National Preparedness Month - September 2011
Local Organizations Work Together to Promote Emergency Preparedness
(BINGHAMTON, NY) – September is Emergency Preparedness Month, a good time to remind Broome County residents to always be prepared for an emergency.
The Broome County Health Department and the New York State Citizens Preparedness Program are teaming up with Opportunities for Broome, Inc. (OFB) to help the families they serve prepare for worst case scenario disasters.
Although disasters do not occur often in Broome County, experience has taught us that our community is not immune from them. We live in an area where there has been extensive flooding and, during the cold winter months, we could easily be victims of widespread power outages caused by winter storms.
“We can never tell when an emergency is going to happen. That’s why it is important to be prepared,” said Mary Ann Novitske, Family and Community Partnership Coordinator at Opportunities for Broome, Inc.
Novitske grew up in a military family where disaster preparedness was a part of her everyday life. Everyone in the family had a canvas bag under their bed with their most important items in it. “If we ever had to evacuate, we were able to grab our emergency bag and leave quickly,” Novitske said.
Robert Henrich, Southern Tier Regional Coordinator, New York State Citizens Preparedness Program, encourages families to make preparedness a priority. “Families should regularly review plans for emergencies and reserve food items, water and first aid supplies to ensure safety during an emergency.”
Depending on the size and scale of a disaster, local responders and relief workers may not be able to reach you immediately. Basic services you rely on everyday—such as gas, electricity, water, sewage, and telephone could be unavailable for days or even weeks. Depending on the type of disaster, it may be days before resources are immediately available to you including electricity. You may find yourself in your home without many services or you may go to a congregate shelter. Either way, you should have a plan in place for emergencies so that you know what to do if you or your family members get separated. Additionally, it is important to set aside some basic supplies to help you survive, as well as means to get emergency information such as open shelters or evacuation orders.
In collaboration with the Broome County Health Department and the New York State Citizen Preparedness Program, Novitske is securing the resources needed to assist OFB families with creating their own disaster plan and start up resources to make preparedness kits. “It is just a beginning,” Novitske said. “Caseworkers will assist families in creating their own individual disaster plans and will add to their preparedness kits every month throughout the school year.”
“We are hopeful that the families who receive these resources will continue to review preparedness plans with their children so that they are prepared to act during any given emergency,” said Claudia Edwards, Public Health Director for the Broome County Health Department.
To learn how you can build your own disaster preparedness plan and kit visit the Red Cross website at www.redcross.org or the U.S. Department of Homeland Security website at http://www.ready.gov/.
Posted: 8/30/2011 8:17 am
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