| National Preparedness Month was initiated by the | | | | emergency shelters. You may have to search |
| Department of Homeland Security in September | | | | around for this. Some areas are more prepared |
| 2003. This month stresses the need for | | | | than others. Here are some search suggestions: |
| emergency thinking. According to DHS large | | | | County Health Department, County American Red |
| percentages of the general population don't have | | | | Cross, County Office of Emergency, and National |
| home plans, and many that do, have not | | | | Weather Service Forecast office - your city. |
| practiced any home evacuation plans. Very few | | | | Have more than one form of communication for |
| know about their community's evacuation routes | | | | your family to find each other. Pick an out of |
| and shelters. | | | | town contact and make sure the whole family |
| A prepared community begins with each individual | | | | has the phone number. Mark this number with ICE |
| home. The biggest liabilities a community will have | | | | (in case of emergency). Emergency workers |
| are unprepared and panicky people. So start with | | | | check phones for this listing. Have for all family |
| your family, than your workplace and their plans, | | | | members: cell phone, prepaid phone card, change. |
| and other places you go and may get caught at. | | | | Know how to text - sometimes texts get thru |
| Ready America and the American Red Cross lead | | | | while calls don't. |
| this crusade. You will see their key phrases all | | | | For links and much more information on |
| throughout the month. The more these steps are | | | | everything mentioned here go to Ready America. |
| publicized, the more prepared the masses will be. | | | | This month is also a time for the government to |
| Get a kit. Make a plan. Be informed. | | | | go over its own disaster plans large scale. If you |
| Get involved. | | | | want to glimpse the bigger picture just Google the |
| The first place to start is finding out what a kit is. | | | | four National Preparedness Guidelines: |
| Think in levels: immediate, 72 hour needs, one | | | | |
| month needs, three month needs, long term | | | | 1. The national preparedness vision, which provides |
| needs. All of these are important but this month is | | | | a concise statement of the core preparedness |
| aimed more at the handling of the incident itself | | | | goal for the nation. |
| and the immediate aftermath. You will find plenty | | | | 2. The fifteen National Planning Scenarios, which |
| of detailed information from Ready America | | | | collectively depict the broad range of natural and |
| campaign and FEMA. | | | | man-made threats facing our nation and guide |
| Getting the kit ready involves organized thinking. | | | | overall homeland security planning efforts at all |
| You will be collecting water, food, first aid needs, | | | | levels of government and with the private sector. |
| NOAA Radio, basic tools, batteries, family | | | | They form the basis for national planning, training, |
| paperwork ( birth and marriage records, insurance, | | | | investments and exercises needed to prepare for |
| property titles, basic bank info, bedding, clothing, | | | | emergencies of all types. |
| eyewear, entertainment, and the list does go on. | | | | 3. Universal Task List (UTL), which is a menu of |
| The kit is easy, but you can surely see that you | | | | some 1,600 unique tasks that can facilitate efforts |
| will not be able to throw this together at the | | | | to prevent, protect against, respond to and |
| first sign of trouble, even if you have a few | | | | recover from the major events that are |
| hours notice. If a crisis is announced you will be | | | | represented by the National Planning Scenarios. |
| competing with everyone else at the stores. | | | | Although no single entity will perform every task, |
| The plan is you and your family's lifeboat. Make | | | | the UTL presents a common language and |
| two plans: whole family is home and family is | | | | vocabulary that supports all efforts to coordinate |
| spread around town. At the moment of impact | | | | national preparedness activities. |
| the decision will be to stay or leave wherever you | | | | 4. Target Capabilities List (TCL), which defines 37 |
| are. To decide, know your home's escape routes | | | | specific capabilities that states and communities |
| or safe interior spots. Know the same for schools | | | | and the private sector should collectively develop |
| or workplaces. Plan for any special needs your | | | | in order to respond effectively to disasters. |
| family may have. Nearly 20 percent of survey | | | | Looking at what the government defines as |
| respondents reported having a disability that | | | | pertinent will apply to your preparation as well. So |
| would affect their capacity to respond to an | | | | use this month to do what you most likely have |
| emergency situation, but shockingly only 25% of | | | | put off or not even considered. Have fun with |
| these people had made arrangements specific to | | | | your family and community in your preparation. |
| their disability to help them respond safely in the | | | | After you are prepared, consider participating in |
| event of an emergency. | | | | your local area's efforts. |
| Find out your city or county evacuation plans and | | | | And don't forget your toothbrush. |