FAQs
Q: What are your company’s values? What do you stand for?
At Black Umbrella, we believe in making people, families, and communities more resilient. Our company values reflect this mission and guide our recruitment and training efforts. We prioritize confidence over fear, protection, and meticulousness. We know that having a plan in advance builds confidence in the face of unexpected events. We safeguard our clients' information, choices, and privacy as if it were our own. And we bring meticulous attention to detail to every aspect of the process.
Q: How does the process work?
Once you become a client, one of our specialists will visit you for a Level I plan, which takes about 90 minutes. For Level II plans and above, additional visits will be scheduled. No visit lasts longer than two hours unless you request additional time. Within 14 days of each visit, you will receive the customized deliverables that you and the specialist created together. Your specialist is always available to answer questions or return to your home to help with additional preparedness tasks.
Q: Can’t I make an Emergency/Safety Plan or Go Bags on my own?
Of course, you can use free resources to make your own plan. If you have the time, you can also analyze, research, buy, and pack your own kits. However, our clients find it easier to purchase our pre-made kits, which save time and provide expert product testing and curation for each item.
Q: How can I work for Black Umbrella?
If you're interested in working as a Black Umbrella tactical specialist in your area, submit your request on our Contact Us page. Keep in mind that we receive many applications and look for candidates who share our company values. Experience as a first responder or in emergency management is a plus but not required.
Q: Where does the name come from?
The umbrella is an ancient technology that symbolizes protection and special status in many cultures worldwide. At Black Umbrella, we build Emergency/Safety Plans that serve as an umbrella for a different kind of bad day. We've been doing this since 2009, helping families prepare for the unexpected.
Q: Does having a plan really matter? Can’t I just wing it?
Our brains work differently in a crisis, and building a plan with Black Umbrella helps you memorialize clear thinking and best actions in advance. Making a plan is easy and doesn't take much time, and it increases your odds of survival in any disaster. Just like you wouldn't drive without your seatbelt or buy a home without insurance, having a Black Umbrella plan is better than "winging it."
Q: If you could have one survival tool in a disaster, what would it be?
The best survival tool is a prepared mind, not a fixed blade knife or fire-making kit. Our process is designed to give our clients the prepared mind they need to face unexpected events in doses both large and small. Training trumps tools every time.