DEDICATION:
to all Teller County [Colorado] Emergency First Responders, all departments and all agencies for your loyal support with financial contributions, photos and the ever-to-the-ready position to stand by our community and its residents .... Thank You!

PROBLEM:   A small rural county was approached by a national publisher to produce just 1,000 "free" copies of a cookie-cutter emergency readiness publication which refused to be changed!  In other words, Tsunamis at an 11,000 foot elevation did not seem to be a problem and "Pan Flu" (H1N1 smeared FEMA headlines at the time) was not even on their editing radar.  THE OTHER PROBLEM:  1,000 "free" copies would cost our local business community $6,500 of their hard advertising dollars in an economy that was already struggling. In other words, this was not a good return on investment.

SOLUTION:  As Communications Chair, I proposed to the Local Emergency Planning Committee: "We can do this on our own:  for a far better price, with tailored FEMA topics to the Rockies, written in the language of our community.... with 100% control of all content."  With that and a 100% "GO" vote from the Committee, four volunteers proudly pledged their allegiance to make it so!

This publication is created by over 4000 volunteer hours in production, community fund-raising sales, team creative and the outpouring of care and participation of volunteers, sheriff's posse, mounted rangers, ham radio community, emergency first responders, fire departments, law enforcement, county government, over 100 local businesses and concerned citizens.   A unique landscape orientation was chosen to be a stand-out conversation piece, suitable for "coffee table" and reception lobbies.  No templates were used.  Design concept, layout, tabbing & chapters are original.  We started on a blank sheet ... together as a team ... a community team!  Price to produce:  $1.88 each, a 345% reduction in cost with a 40% increase in content over the national publication.

Written in language of, by, and for the everyday residents of rural mountain communities, this guide lays out common sense solutions to 16 FEMA topic disasters (pertinent to the high country) within the reach of any person, young or old. Leading the reader to the central article "Resolve to Be Ready" with easy, make-it-at-home, 72-hour basic emergency supply kit and family emergency plan suggestions, this publication also includes a discussion of the mental and emotional impact of disasters not present in other "ready" guides:  "Helping Children Cope with Disaster" and, for adults, "Recovering from Disaster."

With this eye-catching, colorful, 76-page guide, readers can empower themselves to be resilient in situations which commonly threaten mountain community environments.  Photos tell the story alongside text so that readers readily grasp the solutions, no matter if they choose to read or glance through as a visual storybook.

Be Ready!   Do you need a solution in your community?  One that pulls even the most diverse parties together at the same table?   When you need collaborative leadership at its best & most creative for community relations, marketing and communications, call me.  Let's get your solution on fire now!

(303) 434-0574
Henriette Gregorio
www.linkedin.com/in/henriette gregorio