Gear Up for National Preparedness Month in September

September is National Preparedness Month, so what better time to take advantage of resources that are available to help prepare for the next disaster? Recently, Californians have all witnessed the devastation of wildfires burning throughout California, earthquakes and flooding. The San Bernardino County Fire Department reminds residents that preparedness is a year-round activity. Building community resilience requires close coordination with government, emergency managers, public and private sectors, as well as individuals to plan for the needs of the whole community. The goal is to engage the public to make preparedness a part of their daily lives and not just for one single month. Launched in 2004, National Preparedness Month (NPM) is FEMA’s national annual preparedness outreach program managed and sponsored by FEMA’s Ready Campaign. Ask individuals to do four key things: 1. Be informed about the different types of emergencies that could occur and the appropriate responses. 2. Make a family emergency plan. 3. Build an emergency supply kit. 4. Get involved in community efforts. National Preparedness Month has partnered with America's PrepareAthon!, which is an opportunity for individuals, organizations, and communities to prepare for specific hazards through drills, group discussions, and exercises. The National Day of Action is scheduled for Sept. 30, and will revolve around taking the actions to prepare for these six specific hazards: 1. Earthquake 2. Flood 3. Hurricane 4. Tornado 5. Wildfire 6. Winter Storm The goal of this campaign is to increase the number of individuals who: - Understand which disasters could happen in their community - Know what to do to be safe and mitigate damage - Take action to increase their preparedness - Participate in community resilience planning Jurisdictions throughout the County are providing the opportunity for their communities to “Don’t Wait – Communicate – Make Your Emergency Plan Today." On Sept. 13, 2011, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors approved a five-year proclamation, proclaiming September National Preparedness Month in the County of San Bernardino, encouraging all citizens and businesses in San Bernardino County to develop their own emergency preparedness plan and work together toward creating a more prepared society.