As this year’s National Preparedness Month wraps up, it’s a good time to reflect on the information that was highlighted in the past four weeks.
In addition, check out the resources and information provided at today’s Preparedness Fair, which will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Scott Student Plaza (or in the case of inclement weather, the Durham Outpatient Center atrium). The event will highlight disaster preparedness, response and recovery organizations throughout our community.
The Center for Preparedness Education is a valuable resource to utilize for all things preparedness and is housed right here on the UNMC campus. Local emergency managers also are a great resource for organizations within the community.
The presentation by Keith Hansen that kicked off the month’s events on campus highlighted several personal preparedness tips to help us prepare our families for a disaster:
- Remember to get a kit and make a plan.
- The kit should have enough supplies to last your family for three days.
- Having contact information written down if helpful in case your phone dies and you can’t get to important phone numbers.
- Designate a place for your family to meet near your home in case you need to evacuate the home, and also have a place out of town for family members to meet.
Looking at different scenarios, we considered how our families might respond during a disaster situation. Having that time to reflect on certain situations helped us to each imagine and plan further about how to prepare our own families.
Finally, we reflected on the recovery stages after a disaster situation and heard from Red Cross representative Jono Anzalone. Remember there are several ways to get involved to help with recovery efforts in the aftermath of disasters.
Also feel free to check out the Center for Preparedness Education on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn to see what we have been sharing and discussing not just throughout the month but all year round. There are some great resources and discussions occurring continuously.
Hopefully, the month’s activities have provided several useful tips on preparing your family for an emergency so that you don’t get caught unprepared.