September is National Preparedness Month. This month, Fountain Valley Fire Department, would like to remind you that we must prepare ourselves and our families now and throughout the year. The theme for this year’s National Preparedness Month is “Prepared, Not Scared”.
There are several simple things people can do to be prepared for a variety of emergencies. Here are a few:
Take time to learn lifesaving skills such as CPR and first aid.
Ensure your insurance is up to date for disasters you may face, such as earthquakes.
Learn practical safety steps. For example, learn how to shut off your water and gas in your home in case of an earthquake.
Download and install the FEMA App to learn emergency safety tips for over 20 types of disasters.
Red Cross has an app that allows users to instant access to information on handling the most common first aid emergencies.
Being prepared means having a plan. You and your family may not be together if disaster strikes, it is important to know how you’ll contact one another to reconnect. Ready.gov suggests these four steps:
- Put together a plan. Have a discussion with your family about how you will receive emergency alerts and warnings and how you will communicate with one another.
- Consider specific needs to your household (pets, medical supplies, dietary needs, etc.,).
- Fill out a Family Emergency Plan – You can download a template here.
- Practice your plan with your family/household.
Check out this great video from ready.gov on disaster preparedness. You can also get additional information and tips by visiting the Ready.gov site or the Red Cross site.
