Calling All Faith-Based and Community Organizations
The White House Office of Faith-based & Neighborhood Partnerships, the Department of Homeland Security Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships and the Small Business Administration Center for Faith-based and Community Initiatives will be hosting a webinar on Tuesday, August 19 at 3:00PM Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) to share information about local, state and national preparedness resources. In addition, subject matter experts will provide information on preparedness activities you can host in your community. Presentations will:
- Explain how faith-based and community-based organizations can engage in National Preparedness Month 2014;
- Offer ideas to take part in National PrepareAthon! Day activities; and
- Highlight smart engagement practices at the state and local level between faith-based and community leaders as well as emergency managers.
With National Preparedness Month and the next National PrepareAthon! Day on September 30 around the corner, it is a perfect time to start your preparedness planning. Register for this webinar today!
WHEN IS THE WEBINAR?
- August 19, 2014 3:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)/12:00 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time
- Note: Please note that captioning will be provided during the webinar.
HOW DO I JOIN THE WEBINAR?
PRESENTERS
- Georgia Emergency Management Agency
- County of Los Angeles Office of Emergency Management
- Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department's Office of Emergency Management
- Small Business Administration Center for Faith-based & Community Initiatives
- Department of Homeland Security Center for Faith-based & Neighborhood Partnerships
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Watch Your Water Waste Outside
With a hot summer on the rise, drought has gotten even worse for many of the states on the West Coast, especially California. Even if your community is not directly impacted by a drought, it can still impact you in other ways, such as an increase in the cost of produce.
Conservation of water is absolutely imperative to combat the effects of a drought . As much as 50 percent of the water used outside our homes is wasted. The majority of our misuse of water comes from lawn maintenance and upkeep of our cars.
There are preventative measures you can take to reduce your water waste outside of the home. Follow these tips and you will be well on your way:
- Inspect your sprinkler system for clogged, broken or missing pieces. Consult a professional for more serious issues.
- Select a proper watering schedule for your sprinkler system.
- Check for local mandated water restrictions to help ensure there is enough water for necessary uses.
- Raise the lawn mower blade. A higher cut encourages grass roots to grow deeper, shades the root system, and holds soil moisture.
- If you wash your own car, use a shut-off nozzle that can be adjusted.
For more tips and resources, visit ready.gov/drought and stay tuned! In next week's e-Brief we will explore how to conserve water inside the home!
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Be Part of the #DayoftheA
Each year, AmeriCorps members help communities across the country prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of disasters. Whether providing disaster preparedness training to prevent home fires, coordinating volunteers immediately following a tornado, or helping rebuild a community after a hurricane, AmeriCorps is there.
As part of the 20th anniversary of AmeriCorps, the Corporation for National and Community Service is observing August as Disaster Services month . Below are a few ways you can get involved:
- August 14 will be Disaster Service Day of the “A”! Share a photo of you or your organization volunteering during a disaster on your favorite social network. Be sure to tag them with #DayofTheA and #DisasterServe .
- Social Media: follow @nationalservice and @americorps throughout the month and share their posts and toolkit widely on Twitter and Facebook using #DisasterServe.
- Dedicate a Day of Service to disaster preparedness and register to participate in PrepareAthon .
To find other great ways to participate, visit the AmericCorps Disaster Service toolkit .
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Pedaling Faster in Disasters
After a disaster, you need to get relief supplies to a location but you have too much to carry by yourself and the roads are flooded or congested— what do you do? Portland, Oregon has an eco-friendly and efficient solution!
On July 19 , Portland showcased the capabilities of cargo bikes in response to a disaster situation with the third annual Disaster Relief Trials . The Disaster Relief Trials is an event for cyclists of all levels. Through a series of challenges, 40 participants biked on a 35-mile course to showcase how bikes can be used to respond to a major disaster (such as an earthquake) to transport food, water and supplies to support their communities.
This event is homegrown and community driven, showcasing how bikes can support Portland during emergencies and disasters. Get inspired to do something similar in your community by learning more about this event at the bikeportland.org website!
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Dates for Your Calendar!
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