As it does every year, Consumer Reports rates the automobiles, top, bottom and in-the-middle, for reliability. This year, 2018, it is again no surprise who is at the top of the list. Lexus and Toyota vehicles are tops, followed by Subaru, Kia, Infiniti (top six spots), and Mazda-who took a huge leap from 12 to number three. Go Mazda!!!

The German brands fell in the middle, coming in at numbers 7-9; Porsche at 11, VW at 16 and Mercedes-Benz at seventeen.

The Korean brands-Hyundai and Genesis, as well as the Japanese brands Acura, Nissan and Honda also fell in the middle, ranking at 10,12,13,14 and 15th, respectively. Honda’s reliability ranking dropped by 6 thanks to the Odyssey minivan that allegedly has infotainment and door lock issues, yielding much worse than average reliability. The CR-V and Accord’s ratings are also down to average, thanks in part to infotainment system issues, interior rattles, and the Clanty line of cars apparently has “electronic glitches” that bring it to “much worse than average.”

However, Acura is up 6 spots, thanks recently to working out transmission and infotainment problems.

Left at the bottom, however are the American cars, with the exception of Volvo, which is literally at the bottom, ranked 29, in part, because of issues with the XC60 and the XC90, as well as complaints about engine knocking or pinging on the S90.

Ford sits at number 18, and Buick dropped a whopping 11 spots, to number 19. Consumer Reports attributes the giant drop of GM’s mid-level luxury brand to the Enclave’s 9-speed transmission woes. The Lacrosse, Encore and Envision rated average.

Lincoln, Dodge, Jeep, Chevrolet and Chrysler ranked 20 and 24. While GMC, Ram, Tesla and Cadillac are in positions 25 to 28, respectively. American brands that dropped the most were Chrysler (down 7), Tesla (down 6), and Chevrolet (down 5). According to Consumer Reports, Chrysler’s Pacifica contributed to a drop in rankings due to infotainment and transmission issues.

Susan Frissell, editor

Among all the talk these days about driverless cars, we’re reminded of when and where the automobile came. From the establishment of the first automobile company by brothers Charles E. and J. frank Duryea in 1896, to superhighways and green-and-white signs to guide travelers, the advent of the automobile has transformed American life.

In 1996, the Henry Ford Museum/Greenfield Village in Dearborn, MI celebrated 100 years of the Automobile in American Life in an exhibition that included more than 100 cars and thousands of artifacts to illustrate how the automobile evolved from the 19th century novelty into a mainstay of American culture.

One of the most influential industries in America, the automobile industry is responsible for the existence of such phenomenons as fast food restaurants to motels, to gas stations, Drive-in movies, campgrounds and gas pumps are all a part of the American scene.

Significant events in the auto industry include such happenings as a massive oil strike at Spindletop Beaumont, Texas (1901), the introduction of the Model T (1908) by Ford, the first U.S. transcontinental automobile trip (1903), and President Eisenhower signing the Interstate Highway Act in 1956. When considering the automobile, one also thinks of certain people connected with it, including Harvey Firestone, Walter Reuther, Ransom E. Olds, and Ralph Nader. The list goes on and on. Milestones abound when summarizing the U.S. auto industry, beginning in 1896, right up to the present.

Of course, a lot of innovations have come to pass since the early days, including electric and hybrid cars, and of course, Elan Musk’s Tesla endeavor.
How has the automobile transformed American life? In ways we might not realize. I suspect, including these ten:

1) The car made in Detroit changed the nation. Detroit was the first city to have a large number of cars made and driven. Mass production led to good paying jobs, making it possible for people who worked in the car factories to own cars and drive them to work. As the industry grew, the city grew, making it necessary for developments to accommodate cars. This set the pattern for other growing urban centers. One need only consider Los Angeles, a city where few cars have ever been made, but where most people own one.

2) Development of the interstate highway system. The nation’s largest public works program, the building of the interstate highway system linked communities, but also cut others apart by using straight lines as the shortest distance between places. In some places, there are still remnants of what was once important (such as on Route 66) but have fallen away as interstate stops became growth areas. Because of car traffic, and a highway system, the expansion of the national parks system was possible, which gave people more places to go.

3) Suburbanization. Because of automobiles, communities could be built that were neither urban nor rural, but had some of the advantages of both.

4) Growth of the drive-in lifestyle. Beginning with movies and fast food, drive-ins have evolved to include banks, dry cleaners and even weddings and funerals.

5) Changing the purpose of the streets. Once an extension of front yards, streets enabled people to walk and vendors to sell their goods from carts. At one time, transportation was a secondary use; now it is reversed.

6) Architecture of American homes. The elimination of the front porch can be dated back to the rise of automobiles in the late 1920s. Porches became smaller and have now practically disappeared. As garages took over in popularity, the backyard became more of a focal point for relaxation.

7) Decline of railroads and streetcars. With the increase in popularity of the automobile came the decline of trains, trolleys and inter-urbans as a means of transportation, even before the growth of air travel. In cars, travelers could go where they wanted, when they wanted, rather than having to adhere to a fixed route and time.

8) Breakdown of rural isolation. Those living in outlying areas of cities embraced the automobile as a means of maintaining their rural lifestyle. The car provided a link between towns and cities.

9) Becoming the engine that drives an economy. Because of the automobile, oil, rubber and a whole host of industry activities exist. Motels, restaurants and service businesses grew up on trade from drivers. Advertising has also been affected as witnessed by the billboard. Billboards were not just posted along railroad track routes.

10) Defining the work of the 20th century. Standardization of parts and assembly necessary for mass production of the automobile led to an abundance of high-wage, low-skilled jobs. These jobs made it possible for workers to live a comfortable lifestyle; especially for immigrants who didn’t speak English and/or people who were untrained but willing to work. In the 21st century, workers began moving into a situation similar to the one that existed at the beginning of the industrial evolution: the best paying jobs go to the more skilled workers.

Washington D.C.–According to Jack Gillis’ latest report, there are 70 million vehicles on the road with open recalls. I know I’ve heard many people say they don’t bother to take their vehicle to the dealer when receiving a notice. Of course, it is voluntary, but if it’s at no expense to the owner, why wouldn’t you?

In the last 10 years, Gillis reports, over 280 million vehicles have been recalled – more than the 270 million vehicles currently on the road. With recall completion rates in the 70-75% level[i] that leaves over 70 million vehicles on the road with open recalls.

With 70 million vehicles driving around with open recalls it poses a large highway safety danger. “While these open recalls present a clear hazard to the occupants of these vehicles, they are also a hazard to the rest of the driving public,” said Jack Gillis, CFA’s Executive Director and author of The Car Book.

Of course, this high number of open recalls means that a significant number of owners are “turning-in” used cars with an open recall or those vehicles may be recalled by the manufacturer while waiting to be resold. And the sale of used vehicles keeps going up, as the cost of new cars increases. In addition, warns Gillis, “Some car dealerships are violating state laws that prohibit them from selling unsafe vehicles, particularly when they are subject to a safety recall.”

The result: a significant number of used vehicles are likely to be sold with open recalls. While the subsequent owner can have any recall addressed at no charge for 15 years from when the recall was issued, they may not know about the recalls or fail to check their particular vehicle. They may also experience lengthy delays in being able to obtain repairs, due to severe shortages of repair parts, or the manufacturer’s failure to provide a remedy.

One of the government’s most important auto safety functions, notes Gillis, the automobile recall program can be fully effective only if recall completion rates are dramatically increased. “It’s simply not enough to announce a recall, the car companies, car dealers, and government must do everything possible to remedy those recalls,” said Gillis. “Under federal law, car dealers can’t sell new cars with open recalls, and under state laws, car dealers are not allowed to sell recalled used cars either. But those laws are not being adequately enforced. With today’s communication technology, social media, and information databases, there is no excuse not to significantly increase compliance with safety recalls,” added Gillis. The entire auto industry, all levels of government, and individual consumers each have an important role to play in ensuring that safety recalls are performed, maintains Gills. The huge rental car industry must acknowledge and respect the importance of recalls, so too should the rest of the automotive use and retail industry.

The actions needed to Protect the American Public from Defective Recalled Vehicles include:

1. State attorneys general should enforce existing state laws that prohibit car dealers from knowingly, negligently, or deceptively selling unrepaired recalled used cars.
2. In addition, Congress and the President should enact federal legislation, enforceable by NHTSA, to prohibit car dealers from selling recalled used cars.
3. Require fleet operators to remedy open recalls upon notice and prior to returning vehicles to service.
4. Recalled taxis and ride service vehicles must be remedied upon notice and prior to returning vehicles to service.
5. Auto auction companies must remedy recalls during their refurbishing process and prior to the transfer of the vehicle.
6. Require car companies to send out notices (by e- and postal mail) every two months until the recall is resolved or vehicle has been removed from service.
7. Require DMVs and state inspection programs to include VIN-specific recall notices on registration renewals and inspections to alert the owners that their vehicles have unrepaired recalls.
8. The government (NHTSA) must initiate an effective public education campaign to get vehicle owners to sign up for recall notifications.
9. New and used car dealers must register owners for recall notices on safercar.gov as part of the selling paperwork. Insurance companies should provide a recall report before providing insurance.
10. Manufacturers must provide loaner cars for owners of recalled vehicles when there are significant delays in obtaining recall repair parts.

Mary T. Barra, chairman and chief executive of General Motors Company, accepted the Yale Chief Executive Leadership Institute’s Legend in Leadership Award on September 24 at a ceremony at the Yale CEO Caucus in Washington, D.C.

The award was to chairman Barra, among other leaders on Monday presented to Barra by Caucus organizer Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, senior associate dean for leadership studies at the Yale School of Management. He commented, “Mary Barra has GM in her DNA. She worked in GM for 33 years—starting as an 18-year-old co-op student working on the factory floor—before being named CEO in 2013. Her father worked for GM for almost 40 years as a tool-and-die maker, and Mary went to college at what was then called the General Motors Institute. She held a series of manufacturing, engineering, and senior staff positions, including plant manager, global HR, and global manufacturing engineer. In the aftermath of GM’s 2009 bankruptcy, she led the revitalization of GM’s product development process, resulting in the launch of celebrated new products, the delivery of record product quality ratings, and a dramatic improvement in customer satisfaction.

“Barra led the company through a product-safety crisis she inherited on her first month on the job in January 2014, when an ignition-switch defect led to many deaths in earlier years,” Sonnenfeld continued. “Through toughness, transparency, competence, and putting her A-team talent on this challenge as a top priority, she restored and enhanced public trust. She cut unprofitable businesses to invest in the firm’s future. On the frontiers of autonomous driving, she has sparked profound strategic, technological, and cultural change. Last year in October, she announced a bold new vision targeting: zero accidents, zero emissions, and zero congestion. With strong financial performance, it is no wonder that both Fortune and Forbes have ranked her at the top of the most influential women leaders in the world.”

AUTO RECALLS

Susan Frissell
Publisher, WWW

Answers:
1) The old Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Late Night with David Letterman, CNN Headline News, The Late Late Show with Tom Snyder and “Love Connection.”
2) Two “Ladybugs” starring Rodney Dangerfield, and “Another You,” starring Richard Pryer and Gene Wilder.
3) Dachshund sausages, renowned sports cartoonist Tad Dorgan couldn’t spell dachshund so he wrote ‘hot dog.’ The name stuck.
4) Richard Trentlage in 1953.
5) Kansas City.
6) Chicago, 1936.
7) Two cents, and they were sold in vending machines.
8) Little Oscar.
9) Al Unser, Jr., topped off at a speed of 110 mph.
10) 1904 St. Louis Exposition-the concessionaire had been giving customers white gloves to protect their hands from the steaming wieners, but they kept disappearing.
11) The Berlin Symphony Orchestra-as well as a teenage rock band, a string ensemble and a Nashville country western group.
12 )Frankfurt, Germany, hence the name “frankfurter.”
13) Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939. Jimmy Carter in 1977 and Ronald Reagan in 1980.
14) Hotdog and sausage consumption at major league ball parks in the U.S. in 2016 was 19.4 million; the most at San Francisco Giants park (475,000), followed by St. Louis Cardinals (400,000), Boston Red Sox (377,00).
15) More than 7 billion-enough to circle the globe 15 times. And, 2 billion in July, National Hot Dog Month.
16) Yummy, Our dog, big bun, lil link, oh I wish, weenr, wnrmble, bologna, relshme, oscrmyr.
17) “Hotdoggers.” And they hand out toy wiener whistles!

Entrepreneurship was once an opportunity accessible only to men. With the exception of a few brave women who defied the odds, most females historically failed to break through the barriers of the male-dominated business space. However, it is the 21st century, and it is becoming an era in which women are a powerful force in society, especially in our economy.

It is not only common for women to be entrepreneurs today, but it also means they are becoming part of an influential group. According to an American Express OPEN-commissioned report, more than 9.4 million women-owned businesses currently operate in the U.S. Combined, those firms account for nearly a third of all privately held companies, pull in annual revenues to the tune of $1.5 trillion and provide jobs to roughly eight million workers.

Women-owned businesses are among the fastest-growing enterprises in the nation, increasing at a rate 1.5 times the U.S. average and topping “the growth rates of all but the largest, publicly-traded firms” in the past 18 years.

If you are inspired to become the next Madam C.J. Walker or Jessica Alba, two women known for their epic entrepreneurial achievements, you might want to consider where to begin your future endeavor. Location plays a key role in the success of any business; particularly, a woman-owned business. It’s true that some areas are better than others at encouraging female entrepreneurship and recognizing its value.

To determine where best to begin your entrepreneurial endeavor, WalletHub’s analysts compared the 100 largest metropolitan statistical areas, (MSAs), across 10 key metrics indicating friendliness toward this group. Their data set ranges from average revenue growth of women-owned businesses to presence of women’s business centers to industry variety for women-owned firms.

Overall Rank MSA Total Score ‘Overall New-Business Friendliness’ Rank ‘Female Entrepreneurship’ Rank ‘Business Climate for Women’ Rank

1 Nashville-Davidson-
-Murfreesboro–Franklin, 70.04 13 20 18

2 Chattanooga, TN-GA 69.79 2 50 18

3 Columbus, OH 68.13 7 23 27

4 Memphis, TN-MS-AR 66.99 4 66 18

5 Milwaukee-Waukesha-
West Allis, WI 66.44 30 48 2

6 Rochester, NY 64.89 18 77 5

7 Kansas City, MO-KS 64.82 22 14 25

8 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA 64.60 25 55 11

9 Greensboro-High Point, NC 64.57 6 56 40

10 Honolulu, HI 63.88 43 3 17

11 Oklahoma City, OK 63.17 14 5 86

12 Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson,IN 63.08 24 6 55

13 Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY 62.90 42 35 5

14 St. Louis, MO-IL 61.95 31 19 25

15 Knoxville, TN 61.26 21 75 18

16 Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI 61.22 11 41 76

17 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 61.16 57 25 1

18 Madison, WI 60.77 48 54 2

19 Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA 60.67 19 88 16

20 New Haven-Milford, CT 60.57 N/A 33 22

21 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX 60.35 40 1 89

22 Tulsa, OK 60.27 1 65 86

23 Salt Lake City, UT 60.18 27 11 69

24 Winston-Salem, NC 59.92 12 76 40

25 Virginia Beach-Norfolk-
Newport News,VA-NC
59.82 37 10 38

26 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC 59.67 5 73 72

27 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN 59.47 17 28 88

28 Syracuse, NY 59.19 N/A 67 5

29 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 59.11 54 26 10

30 Fresno, CA 59.05 29 21 59

31 Wichita, KS 58.84 10 81 44

32 Albuquerque, NM 58.61 47 4 34

33 Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 58.17 N/A 46 22

34 Stockton-Lodi, CA 58.04 23 47 59

35 New Orleans-Metairie, LA 57.72 8 37 96

36 Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 57.30 26 12 89

37 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford,CT 56.26 N/A 57 22

38 Colorado Springs, CO 55.71 33 62 35

39 Jackson, MS 55.62 3 98 75

40 Richmond, VA 55.54 32 64 38

41 Toledo, OH 55.18 16 97 27

42 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 54.68 60 51 4

43 Tucson, AZ 54.52 44 30 57

44 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 54.49 46 8 72

45 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL 54.28 N/A 32 46

46 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 54.22 36 39 76

47 Jacksonville, FL 54.15 39 53 46

48 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN 54.05 28 85 27

49 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC 53.34 41 58 40

50 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL 53.33 51 22 46

51 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 53.10 34 69 45

52 Worcester, MA-CT 52.98 59 52 13

53 El Paso, TC 52.75 15 79 89

54 Birmingham-Hoover, AL 52.58 9 82 95

55 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 52.48 50 40 46

56 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 51.83 72 24 11

57 Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 51.59 61 9 35

58 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach,FL 51.35 N/A 45 46

59 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 50.92 N/A 99 5

60 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 50.70 74 15 5

61 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 50.27 69 42 13

62 Springfield, MA 50.13 N/A 96 13

63 Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA 49.27 N/A 70 27

64 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 48.74 38 61 89

65 Boise, ID 48.46 45 60 78

66 Cleveland-Elyria, OH 48.15 53 72 27

67 Miami-Fort Lauderdale
-West Palm Beach, FL 48.05 64 13 46

68 Raleigh, NC 47.83 63 31 40

69 Baton Rouge, LA 47.70 20 84 96

70 Bakersfield, CA 47.63 52 59 71

71 Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV 47.48 55 29 85
72 Austin-Round Rock, TX 47.07 58 16 89

73 Dayton, OH 46.65 N/A 86 27

74 Akron, OH 46.54 49 93
75 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario,CA 46.23 68 17 59

76 Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 46.20 66 27 57

77 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX 46.01 N/A 44 89

78 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim,CA 45.88 70 7 59

79 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL 45.46 55 78 46
80 Sacramento–Roseville
-Arden-Arcade, CA 45.02 62 43 59

81 Little Rock-North Little Rock
-Conway, AR 44.90 35 94 79

82 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria 44.o4 73 2 74
DC-VA-MD-WV

83. Ogden-Clearfield, UT 43.58 N/A 80 69

84. Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL 43.54 N/A 90 46

85 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton,
PA-NJ 43.15 N/A 68 80

86 Charleston-North Charleston, SC 42.55 N/A 36 98

87 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA 42.25 N/A 74 80

88 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA 42.17 75 34 37

89 San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward,CA 41.01 77 18 59

90 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington,
PA-NJ-DE-MD 40.84 64 49 80

91 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro,OR-WA 40.59 76 38 56

92 San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 39.56 71 63 59

93 Scranton–Wilkes-Barre–Hazleton,PA 39.34 N/A 87 80

94 Provo-Orem, UT 39.23 N/A 95 69

95 North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL 39.10 N/A 100 46

96 Pittsburgh, PA 37.52 67 71 80

97 Columbia, SC 33.05 N/A 83 98

98 Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC 31.78 N/A 91 98

99 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA 31.64 77 92 59

100 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 31.26 79 89 59

Susan Frissell, PhD
Editor/WWW

Patrice Banks, of #sheCANic fame has been hinting she has some exciting news to announce. She hopes you’ll be as excited as she is. I know we are, having watched her progress. Who says ‘girls’ don’t want to know more about cars? We’ve known this for some time.

Some of you may know that Patrice has been on a “bold mission to educate and empower women” through their cars. It has been her goal “to reach every woman driver and to change the face of the automotive industry to support its number one customer – women!”

According to Banks, the success of her flagship Girls Auto Clinic Repair Center in Philadelphia and the #sheCANic movement has been powered in part by the incredible support she’s been given, her team, and her business. “People are inspired by our story,” she says, “of an auto airhead turned auto mechanic who opened the nation’s first auto repair garage to employ women mechanics, offer a nail salon & lounge, and host car care workshops.” The question everyone asks now is “When is Girls Auto Clinic coming to my city” and the answer is SOON!”

Banks is so excited to announce that she is launching a crowdfund campaign on August 15th to grow the #sheCANic movement and expand Girls Auto Clinic Repair Center locations across the country! They are asking for the public’s help to get the news out there, and to support her Girls Auto Clinic.

So check out her pre-launch page and keep in touch for her exciting news to come. Jump on the bandwagon and be a part of this exciting movement around girls and their cars!

We received a sample of the Dr. Beasley’s Glass Serum Kit, complete with a 1 oz. Glass Serum bottle, 2 oz Glass Coating Prep, 1 Foam Block Applicator and 2 Suede Cloths. They also threw in a 1 bottle of AdvanceCoat: Glass. As Dr. Beasley’s president states, “the proof is in the results.” We found it to be somewhat superior to other products on the market; namely, RainX, and easy to use.

The packaging on this new high-tech formulation is handsome and speaks well of the product. You’re not using any low-end ingredients. Indorsed by professionals, automotive manufacturers and enthusiasts alike, Dr. Beasley’s has a popular line of products including a matte paint car line, wheel care, polishes, and ceramic coatings. The Dr.’s products stand out and serve the modern automobiles’ needs well. When I think of the products we used in the past, I shutter at their possible side effects; of which I probably never even considered. Dr. Beasleys Car Care Products, based in Chicago, is new to this automotive writer.

We waited for some much-needed rain here in Indy to ‘test drive’ the nano coating serum recently. As the label tells the buyer, Dr. Beasley’s products are handcrafted with over 30 years of detailing knowledge and passion. Easy to apply and with quick results, we found that the rain beaded right off the windshield. We haven’t applied the Serum to side windows yet, but will give that a try, also.

A big part of president Jim Lafeber’s motivation to create the Dr. Beasley’s line was his dissatisfaction with how previous products he was using at his Chicago detailing business, Simon’s Shine Shop, were affecting his customer’s vehicles’ health. Jim utilized his chemistry background to formulate detailing solutions of his own. He took in-house products to market under the Dr. Beasley’s name, gaining notability for their matte paint car line. They also formulate, manufacture and package the car care products within their Chicago, IL facility.

The “proof is in the results,” says Mr. Lafeber. “Our formulas are crafted with pharmaceutical grade ingredients.” Working to continually enhance their products, Dr. Beasley’s promises ‘high-quality” results.The Glass Serum Kit comes with instructions. (See for yourself at www.drbeasleys.com. Read about their products and order some for yourself).
Your car will love you for it!

Dr. Beasley’s won us over, not only after first use, but upon learning that Jim named his car care line after his Alaskan Malamute, Beasley. Applying the Glass Serum to all three cars, we promptly tossed our other inferior products in the garbage. I also applied it to windshield of my brother-in-law’s 2010 Kia Soul, after a three-hour detailing project. He’ll have to convice himself it’s really raining the next time he drives when it’s wet!!

Try Dr. Beasley’s. We think you’ll agree.

Hey, Jim, how about a picture of Beasley (the Malamute) on your box? Mr. Tito’s “dog” vodka isn’t the only star out there!

Don’t be unprepared when it comes to caring for your pet’s safety during inclement weather. Think about and plan, a strategy for when an emergency situation strikes. All of us should have a preparedness plan in place should tornadoes, fires, violent storms or floods happen.

It would seem that in the last several years, the weather conditions have clearly worsened, making it necessary to have a plan not only for the safety of our family, but for our pets, as well. Think about how you will move your pet(s) in an emergency situation. We’ve all seen the news during horrendous conditions, such as wild fires or hurricanes like Katrina and Harvey.

Things to include for your get-away include leashes or crates, a lightweight totebag carrier/container for a bird, ferret or rabbit. Also recommended are bottled water and the animal’s food. In longer term disasters, notes Dr. Eurell, a veterinarian at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in Urbana, IL., “you need to prepare with food, water and medications for your pets.”

Also handy is a large blanket or thick quilt to help protect you and your pets from dangerous flying glass or other debris in a storm. Learn how to turn off the gas and electricity in your home and be sure to include any needed tools in your kit. A flashlight, cell phone and charger, and weather radio are also musts. Another item that may save lives is a copy of the Pet First Aid book, available through the Red Cross. Taking a class in first aid/CPR for animals might also be a good idea.

Our pets should wear a collar at all times, complete with the owner’s name and cell phone number. This simple gesture can dramatically increase the chances of you and your pet being reunited should you be separated. Microchipping, which most dogs and cats receive today from their vet, is also something to seriously consider. Perhaps keeping a copy of your pet’s vaccination, and of your driver’s license can also be helpful.

As with all storms, choosing a safe place in your home is necessary; even practicing a drill helps us be as prepared as possible. Go to a basement, crawl space, area under a stairway, or interior room without windows. As soon as the sirens start, go to your designated spot. Take all warnings seriously. Such disasters as mudslides, earthquakes, floods move quickly and often don’t allow time for people and animals to get out of the affected area.

Plan for all possible emergencies, from fires in your own home, to natural disasters. Does the fire department know that you have animals in your home? I have a fire safety sticker notice in the front window of my home to alert police and fire that animals live here.

With good reason, pets are not allowed at disaster relief shelters. However, many states are working to provide shelters for pets and/or working with shelters in other states to accommodate separated pets.

After a disaster, be patient with your pets, try to get them back into their normal routine. Be ready and alert to behavior changes caused by the stress of the event. If there seem to be any health problems, consult your vet. When storms strike, you may not be able to get home immediately.

Therefore, it’s good to have a backup plan or person who can reach them. Make sure your backup person or neighbor has a list of your pet’s feeding and maintenance schedule and habits. If you utilize a pet service, determine whether they have any kind of available help during emergency situations.

Contact the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Red Cross for more detailed emergency information. Start getting ready now!