NPR’s Don't Gimme Five!
If flu season has you a little nervous about physical contact, never fear. National Public Radio has a helpful, illustrated guide full of techniques that put the kibosh on germ-swapping handshakes and virus-ridden hugs. Once techniques such as the Snap and Flick, the Smackdown, and the Xena catch on, staying healthy will be the hottest new thing in etiquette.
The Big Picture: One Year After Hurricane Ike
Although the Boston Globe’s Big Picture photo arrays are often stunning, this series of photographic overlays of Ike-created damage are truly eye opening. Viewers simply click on each photograph and watch the photo fade from destruction to—in many cases—resurrection. If only real-life recovery were so easy.
NOAA’s Coastal and Waterfront SmartGrowth
Whether your community is down by the bay or at the river’s edge, living near the water means you’ll face a number of planning risks and challenges. This new National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website is a rich resource for communities seeking to capitalize on their location without compromising safety and growth opportunities. Resources, planning tools, and case studies round out this 10-step guide.
FEMA Fire Prevention and Safety Grants
Get an edge on creating a winning 2009 Fire Prevention and Safety Grant application at the Federal Emergency Management Agency support site, which offers details and strategies for applying for the highly competitive grants. Applications for the grants—awarded to projects that mitigate fire hazards and increase firefighter safety—will be accepted until October 23, so there’s still plenty of time to make those grant proposals shine.
Planning for 2009 H1N1 Influenza: A Preparedness Guide for Small Business
Small businesses looking for a flu preparedness guide to meet their specific needs will probably have to roll up their sleeves and write their own. That task is less daunting, though, thanks to this guide put together by the Department of Homeland Security. With an emphasis on the need for a written plan, the guide offers practical steps for businesses—and their employees—to stay healthy.
Apps.Gov
We’ve all heard that emergency managers need to make the most of social media, stay on top of emerging technologies and be all-around computing gurus if they want to communicate with their tech-savvy public. Thankfully, there’s an app for that—or rather there’s a collection of apps for that, helpfully compiled by Uncle Sam. Apps.Gov lists applications—many free and most under $200—that can boost productivity, enhance computing power, and improve communications.