WAYNE TOWNSHIP, Ind. -- While thousands of people are impacted by flooding down in Texas from Hurricane Harvey, the Wayne Township Fire Department wants people in Indianapolis to prepare for emergencies we may experience locally.
September is National Preparedness Month. The focus is on planning ahead with the theme “Disasters Don’t Plan Ahead. You Can.”
Families are encouraged to come up with plans to deal with disasters like major flooding. By having a plan for your family, it helps first responders like the Wayne Township Fire Department when disaster strikes.
The website Ready.gov has actions plans families can follow. The site states, the goal of National Preparedness Month is to increase the overall number of individuals, families and communities that engage in preparedness actions at home, work, business, school, and place of worship.
For week 1 September 1-9, families are encouraged to make an emergency plan. Sign up for alerts or warnings in your area. Learn your evacuation zone and have an evacuation plan. Also, check your insurance coverage.
For week 2 September 10-16, learn skills you need to help yourself and others until help can arrive. There is training available called Until Help Arrives, more information can be found at Ready.gov. Also, check on your neighbors and talk with your power company about utility safety.
For week 3 September 17-23, complete and Emergency Financial First Aid Kit, a link can be found at Ready.gov. It’s also encouraged to maintain emergency savings for use in case of an emergency. Participate in an emergency drill. Finally, you are encouraged to know how to access community resources like shelters and food banks.
For week 4 September 24-30, get involved and be part of something larger. Ready.gov encourages you to get your campus, business or faith based organization and community together to prepare for an emergency.
