The month of September has been declared National Preparedness Month by the federal government and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The Gadsden/Etowah County Emergency Management Agency encourages citizens to take this opportunity to better prepare for emergencies that may affect our community.

GECEMA Director, Deborah Gaither, states... “Being prepared for any disaster is your own responsibility.  What will it take for you to prepare now?  Within the last 2 years we have had two no-notice tornadoes within Etowah County.  Prepare now for yourself, your family, your friends, your pets, and your neighbors.  Create a plan, practice the plan, and review the plan every six months for any needed changes.  The time is NOW!” 

According to Ready.gov, the theme for this September is “Prepared, Not Scared.” Follow along on social media using the hashtags #BeReady and #PreparedNotScared. Follow our campaign on Facebook and Twitter @GECEMA. The weekly themes for September 2019 are as follows:

   Week 1 – Save Early for Disaster Costs

·         Check your insurance coverage

·         Plan financially for the possibility of disaster

·         Know what documents should you have for an emergency

   Week 2 – Make a Plan to Prepare for Disasters

·         Make and practice your Emergency Plan

·         Sign up for alerts and warnings in your area. Visit http://gecema.com/everbridge/ to sign up for alerts in Etowah County.

·         Learn your evacuation zone and have an evacuation plan

  Week 3 – Teach Youth to Prepare for Disasters

·         Teach children what to do in an emergency if they are at home or away from home

·         Update school records and discuss emergency contact numbers with kids before they go

·         Review your family emergency communications plan with kids at your next household meeting

·         Speak up! Ask your child’s teacher about the plans the school has in place for emergencies

Week 4 – Get Involved in Your Community’s Preparedness

·         Learn about the hazards most likely to affect your community and their appropriate responses

·         Check in with neighbors to see how you can help each other out before and after an emergency

·         Every community has voluntary organizations that work during disasters. Visit http://gecema.com/voad/ to learn about Etowah County VOAD

·         Take classes in lifesaving skills, such as CPR/AED and first aid, or in emergency response, such as Etowah County CERT. Visit http://gecema.com/cert/ for more information

 For more information, contact the Gadsden/Etowah EMA at 256-549-4575