The Chatham Emergency Management Agency is encouraging residents to take time to prepare for small and large scale disasters during September, which is National Preparedness Month.
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Ready America campaign, National Preparedness Month was founded after 9/11 to increase awareness and encourage action for emergency preparedness nationwide.
“It is important for Chatham County residents to take time during National Preparedness Month to get disaster-ready,” said Clayton Scott, director of CEMA. “Taking a few easy proactive steps to prepare can help ensure the safety of you and your family in the event of an emergency.”
Here are some tips to making your home or business disaster-ready:
• Know How to Reconnect with Family After a Disaster — If you don’t already have a plan in place, take time during this week to create a plan and discuss it with your family. If you do have a plan, take time to revisit it and make adjustments as necessary. After the plan is created, be sure everyone has a clear understanding of all of the details.
• Plan for Specific Needs Before a Disaster — If there is someone in your family with unique needs, take time during this week to help them prepare. Consider pets, seniors or family members with special medical or functional needs and make sure they have all items they may need.
• Build an Emergency Kit — It is imperative that all Chatham County residents have enough supplies to last at least three days after a disaster. By creating a Ready profile on the Ready Georgia website, you can receive a tailored plan for the entire family that includes the specific amount of supplies to put in their household Ready kits.
• Practice for an Emergency — Now that you have the proper items and plans in place, it is time to practice. To avoid stress during the event of an emergency, Chatham County residents should take time this week to practice their plans with their family on what to do if disaster were to strike.
CEMA also offers free disaster preparedness training for residents through the Community Emergency Response Team training program. The next class is scheduled for October 4, 5 and 11.
To find out more about emergency preparedness in Chatham County you can log onto www.ChathamEmergency.org and sign up to receive email and text alerts when emergencies happen in Chatham County.