Based on stories/lessons learned from your colleagues and co-workers.

Technological Failures

If you are dependent on technology, you can be left vulnerable and frustrated when it fails. Be sure to have low-tech and no-tech back-up plans for your critical technology. Example: have a printed list of key phone numbers and a phone card (or roll of quarters) as a low-tech back-up if your cell phone fails.

Brainstorm some low-tech solutions to high-tech failures -- before you need them!

Lessons Learned by Senior Services' co-workers:

"..I one day realized that I don't KNOW my family and friend's phone numbers by heart!! I always use my cell phone to dial the numbers. So I wrote everyone's number down and keep it in my wallet, just in case my phone dies or I lose it or whatever..."

"..We have a cell phone used only for emergencies, so we hardly ever make sure it's charged...When we lost power to the house for ten days, it was too late then to charge the phone in order to stay in touch..So much for using the cell phone for emergencies! And Mapquest isn't of much use for getting directions when you can't log onto a computer - needed to resort to plain old map-reading"

From your colleagues and co-workers... and firstvictims.org.