Be Prepared: Emergency Preparedness Month

By: FEMA
 
DELAND, Fla. - Sept. 12, 2014 - PRLog -- Are you prepared for an extreme weather condition in Florida? A survey by the Persuadable Research Corporation found that the majority of Americans are not prepared for a disaster or emergency situation. According to the survey, about 38 percent of respondents said that they had not given a crisis much thought, while 48 percent said they lacked the money to prepare for their personal or town safety. About 15 percent stated that they just do not have time. One-fifth of the respondents declared that if a disaster struck their community they would "just wing it." We can help by promoting awareness through 2014 National Emergency Preparedness Month sponsored by FEMA.  According to Reed Markham, a FEMA National Preparedness Coalition members and faculty at Daytona State College, “Central Floridians need to take the time to prepare for an extreme weather emergency.”

Hurricanes can strike without warning. Most Florida residents do not typically take tropical storms or tropical depressions very seriously. They look at these storms as events that dump a lot of rain and give broadcasters something to talk about. Tropical Storm Debby left quite a few Florida counties dotted with sinkholes, as well as many residents displaced until flooding receded; in some northern parts of Florida, floodwater even reached the rooftops of homes. According to an Adelphi University Center for Health Innovation poll, 44 percent of Americans polled don't have first-aid kits, 48 percent lack emergency supplies and 53 percent do not have a minimum three-day supply. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark. The time to prepare is now.

Here are five storm preparation tips to help you and your families: 1. Do a Photo Journal of Your Possessions. Take the prints or disk holding the pictures, double bag them in zip-loc baggies and place in a safe place such as a fire safe, weather-proof safe or lock box, or a safety deposit box. 2. Gather All Insurance Paperwork. Place your home and car policy paperwork in the same safe place you plan on keeping the photos of your house. 3. Formulate an Insurance Plan. Before safely locking your insurance policy away, make sure you have important phone numbers placed inside as well. 4. Prepare a Storm Preparation Kit. Most supermarkets and grocery stores have either prepared their own checklist of items to put inside the kit or will provide a list prepared by the Red Cross or National Hurricane Center. 5. Have An Evacuation Plan.

One of the most crucial parts of disaster preparation is having a plan. For example, designate a place or places where members of your family should go if they get separated from you. This narrows down the amount of places you will need to look for them. Lake County has identified schools as evacuation sites. Umatilla Elementary on Lake Street is the designated shelter for this area. In addition, spend some time discussing your hurricane preparation plan. Take first aid, CPR and disaster preparedness classes. Check radio and television reports during severe-weather events. Make sure your NOAA weather alert radio is always on and you have a texting plan on your cell phone. Finally, be ready to act when called upon by local officials.

The 2014 National Preparedness Month theme is: “Be Disaster Aware, Take Action to Prepare,”

Contact
Reed Markham
***@daytonastate.edu
End
Source:FEMA
Email:***@daytonastate.edu Email Verified
Tags:Emergency Preparedness, Extreme Weather, Fema, Weather Conditions
Industry:Environment, Family
Location:Deland - Florida - United States
Subject:Events
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