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This September: Be Disaster Aware, Take Action to Prepare

  • Published
  • By Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Office of Emergency Management
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  September is National Preparedness Month (NPM) and now is the time to prepare for any emergency; this includes family members.

The news has recently shown emergencies can happen unexpectedly in communities everywhere, to people both on and off base. Across the county there have been earthquakes, hurricanes, tornado outbreaks, river floods and flash flooding and even water main breaks and power outages affecting millions of people for days at a time. Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst is not immune from severe weather, tropical storms, and other natural disasters, and service members need to be prepared.

This NPM is a great time to prepare in the event the joint base must go for three days without electricity, water service, access to a supermarket, or local services. To help, simply follow these four steps:

· Be Informed: Free information is available to assist residents from the federal, state, and local resources. Preparedness information can be found by:
 - Accessing 'Ready.gov' to learn what to do before, during, and after an emergency.
 - Contacting the JB MDL Office of Emergency Management or local emergency management agency to get essential information on specific hazards to local areas, ways to get information before and during an emergency, and how to sign up for emergency alerts.
 - Contacting local emergency services and asking for a tour and information about preparedness.
· Make a Plan: Discuss, agree on, and document an emergency plan within the household. Don't forget to include emergency communications plan. For sample plans, see Ready.gov. Work together with neighbors, colleagues, and others to build community resilience.
· Build a Kit: Keep enough emergency supplies on hand for the household - water, non-perishable food, first aid, prescriptions, flashlight, battery-powered radio. For a checklist of supplies visit Ready.gov.
· Get Involved: There are many ways to get involved especially before a disaster occurs. The whole community can participate in programs and activities to make their families, homes, and communities safer from risks and threats. Community leaders agree the formula for ensuring a safer homeland consists of volunteers, a trained and informed public and increased support of emergency response agencies during disasters.

Police, fire and rescue may not always be able to reach emergencies quickly, especially if trees and power lines are down or if they're overwhelmed by demand volume following an emergency. The most important step to take in helping local responders is initially being able to take care of those in your care. The more people are prepared, the quicker the community can recover.

As Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Craig Fugate reminds us, "Individuals and families are the most important members of the nation's emergency management team. Being prepared can save precious time if there is a need to respond to an emergency."

For more information on NPM and for help getting prepared, contact JB MDL OEM at 609-754-3731/6208 or visit Ready.gov.