ITD participates in preparedness activities As the seventh annual National Preparedness Month (NPM) concludes, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reminds citizens of the importance of emergency preparedness throughout the year. NPM, sponsored by the Ready Campaign and Citizen Corps, is observed each September, encouraging Americans to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses and communities. ITD participated in the monthly observance by sponsoring a Sept. 15 workshop at Headquarters. Speakers provided an overview of potential disasters, developing family communications procedures and creating a family plan and preparedness kit. ITD’s employee safety office sponsored the session. More than 4,800 organizations joined the Ready Campaign as NPM Coalition Members, committing to promote emergency preparedness by hosting events and other activities in their communities. Coalition members encourage the public to create a family plan, get an emergency kit and be informed about the different types of emergencies that could occur in their area and their appropriate responses. The 2010 campaign also reached out to more than 3 million employees in the business community, 2,445 Citizen Corps Councils, 3,514 Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), 27 Citizen Corps partners and affiliates, and countless individuals and families across the nation. These partners worked to bring government and community leaders together to involve citizens in all-hazards emergency preparedness and resilience. "We made important strides during National Preparedness Month this year, reaching more Americans than ever before. But the real test is: Are we better prepared?" said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. "We all know that emergencies can happen anytime and anywhere, and we need to continue to focus each and every day on getting the public ready and aware of all hazards. “The public is an essential member of the nation's emergency management team, and preparedness is crucial to the success of any emergency response. The more prepared we are now, the better off we'll be after disaster strikes." The 2010 National Preparedness Month included:
FEMA's Private Sector Division sponsored 40 initiatives on business preparedness around the country, working with Target, Home Depot, WalMart and many others to communicate preparedness information to more than three million employees. FEMA's Office of Disability Integration and Coordination hosted "Getting Real - The 2010 Inclusive Emergency Management National Capacity Building Training Conference." This three-day interactive training conference brought disability and emergency management community leaders together from across the country to build national capacity for inclusive emergency management practices. For more information on the Ready Campaign and NPM, please visit www.Ready.gov or www.Listo.gov. Information is also available by phone at 1-800-BE-READY or 1-888-SE-LISTO. Published 10-15-2010 |