September is National Preparedness Month 2021
Warren County Emergency Services asks residents to plan
September has been known as national preparedness month in the United States since 2004. This year’s theme is “Prepare to Protect. Preparing for disasters is protecting everyone you love.”
September is one of the quieter weather months of the year here in the Adirondacks, absent a tropical storm heading up the East Coast, so it’s is the perfect time to prepare for the unexpected, the events that might force you out of your home in a matter of seconds.
In observance of “National Preparedness Month,” U.S Department of Homeland Security and Warren County Office of Emergency Services have put together extensive emergency preparedness information that provides Warren County residents with opportunities to learn to be better equipped for bad weather, fires and other emergencies.
For more information on emergency preparedness topics and how to plan for difference contingencies, check out Warren County Office of Emergency Services. website or Facebook page or go to ready.gov, operated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
“Preparing in advance makes for a better and safer operation for you and your family if the time comes to react. It will lead to less stress and confusion for everyone,” Warren County Emergency Services Director Ann Marie Mason explained. “We ask that you please take time to put a simple plan together, and have your family practice how to implement it.“
“We do have severe weather here in Warren County, and the first step to protecting your life and those of your loved ones is to have a plan that focuses on how to react to different scenarios,” said Jack Diamond, Chairman of the Warren County Board of Supervisors Public Safety Committee. “Warren County Office of Emergency Services has put together some important information for residents to review to help them be ready if needing to move quickly.”
Emergency planning should include:
- Determining where to evacuate should you have to leave your home, including designating a meeting place and a location to seek shelter.
- Putting together an emergency kit that includes water, non-perishable food, medications, first aid kit, flashlight, maps, basic tools, dust mask, battery-powered radio, rechargeable battery for a cellphone, personal wipes and garbage bags.
- Storing your emergency kit items in a “go bag” that can be grabbed at a moment’s notice.
- Keeping pets in mind, setting aside food and medications they may need if you have to leave home quickly.
- Educating yourself about risks, and preparing the area around your home for bad weather. Trim tree branches, maintain home gutters and identify other possible threats to your home during wind or heavy rain.
- Preparing your vehicle with basic equipment for winter weather, such as a snow shovel, extra clothes and blankets.