With this year’s theme of “Prepared Not Scared,” September is National Preparedness Month, coinciding with hurricane season to remind us that it’s smart to be prepared for emergencies/disasters. Richardson’s Office of Emergency Management offers numerous steps on its webpage and in community presentations that help individuals and families be ready for floods, fires, tornados and other emergencies, including:
- Practice a home fire escape plan by having a home fire drill at least twice a year with everyone in the home.
- Decide on a set meeting spot away from the home where family can meet in case of an emergency.
- Be prepared for a power outage by having enough food, water and meds to last for at least 72 hours (for water, that’s 1 gallon per person per day).
- Gather important documents like insurance and medical information and store them in a waterproof plastic bag. If cell phone/internet service is impaired, you can’t rely on digitally accessing this important information.
- Include children in disaster and emergency planning.
For more information, including a checklist of items to put into an emergency supply kit, visit www.cor.net/EM. To view a video about emergency preparedness produced by the City’s Communications Department, click here.
