications:
Accessible and reliable communications technology is critical to ensuring fast, effective, and competent field treatment of people with disabilities. Current satellite and cellular technology as well as personal communication networks permit communication in areas with a damaged or destroyed communication infrastructure. Communications technologies can assist field personnel in rescue coordination and tracking and can be combined with databases that house information on optimal treatment for particular disabilities or that track the allocation of post disaster resources.

4. Partnerships with the Disability Community:
Disability organizations must join with relief and rescue organizations and the media to educate and inform their constituents of disaster contingency and self-help plans. A nationwide awareness effort should be devised and implemented to inform people with disabilities about necessary precautions for imminent disaster. In the event of a sudden natural disaster, such a program would minimize injury and facilitate rescue efforts. In addition, more young people with disabilities should be encouraged to study technology, medicine, science, and engineering as a way of gaining power over future technological advances in disaster relief and mitigation.

5. Disaster Preparation, Education, and Training:
Communications technologies are crucial for educating the public about disaster preparedness and warning the people most likely to be affected. Relief and rescue operations must have the appropriate medical equipment, supplies, and training to address the immediate needs of people with disabilities. Affected individuals may require bladder bags, insulin pumps, walkers, or wheelchairs. Relief personnel must be equipped and trained in the use of such equipment. In addition, relief personnel should provide training, particularly for personnel and volunteers in the field, on how to support the independence and dignity of persons with disabilities in the aftermath of a disaster.

6. Partnerships with the Media:
Many natural disasters can be predicted in advance. Disaster preparedness for people with disabilities is critical in minimizing the impact of a disaster. The media — in partnership with disability and governmental organizations — should incorporate advisories into emergency broadcasts in formats accessible to people with disabilities. Such advisories alert the public, provide a mechanism for informing rescue personnel of individual medical conditions and impairments, and identify accessible emergency shelters. The creation and repetition of accessible media messages is critical for empowering people with disabilities to protect themselves from disasters.

7. Universal Design and Implementation Strategies:
Designing universal access into disaster relief plans, far from being a costly proposition, can pay off handsomely. As accessible communications tools become more widely available, their price will decrease. In addition, a universal design approach to meeting the needs of people with disabilities before and after a disaster will benefit many people without disabilities, such as the very young or the aged. A look at existing agreements among relief organizations and local, state, federal, and international governments will offer guidance in developing effective strategies for universal design and implementation plans. The federal government’s role has yet to be defined, but it could encourage or even mandate universal design and set standards. For example, the federal government could provide guidelines for evacuation plans or pre-disaster warning periods.

(This report was prepared by The Annenberg Washington Program written in collaboration with the President’s Committee on the Employment of People with Disabilities by Dr. Peter David Blanck, Annenberg Senior Fellow).

A Disaster Readiness Brochure is available at Disatersrus.org\

Disasters cam happen anytime, anywhere.

No one wants to be out of the country, away from family and friends, and possibly facing a language barrier when a disaster strikes.

What’s the best way to be prepared and still enjoy your trip?

Plan Ahead:

Do some online research–Visit the United States Travel Advisory at www.travel.state.gov/
or the Center for Disease Control offers many travel tips and updates at www.cdc.gov/travel/

Also consider visiting the US Embassy site for the country you are planning to visit. Any of these will inform you as to what’s going on in the country including government changes, terrorism alerts, health concerns, and any ongoing or impending natural disasters.

Here are some general preparation tips for your trip:

First, make sure you are well enough to travel

Make sure your passport, visa, and any other travel documents are up to date. You won’t be going anywhere without them. Give them plenty of time if you’re getting a passport for the first time–4 months, at least

Visit the website of the country/city/area you’ll be visiting. Learn some of their local customs and make your general travel plans.

See a doctor before you travel and get any prescription medication filled and ask for extra antibiotic prescriptions.

Take other over the counter meds such as an anti-acid, anti-diarrhea, and meds for a fever, aches, and pains.

Consider buying additional travel medical insurance, but make sure it’s accepted in the country you’re visiting.

Photocopy all your ID and leave one copy at home with a contact person as well as carrying several copies on you and your luggage–include your contact name and number, insurance, US Embassy number, and your doctor’s number. List any medical conditions you have.

Get any required vaccinations or shots required at either your doctor’s office or at the appropriate county health department that stocks vaccines for other countries.

Take simple and logical precautions. Don’t drink local water (even in safe countries, the difference might not agree with you). Wash your hands often. Don’t keep your mouth open when showering. Be careful where you swim (lake, river water).

Other Safety Tips:

Be aware of pick-pocketers. Be alert at all times and avoid areas that look or feel dangerous.

Let people back home know your schedule and check in with someone at least once or twice a week, even if it’s by email or text and note your location and plans.

Respect the culture and behavior of the country you’re visiting. Try to blend in. Don’t be demanding or too loud. Be aware of the general laws and common practices.

Check the internet or local paper for any impending natural disasters such as a hurricane, wild fires, earthquakes, or volcanoes that are possible.

Don’t ignore the weather–disasters happen all over the globe and something as simple as asking around how the weather is or stepping into an internet cafe and perusing the local weather could safe your life–and at the very least, make your trip more safe and enjoyable.

On March 9, 2006, President Bush reauthorized the The Patriot Act.

Since its enactment in October 2001, the Patriot Act has played an important role against the War on Terror, but not without controversy.

In essence, The Patriot Act allows intelligence and law enforcement officials to share information by using the same tools against terrorists already employed against drug dealers and other criminals.

This legislation authorizes the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to detect and disrupt terrorist threats, and gives law enforcement the necessary tools to combat threats. One of its primary missions is t detect terrorist cells and disrupt terrorist plots.

Is The Patriot Act working? Law enforcement has broken up terror cells in Ohio, New York, Oregon, and Virginia and helped in the prosecution of terrorist operatives and supporters in California, Texas, New Jersey, Illinois Washington, and North Carolina.

The Patriot Act authorizes the sharing of vital information that law enforcement and intelligence officers collect by surveillance of phones, cell phones, computers, and public cameras. The Patriot Act cuts through the red tape of warrants and subpoenas in order to gain information and enables necessary cooperation and information sharing of criminal investigators from intelligence officers.

How does this help prevent terrorism on a practical level?

Before the Patriot Act, law enforcement had an easier time tracking down a drug dealer’s phone contacts than a terrorist’s phone contacts, or easier to track the financial dealings of a tax evader than to find out who gives financial support to al-Qaida. The Patriot Act gave law enforcement and federal agents the same jurisdiction over those who conspire in terroristic activities.

What else can The Patriot Act do?

The Patriot Act also effects technology by allowing Internet service providers to disclose customer records (voluntarily) to the government in emergencies that involve an immediate risk of death or serious physical injury and permits request law enforcement assistance to monitor computer hackers.

The Patriot Act appoints an Assistant Attorney General for National Security. This allows the Justice Department to bring its national security, counterterrorism, counterintelligence, and foreign intelligence surveillance operations under a single authority.

The Patriot Act penalizes terrorism financing and closes a loophole concerning terrorist financing through “hawalas” (informal money transfer networks) rather than traditional financial institutions.

The Patriot Act helps protect mass transportation by enacting clear standards and tough penalties for attacks on our land- and water-based mass transportation systems, as well as commercial aviation.

The Patriot Act combats methamphetamine abuse that monitors many ingredients used in methamphetamine manufacturing and makes them more difficult to obtain in bulk. It also increases penalties for smuggling and selling methamphetamines.

“The law allows our intelligence and law enforcement officials to continue to share information. It allows them to continue to use tools against terrorists that they used against — that they use against drug dealers and other criminals. It will improve our nation’s security while we safeguard the civil liberties of our people. The legislation strengthens the Justice Department so it can better detect and disrupt terrorist threats. And the bill gives law enforcement new tools to combat threats to our citizens from international terrorists to local drug dealers.” — President George W. Bush

How does President-Elect Barrack Obama feel about The Patriot Act?
Read this speech, given to the Senate floor in 2006 after The Patriot Act Reauthorization Act was passed.

“We all agreed that we needed legislation to make it harder for suspected terrorists to go undetected in this country. Americans everywhere wanted that.

But soon after the PATRIOT Act passed, a few years before I ever arrived in the Senate, I began hearing concerns from people of every background and political leaning that this law didn’t just provide law enforcement the powers it needed to keep us safe, but powers it didn’t need to invade our privacy without cause or suspicion.

Now, at times this issue has tended to degenerate into an “either-or” type of debate. Either we protect our people from terror or we protect our most cherished principles. But that is a false choice. It asks too little of us and assumes too little about America.

Fortunately, last year, the Senate recognized that this was a false choice. We put patriotism before partisanship and engaged in a real, open, and substantive debate about how to fix the PATRIOT Act. And Republicans and Democrats came together to propose sensible improvements to the Act. Unfortunately, the House was resistant to these changes, and that’s why we’re voting on the compromise before us.

Let me be clear: this compromise is not as good as the Senate version of the bill, nor is it as good as the SAFE Act that I have cosponsored. I suspect the vast majority of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle feel the same way. But, it’s still better than what the House originally proposed.

This compromise does modestly improve the PATRIOT Act by strengthening civil liberties protections without sacrificing the tools that law enforcement needs to keep us safe. In this compromise:

We strengthened judicial review of both National Security Letters, the administrative subpoenas used by the FBI, and Section 215 orders, which can be used to obtain medical, financial and other personal records.

We established hard time limits on sneak-and-peak searches and limits on roving wiretaps.

We protected most libraries from being subject to National Security Letters.

We preserved an individual’s right to seek counsel and hire an attorney without fearing the FBI’s wrath.

And we allowed judicial review of the gag orders that accompany Section 215 searches.

The compromise is far from perfect. I would have liked to see stronger judicial review of National Security Letters and shorter time limits on sneak and peak searches, among other things.

Sen. Feingold has proposed several sensible amendments - that I support - to address these issues. Unfortunately, the Majority Leader is preventing Sen. Feingold from offering these amendments through procedural tactics. That is regrettable because it flies in the face of the bipartisan cooperation that allowed the Senate to pass unanimously its version of the Patriot Act - a version that balanced security and civil liberties, partisanship and patriotism.

The Majority Leader’s tactics are even more troubling because we will need to work on a bipartisan basis to address national security challenges in the weeks and months to come. In particular, members on both sides of the aisle will need to take a careful look at President Bush’s use of warrantless wiretaps and determine the right balance between protecting our security and safeguarding our civil liberties. This is a complex issue. But only by working together and avoiding election-year politicking will we be able to give our government the necessary tools to wage the war on terror without sacrificing the rule of law.

So, I will be supporting the Patriot Act compromise. But I urge my colleagues to continue working on ways to improve the civil liberties protections in the Patriot Act after it is reauthorized.

I thank the chair and yield the floor.”

When someone asks the question, who is the most charitable givers in our country, several names come to mind. Oprah, Bill Gates, and Angelina Jolie top the list, but according to the The Chronicle of Philanthropy, there’s more to consider than merely writing a check to a pet cause. It seems that every celebrity wants to make sure that his/her own mission is presented to the public. George Clooney’s and Mia Farrow’s interest in Darfur is one prime example.

“I think there needs to be greater skepticism about celebrity involvement than I see in the media right now,” said Stacy Palmer, the editor of The Chronicle.

The Chronicle doesn’t not consider publicity stunts as acts of charity. They ask the hard question: ‘How much are you personally contributing to a cause?’”

Celebrities such as Angelina Jolie finally convinced the public that her humanitarian efforts were genuine. Most stars do not divulge how much they personally give, and surprisingly, most celebrities are not as charitable a one may think. Only one, Oprah Winfrey gave $58.3 million in 2006 while Warren E. Buffett topped the list, pledging $43.5 billion, according to Parade Magazine Ms. Winfrey’s charitable contributories are given through The Oprah Winfrey Foundation and Oprah’s Angel Network for education, health care, and women’s/children’s rights.

Other big celebrity givers include: Barbara Streisand with $11 million (The Streisand Foundation: environment, women’s rights, civil rights, AIDS research), Paul Newman with $10 million (Scholarship for Kenyon College), and Mel Gibson with $9.9 million (Holy Family Church). Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie who ranked sixth with $8.4 million (The Jolie-Pitt Foundation: Hurricane Katrina reconstruction, refugee aid, cross-cultural understanding).

Other celebs who made the top 30 include Lance Armstrong, Michael Jordan, Rosie O’Donnell, Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Hefner, Tiger Woods, Andre Agassi, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Adam Sandler, Steven Spielberg, and Denzel Washington.

But celebrities aren’t the only big givers to charities and disaster aid relief.
Most Americans, in fact 90% state they make charitable contributions and 60% give to disaster relief. Those who travel abroad are particularly drawn to donating to international disaster relief.

“The findings of this survey confirm that Americans have good intentions when it comes to assisting international disaster victims and that many Americans are making the best choice by giving cash donations,” said Suzanne H. Brooks, director of the Center for International Disaster Information (CIDI).

The giving breakdown includes seventy-six percent donate cash most often to international disaster relief and more than 50 percent believe that money is more useful than goods when it comes to donations. People aged 18 to 34 are the most likely to help relief efforts in countries they had visited, compared with 54 percent of people over 35 who had traveled abroad. Only 10 percents of Americans give donations online and 47 percent state they give directly to a person or to a cause or charity someone is collecting on behalf of. Women give more than men, and people who live on the east and west coasts of the US are more generous than the mid-states according to a survey of 1,002 adults commissioned by the CIDI.

“With these research findings, we can assess how to educate the public on appropriate international disaster relief strategically and more efficiently,” Brooks said.

It doesn’t matter who you are, or how much–or little you have to give–disaster relief aid is ultimately the responsibility of everyone.

The Department of Homeland Security was created after 9/11, and although the term was used in government reports years before, it didn’t become fully operational until after the terrorist attacks in 2001.

In one sense, the Department of Homeland Security was created in response to the fact crucial information that might have averted the 9/11 attacks did not make it up the necessary channels. One of its clearest purposes is to unite the various components (governmental organizations) so that information and direction flows efficiently and effectively to prevent or respond to any terroristic activity or in the event of a natural disaster.

In September 2001, President Bush appointed Tom Ridge, governor of Pennsylvania to head what was then called the Office of Homeland Security. One year later, it became the Department of Homeland Security with a $34 billion budget and is now the federal government’s largest cabinet-level agency.

The Department of Homeland Security’s mission is to “…prevent and deter terrorist attacks and protect against and respond to threats and hazards to the nation. We will ensure safe and secure borders, welcome lawful immigrants and visitors, and promote the free-flow of commerce.”

This Department of Homeland Security’s charter also includes preparation for and response to all hazards and disasters. The Department has created a 2008 Strategic Plan with a mission to sharpen operational effectiveness, which focuses on delivering services in support of Department-wide initiatives. This process aligns the Department’s priorities and links programs and operations to performance measures, mission goals, resource priorities, and strategic objectives.

The Department of Homeland Security’s website states:

We seek to harmonize our efforts as we work diligently to accomplish our mission each and every day. Americans are a resilient people. We have overcome great adversities in the past, and we will do so again. Regardless of what challenges may come, we will work tirelessly to protect our country. In the face of national challenges, we are one Nation. And here at DHS, we are one Department, unified to ensure the security of the American people – a Department that will continue striving to protect our homeland while ensuring the strength of our economy and preserving our cherished American freedoms and liberties/ The Strategic Plan will continue to be revised as needed to guide a dynamic Department and its ever-changing requirements.

(Read the Department of Homeland Security Strategic Plan, September 16, 2008 (PDF, 44 pages - 963 KB)

To fully understand the Department of Homeland Security, it’s helpful to know the various components that fall under its umbrella.

These Department of Homeland Security Components Are:

The Directorate for National Protection and Programs works to advance the Department’s risk-reduction mission. Reducing risk requires an integrated approach that encompasses both physical and virtual threats and their associated human elements.

The Directorate for Science and Technology is the primary research and development arm of the Department. It provides federal, state and local officials with the technology and capabilities to protect the homeland.

The Directorate for Management is responsible for Department budgets and appropriations, expenditure of funds, accounting and finance, procurement; human resources, information technology systems, facilities and equipment, and the identification and tracking of performance measurements.

The Office of Policy is the primary policy formulation and coordination component for the Department of Homeland Security. It provides a centralized, coordinated focus to the development of Department-wide, long-range planning to protect the United States.

The Office of Health Affairs coordinates all medical activities of the Department of Homeland Security to ensure appropriate preparation for and response to incidents having medical significance.

The Office of Intelligence and Analysis is responsible for using information and intelligence from multiple sources to identify and assess current and future threats to the United States.

The Office of Operations Coordination is responsible for monitoring the security of the United States on a daily basis and coordinating activities within the Department and with governors, Homeland Security Advisors, law enforcement partners, and critical infrastructure operators in all 50 states and more than 50 major urban areas nationwide.

The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center provides career-long training to law enforcement professionals to help them fulfill their responsibilities safely and proficiently.

The Domestic Nuclear Detection Office works to enhance the nuclear detection efforts of federal, state, territorial, tribal, and local governments and the private sector and to ensure a coordinated response to such threats.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) protects the nation’s transportation systems to ensure freedom of movement for people and commerce.

United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is responsible for protecting our nation’s borders in order to prevent terrorists and terrorist weapons from entering the United States, while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade and travel.

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services are responsible for the administration of immigration and naturalization adjudication functions and establishing immigration services policies and priorities.

United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, is responsible for identifying and shutting down vulnerabilities in the nation’s border, economic, transportation and infrastructure security.

The United States Coast Guard protects the public, the environment, and U.S. economic interests—in the nation’s ports and waterways, along the coast, on international waters, or in any maritime region as required to support national security.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) prepares the nation for hazards, manages Federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident, and administers the National Flood Insurance Program.

The United States Secret Service protects the President and other high-level officials and investigates counterfeiting and other financial crimes, including financial institution fraud, identity theft, computer fraud; and computer-based attacks on our nation’s financial, banking, and telecommunications infrastructure.

Is “Homeland Security” helpful in keeping American people safe?
If the basic criteria for safety is that we have not had a major terroristic attack on American soil (and yes, there have been threats) since 9/11/2001, then the answer is yes.

Helpful Sites:
http://www.dhs.gov/index.shtm
www.redcross.org/article/0,1072,0_1_1418,00.html

Why wait until a storm, hurricane, flood or tornado to talk to your kids about natural disasters?
Chances are, if you live in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, or Texas, you and your family has had to deal with hurricane/disaster preparedness already. Many parts of the country have their own “weather issues,” so whether you live in an area that’s hit with mudslides, fires, or blizzards, it’s smart to talk to your children beforehand.

Your child knows that his parents get anxious, gather their supplies, watch the local news or listen to the radio when a storm is approaching. They also receive disaster prepreparedness instruction at school, so they know what’s going on.

Let them know you have a plan. They will find this reassuring.
Children like to know that their parents and guardians are looking out for them–and they also like to be a part of what’s going on.

One of the easiest ways to discuss disasters, is to get a book from the library or bookstore. FEMA has compiled this great list for kids. There’s everything on here from tornados to ice storms.

You’re not trying to scare your child, and by giving them the scientific facts of how a storm develops, what course it usually takes, and how people respond and help one another will give a child a sense of knowledge, safety, and power.

Here are some helpful books to check out that will help children cope with disaster:

Tornadoes by Seymour Simon. Ages 4 - 8. How and why tornadoes form, how they behave, how scientists predict and track them, and what to do to protect yourself.

The Big Flood by Wendy Pfeffer and Vanessa Lubach. Ages 4 - 8. How one community responded when the Mississippi River flooded in 1993.

Hurricane by David Wiesner. Ages 4 -8. A giant storm is experienced through the child’s perspective. How two boys turn their hurricane-torn backyard into an adventure land.

The Magic School Bus Inside a Hurricane (Magic School Bus Series) by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen. Ages 4 - 8. A tropical storm catches the Magic School Bus inside the eye of its hurricane, providing firsthand information on changes taking place in air, sea and land.

Fire Truck by Peter Sis. Ages 4 - 8. A little boy wakes up one morning to discover he’s turned into a fire truck. The book focuses on his imaginative rescue missions.

No Dragons for Tea: Fire Safety for Kids and Dragons by Jean Pendziwol and Martine Gourbault. Ages 3 - 8. A low-key approach to fire safety for kids.

Emma and the Night Dogs by Susan Bivin Aller and Marni Backer. Ages 4 - 8. Inspired by the Connecticut Canine Search and Rescue, Inc., the book presents a touching view of search dogs in action through a fictional story about a lost boy.

Boy and a Bear, The Children’s Relaxation Book by Lori Lite. Introduces 3-to-9 year old children to a relaxation technique called circular breathing, an effective technique for helping children decrease anxiety levels and manage stress associated with traumatic incidents.
AGES 9 - 12

Blizzard: The Storm that Changed America by Jim Murphy. Ages 9 - 12. Historical account of the blizzard of 1888 that hit the East Coast and how people survived.

Forest Fires: Natural Disasters by Luke Thompson. Ages 9 - 12. Fact-filled book that explains how and why forest fires occur.

Terrorism (Crime, Justice and Punishment) by Austin Sarat and Ann Graham Gaines. Young adult. Focuses on terrorism in the Middle East and shows how it has affected America. Examines history, mentality and goals of terrorists.

Floods (Restless Planet) by Emma Durham and Mark Maslin. Ages 9 -12.

I Know What to Do: A Kid’s Guide to Natural Disasters by Bonnie S. Mark, Aviva Layton and Michael Chesworth. Ages 9 - 12.

Rescue (Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Books) by Claire Watts. Ages 9 - 12. A reference book that teaches children about emergency rescues. Includes information on how to survive until help arrives.

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If you’ve already experienced a disaster, then choose a book to read that will open the lines of communication. Be sensitive to what you pick and watch your child’s reactions. They may “relive” the event, and feel uncomfortable, or they may be extremely curious. Don’t avoid the subject completely. Some families act like nothing ever happened. Counselors and psychologists who deal with disaster victims don’t recommend this. Talking, and feel comfortable enough and safe enough to talk is healing. It may take some time, and books can start the journey.

Helpful Sites:

http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/lkstmpl.asp?url=/content/libraries/kidsite/coping.asp (Great list of books on all kinds of disasters and traumas)

Helpful Sites and Information:

Disaster Relief workbooks, including My Earthquake Story, My Tornado Story, My Flood Story, My Fire Story and My Hurricane Story.

To order, go to: http://www.cphc-sf.org/disaster_books.htm

http://www.fema.gov/kids/tch_bks.htm

www.aarp.org/family/grandparenting/articles/helping_children_cope_with_trauma.html

www.fema.gov/kids/teacher.htm

www.fema.gov/pdf/library/color.pdf

www.selfhelpmagazine.com/article/for-children