National Emergency Management Expert Launches New Venture and The Gift of Safety

    NORTHAMPTON, MA, November 27, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- GivingPreparedness.com is an online store of emergency preparedness gift boxes for the home, car and for pets. These gift boxes contain many of the emergency essentials that people need to keep their family and pets safe for the first 72 hours of an emergency, whether in a house or in a car; including items like pouch water, food bars, first aid kits, emergency light sticks and more. The emergency preparedness gift boxes can be ordered by individuals for themselves, family and friends; and they can be ordered in bulk by businesses to be given as corporate and/or employee gifts. GivingPreparedness.com also features Jamie Caplan's blog that contains a wealth of information to help families stay safe in emergencies - as well as an e-mail sign up to receive a free and easy-to-use Family Emergency Plan.

A 20-year emergency management veteran, consultant for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and a mom -- Jamie is a fanatic about helping families stay safe. According to Jamie, "I understand the capabilities of local, state and federal governments to respond to disasters. That knowledge combined with being a mom and witnessing the suffering during Hurricane Katrina made me want to do more to help people get prepared and stay safe during an emergency. I created GivingPreparedness.com to make it fast and easy for busy families to get and give essential emergency supplies in the form of my preparedness gift boxes. I know individuals, families and businesses need to take responsibility for themselves."

According to the federal government, 91% of Americans believe it's important to be prepared for emergencies, but only 55% of households report having taken any steps to prepare. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is asking people to do three key things to prepare for the unexpected: 1) get an emergency supply kit, 2) make a family emergency plan, and 3) be informed about the different types of emergencies that could occur and their appropriate responses. "These steps are so important, but I realize that to busy people, they can seem like just more on the "to do" list." said Jamie. "That's why I thought of the gift box idea. People can easily give the gift of safety to their family and friends and order an emergency preparedness kit for themselves at the same time; right online; quick, easy, done."

GivingPreparedness.com also features Jamie Caplan's newly created blog that offers practical family safety information; such as the importance of choosing a family meeting place in an emergency, tips on how to care for small children when you have H1N1 flu, and the stages of the current influenza pandemic cycle.

More information can be found at www.GivingPreparedness.com or by calling 888-657-3350.

# # #