The Unveiling of HAER Prep
High Alert Emergency Preparedness (HAER Prep), pronounced "Higher Prep," became officially operational on Monday, November 4, 2019. HAER Prep is a HUD Section 3 Registered, disabled, disadvantaged, minority, black, woman-owned small business established and located at Park Morton in Ward 1, in the Park View neighborhood. After years of both professional and personal experience, being in the right place at the right time when disasters happen, keeping my family and friends well prepared over the years, I've had much encouragement to move ahead to start my business.
Enthusiastic about my passion, in 2017 upon becoming certified by FEMA, CERT, and Homeland Security, I created the lesson plan for the Emergency Preparedness seminar I conducted in my own community of Park Morton, to which I am also the 2-term Resident Council President, followed by doing a seminar at Potomac Gardens, and Hopkins Apartments. All of these properties are low-income, public housing properties governed by the District of Columbia Housing Authority.
Prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic, I've worked with Avanti Real Estate Services, LLC., Many Languages, One Voice DC, DC for Reasonable Development, DC People for Fairness Coalition, and later local mask makers of the community during the COVID-19 pandemic to deliver some of my own personal sewing material in order to help create enough masks for others in exchange for the donation of cloth masks given to my company to distribute to my community. During the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic, I've conducted webinars on Emergency Preparedness, how communities could have been better prepared, discussed readiness items, and what we can learn from this travesty.
My goal is to raise awareness and preparedness in our homes, communities, businesses, and nearby surroundings so that when disasters happen, we are prepared, and know what to do. Stay ready because when disasters strike, it's too late to prepare.
Fight or Flight is real. Some people rely on others to be prepared to spring into action when it is necessary. While attending the Redman / Method Man concert at Howard Theatre the man next to me started exhibiting signs of overheating & dehydration. I immediately began to treat his symptoms. I had to also signal to people around me to find help because the man needed to go to the hospital. There were paramedics in the rear of the staging area. I was close to the front. I only took about seconds of video because those seconds actually needed to be spent giving care to the patient. However, this is proof that when there is a need, I will spring into action without hesitation.
As the Founder of High Alert Emergency Preparedness (HAER Prep) and the Resident Council President of the Council @ Park Morton, I encouraged my residents, neighbors, and community leaders to become certified in CPR / First Aid / AED. I even gave my child a few pep talks to take the class. She did it, listening, following all of the steps, & participating in each activity, and she became the youngest member of the Park Morton Community in the class to be certified at six (6) years old. The little boy in attendance was the 2nd youngest to be certified.