Disasters can strike at any time — from earthquakes to typhoons to terrorist attacks like those that occurred on 9/11 10 years ago. National Preparedness Month provides our community with the opportunity to both remember the victims and honor those who responded, and to make a renewed commitment to being better prepared for the future.
“We all must do what we can to prepare our families and make our communities ready for the next emergency,” said J.D. Tenorio. “Everyone can take three key action steps to get started: build a kit, make a plan, and be informed.”
Emergency preparedness kits should include enough supplies for at least three days in case you have to evacuate. Water (one gallon, per person, per day), nonperishable food, a flashlight, battery-powered or hand-crank radio, extra batteries, a first aid kit, a 7-day supply of medications, sanitation and personal hygiene items and copies of important personal documents should go in every kit. The Red Cross also recommends having at least two weeks worth of supplies at home. A variety of emergency preparedness kits, first aid kits and other supplies are available at www.redcrossstore.org.
All members of the household should work together on an emergency plan. Designate a meeting place right outside your home in case of a sudden emergency like a fire. Each person should know how to reach other members of the household. The plan should also include an out-of-area emergency contact person, and a location where everyone should meet if they can’t go home.
