September is National Preparedness Month (NPM). The event is a nationwide effort hosted by the Ready Campaign and Citizen Corps, encouraging households, businesses, and communities to prepare and plan for emergencies.
One of NPM’s key messages is to be prepared in the event of an emergency so one can be self-reliant for three days without utilities, electricity, water services, groceries, and first responder access. Preparing can start with four important steps:
- Be informed about emergencies that could happen in your community, and identify sources of information in your community that will be helpful before, during, and after an emergency.
- Make a plan for what to do in an emergency.
- Build an emergency supply kit.
- Get involved.
Preparedness is a shared responsibility; it takes the whole community. This year’s National Preparedness Month focuses on turning awareness into action by encouraging all individuals and all communities nationwide to plan ahead for disasters that may occur in their communities.
The St. Bernard Parish Office of Emergency Management provides emergency preparedness tools and resources on our website, www.sbpg.net; click on “Homeland Security Department” and look on the right side of the screen. Information is also available in the Government Complex Building lobby. You can also be prepared by signing up to receive emergency notifications from the St. Bernard Parish Emergency Alert System. Those interested should start by clicking on the “Everbridge Emergency Alerts” menu item on the main website under the Homeland Security Department, or use this URL: https://member.everbridge.net/index/892807736729672#/signup.
The St. Bernard Parish Government and the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office encourage the community to be better prepared and invite community members to join us in this effort. For more information about the Ready Campaign and National Preparedness Month, visit www.ready.gov.
