Being prepared in case of disaster

POMEROY, Ohio – “Disasters Happen. Prepare Now. Learn How” is the 2018 theme for National Preparedness Month which begins September 1st. National Preparedness month was established in 2004 with the hopes of educating the population on ways to be prepare for emergencies and disasters. Disasters can strike in various forms including tornados, severe thunderstorms, winter storms and flooding all of which we have seen here in Meigs County. But what about other emergencies such as injuries to a family member, being separated from your child at an event or even a house fire. Is your family prepared to deal with disasters and emergencies?

Throughout the month of September, The Meigs County Emergency Management Agency in conjunction with Ready.gov will be offering information on how you can be prepared for emergencies and disasters by practicing some simple tips with your family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. Some of the areas we will be discussing are making a plan and practicing it, learning lifesaving skills, checking your coverage and saving for emergencies.

One of the first steps in disaster preparedness is having a way to be notified of an emergency event. In Meigs County, we have adopted the CodeRed warning system which can send weather alerts as well as custom alerts in times of disaster such as locations to go for assistance. Signing up for the CodeRed only takes a few minutes and can be completed by downloading the CodeRed App in the App Store and Google Play or by going to https://public.coderedweb.com/CNE/en-US/21CD35D316F2 and filling out the information requested.

The next best thing is to make sure your home is as prepared as possible for when a disaster strikes. Before a storm even hits you should get a Roofing Contractor to look at your roof for any damage, insulate any water lines, and weather-strip doors and windows. When you are notified a storm is coming, secure anything loose around your property, cover windows, and make sure you have emergency food ready. Once the storm has passed, contact local services to help with clean up.

You can also get all this great information along with severe weather and emergency updates by following the Meigs County Emergency Management Agency on Facebook and Twitter.