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September is National Preparedness Month
Published Aug 25, 2008
September marks the fifth Annual National Preparedness Month, and Ready Georgia is reminding Georgians that it is the perfect time to prepare for emergencies. Governor Sonny Perdue will proclaim September as Preparedness Month in Georgia during a ceremony on Aug. 28, and Ready Georgia, a project of the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, is encouraging Georgians to plan, prepare and stay informed about potential threats during the national observation.
“National Preparedness Month creates an opportunity for every Georgian to learn more about ways to prepare for all types of emergencies,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “Emergency preparedness is the responsibility of every Georgian. We can take a few simple steps - creating a disaster supply kit, making a family disaster plan and staying informed – to help make citizen preparedness a priority in every community.”
National Preparedness Month, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Ready America campaign, is a nationwide effort designed to increase awareness as well as encourage individuals, families, businesses and communities to take action to prepare for emergencies. Last year, 1,800 National Preparedness Month Coalition Members worked to create a culture of emergency preparedness in the United States by hosting at least 1,000 events and initiatives during and around September.
“Get an emergency kit, make a communications plan, be informed about the different types of emergencies and their appropriate responses, and get involved,” said Charley English, director of GEMA and Homeland Security. “National Preparedness Month serves as a good reminder that we all have a responsibility in protecting ourselves, our families and our communities. Ready Georgia recommends that everyone have enough emergency supplies on hand to sustain themselves for at least 72 hours following an emergency.”
To provide residents of Georgia with detailed emergency preparedness information, Ready Georgia has created a comprehensive Web site, ready.ga.gov, supported by the Georgia Department of Human Resources – Division of Public Health.
“The site’s newest feature enables individuals and families to create customized Ready kit checklists and communications plans,” said Lee Smith, emergency preparedness director for the Division of Public Health. “Emergencies can be devastating for those unprepared, so we are offering a simple tool to help citizens protect themselves and their loved ones.”
By visiting ready.ga.gov, citizens can get information on how to prepare for natural and manmade disasters or pandemic outbreaks. There is also an online toolkit to help individuals, businesses or organizations develop and promote their own National Preparedness Month event or activity.
Many groups have already committed to supporting the effort throughout the state. On Sept. 6, The Home Depot, a Ready Georgia sponsor, will promote preparedness awareness at its monthly Saturday Kids Workshop at all Georgia store locations. Each child attending will receive a Ready Kids activity book featuring personal preparedness testimonial from Atlanta Falcons fullback Ovie Mughelli to tie in with the event’s football-themed craft. More events from around the state can be found on the Ready Georgia Web site’s community calendar.
For more information about the Ready Georgia campaign and National Preparedness Month, visitready.ga.gov
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About Ready Georgia
Ready Georgia is a statewide campaign designed to educate and empower Georgians to prepare for and respond to natural disasters, pandemic outbreaks, potential terrorist attacks and other large-scale emergencies. The campaign is a project of the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) and provides a local dimension to Ready America, a broader national campaign. Ready Georgia aims to prepare citizens for maintaining self-sufficiency for at least 72 hours following an emergency, and uses an interactive Web site, online community toolkit, television and radio advertising and public awareness media messaging to reach its audiences. For more information visitready.ga.gov
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Comments
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Ready Georgia (and the media) seems to be being willfully blind that "two weeks" (that's 42 meals per person, and water, and other needs) has been the minimum posted to cope on your own since Oct. 2005; when the federal pandemicflu.gov site went up, in response to H5N1 Pandemic year Alert (human clusters overseas are being fought and contained, but we're supposed to be getting ready to follow Community Mitigation guidelines -which include school closures and the need to avoid infections to save lives - since there is no vaccine for the public for months after pandemic start). All states had a pandemic flu summit with HHS in 2006. In July, 2006, the, "US State Dept H5N1 factsheet" went up, but travellers don't know to read it. [The WHO Pandemic Phase Alert system has been rendered useless by changing to "Phase 3" is Now, and "Phase 4" is Pandemic, btw - "old style" Phase 4 & 5 have been skipped.] Trying to prepare for pandemic influenza will also really get households and communities finally ready for other hazards, which can still occur duing pandemic but with no normal outside aid possible. For how to prepare, see also, (from some Idaho Emergency Management and concerned citizens) GetPandemicReady.org
School Shelter Emergency Kits Available for 2008 School Year
Germantown, MD--August 25, 2008--Nearly 50 million students are heading back to approximately 99,000 public elementary and secondary schools for the fall term, and before the next school year is completed, an estimated $489 billion will be spent on their education, but notably, there are no statistical information currently on what schools are spending for Emergency Preparedness or Shelter in Place supplies to prepare and protect students or staff. We do not know how many of the 50 million students are prepared.
American Preparedness announces the availability of Shelter in Place Kits, Large1,000 person Container Kits for schools of all sizes and budgets, as well as individual emergency kits for students. For parents and smaller volume school requirements, orders can be bought directly on-line at http://coldfiresales.itcstore.com/Store/catalog.aspx?catId=132972.
While public and private schools may not be thinking about it, hurricane season officially started the first day of June and runs throught to the end of November.
And, preparation for schools takes some extra care and planning, which are key elements in protecting students and keeping them safe.
Every year fires, tornadoes, flooding, hurricanes and other emergencies threaten those who maybe attending or working at a school or university. In the event that students and staff are required to remain on school grounds for an extended period of time during an emergency, they will need a Shelter in Place Plan, and adequate Shelter in Place supplies or Individual Emergency Preparedness Kits.
The key to student and staff survival during an emergency is to be as prepared as possible before an emergency strikes.
Schools, administrators, parents, and other individuals which enter the following code into the E-coupon box when placing an online order (UPR_Schools2008) will qualify for a free drawing to win a Family Emergency Preparedness Kit.
- #-Note for Editors: More about American Preparedness: All emergency preparedness kits are assembled and distributed by a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, which are Red Cross Certified. American Preparedness has been involved in first aid, disaster preparedness, fire safety, and odor abatement since 1981. Its business is split between charitable fundraising efforts and industrial/institutional sales. For larger volume educational Shelter in Place (SIPs) kits for 1,000 person containers please contact Jeff Guite, President at American Preparedness, 17800 Des Moines Memorial Drive, Suite D, Seattle, WA 98148. Telephone: (888) 431-4511, Fax: (206) 431-2075, j.guite@americanpreparedness.com. State, Local and Federal Government orders may be easily procured online at ww.GSAAdvantage.gov, by typing in the Search Box. American Preparedness.
Good article. We need to keep pandemic preparedness at the forefront of every business manager's mind. It won't go away so better start preparing. Perhaps these resources will help your readers prepare...
Nigel Thomas For free references and resources go to Bird Flu Manual Online or, if you need more comprehensive tutorials, tools and templates, consider Bird Flu D-I-Y eManual for your pandemic preparedness.
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