National Preparedness Month (NPM) is an observance each September to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time. The 2022 theme is “The life you’ve built is worth protecting. Prepare for disasters to create a lasting legacy for you and your family.”
There's a lot to think about when preparing for real-time emergencies, so let's take it one step at a time.
Getting prepared is within your reach! All month long, we'll be offering a tip of the week to help better prepare our communities.
If we all prepare, our community is safer during a disaster and more resilient afterward.
Week 1: Sign up for Alerts and Notifications
There are two primary alerts to sign up for:
1. AlertMarin
AlertMarin sends critical information from local agencies during a disaster if you need to take
action. Register up to five phones in your household.
Sign up at Alert Marin
2. Nixle
Nixle sends out general public safety information alerts via text based on your zip code about
local issues.
Sign up for Nixle
Learn More:
Week 2: Make A Plan
Whether you live in a house or an apartment building, are a senior, have young children, or have access and functional needs, you benefit from preparing for a disaster.
Know how you’ll contact one another and reconnect if separated. Establish a family meeting place that’s familiar and easy to find.
In a disaster, it’s often easier to call or text someone out of the area than to someone in your city. Identify a contact out of the area whom friends and family members can contact to pass on their safety information.
Talk to your friends and family about how you will communicate before, during, and after a disaster. Make sure to update your plan based on the Centers for Disease Control recommendations due to the Coronavirus.
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Week 3: Build a Kit - Gather and Organize Supplies
Gathering emergency supplies is easier than you may think and you probably have most of what you need already in your home.Everyone in your household needs a Go Bag for when you need to evacuate, including the kids, the pets and extended family members.
Whether you Stay or Go after a major disaster, plan to be on your own for 5-7 days. Include what you and members of your household will need to meet daily needs such as meals, sanitation, medication and maintaining personal medical devices. A Go Bag contains items such as extra medication, snacks, water, flashlight and a change of clothes.
Remember to update your Go Bags and Stay Box as needs change and as people grow!
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Week 4: Preparedness For All Abilities - Help Friends & Neighbors Get Ready
When we work together to prepare, we transform our neighborhood into a responsive, resilient community.
The most important step you can take to get through times of disaster and stress is to connect. Neighbors who know each other will help each other when there is a need.
A Neighborhood Response Group can be 2 households or a group of 10-15. They could be homes on your street or a floor in your apartment building.
Take this opportunity to knock on some doors, introduce yourself and begin forming your Neighborhood Response Group.
Also, people with disabilities should start to think about personal disaster preparedness. FEMA suggests four steps you can take: Stay Informed, Make a Plan, Build a Kit, Get Involved. Visit www.ready.gov/disability
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Learn more preparedness resources.