ATLANTA – Create a lasting legacy for yourself and your family. Prepare now for future disasters.
September is National Preparedness Month, a reminder of the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time. FEMA is working to ensure that all communities and populations have access to information about how to prepare.
“It is vital for everyone to prepare for disasters and other unexpected events,” said Gracia B. Szczech, Regional Administrator for FEMA’s Region 4. “Everyone should take steps to prepare for emergencies at home, school, work and places of worship.”
Make a plan today. Having a plan before disaster strikes can help you save precious time and money. Your family may not be together if a disaster strikes, so it is important to know which types of disasters could affect your area. Know how you’ll contact one another and reconnect if separated. Establish a family meeting place that’s familiar and easy to find. Ask yourself: How will I receive emergency alerts and warnings? What is my shelter plan? What is my evacuation route? What is my family/household communication plan? Do I need to update my emergency preparedness kit?
Help your children be prepared. On Ready.gov or Listo.gov you will find tools to help kids become a Disaster Master. You will meet Pedro the Penguin, who will teach kids all about staying safe.
Secure your financial legacy: If a disaster strikes, having insurance for your home or business property is the best way to ensure you will have the necessary financial resources to help you repair, rebuild or replace whatever is damaged. Yet more than half of all homeowners in the United States do not carry adequate homeowner’s insurance to replace their home and its contents should a catastrophic loss occur. Flood insurance is an important resource that covers damage not included in most homeowner’s policies. Contact an insurance agent or visit FloodSmart.gov to learn more about coverage under the National Flood Insurance Program.
Get involved in your community: During disaster response, affected communities depend heavily on local and national volunteer organizations to provide trained volunteers and donated supplies. Get involved today by donating to or volunteering with a reputable organization of your choice through the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (NVOAD). Join a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program and get trained on basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations.
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