Issue #69
Last Update October 31, 2010
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Technology National Preparedness Month by David Katz July 20, 2010 September is National Preparedness Month. The brainchild of FEMA, with cooperation from the Ad Council and state and local governments, National Preparedness Month is intended to increase awareness of disaster preparedness amongst ordinary people. This is not an alarmist undertaking; it merely reminds people that natural and man-made situations may arise that disrupt everyday life, and that a modicum of forethought can lessen the impact of the emergency. Terrorist acts like 9/11 aside, nature and corporations have given us enough recent examples, from Hurricane Katrina to the BP Gulf oil disaster, to warrant each of us spending a little time and energy on this.
The web site ready.gov provides useful hints on how to do this kind of family (and small business) planning. Available in a variety of languages, this web site has separate sections for families, small businesses, and kids. A three-step process is advocated: get a kit, make a plan, be informed.
Get a kit refers to putting together a stash of emergency supplies that will enable the family to survive on its own for several days if normal services are disrupted. Included in this list are such items as food, water, first aid supplies, a small stock of medications for those needing pharmaceuticals on a daily basis, emergency lighting (candles, flashlights, etc.), important family documents, and many other things. The list includes those items needed if you are isolated at home ("shelter in place"), and items needed if you are forced to evacuate your home.
Make a plan refers to creating a plan of what to do in an emergency, and making sure family members understand it. This includes designating an out of town contact to be the one to get and disseminate information if family members are scattered and local communication is difficult; designating a meeting point if the family is scattered and the home is not available; determining how the decision to stay or evacuate will be made; and teaching family members how to get emergency condition updates.
Be informed is an admonition to become familiar with local governmental emergency planning, evacuation routes, shelters and other facts. Much planning has been done to ensure an adequate governmental emergency response to such conditions, as floods, forest fires, tornados, hurricanes, pandemics and earthquakes, depending on the region of the country.
One of the most useful aspects of the ready.gov web site is its links to other planning resources and events, which offer assistance for everything from knowing what should go into your emergency kit to how to get the latest weather information. Putting a little effort into emergency planning could pay big dividends if a disaster strikes.
New York Stringer is published by NYStringer.com. For all communications, contact David Katz, Editor and Publisher, at david@nystringer.com