National Preparedness Month (NPM) is recognized each September to promote family and community disaster and emergency planning now and throughout the year. It’s an opportunity to remind us that we all must prepare ourselves and our families for when an emergency happens. This year’s NPM will focus on that planning, with an overarching theme: Prepared, Not Scared.
Locally, Richland Public Health is ready with resources to help.
The goal of NPM is to increase the overall number of individuals, families, and communities that engage in preparedness actions at home, work, business, school, and place of worship. All individuals should take time to learn lifesaving skills such as CPR and first aid, and check insurance policies and coverage for the hazards you may face, such as flood, earthquakes, and tornadoes. Make sure to consider the costs associated with disasters and save for an emergency. Also, know how to take practical safety steps like shutting off water and gas.
The devastating hurricanes of the past few years and wildfires of 2018 and 2019 have reminded the nation of the importance of preparing for disasters. Often, we will be the first ones in our communities to take action after a disaster strikes and before first responders arrive, so it is important to prepare in advance to help yourself and your community.
The website www.ready.gov (link: www.ready.gov) is an excellent tool for preparedness information with information and links to additional resources. There you’ll find information on how to make a disaster or emergency plan.
Richland Public Health also has plenty of local disaster preparedness information (link: https://richlandhealth.org/home-health/emergency-preparedness/). Here you will find an alphabetical listing of 60 downloadable PDF documents from the American Public Health Association (APHA) covering a variety of Emergency Preparedness issues.
Also on that site you will find a link to the Richland Public Health Emergency Response Plan, created along with the Shelby City Health Department. This plan was approved by the Ohio Department of Health as part of Ohio’s Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP).
*NPM is sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) “Ready Campaign” in partnership with Citizen Corps to encourage Americans to make sure they are prepared for disasters or emergencies in their homes, businesses, and communities.
Source: Richland Public Health
