S1:E3 Dispatch Log: WayAround Your World — Smart Labeling for Crisis Prep

Show Notes

In this episode of Code Orange, host Marty Sobo sits down with Neva Fairchild from WayAround to explore how NFC tagging technology can empower blind and low-vision individuals in emergency preparedness. Neva explains how WayAround tags work with smartphones, including iPhone, Android, and BlindShell devices, to label and identify everything from important documents to medication, clothing, and go bags.
The conversation dives deep into using WayAround as a tool for creating, practicing, and updating evacuation and shelter-in-place plans. Neva highlights different tag types—stickers, buttons, magnets, and clips—and explains their practical use in real-world emergencies. She shares powerful personal stories of navigating fires, floods, and blackouts, underscoring the importance of practicing plans, rotating supplies, and preparing for both evacuation and shelter-in-place scenarios.
Listeners will come away with actionable strategies for building a well-equipped go bag, tagging critical information like IDs and insurance documents, preparing medication, and ensuring family-wide access to emergency plans. This episode makes clear that preparedness is not just about having supplies—it’s about rehearsing responses until they become second nature.

Contact Info
Guest:
Neva Fairchild — WayAround
Website: wayaround.com
Phone: [phone]
App: WayAround Tag and Scan (iOS & Android)

Aftersight:
Website: aftersight.org
Email: [e-mail]
Phone: [phone]
Producer: Jonathan Price

Show Credits
Host: Marty Sobo
Guest: Neva Fairchild
Producer: Jonathan Price
An Aftersight Original Podcast

Chapter Markers
00:01 — Code Orange intro
01:30 — What is WayAround and how it works
04:30 — Using tags to build and update emergency plans
07:00 — Different types of WayAround tags
09:20 — Everyday practice for emergency readiness
11:40 — Importance of planning and practicing as a family
13:50 — Sharing plans across devices and accounts
16:10 — What to pack in a go bag
18:30 — Medication rotation and tagging systems
20:40 — Solar chargers, radios, and light sources
23:00 — Pets, canes, and family communication during emergencies
25:00 — Protecting documents with dry bags and tags
27:40 — Redundancy: Dropbox, tags, and paper copies
30:00 — Personal story: panic during an office fire
32:30 — Fire drills, gyroscopes, and the buddy system
37:10 — California wildfires and unprepared evacuations
39:20 — Flood evacuations and lessons learned
41:30 — Shelter-in-place vs evacuation readiness
44:00 — Expiration dates, MREs, and tagging food supplies
46:00 — Closing thoughts and resources

What is Code Orange?

Code Orange is the disability-inclusive guide to emergency preparedness for the blind and low-vision community. Hosted by Marty Sobo, each episode turns fear into a plan: clear steps, practical checklists, and real-world stories from first responders, emergency managers, technologists, and blind advocates who’ve lived it. No hype—just what to do before, during, and after a crisis.

We cover evacuation and shelter-in-place, communication trees, accessible alerts, power and tech backups, mobility and wayfinding, medication and medical files, pets and service animals, travel, and community-level advocacy—so you’re not just prepared, you’re leading. Expect plain language, actionable takeaways you can use today, and links to resources you can share with family, neighbors, and local agencies.

Code Orange is an Aftersight Original.
Host: Marty Sobo
Producer: Jonathan Price
Feedback & questions: [e-mail]
Phone: [phone]