Nevada emergency managers participate in national preparedness month
CARSON CITY, Nev. – Emergency managers from the state and federal level are recognizing September as National Preparedness Month.
The Nevada Division of Emergency Management/Homeland Security has committed to participate in National Preparedness month to increase citizen preparedness throughout the state. The event, now in its ninth year, is a nationwide, month-long effort hosted by the Ready Campaign and Citizen Corps encouraging households, businesses and communities to prepare and plan for emergencies, according to a news release.
One of NPM’s key messages is: be prepared in the event an emergency forces you to be self-reliant for three days without electricity, water service, access to a supermarket and possibly no assistance from police, fire or rescue teams. Preparing can start with four important steps:
1. Be informed about emergencies that could happen in your community and identify sources of information in your community that will be helpful before, during and after an emergency
2. Make a plan for what to do in an emergency
3. Build an emergency supply kit
4. Get involved.
Preparedness is a shared responsibility; it takes a whole community. This year’s National Preparedness Month focuses on turning awareness into action by encouraging all individuals and all communities nationwide to make an emergency preparedness plan. Preparedness information and events will be posted to www.ready.gov/community.
“We encourage individuals, communities and organizations to get involved in this effort and take the “Pledge to Prepare,” said Chief Chris Smith with NDEM. “As citizens of this state and the nation, we have a responsibility to take simple preparedness actions to be prepared for a minimum of 72 hours before help may be able to respond. It’s important to have medication, food, water and essential supplies including cash on hand during those initial critical hours,” Smith emphasized.