my father currently works for a very populated county in the desert southwest region of the US in the disaster preparedness/response &quot;department&quot;. among other things,  his job includes planning this kind of stuff, coming up with campaigns like you see on <a href="http://ready.gov">ready.gov</a>, and being part of the infrastructure that makes the call when something is a disaster area or not, etc.  <div>

<br></div><div>i emailed him shortly after this thread started, including some ideas and points brought up so far, and mentioned &quot;where should we go with something like this?&quot;</div><div><br></div><div>his response:</div>

<div><br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex">&quot;<span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:11pt;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Bicycles are a great idea to meet some people’s emergency transportation and recovery needs and you are right – almost never do you see bicycles used in the TV shows. </span><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:11pt;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><br>

</span><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:11pt;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Basic  survival needs are water-shelter-food in that order. If you don’t have the top three - being able to travel out to obtain them is critical.   </span><a href="http://www.survivalistboards.com/showthread.php?t=197552" target="_blank" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:11pt;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);color:rgb(17,85,204)">http://www.survivalistboards.com/showthread.php?t=197552<br>

</a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)"> <br></span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)"> <br></span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)">I am a member of this FEMA group,  a sub-set of Ready.gov on preparedness. People in positions similar to mine or simply citizens who are into  emergency preparedness and survival belong and post ideas/suggestions and thoughts.  Many are lame but also some good ideas.<br>

</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)"> <br></span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)"> <br></span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)">It would be a good starting place (and it gets wide distribution) for someone wanting to advocate bikes:     </span><a href="http://community.fema.gov/connect.ti/readynpm/grouphome" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)">http://community.fema.gov/connect.ti/readynpm/grouphome</a>’</blockquote>

<div><br></div><div><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Mon, Nov 5, 2012 at 1:47 PM, Jameel Alsalam <span dir="ltr">&lt;<a href="mailto:jalsalam@gmail.com" target="_blank">jalsalam@gmail.com</a>&gt;</span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">

Jonathan, <div><br></div><div>The idea to add bicycles to preparedness literature is a very interesting idea. I think you&#39;re right that in the leadup to a storm it would be helpful for people think about expanding transportation options in the case that some options are disrupted by the storm, including buying a bike or fixing up what they have around. Since I am located in DC, I can probably rustle up a FEMA connection to start talking about this idea.</div>


<div><br></div><div>Jameel</div><div><br></div><div>The Bike House - Washington, D.C.</div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sun, Nov 4, 2012 at 8:25 PM, Jonathan Morrison <span dir="ltr">&lt;<a href="mailto:jonathan.morrison@gmail.com" target="_blank">jonathan.morrison@gmail.com</a>&gt;</span> wrote:<br>


<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div>Again, I am really surprised that that FEMA&#39;s site, <a href="http://www.Ready.gov" target="_blank">www.Ready.gov</a> doesn&#39;t include bicycles in their &quot;kit&quot; recommendations.  I am not sure who to lobby on this front, but it makes complete sense to me.  Imagine if instead of everyone buying generators in a panic, they were buying bicycles too?</div>



<div><br></div><div>Another article:</div><a href="http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-11-02/how-bike-sharing-would-have-helped-new-york-city-after-sandy" target="_blank">http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-11-02/how-bike-sharing-would-have-helped-new-york-city-after-sandy</a><div>



<br clear="all">Sincerely,<br><br>Jonathan Morrison<br>c: <a href="tel:801-688-0183" value="+18016880183" target="_blank">801-688-0183</a><br>
<br><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div><div>On Sun, Nov 4, 2012 at 3:50 PM,  <span dir="ltr">&lt;<a href="mailto:veganboyjosh@gmail.com" target="_blank">veganboyjosh@gmail.com</a>&gt;</span> wrote:<br></div></div>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div><div>
there is a facebook group i found via friends for folks in NYC who can help or who need help. i was just added this afternoon, but the group is very active calling for food/blankets/hands who are available. i haven&#39;t seen a call for bikes, but i posted to see if they had any interest. <div>





 someone posted earlier today a call for people with bikes and/or cargo bikes who can carry hot meals and other donated goods like blankets, etc. if anyone&#39;s interested/able to help, hit me up off the list and i can add you to the group.</div>



<span><font color="#888888">

<div><br></div><div>josh.</div>
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<br></div></blockquote></div><span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888"><br><br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br>Jameel Alsalam<br><a href="tel:%28510%29%20717-9637" value="+15107179637" target="_blank">(510) 717-9637</a><br>

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