EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- September is National Preparedness Month! Occurring every September, National Preparedness Month is observed to increase preparedness for disasters and raise awareness for just how important it is to be prepared. Disasters can occur at any time, and with little to no warning. There are many ways to get prepared for disasters. Having a kit, making plans, and being informed are great places to start.
When disasters strike, sometimes you can be without resources like food, water, and power for days. Having a kit filled with supplies can be lifesaving.
Each kit should have enough non- perishable food and water for each person (one gallon per person per day) for at least three days. Some items to consider including in your kit are:
*Medications
*Battery powered or hand cranked emergency weather radio
*Flashlights
*First aid kit
*Cash and important documents
Having a plan and practicing it regularly can save time, reduce stress, and avoid confusion. Create a plan with all members of your family, with:
*Several evacuation routes out of your home, or places you frequent,
*A location to meet if a disaster occurs when your family is separated
- A Family Communication Plan, or who you will contact afterwards to tell that you’re safe
- Picking a person who lives out of town, and using text messages rather than a phone call, can increase the likelihood of being able to reach them in a disaster.
Practicing your plan regularly will help it become ‘muscle memory’ and reduce confusion in a disaster.
Preparing for emergencies is critical, but if you don’t know when a disaster is happening, it can be for nothing. Signing up for emergency alerts prior to a disaster can give you and your family a heads up to take last minute action, or kick off your emergency plan.
*Make sure your phone can receive Wireless Emergency Alerts in its settings, by enabling “Government Alerts” or “Emergency Alert Messages”.
*Downloading the FEMA Mobile App will allow you to receive weather and emergency alerts and access resources
*The Air Force “Be Ready” app provides many resources for preparedness and allows you to store your family plan
*Ensuring your AtHoc is up to date for the whole family will keep you informed of events at Edwards AFB
We encourage you to prepare with us this September! Click on any of the hyperlinks to learn more about each topic, and any questions can be sent to the Edwards AFB Office of Emergency Management.