Reminder: How You Can Really Help After a Disaster: Get Yourself Prepared

As a recent transplant to LA, Alissa (http://www.gelatobaby.com) is aware that her adopted California Lifestyle comes with a Caveat… One has to live with Earthquakes. The lessons we learn from other disasters are very simple: Last year Alissa wrote this very smart story for GOOD.IS about getting ready for the inevitable. In view of the recent East Coast Disaster, we thought it would be appropriate to publish the story as a reminder for us Californians to Get Prepared!

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Making sure your family is ready is one of the best things you can do to for your city. If every citizen has the basic resources to sustain themselves for a few days after a disaster, relief workers won’t get overwhelmed by providing food and water to the unhurt but unprepared. Plus with basic medical supplies in each home, agencies like the Red Cross can focus on helping the people who really need their services. So why not take this weekend to do something good for your city, and get prepared? We found some great resources for making this process as simple, easy, and fun (yes, fun!) as possible.

First, start thinking about earthquakes as a timeline, using the Seven Steps for Earthquake Safety that can give you a simple, seven-step path from preparedness to recovery. Two steps to note: Making a disaster plan including two places to meet (the second being a backup in case the first isn’t safe), and assembling an emergency kit with enough food, water, and medical supplies. And remember you’ll need three of these: For home, work, and car.

Next, do some redecorating before an earthquake does it for you. This game called Beat the Quake walks you through the furnishings in your house item by item and gives you tips on how to best secure them. (I’ll be making a trip to Home Depot to stock up on furniture straps, velcro, and putty.)

Now, think about where you’ll be when an earthquake strikes. Notice in the videos of earthquakes how most people run outside? Not a good idea. Neither is standing in doorways. Drop, Cover, and Hold On uses easy-to-read graphics to show you exactly what to do, no matter where you are. If an earthquake strikes when you’re in bed, do you know what to do? Now you do.

Finally, hold a dress rehearsal. The Great California Shake Out is a state-wide drill that happens annually each October. There’s information there on how to participate. But there’s no reason why you can’t conduct your own this weekend.

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Auslandschweizer density vs other Expat Nations

Data compilation from wikipedia, Government and Expatriate statistics

 

How You Can Really Help After a Disaster: Get Yourself Prepared

The Power of Social Media: thanks to New-York-Swiss Tina Roth-Eisenberg (aka @swissmiss & HowdyHeidi) and her recent Creative Morning/LA event, I had the pleasure to meet LA’s Design-Scene STAR and fellow “Do GOODer” Alissa Walker. She is the epitome of an “LA-ist-a” and is admired by thousands who enjoy reading her most fun blog www.gelatobaby.com, attend her events or listen to her beautiful voice on the Radio. She’s one BUSY LADY. Oh, and by the way… she WALKS IN LA!

Just last week I ran into Alissa at a FUNdraiser she organized with the GOOD.is/LA team, benefiting CicLAvia – Los Angeles’ latest amazing effort to improve Life in the City by creating a growing infrastructure benefiting cyclists. You GO GIRL!

As a recent transplant herself, she is aware that her newly adopted California Lifestyle comes with a Caveat… One has to live with Earthquakes. The lessons we learn from Japan are very simple: Alissa just wrote a very smart story on GOOD.IS about getting ready for the inevitable.

Thank You Alissa, for allowing us to re-post your story as a “Public Service Announcement” for the Angeleno-Swiss Community! For your valuable contribution I’d like to recognize you with a virtual (Honorary)Angeleno-Swiss Award! Yay!

Michael Gaedeke, SrVP Development (volunteer)
SwissCenterLA.org
@mgaedeke

Those of us living on the West Coast have been on high alert for a week now after Japan’s massive earthquake. Last Friday many of us were awakened with calls warning us about the incoming tsunami. Now, with reports that radioactive particles from a damaged reactor may reach southern California this weekend, a new wave of worries has hit, and along with it, a slew of misinformation. While the radiation doesn’t seem to be a serious concern, we were still dismayed to learn that only 60 percent of Californians have disaster kits at home, and only half have an emergency plan for their family.

Making sure your family is ready is one of the best things you can do to for your city. If every citizen has the basic resources to sustain themselves for a few days after a disaster, relief workers won’t get overwhelmed by providing food and water to the unhurt but unprepared. Plus with basic medical supplies in each home, agencies like the Red Cross can focus on helping the people who really need their services. So why not take this weekend to do something good for your city, and get prepared? We found some great resources for making this process as simple, easy, and fun (yes, fun!) as possible.

First, start thinking about earthquakes as a timeline, using the Seven Steps for Earthquake Safety that can give you a simple, seven-step path from preparedness to recovery. Two steps to note: Making a disaster plan including two places to meet (the second being a backup in case the first isn’t safe), and assembling an emergency kit with enough food, water, and medical supplies. And remember you’ll need three of these: For home, work, and car.

Next, do some redecorating before an earthquake does it for you. This game called Beat the Quake walks you through the furnishings in your house item by item and gives you tips on how to best secure them. (I’ll be making a trip to Home Depot to stock up on furniture straps, velcro, and putty.)

Now, think about where you’ll be when an earthquake strikes. Notice in the videos of earthquakes how most people run outside? Not a good idea. Neither is standing in doorways. Drop, Cover, and Hold On uses easy-to-read graphics to show you exactly what to do, no matter where you are. If an earthquake strikes when you’re in bed, do you know what to do? Now you do.

Finally, hold a dress rehearsal. The Great California Shake Out is a state-wide drill that happens annually each October. There’s information there on how to participate. But there’s no reason why you can’t conduct your own this weekend.

Bye bye, Bon Voyage and Auf Wiedersehen, Fausto Zaina!

Fausto and Alexandra

Our fellow Angeleno-Swiss Fausto Zaina is returning back to Switzerland to pursue a mega-opportunity in the same field, with another important tourism organization promoting Switzerland’s Railroads. What a great career move, Fausto – Congratulations!

Lisa, Fausto & Linda

Thank you for your tireless work on behalf of Switzerland here in LA – and as the function of Board Member at the Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce/LA: Chairman Roger Wacker couldn’t have said it better during “your” Oscars-going-away-reception last week: you are AMAZING! And that’s why you deserved an AWARD!

Let’s hope your travels take you back to the “Best Coast” soon! – and you can bet we’ll come bug you at your new digs near Zürich’s Hauptbahnhof!

You will forever be an “Honorary Angeleno-Swiss“, in good company alongside many illustrious previous honorees!

Ciao Fausto, Buon Viaggio e Arrivederci a presto!

Dear friends

After four intense and exciting years in the City of Angels time has come to move on to new challenges for me.

Thank you for your collaboration, thank you for writing and talking about Switzerland, thank you for filming in Switzerland, thank you for promoting and selling Switzerland and sometimes even dreaming about Switzerland. Simply thank you for putting Switzerland on the map. I’m grateful having had the opportunity to work with you. It has been a huge pleasure. I will miss you.

I’m proud to announce my successor, Alexandra Imhof who is based at the moment in our Paris office. She will take over the position of District Manager Western US as from April 4 2011.

At the same time it’s a pleasure to inform that our paths might cross again. As from April 4 2011 I’ll be working for Swiss Travel System AG, a sister company of Swiss Federal Railway and Switzerland Tourism, based in Zurich.

In my new capacity, as Market Manager America, Asia & Australia, I’ll be responsible for sales & marketing of Swiss Rail and therefore be regularly in the US as well.

I wish you best health, great business and that your dreams come true.
See you again on a Swiss train.

Swiss Rail Greetings, Fausto

L.A.’s Water Conservation Ordinance Heads to Mayor

via LAist.com

The L.A. City Council today approved changes to the city’s water conservation ordinance that limits when lawn watering can take place. The revision comes in light of a report that concluded current conservation efforts caused a series of water main breaks last year. [emphasis added]

The approved ordinance now heads to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for his signature. If signed, the revised law will go into effect upon publication about a week later.

The rules should be easy to follow, but they do need some explanation. Via the LADWP:

Under the revised Ordinance, customers whose street addresses end with an odd number – 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9 – will be permitted to use their sprinkler systems on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, before 9 a.m. and after 4 p.m. Customers whose addresses end in even numbers – 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8 – will be permitted to do so on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, before 9 a.m. and after 4 p.m. Addresses ending in fractions will be treated as whole numbers and observe the same day restrictions as others on their same side of the street, (ie: 4321 ½ is regarded as 4321, an odd-numbered address.)

Sprinkler time limits will be based on the type of nozzle used. Spray head sprinklers and bubblers, which are non-conserving models and are common in most landscapes, will be limited to 8 minutes per cycle and one cycle per day per watering station. Rotors and multi-stream rotary heads will be allowed 15 minutes per cycle and up to two cycles per day per watering station.

Additionally, watering is only allowed before 9 a.m. and after 4 p.m., even if it’s a household’s watering day. Hand watering with garden hoses is allowed any day of the week within those time restrictions, but only if they are fitted with a shut-off nozzle.