“Now’s the Time. Resolve to be Ready in 2009”

By Erin Streeter, Director, Ready Campaign

Planning is a daily part of our routine. We plan our holiday activities, weekend activities and grocery store visits. We plan our children’s schedules and daily tasks. And, without a doubt, endless lists often follow. There is one particular list that deserves to be checked twice – and it’s not your holiday shopping list. We’re talking about reviewing your emergency preparedness checklist and developing an emergency preparedness plan for your family.

The Ready Campaign encourages you to take a few extra minutes at the beginning of this new year to plan in case of an emergency. Consider the following questions: Have you spoken to your children’s schools about their shelter-in-place and/or evacuation plans?; Do you know the evacuation plan at work?; If your cell phone was inoperable how would you get in touch with your family?; Do you have a family meeting place and an out-of-town contact? These are just a few of the questions you should consider as you are developing your emergency plan.

Free preparedness resources, such as a Family Emergency Plan template and an Emergency Supply Kit Checklist are just a click away at www.Ready.gov or www.listo.gov. The Ready Web site also has a special section for kids, ages 8-12, (Ready Kids) and small- to medium-sized businesses (Ready Business). Be sure to check it out – print out your emergency plan template and emergency supply kit list and begin planning with your family today.

Emergencies will happen, but taking action now can help us minimize the impact they will have on our lives. Remember, Now’s the Time. Resolve to be Ready in 2009.

PREPAREDNESS TIPS

For Families:

• Get an emergency supply kit. Be sure to consider additional items to accommodate family members’ special needs:
• Prescription medications and glasses
• Infant formula and diapers
• Pet food, extra water for your pet, leash and collar
• Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container
• Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children
• Make sure your family has a plan in case of an emergency. Before an emergency happens, sit down together and decide how you will get in contact with each other, where you will go and what you will do in an emergency.
• Determine a neighborhood meeting place, a regional meeting place and an evacuation location.
• Identify an out-of-town emergency contact. It may be easier to make a long-distance phone call than to call across town, so an out-of-town contact is important to help communicate among separated family members. Be sure every member of your family knows the out-of-town phone number and has coins or a prepaid phone card to call the emergency contact. You may have trouble getting through, or the telephone system may be down altogether, but be patient.
• You may also want to inquire about emergency plans at places where your family spends time, such as a place of employment. If no plans exist, consider volunteering to help create one.
• Talk to your neighbors about how you can work together in the event of an emergency. You will be better prepared to safely reunite your family and loved ones during an emergency if you think ahead and communicate with others in advance.

For Parents:

If you are a parent, or guardian of an elderly or disabled individual, make sure schools and care providers have emergency response plans:

· Ask how they will communicate with families during a crisis.

· Ask if they store adequate food, water and other basic supplies.

· Find out if they are prepared to "shelter-in-place" if need be, and where they plan to go if they must get away.

For Workplaces:

• Take a critical look at your heating, ventilation and air conditioning system to determine if it is secure or if it could feasibly be upgraded to better filter potential contaminants, and be sure you know how to turn it off if you need to.
• Think about what to do if your employees can't go home.
• Make sure you have appropriate supplies on-hand.

For Communities:

• Find out what kinds of disasters, both natural and man-made, are most likely to occur in your area and how you will be notified. Methods of getting your attention vary from community to community. One common method is to broadcast via emergency radio and TV broadcasts. You might hear a special siren, or get a telephone call, or emergency workers may go door-to-door. Contact a nearby Citizen Corps Council for help with emergency planning, or work with your local government and emergency management office to help start a Council in your area. Visit citizencorps.gov to find local Councils or learn how to start one in your community.

For additional tips and information, visit www.ready.gov