By Emily Miller
September is National Preparedness Month, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) encourages everyone to make disaster preparedness a priority.
“National Preparedness Month serves as a reminders that we all need to prepare for disasters and emergencies,” said FEMA Region V acting regional administrator, Janet Odeshoo in a press release.
The 2014 theme is “Be Disaster Aware, Take Action to Prepare” and runs throughout the entire month.
Severe weather and other emergencies can strike with little to no warning and can have disastrous impacts on one’s family and community.
“Make disaster readiness manageable by taking one step at a time – start by learning your specific risk, then gather supplies for an emergency kit, and finally develop a family communications plan,” said Odeshoo. “By taking small, but critical steps, over time you can be prepared for disasters.”
The Midwest has already experienced several waves of destructive storms and severe weather this year, including flooding in parts of Minnesota, hurricanes along the east coast and earthquakes in California.
Whether at home or on the go, everyone should learn the steps necessary to make preparedness part of their everyday life.
“As a nation we are seeing disasters increase in their size and complexity, and they are occurring with greater frequency,” said Odeshoo. “The impacts of these events are a reminder that everyone should be prepared for the hazards faced in their communities or even while traveling.”
Make preparedness for your family a priority today while also encouraging your community to do the same. Owning a homeowner’s insurance policy is the first step for securing your family’s well being in-case something were to happen.
But you shouldn’t stop there.
Throughout the month of September, FEMA will offer tips to help you be disaster ready, including a list of items you will want in your emergency kit.
