Are you ready for the next calamity?

Ada City-County Emergency Management
September is National Preparedness Month. It is a time of increased outreach to the public on the issue of personal preparedness and family emergency planning. It is a time to realize that no matter where you live, disasters can happen.

Residents of the East Coast were certainly not expecting the 5.8 magnitude earthquake that struck on Aug. 23, 2011. The quake was centered in Virginia, a state that ranks 26th in the nation for earthquakes of 3.5 magnitude or greater.

Idaho is ranked sixth in the same category. But earthquake is just one example of why people should be prepared. Just three days after the earthquake, Hurricane Irene swept across the East Coast, causing evacuations, fatalities, flooding and wind damage. For every community in the United States it is not a question of "if a disaster is going to happen. Potential disasters to be prepared for include:

  • Extreme weather
  • Terrorism
  • Flood
  • Earthquake
  • Hazardous materials incidents
  • Wildfire
  • Drought
  • Landslide
  • Volcanic ash fall
  • Dam failure

For more information go to: http://www.accem.org/hazards.html

“If not now, when?"
Disasters happen, whether you are prepared for them or not. During major disasters, first responders work tirelessly to assist everyone they can only to find out that the needs are far greater than the resources available. The ability to take care of yourself and your family during a disaster means you won’t need to wait for help to arrive; it means you planned and prepared ahead of time. Now is the time to make those plans and build or buy that 72 hour kit. If you already have a plan and a kit, now is the time to practice the plan and review the kit.

No 72-hourr. kit, no plan? “How-to” information is available
For information on kits and developing plans go to: http://www.accem.org/familyprep.html
The web page links to a variety of brochures, manuals and checklists with information on designing and building family emergency plans and 72 hour kits. Group presentations are also available. Contact Ada City-County Emergency Management (ACCEM) at 577-4750 for a presentation on the potential local hazards and how to prepare for them. These presentations are done within Ada County at no charge for schools, businesses, neighborhood associations, apartment complexes, volunteer, faith based or other organizations.

Preparedness: There’s an app for that
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) currently has a Smart Phone preparedness application for Android Smart Phones and plans to have the app available for the Blackberry and iPhone in the coming weeks. Android users can download the app at: https://market.android.com/details?id=gov.fema.mobile.android The app allows the user to perform the following functions:

  • Volcanic Ash Fall For more information go to: http://www.accem.org/hazards.html
  • Check off the items you have in your family’s emergency kit
  • Enter your family emergency meeting locations
  • Review safety tips on what to do before, during and after a disaster
  • View a map of shelters and disaster recovery centers across the U.S.

FEMA In The Social Media
More information is available via Twitter and Facebook using these links: http://twitter.com/fema
http://www.facebook.com/FEMA

Published 9-9-2011