“When disaster strikes, we need to be prepared to take care of ourselves and our families for at least 72 hours,” Gov. Heineman said. “A disaster supply kit is a collection of basic items your household may need in the event of an emergency. Local officials and relief workers may not be able to help everyone immediately after a disaster, so it is recommended that you have your own food, water and supplies. Nebraska Preparedness Month is a good time to communicate emergency plans with family and friends, and to build a kit or update the one you already have.” Gov. Heineman has a simple message to share, “Be informed. Make a Plan. Build a Kit.” The Governor, the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and local emergency managers across the state are urging Nebraskans to plan now for what they would need to do in a disaster and to have a kit of materials to take care of themselves and their families. “Tornadoes, floods and fires could affect Nebraskans with little or no notice,” said Maj. Gen. Daryl Bohac, Adjutant General of the Nebraska National Guard. “We all need to be prepared to take care of ourselves and those we care about until help can arrive. The best time to plan and assemble an emergency preparedness kit is right now.” A national website, www.ready.gov, has a fill-in-the-blank plan available to make it easy to assemble most of the information needed for personal emergency plans. More information is also available at www.bereadynebraska.com, a site maintained by Nebraska local emergency managers. “The state’s local emergency managers and NEMA have plans to address a wide range of natural and man-made disasters, but individuals and families must be prepared to assume a role in personal health and safety emergency preparedness,” said NEMA Assistant Director Bryan Tuma. “Plans should include where to meet if a home is destroyed and include a list of important personal information, including medical information, for every family member. Our health, and the health of our loved ones, could very well depend on our kit and our plan if there is a major disaster.” Dr. Joseph Acierno, Chief Medical Officer and Director of the Division of Public Health at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services added, “We know planning now saves lives later. Nebraskans can protect themselves and their families by being prepared. We can’t prevent a disaster but we can be better prepared to respond to one.” Emergency kits should include items such as:
It is important to consider a few seasonal needs such as extra water for hydration and bug repellants in the summer and warm clothes and sleeping bags for winter months. Visit www.ready.gov for a complete list. “Store your kit and support materials where you can find them easily and move them quickly,” Assistant Director Tuma said. “The best-supplied kit may not do any good if you can’t take it with you. Consider using a buddy system with nearby families, to help and support one another in the case of extreme emergencies. NEMA works to reduce the vulnerabilities of the people and communities of Nebraska from the damage, injury and loss of life and property resulting from natural, technological, or man-mad disasters and emergencies. For more information, visit www.nema.nebraska.gov and check out these tips for being prepared for severe weather: http://www.nema.ne.gov/response-recovery/severe-storm-guide.html and http://www.nema.ne.gov/response-recovery/winter-weather.html Follow NEMA on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/nema.page?ref=hl and on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/NEMAtweets | ||||
Friday, August 29, 2014
Gov. Heineman Proclaims Nebraska Preparedness Month
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