September – National Preparedness Month

Along with other preparedness internet sites, the websites of Ready.gov and Community.FEMA.gov are loaded with information, recommendations, and ideas for preparing and even practicing emergency procedures. This year, FEMA has broken down the month into weekly focuses on specific hazards. They encourage individuals to recognize and understand which disasters could happen in their local communities, and what to do to both be safe, and help mitigate damage. The themes are only a few of the potential disasters, so it is important to also acknowledge and have specific preparations for other disasters that could occur. Some examples include: tornadoes, straight-line wind damage, earthquakes, and blizzards.

Week 1: September 1^st – 5^th – Flood

Week 2: September 6^th – 12^th – Wildfire
Week 3: September 13^th – 19^th – Hurricane
Week 4: September 20^th – 26^th – Power Outage
Week 5: September 27^th – 30^th – Lead up to National PrepareAthon! Day (September 30^th)

Because no community is completely immune to potential disaster events, all Americans should, at the very minimum, take basic protective actions. These include: plans for physical safety (and knowing whether to seek shelter or evacuate), having an emergency supply kit, having family communications and action plans, and knowing how to receive emergency alerts and critical information. From there, families and individuals should focus on plans for specific disasters that are feasible in their area.

Physical safety: What to do depends on the hazard, and where you are when it strikes. A few examples… For tornados: cover should be sought in a basement, or in the lowest level interior room that can be found, away from doors, windows, and exterior walls. For earthquakes: drop to the ground, cover your head and neck, and hold onto something sturdy if possible. If you can, it is ideal to shelter under a piece of furniture or tight against an interior wall, away from falling objects. For floods: Getting to higher ground is the main goal, which may involve evacuation.

Emergency supply kits: water (1 gallon per person per day for a minimum of three days, for drinking and sanitation); food (at least three day supply of nonperishable); supplies of medications; battery-powered or hand-crank radio and a NOAA weather radio with tone alert and extra batteries; flashlight and batteries; first aid kit; whistle to signal for help; dust mask, plastic sheeting and duct tape (for sheltering in place); moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal hygiene; wrench or pliers to turn off utilities; manual can opener;cell phone with chargers (inverter or solar).