September is National Preparedness Month, a time dedicated to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that can happen at any time.
This week’s focus is talking to your friends and family about how you will communicate before, during, and after a disaster. Your family may not be together when a disaster strikes so it is important to plan in advance. And while you may have made a plan in years past, it’s always a good idea to review and refresh your plan based on changes in your household and community.
Here are some things you can do to be better prepared:
- Establish how you will get to a safe place, how you will contact one another, where you might meet and what you will do in different situations.
- Make sure you are signed up for emergency alerts from local and national agencies to stay informed.
- When thinking about your plan, be sure to consider the special needs of children, older adults, individuals with functional and access needs and even your pets.
- Make sure to update your plan based on the Centers for Disease Control recommendations due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
