We recently donated a Ready Auto Emergency Kit (Safest Size) to the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) Region 1 Conference as part of the Student Scholarship Raffle. This conference will be held April 23rd in Old Sturbridge Village, MA.

We are also donating a Ready Auto Emergency Kit (Safest Size) to the 18th Annual Great Northampton Chamber Auction to be held on Friday, April 30th at the Clarion Hotel & Conference Center. Coca-Cola sponsors this event and there will be over 300 items to bid on.

We’ll be in attendance at both events and hope to see you there.

The above quote is from a Fox 59 report dated December 10, 2009.

Show your clients you truly care about them and give them the gift of safety. Our gift boxes include emergency essentials that people need to keep their family and pets safe for the first 72 hours of a disaster or other emergency, whether in a house or in a car. GivingPreparedness.com offers three types of emergency preparedness gift boxes: Ready Home, Ready Auto and Ready Dog. A disaster can happen at any time your customers will remember you were there to help them.

View the 140 Last minute Gift Ideas here

“Disasters can happen anytime, anywhere and the holiday season provides a great opportunity to ensure that you and your loved ones are taking simple steps to be prepared,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate.  “As families gather this holiday season, I encourage everyone to take a few minutes and discuss what you would do in case of an emergency or disaster. The public is the most important member of our nation’s emergency response team and the more the public does to be prepared, the more successful this team will be.”

Acting FEMA Regional Administrator Dennis Hunsinger encouraged Americans to give the gift of safety. “Disaster-ready gifts can save lives, and are a wonderful way of welcoming in 2010,” said Hunsinger. “Helping to better prepare neighbors, friends and loved ones for emergencies is a great way to say ‘I care.’”

The press release continues to name emergency and preparedness items that might make great gifts this Holiday Season including:

• Disaster kits for homes, offices and autos (first aid kits; food, water and prescription medications for 72 hours; i.e., extra clothing, blankets, and flashlights).
• NOAA weather radios with extra batteries.
• Enrollment in a CPR or first-aid class.
• Smoke detectors.
• Fire extinguishers (for kitchen, garage, car, etc.)
• Foldable ladders for second-story escape in a fire.
• Car kits (emergency flares, shovels, ice scrapers, flashlights and fluorescent distress flags).
• Pet Disaster kits (food, water, leashes, dishes and carrying case or crate).
• Battery powered lamps

I’m proud that the mission of Giving Preparedness is so closely aligned with that of FEMA’s.  It is my goal to get disaster supplies and information into the hands of as many people as possible.

Northampton resident and emergency preparedness expert Jamie Caplan has launched GivingPreparedness.com to make it easy for people to give the gift of safety.

GivingPreparedness.com is an online store of emergency preparedness gift boxes for the home, car and for pets.

These gift boxes contain emergency essentials for people and pets for the first 72 hours of an emergency, including pouch water, food bars, first-aid kits, emergency light sticks and more. They can be ordered for family and friends, or for businesses.

GivingPreparedness.com also features Caplan’s blog about emergency safety.

Caplan is a 20-year emergency management veteran and consultant for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. For more information, go online to www.GivingPreparedness.com, or call 586-0867.