Be Prepared: Tips for Handling Disasters, Big or Small

Ashley Cisneros Mejia lives in Orlando and grew up on the Florida Panhandle, making her all too familiar with bad weather events. “It’s… a lot,” Mejia said.

As ASJA members in the southeastern U.S. recover from the damage caused by Hurricane Helene last week, it’s a reminder that the unexpected could happen at any moment. Writers need to be prepared in order to stay safe and continue working if they need to or get to a place where they can.

Mejia keeps an emergency “go kit” with clothes, water, and other supplies in her car so that if her family does need to evacuate, they can grab their laptops and go.

You may not need a go kit in your car, but there are other things you can do to meet an impending deadline while facing a potential power outage. If natural disasters have a more substantial effect on your ability to work, you can apply for a grant through ASJA’s Writers Emergency Assistance Funds (WEAF) program.

How to Prepare for Weather-Related Power Outages

After Hurricane Helene struck, I used the ASJA Facebook page to ask ASJA members for advice for preparing for similar disasters. Here’s what they shared:

Back up to the cloud every day. It’s probably happened to someone you know – their hard drive failed, they were hit by a sudden storm, or a power line in their neighborhood went down. Within a split second, valuable work disappeared into the ether. Using cloud-based backup is the safest way to ensure that your work is protected and accessible, no matter what the circumstances. ASJA member Liz Seegert recommends an off-site backup service like Backblaze, calling it “invaluable” in case of computer failure or damage. Seegert pays $99 for an annual subscription and said it gives her “immense peace of mind.”

Consider using an external hard drive. In addition to daily cloud backups, Ashley Cisneros Mejia backs up to an external hard drive weekly for extra piece of mind. She’s not alone. Several other ASJA members on the Facebook page mentioned external hard drives as a useful piece of support equipment.

Charge, charge, charge! If you know that incoming weather could cause you to lose power, take the proactive step of charging all your devices beforehand. That includes your laptop, phone, portable chargers, and any other devices you rely on.

Power down. Once your devices are charged, conserve how much you use them. When Hurricane Helene knocked power out where I live in Lexington, Kentucky, and I immediately switched my phone battery to ultra power-saving mode. That allowed me to send and receive calls or texts without wasting precious power on other apps until my power returned 30 hours later.

Use portable chargers. Many types of portable chargers are available to suit your every need. Mejia has a charger in her car with both plug and USB outlets so she can work out of her car, if needed. She also has a crank solar radio with USB outlets. ASJA member Nancy Peske keeps a backup charger in her purse.

Install a generator. ASJA member Sara Murphy, who lives in Asheville, North Carolina, lost power because of devastating floods caused by Helene. She’s been using a neighbor’s generator to keep her devices powered on as the area deals with the aftermath.  In areas that lose power on a regular basis, buying a generator may be a worthwhile investment. Louisville-based ASJA member Mark Ray has a natural-gas generator. Mejia uses a generator to power up one room in her house.

Print and store key info. Several ASJA members prepare by keeping printouts of key information on hand, including phone numbers and bank accounts. They suggest keeping documents in a binder in your car, or in a fire- and waterproof lockbox.

Know where to get help. You may not have access to a generator, but knowing where you can go to recharge devices can make life easier. While our power was out, my husband and I went to a local coworking space that still had it so we could work and charge our devices. If you know which parts of your town still have power, find a coffee shop, hotel lobby, or library in that vicinity to hang out for a while.

Don’t neglect your mental health. However prepared you are, an emergency or natural disaster can take a toll on your mental health. Sara Murphy said it’s difficult of think about work with everything else she has going on. Nancy Peske’s biggest concern “is my personal safety.” Taking care of your mental health is as or more important than being able to meet a deadline. Don’t be afraid to reach out to an editor and let them know you need a little more time. And don’t be afraid to reach out to ASJA colleagues for support and encouragement.

What to Know About WEAF Grants

Losing work during an emergency may be a temporary issue, but for writers, it still can be a source of worry you could do without. That’s where ASJA’s WEAF grants may be able to help.

WEAF was established in 1982 as the Llewellyn Miller Fund. Since then, ASJA has provided more than 160 grants totaling approximately $400,000 to freelancers who have become economically vulnerable because of an emergency.

WEAF exists to help professionals during times of crisis. “We all tend to think ‘I can pull through this on my own.’ But help is right there!” ASJA member Michele Wojciechowski wrote about WEAF assistance on the ASJA Facebook page.

ASJA has awarded nine WEAF grants in the past 12 months, according to a year-in-review recap that ASJA President Emily Paulsen shared at the 2024 conference. ASJA has awarded three grants in 2024, with several more under consideration. Current grants are capped at $1,000.

WEAF grantees do not have to be ASJA members, but must meet ASJA professional membership requirements. When ASJA receives an application, the membership committee reviews it first to ensure the applicant meets the requirements. If they do, their application is forwarded to the WEAF committee to evaluate. If the committee approves it, the application goes to the executive committee for final approval and ASJA Executive Director Dirk Lammers releases the funds. The entire process typically takes two to four weeks, according to ASJA Vice President Darcy Lewis.

Examples of cases that qualify for a WEAF grant include:

• A freelance writer with decades of experience who has become a full-time caretaker for a sick spouse.
• A writer dealing with insurance claims following a serious house fire.
• A journalist with illness that prevents them from working.
• A content marketer struggling to access financial assets after fleeing a domestic violence situation.

Lewis recommends that writers provide doctor letters, court orders, or other independent documentation of their situation with their application. “Make clear the connection between their crisis and a reduced income,” Lewis said.

Find more information and instructions for applying for a grant on the WEAF page on the ASJA website. Grants are funded by donations. Your contribution today can help a fellow freelancer tomorrow.

Fiona Young-Brown is an author, fact-checker, and editor of ASJA Confidential based in Lexington, KY. She is currently working on her first novel.