No Foolin', April is Disaster Preparedness Month!

Are you ready? Governor Christine Gregoire has proclaimed April as Disaster Preparedness Month. This is a statewide coordinated effort held each April to encourage Washingtonians to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses and schools. Washington State is subject to a number of potential natural disasters such as fires, floods, severe winter storms, earthquakes, dam failures, volcanic eruptions and landslides. While we all hope that such an occurrence never happens, it has been shown time and time again that being prepared for disaster makes sense. The Cowlitz County Department of Emergency Management encourages you and your family to be prepared for disasters that may occur locally, nationally or globally. The following is a tip sheet to help families take the necessary steps to become more disaster resilient.

Make a Kit—Prepare a kit of emergency supplies that will allow you and your family to survive for at least 3 days following a major disaster. The kit should include basic items like water, food, battery-powered radio, flashlights and a first aid kit. For suggestions on making a kit, contact the Department of Emergency Management at (360) 577-3130 or go to www.co.cowlitz.wa.us/DEM.

Make a Plan—Plan in advance what you and your family will do in an emergency. Your plan should include a communications plan, a meeting point, and instructions on sheltering-in-place or evacuating. Go to http://www.ready.gov/ for more information and templates to get you started.

Be Informed—Learn more about the hazards that could affect your community and the appropriate responses to take. Check out our website to learn about local disasters. For up-to-the minute disaster information, visit the Department of Emergency Management’s blog at http://www.cowlitzcountydem.blogspot.com/. (Well, look at that, you're already here! Go you!)

Get Involved—After preparing yourself and your family, take the next step: get training in first aid, CPR and emergency response.