Dalton (GA) - The holiday season is a time when many of us set goals for the New Year. Along with the usual resolutions to lose weight, get healthy and spend more time with family, the North Georgia Health District’s Emergency Preparedness Department urges residents to make emergency preparedness a top priority for 2013.
By taking a few simple steps now, you and your family can be prepared for emergencies
that could occur in the upcoming year.
Resolve to Be Ready in 2013
Be informed. Before disaster strikes, be informed of the hazards that could occur in your community and how to respond appropriately. During an emergency, stay informed – have a battery-powered weather radio on hand, and, when possible, listen to your local media. For information on staying informed, visit: www.ready.ga.gov/Stay-Informed.
Make a plan. You and your family may not be together when a disaster strikes so it is important to plan in advance. Develop a plan on how each family member will get to a safe place, will contact one another, will get back together and will appropriately react to different types of emergencies. Cell phones can be lifelines after a disaster – be sure you have a solar-powered cell phone charger for each phone. A family emergency plan template can be found at: www.ready.ga.gov/Plan.
Build a kit. Following a disaster, you may need to go to a shelter or you may need to survive on your own. In either case, it may take time for power and water services to be restored, so it is important to have an emergency supply kit with food, water, and other necessary supplies to last a minimum of three days. The recommended emergency supply kit list can be found at: www.ready.ga.gov/Prepare.
Get involved. Volunteer to support disaster preparedness efforts in your community. To learn more about how to volunteer with local preparedness and response organizations, visit the North Georgia Health District’s website at www.nghd.org/District-Programs/volunteer-opportunities.html.
Emergencies will happen. By taking these simple steps now, you can lessen the effect that future disasters will have on you, your family and your community. Resolve to Be Ready in 2013! For more information, go to the Ready.Georgia website at www.ready.ga.gov.