September is Preparedness Month – This years theme is “Preparedness Starts at Home”

September is Preparedness Month

Each year the month of September is designated as National Preparedness Month. The Fond du Lac County Board of Supervisors also ratified a Proclamation presented by County Executive Sam Kaufman and County Board Chair Steve Abel designatimg September as Preparedness Month in Fond du Lac County. This initiative serves as a reminder of the importance of planning and preparing for possible emergencies we may face. This year’s theme is “Preparedness Starts at Home.” This is an excellent reminder that being prepared in our homes is a significant factor in building community resilience. Preparing for emergencies or disasters which can impact our home is a key step in staying safe and being able to respond to these events.

Preparedness is a whole community effort and responsibility. While responders work together to plan for and be ready for response to a disaster alongside local government officials and partners from agencies such as the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, and United Way, your efforts at home to plan and prepare to help build resilience in our communities. This resilience will serve to help mitigate the impacts of disaster as well and enhancing the response to and recovery from a disaster if it occurs. There are many things we can do to help be more prepared for an emergency. Fond du Lac County Emergency Management encourages everyone to be as ready as possible. This preparation and planning can make a major difference in your ability to respond if an emergency happens.

Make A Plan – Develop a plan for how you and your loved ones will respond during any emergency. Know where your shelters at home, work and school are located and how you will safely leave the building, if needed such as in a fire. Practice going to those safe places. Also, make sure everyone knows how to contact each other if a disaster were to occur while you are separated.

Have A Kit – Kits should include enough non-perishable food, water, and medications to last up to 72-hours. Consider special dietary needs such as formula for infants or items with those on special dietary restrictions. First aid supplies, a flashlight, and a NOAA Weather Radio, along with copies of insurance policies, prescriptions, and a list of important contact numbers, are also great inclusions. Store your kit in a location where you can access it quickly during an emergency.

Be informed- Know the potential hazards you may encounter. Know your risk and how you will respond. Have multiple sources of information before, during, and after an emergency to receive important information from responders and local officials about the emergency including vital information such as shelters, if needed, utility restoration, and safety instructions are all important things to have available.

NOAA All-Hazards Radio, local TV and Radio, cell phone apps such as Smart911, and internet sites such as National Weather Service are examples of these types of sources of information.

Preparedness Month serves as an excellent reminder and opportunity to do what we can to plan and prepare for emergencies. We must also remember that this is a year-round need.

Fond du Lac County Emergency Management is also partnering with the Fond du Lac County Health Department to share preparedness information throughout the month via outreach activities including presentations and social media posts.

More information is available through FEMA’s ready.gov website and Wisconsin Emergency Management’s Ready Wisconsin website.