Philadelphia Caregivers and National Emergency Preparedness Month

Posted Sep 1, 2015 by PHC | Uncategorized

The theme of the 2015 National Preparedness Month is: Don’t Wait. Communicate. Make Your Emergency Plan Today! Let’s take a look at the four basic steps from our caregivers in Philadelphia that you should take to ensure that you and your family are prepared for potential emergencies:

• Be Informed: Learn about receiving local emergency alerts and warnings and local emergency plans for shelter and evacuation.  Visit ready.gov, or https://www.fema.gov/integrated-public-alert-warning-system, to learn how to set up alerts on your phone or through your email.

• Make a Plan: A great place to start when developing a plan for your family is to consider the followng questions:
  • How will my family get emergency alerts?
  • How will my family get to safe locations for relevant emergencis?
  • How will my family get in contact with one another if cell phones/ land lines / internet are out of service?
  • How will my family get to a meeting place after an emergency?

*Visit www.ready.gov to learn how to create a plan that best suits your family*

• Build a Kit: Assemble a basic kit that is transportable well in advance of potential emergencies. This kit should include food, water (enough to last at least 72 hours) and suplies such as batteries, battery or hand-crank radio, prescription medications, flashlights and a first aid kit. Make sure you check expiration dates and update your water supply at least every 6 months.

• Get Involved: In the face of disaster, Americans come together and often ask “How can I help?” Please visit ready.gov for links on national and local organizations and ways to get involved!