In the name of National Preparedness Month, ACS would like to ask the Military Community a valuable question, are you prepared? Are you and/or your family prepared for a natural disaster, wild fire, hurricane, or an earthquake? Do you have a preparedness tool kit filled with essential items or a reliable safe haven/shelter? If you do not know the answer to these questions, ACS would like to provide you with some tools for you to stay aware and prepared.
Four crucial components exist to being prepared. They are staying informed, making a plan, building a kit, and getting involved. You can stay informed by connecting to emergency alerts systems to stay abreast of current events and weather cautions in your region. Always on the go? Sign up for Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA). Wireless Emergency Alerts send free text messages regarding surrounding disasters in your area, severe weather, and AMBER alerts. To find out more about WEA visit CTIA The Wireless Association.
Once you are informed, you must plan. Planning involves evaluating your risks and hazards. By assessing the potential risks and past predicaments, you can begin to construct a concrete and thorough plan. Get in touch with your local government’s emergency department for a copy of their outlined risks and emergency strategies.
Within each plan, there should be a spot for a preparedness kit. This particular kit is an assortment of fundamental items your household may need in case of an emergency. Click here for a list of items needed to complete your kit. After you have composed your preparedness kit, you must maintain it. What items do you have in your toolkit? Do you have anything unique? Let ACS know! Staying knowledgeable of existing disasters and updating your kit accordingly is a great way to preserve your kit for an upcoming crisis
Customizing your family needs when planning for future emergencies is crucial, especially if you have children. First, get the kids involved! Try creating a fun family game night where you can sit down with your kids and discuss preparation and the importance of being prepared. Don’t forget to include a kit with specialized items just for kids. If you have young ones or infants make sure your family preparedness kit includes powdered milk, diapers, baby wipes, and other child necessities. Another great idea is to pack your kit with kid-comfort ensuring items such as stuffed animals, puzzles, books, or games. Contact your child’s school, and ask about their emergency plans and procedures. In the event a parent can’t be reached, your children should always have an emergency contact. Each one of these tips can help prepare your family for possible disaster. Visit Disaster Preparedness Tips for Parents to learn more tips!
Have Pets? Watch the “Preparing Makes Sense for Pet Owners” video. This four-minute video gives great preparation guidelines for pets in extreme situations. Pets are part of the family, so remember to set some time aside to plan for them too. Make sure your tactics are composed of shelter options, veterinarian contact info, and transportation arrangements for each pet. Build a separate preparedness kit for your animals and include critical items such as pet food, food dishes, medical records, and water. Check out your local communities’ emergency plans for safeguarding pets. And lastly, go to ready.gov to read about “Caring for Animals” and to learn more about pet preparedness.
Now that we have gotten the basics out of the way, tell us about an emergency where you planned effectively. What specific methods did you use? What outlets do you use to find out about emergency situations? Let’s Talk!
Need more information on how to be prepared? Visit www.ready.gov to take your preparation to the next level.
**Links to external and non-DoD resources are posted in the common interest to the military community and does not imply Department of Defense endorsement of a commercial entity.**
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