September is the month dedicated to educating and preparing the people of our country to be able to properly handle and deal with natural disasters like floods, wildfires, earthquakes and hurricanes.
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The theme last year was “Don’t Wait, Communicate. Make Your Emergency Plan Today” and due to its success, it will be used again this year with an emphasis on equipping the youth, the elderly and the disabled with vital information on what they should do during an emergency.
Community involvement
In case of any disaster, it is important for the community to work together. Those who can should help and volunteer in any way possible. If you are wondering where you can be of service, here are a few examples of organizations which use volunteers:
- Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT). With CERT basic disaster response training, such as light search, fire safety, and disaster medical aid you can provide invaluable help.
- American Red Cross. Your local American Red Cross Chapter can give you training in basic first aid and volunteering to help in care and sheltering during disasters.
Taking Action On National Preparedness Day
Before disaster strikes, it’s important to understand what actions need to be taken. You can do this by participating in various activities on National Preparedness Day by finding out the kind of activities happening in your community or by connecting with other communities.
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- The first thing to do is find activities happening in your area and sign up for them!
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- One of the easiest steps to prepare yourself for any disaster is to stay alert about any disasters occurring in your area by downloading disaster alerting apps.
- As you will be collaborating with your family and community be sure to make communication plans and test them out so that you are all able to help each other when the time comes and be sure to make a plan to regroup and meet up.
- Another very important step is to have emergency supplies ready on hand. Have a first aid kit, food, water and electronics ready beforehand so that you don’t waste any time at the last minute trying to scramble together the necessities.
- It is extremely important to carry out drills and National Preparedness Day is the perfect time to do so and get the whole community involved. Try to find faults in the drill and see how you can improve it.
Be Aware and Vigilant About Emergencies
Stay informed about the kind of emergencies that occur around you and be sure to find out if it’s likely to affect your area so you can be prepared. Keep up to date with the news, be sure to check for WEA messages, you can even install disaster alerting apps or contact emergency services to stay informed.
