When earthquakes, flooding, storms or other disasters hit home, are you prepared?
If not, now’s the time to take the first step toward being ready. September is National Preparedness Month, and this year, the focus is on turning awareness into action.
“It’s not enough to know what to do in an emergency – we need to take real steps to prepare ourselves and our families,” said Snohomish County Executive John Lovick. “If an earthquake or major storm hits and you’re trapped in your home, you should make sure that you have the resources you need to make it through.”
Preparing for an emergency doesn’t have to be overwhelming. The county Department of Emergency Management recommends taking one step each day toward emergency preparedness:
- Add one more item to your emergency kit. If you don’t have a kit, start one today
- Find local sources of information that will help you before, during and after an emergency
- Identify an out-of-area contact your household can notify in an emergency
- Buy or prepare nonperishable food and water Identify alternate routes to and from school or work
For more helpful tips and information about National Preparedness Month and the Ready Campaign, visit https://ready.gov or call 800-BE-READY. To see what Snohomish County is doing to prepare for emergencies, or get more information about local programs, contact Dara Salmon at 425-388-5071 or by email at dara.salmon@snoco.org. See the Snohomish Health District website, www.snohd.org or contact Suzanne Pate at 425-339-8704 or spate@snohd.org.
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