Local agencies remind community to be ready for emergencies and disasters
–September is National Preparedness Month, a time to focus on getting ready for emergencies and disasters. Disasters frequently strike in the U.S. – wildfires, hurricanes, tornados, winter storms, floods, riots, power outages, earthquakes, and more. Preparing for them protects you, your family, and your community. By knowing which types of disasters could affect your area and preparing for them, you could protect your home, reduce injuries, and even save lives.
The North San Luis Obispo County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and the Paso Robles City Fire Department want to be sure local residents are aware of the severe threat of wildfire, that the pandemic is still with us, and there is always the possibility of an earthquake. Each week in September they will focus on a different aspect of preparedness on local media and their web sites, and social media. There many things to do to prepare for disaster, here are a few.
Register with the County of San Luis Obispo to receive their emergency alerts, and PG&E to receive power shut-off notices. Be sure that you can receive national alerts by the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) and Emergency Alert System (EAS) networks.
Make a Family Emergency Communications Plan, and establish a family meeting place that’s familiar and easy to find. Chances are you may be separated from other members of your family due to work, school, sports, or social activities, and you need to know how to connect with one another.
Build a kit by gathering supplies that will last for several days after a disaster for everyone in your home. Tailor your supplies to your specific daily living needs. Don’t forget to consider the unique needs each person or pet may have in case you have to evacuate.
Make your home safer by taking actions that can mitigate the impact a disaster might have on your home. Clearing vegetation away from your house, protecting roof vents and other openings from flying embers, and using fire-resistant siding such as stucco are some ways you can harden your home against wildfire.
Teach youth about preparedness by talking to your kids about how to get ready for disasters and what to do in case you are separated. Reassure them by providing information about how they can get involved.
More information on how to prepare for disasters can be found by visiting NorthSLOCountyCERT.org, PRCity.com, Ready.gov, NFPA.org, and redcross.org.
