Preparation is Critical
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From the George W. Bush White House Archives:
Disasters disrupt hundreds of thousands of lives every year. Each disaster has lasting effects—people are seriously injured, some are killed, and property damage runs into the billions of dollars.
If a disaster occurs in your community, local government and disaster-relief organizations try to help you. But you need to be ready as well. Local responders may not be able to reach you immediately, or they may need to focus their efforts elsewhere.
Being prepared and understanding what to do can reduce fear, anxiety and losses that accompany disasters. Communities, families and individuals should know what to do in a fire and where to seek shelter in a tornado. They should be ready to evacuate their homes, take refuge in public shelters and know how to care for their basic medical needs.
People can also reduce the impact of disasters (flood proofing, elevating a home—or moving a home out of harms way, securing items that could shake loose in an earthquake) and sometimes avoid the danger altogether.
You should know how to respond to severe weather or any disaster that could occur in your area—hurricanes, earthquakes, extreme cold or flooding. You should also be ready to be self sufficient for at least three days. This may mean providing for your own shelter, first aid, food, water and sanitation.
Consider getting involved in local emergency preparedness and response activities by volunteering in your community. One way is to participate as a Citizen Corps volunteer and FEMA’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program.
CERT
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may occur where they live. The program offers a consistent, nationwide approach to volunteer training and organization that professional responders can rely on during disaster situations, allowing them to focus on more complex tasks.
CERT trains volunteers in basic disaster response skills, such as:
- Fire safety
- Light search and rescue
- Team organization
- Disaster medical operations
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More information at LISTOS California and Be Prepared for any Disaster