Joint Information Virtual Exercise 2011

National Preparedness Month
Tweets, Facebook Posts, and Website Text for Public Health Networks
September is National Preparedness Month. As part of the month’s activities, New Hampshire and its Public
Health Networks are exercising ways to communicate with the public. Social media and other online
resources, like organization websites, are increasingly important sources of preparedness and emergency
information for NH residents. Practicing using these communication channels is an important step towards
being ready to use them in an emergency situation.

The following document provides weekly recommendations of messages the State, Public Health Networks,
partners, and local community groups and members can share with their audience(s) throughout the month.
We are asking that all participating partners post at least one message to each of the media channels available
to them (Facebook, Twitter, website). You are welcome to use the recommendations in this document or
develop your own.

Themes: Each week of preparedness has a unique theme, as detailed below. All messaging for each week is
related to the theme of the week. This way Facebook posts, tweets, and website content can be related and
interconnected.

Week Dates Theme
1 9/1-3 General Preparedness
2 9/4-10 Stay
3 9/11-17 Leave
4 9/18-24 Connect
5 9/25-30 Volunteer

Links: You may notice that special URLs are included in almost all of the messages. These URLs are designed to
collect data on how many people click on it. Each week has its own special URL that will link readers to a page
on the Ready NH website. It is important that you keep these links, as is, in your messages.

Hashtags: Additionally, the tweets include hashtags (# NPM, #ReadyNH), or tags that allow the public, and us,
to search for your message. #NPM is the hashtag that FEMA is promoting for National Preparedness Month.
#ReadyNH will be the hashtag that we will be using to monitor Twitter activity in NH around NPM. Please
include #ReadyNH on all tweets, and #NPM if you have the space.

Guidance on how to use Facebook & Twitter to post messages, links, and question polls are included at the
end of this document.

If you have additional questions, please contact Community Health Institute staff:
Alyson Cobb, 573-3319, acobb@jsi.com
Arielle Slam, 573-3341, aslam@jsi.com (n/a 9/3-9/11)

1

National Preparedness Month- JIVE 2011

W EEK 1
(Please note that tweets may be appropriately adapted for Facebook status updates if you desire additional
messages to provide this week.)
September is National Preparedness Month, the perfect time for you & your family to prepare! Learn how at
http://1.usa.gov/1ReadyNH #NPM #ReadyNH

For National Preparedness Month, think of neighbors who may need help in a disaster. Learn how to help at

Talk to your loved ones this month & encourage them to prepare for emergencies. Learn more at

Business: Emergencies don’t wait until after hours. Do you know the emergency plan for your workplace?
http://1.usa.gov/1ReadyNH_Business #NPM #ReadyNH

Business: Emergencies don’t wait until after hours. Do you have an emergency plan for your workplace?

Business: After a disaster, 40% of businesses don’t reopen and 25% more close within 2 years. Planning can help.

LINK (http://1.usa.gov/1ReadyNH): This is National Preparedness Month, the perfect time for you and your family to
make an emergency plan, create a kit, and stay informed! Visit ReadyNH for more information.

LINK (http://1.usa.gov/1ReadyNH): For National Preparedness Month, think of those who might need additional help in
an emergency and make a plan to help them out. Visit ReadyNH for more information.

VIDEO (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6T480qwMs0): Check out this great video to learn the basics of preparing
for an emergency. Then visit Ready NH to learn more. http://1.usa.gov/1ReadyNH

QUESTION: How prepared do you feel for an emergency?
• Extremely prepared
• Well prepared
• Sort of prepared
• Haven’t started

Business: Emergencies don’t wait until after hours. Do you know the emergency plan for your workplace? Learn more at
http://1.usa.gov/1ReadyNH_Business

Business: Emergencies don’t wait until after hours. Do you have an emergency plan for your workplace? Learn more at
http://1.usa.gov/1ReadyNH_Business

Business: After a disaster, 40% of businesses don’t reopen and 25% more close within 2 years. Planning can help. Learn
more at http://1.usa.gov/1ReadyNH_Business.

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W EEK 1
PHN and Partners’
Websites

This September will mark the ten year anniversary of the September 11th attacks and we ask you to take time to
remember those lost as well as time to make sure you are prepared for future emergencies. National Preparedness
Month has been held each September since 2004 to increase preparedness in the U.S. It is a time to prepare yourself
and those in your care for an unexpected emergency.

This September, please prepare and plan for emergencies of all types that may cause you to:
• Have to stay in your home for three days without access to electricity, water, stores, and other local services
• Have to leave your home quickly
• Have to connect with your friends and family when communications systems may be down or overloaded

For more information on how to prepare for an emergency, whether you need to stay, leave, or connect, visit ReadyNH
(link to: http://1.usa.gov/1ReadyNH).

This September will mark the ten year anniversary of 9/11 and we ask you to take time to remember those lost as well
as time to make sure you are prepared for future emergencies. National Preparedness Month has been held each
September since 2004 to increase preparedness in the U.S. It is a time to prepare yourself and those in your care for an
unexpected emergency.

We all know that emergencies can happen unexpectedly. In the past few years, New Hampshire has experienced a wide
range of disasters including floods, snow and ice storms, tornadoes, tropical storms, and pandemic influenza.

This September, please prepare and plan for emergencies of all types that may cause you to:

• Have to stay in your home for three days without access to electricity, water services, access to stores, and other
local services
• Have to evacuate your home quickly
• Have to get in touch with your friends and family when some communications systems may be down or
overloaded.

Learn more about what you should do to prepare for an emergency by exploring the site!

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W EEK 2

Be prepared for a disaster- keep enough supplies in your home to last for 3 days. For more info, go to
http://1.usa.gov/1ReadyNH_Stay #NPM #ReadyNH

Did you know every home should have 3 gallons of water per person to be prepared? Go to
http://1.usa.gov/1ReadyNH_Stay to learn more. #NPM #ReadyNH

In an emergency, you may have to stay in your home for several days. Learn how to prepare at

Business: What if a disaster struck during work? Prepare your office in case you need to stay there.

LINK (http://1.usa.gov/1ReadyNH_Stay): During an emergency, you may have to stay in your home for several days
without access to electricity, water, or other services. Learn how to prepare for this situation at ReadyNH.

QUESTION: Thinking back to past emergencies, what was the one thing you wished you had in your emergency kit that
you didn’t have?

• Flashlight
• Radio
• Batteries/Charger
• Food and water
• Medication
• Emergency contact numbers
• Blankets and extra warm clothing
• Can opener
• Other

Business: What if a disaster struck during work hours? Prepare your office in case you need to stay there until the
emergency passes. http://1.usa.gov/ReadyNH_Stay

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W EEK 2
PHN and Partners’
Websites

September is National Preparedness Month. In order to be prepared for an emergency, it is important that you are able
to stay in your house for up to three days without access to electricity, water, or other services.

To learn more about what you should do to prepare to stay in your home during an emergency, go to Ready NH (link to:
http://1.usa.gov/1ReadyNH_Stay)

In order to be prepared for an emergency, it is important that you are able to stay in your house for up to three days
without access to electricity, water, or other services.

STAY refers to situations such as heavy storms where it is safer for people to remain in their homes than it is to go
outside. Sometimes you may just have to stay in your home for several hours or perhaps a day to give public works
crews the time to clear roads and highways. Sometimes you may need to stay in your home for three days, or even
longer, while waiting for power to be restored.

Any time power is knocked out during a storm there is the possibility that it could be out for a long time. Utilities begin
restoration work immediately, but a widespread outage could take a long time to fix, especially for people who are in
isolated areas.

The ice storm in December 2008 knocked out power to more than half the state and some people were without power
for two weeks. New Hampshire residents need to be prepared for that kind of storm as well.

In winter storms, people who have secondary heat sources, such as wood or gas stoves, may be able to continue to stay
in their homes. Others may need to stay at local shelters.

People using electric generators for their homes should have them properly installed and vented. Never operate a
generator in an enclosed area and never use an outdoor heating appliance indoors. Both will produce deadly carbon
monoxide.

To learn more about what you should do to prepare to stay in your home during an emergency, review the “stay”
checklist in this brochure. (link to: http://www.nh.gov/readynh/documents/readynh_stay_leave_connect.pdf)

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W EEK 3

Items often forgotten in emergency go kits: medicine, cell charger, cash. For a full go kit list-
http://1.usa.gov/1ReadyNH_Leave #NPM #ReadyNH

In an emergency, you may have to leave your home quickly. Learn how to prepare for evacuation at

How quickly can you get out of your home in an emergency? Speed up with a go kit. Learn how at

Business: Hold regular fire drills at work to make sure everyone knows the plan. For more evacuation info, go to

LINK (http://1.usa.gov/1ReadyNH_Leave): During an emergency, you may have to leave your home quickly. You can
prepare for evacuation by making an emergency go kit. Learn how at ReadyNH.

QUESTION: Which of these preparedness steps have you taken in case you need to quickly evacuate your home?
• Reviewed how to quickly leave your home with your children
• Established a meeting place in your neighborhood
• Established a meeting place outside of your neighborhood
• Established an out-of-state contact
• Created a phone list
• Taught your friends and family members with cell phones to text
• Packed a go-kit with supplies you would need while away from your home
• Stored important documents in a location away from your home

Business: When was the last time you held a fire drill at the office? Hold one during September in honor of National
Preparedness Month to make sure everyone knows the plan. Learn more about planning for evacuation at
http://1.usa.gov/1ReadyNH_Leave.

6


W EEK 3
PHN and Partners’
Websites

to leave your home quickly and safely in the event of an emergency.

To learn more about what you should do to prepare to evacuate in your home during an emergency, go to Ready NH.
(link to: http://1.usa.gov/1ReadyNH_Leave)

In order to be prepared for an emergency, it is important that you are able to leave your home quickly and safely.

LEAVE refers to the need to evacuate because in an emergency it may be dangerous to stay at home. This is not an easy
thing to do. Many people don’t want to evacuate, but when local officials say it's time to leave, don't argue with them.
Your life is in danger.

Having a go kit will make evacuation easier. Instructions about where to go will be provided by local officials. But you will
need to bring a change of clothing, personal hygiene items, prescription medications, and toys and other supplies for
infants and young children.

Remember that fire is still the most common form of emergency in any household. Make an evacuation plan with routes
out of the house and a place to meet at a safe distance from the house. That way you can make sure everyone got out
safely. Many fire deaths occur because someone re-enters a burning building to search for a missing person or pet. No
one should ever go back inside a burning building.
To learn more about what you should do to prepare to evacuate your home during an emergency, review the “leave”
checklist in this brochure. (link to: http://www.nh.gov/readynh/documents/readynh_stay_leave_connect.pdf)

7


W EEK 4

It may be easier to call long distance in a disaster. Pick an out-of-state family contact. Learn more at
http://1.usa.gov/1ReadyNH_Connect #NPM #ReadyNH

In an emergency, text messages may go through more easily than cell calls. Learn more at
http://1.usa.gov/1ReadyNH_Connect #NPM #ReadyNH

Business: Can you get info to your employees in a disaster? Test your emergency notification procedure for National
Preparedness Month. #NPM #ReadyNH

LINK (http://1.usa.gov/1ReadyNH_Connect): During an emergency, you may have difficulty getting in touch with family
and friends. Cell phones may not work. Learn how to prepare for this situation at ReadyNH.

QUESTION: How would you keep in touch with friends and family during an emergency?
• Phone
• E-mail
• Visit them
• Facebook
• Twitter

Business: LINK (http://www.ready.gov/business): Can you get important information out to your employees during an
emergency or disaster? Test your emergency notification procedures for National Preparedness Month. To find
resources to improve or develop a plan, visit ReadyBusiness.

8


W EEK 4
PHN and Partners’
Websites

to get in touch with your loved ones even if phone lines are down or you are separated.

To learn more about how to prepare to connect with loved ones during an emergency, go to Ready NH (link to:
http://1.usa.gov/1ReadyNH_Connect)

People need to stay in touch with family members during disasters. No one will feel secure until everyone is accounted
for. Families should agree ahead of time how to stay in contact. Each person should carry an emergency contact list.

A good way to CONNECT during an emergency is to have someone in another state act as the family emergency contact.
If family members are separated when an emergency occurs, everyone will know to call the family emergency contact if
they can't reach each other directly. Sometimes during disasters, local phone circuits are disrupted but long distance
service is not affected. The out-of-state contact can relay messages to family members.

In an emergency, some communication tools may be working while others are not. Be ready to try different ways of
reaching each other. Sometimes you may not be able to place a cell phone call, but you may be able to send a text
message or access the internet from your phone. Make sure you and all of your family members know how to send and
receive text messages and access the internet on their phones, if possible.

Connect also means staying in touch with neighbors and members of your community. By checking on an elderly relative
down the street or volunteering with a community organization, you will be reinforcing New England's tradition of
looking out for each other and helping to build strong communities.

It is also important to pay attention to disaster warnings. The National Weather Service (NWS) provides watches and
warnings for weather-related emergencies. NWS operates a network of VHF radio stations that constantly broadcast
local weather information. Real-time weather information is also available on the Internet and on the news. Other
emergency information is provided by the Emergency Alert System, which is carried by all broadcast stations in New
Hampshire.

To start making your family communication plan, use the checklist and template included in this brochure. (link to:
http://www.nh.gov/readynh/documents/readynh_stay_leave_connect.pdf)

9


W EEK 5

Volunteer to help your community prepare for and recover from emergencies. Go to
http://1.usa.gov/1ReadyNH_Volunteers to learn more about volunteer opportunities. #NPM #ReadyNH

Go to <link> to join <name of MRC/CERT/CC> to help your community prepare for and recover from emergencies and
disasters. #NPM #ReadyNH

PICTURE (Post a picture of your MRC/CERT/CC): Join <name of MRC/CERT/CC) to help your community prepare for and
recover from emergencies and disasters. For more information, . . .

POST: Volunteer to help your community prepare for and recover from emergencies. Go to
http://1.usa.gov/1ReadyNH_Volunteers to learn more about volunteer opportunities.

10


W EEK 5
PHN and Partners’
Websites

September is National Preparedness Month. A key part of New Hampshire’s emergency response is played by
volunteers. You can help your community prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies and disasters by
joining <name of MRC/CERT/CC group in region>.

To learn more about New Hampshire’s other volunteer programs, go to ReadyNH. (link to:
http://1.usa.gov/1ReadyNH_Volunteers)

Volunteers are an essential part of New Hampshire’s response in any emergency. Most smaller communities in the state
have fire departments that are staffed by volunteers.

Amateur radio operators, the American Red Cross, Civil Air Patrol, Medical Reserve Corps units, and Citizen Emergency
Response Teams are other examples of organizations that rely on volunteers and have important emergency response
functions.

Planning and training are the keys to making effective use of volunteers during disasters. In order to volunteer during an
emergency or disaster, join one of the NH volunteer organizations below!

If you are interested in volunteering to help out during a future disaster, the time to join an organization is now! Check
out the links listed below to learn about some of New Hampshire’s volunteer programs.

• American Red Cross, New Hampshire Region
• American Red Cross, VT and NH Valley
• NH Citizen Corps
• NH Wing Civil Air Patrol
• NH Emergency System for Advance Registration of Healthcare Professionals (ESAR-VHP)
• Medical Reserve Corps
• Amateur Radio

Search volunteer opportunities near you, with VolunteerNH’s search engine for organizations and volunteer
opportunities.

Volunteer New Hampshire

11


M ISCELLANEOUS
Additional tweets outside of the 5 “themes” are provided below. Feel free to use this in addition to your once a week
tweet from each of the 5 categories.


Teach your children how and when to call 9-1-1 or your local emergency medical services number for help. #NPM
#ReadyNH

Have kids? Ask their school for a copy of their emergency plan for you to keep at home or work. #NPM #ReadyNH

Preparedness on a budget: Pick up canned items on sale a few at a time. #NPM #ReadyNH

Use #ImPrepared and share what you’ve done to get prepared for emergencies. #NPM #ReadyNH

Remember your pets! Be sure to have the supplies your pets need in your emergency kit. More info at ready.gov/pets
#NPM #ReadyNH

Keep a small emergency kit in your car and at work so you’re prepared at all times. #NPM #ReadyNH

Consider purchasing a car cell phone charger to keep your phone going during a power outage. #NPM #ReadyNH

Take a minute to check your family’s first aid kit for missing items and add them to your shopping list. #NPM #ReadyNH

Do you and your family know the best escape routes out of your house during a fire? More info at
http://1.usa.gov/38esdf #NPM #ReadyNH

How long has it been since you checked your smoke detector batteries? #NPM #ReadyNH

12


H OW T O G UIDE
HOW TO ADD A LINK ON FACEBOOK
STEP 1. Make sure you are using your business page and NOT your personal profile page. To do so, go to Account (top
right hand corner) and select Use Facebook as Page.
A screen will pop up. Select the business page you
want and click Switch.

STEP 2. Above the status field, click on the tab
that says Link.

STEP 2. You will be prompted to attach a link. Do
so by pasting the URL into the link box and click
Attach.

STEP 3. Once Facebook populates an image or title
for your link, you can scroll through the thumbnail
options to select the most appropriate image to be
associated with your link.

STEP 4. Add a message to your audience about
the link provided. Click Share to post to your wall.

ADDING A LINK IN TWITTER
Posting a link in Twitter is simple.
Simply paste the desired URL to
where you compose a tweet and
include any message you want
related to that URL. Twitter will
automatically shorten the URL for
you to help keep you within the
140 character limit for a Tweet. Since the tweets we are providing already have a shortened URL, Twitter may not make
it any shorter than it already is.

13


H OW T O G UIDE
HOW TO POST A QUESTION ON FACEBOOK
STEP 1. Above your status update field in Facebook,
click on the Question button.
STEP 2. Type in your question.

STEP 3. Click on Add Poll Options. Continue to add
options until all desired options have been listed. You
may also add options after the question has been
posted.

STEP 4. Click Ask question. Your question is now a
public question that anyone can respond to, or see the
responses to it. You can view your question by
navigating to your wall.

Once you post a question, it becomes a public poll.
Public users can see and share the question, as well as
view the results.

If one of your partners plans to post the same
question, you may want to “Share” their question, by clicking the “Share” button below the question posted on their
wall and selecting “Share: On your page.” This way all responses from agencies that have posted this question are
pooled together and you will get a larger number of responses.

14

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