Brigantine Participates in National Preparedness Month

From Lt. Jim Bennett: The City of Brigantine has committed to participate in National Preparedness Month this September to increase preparedness throughout the U.S. The event, now in its ninth year, is an effort hosted by the Ready Campaign and Citizen Corps, encouraging households, businesses and communities to prepare and plan for emergencies.

One of the month’s key messages is: be prepared in the event an emergency causes you to be self-reliant for three days without utilities and electricity, water service, access to a supermarket or local services, or maybe even without response from police, fire or rescue.

Preparing can start with four important steps:

1. Be informed about emergencies that could happen in your community, and identify sources of information that would be helpful before, during and after an emergency.
2. Make a plan for what to do in an emergency.
3. Build an emergency supply kit.
4. Get involved.

Preparedness is a shared responsibility; it takes a whole community. This year’s National Preparedness Month focuses on turning awareness into action by encouraging all individuals and all communities nationwide to make an emergency preparedness plan. Preparedness information and events will be posted tocommunity.fema.gov/connect.ti/readynpm

For information about the Ready Campaign and National Preparedness Month see community.fema.gov/connect.ti/readynpm or call (800) BE-READY, (888) SE-LISTO, and TTY (­800) 462-7585.

Also see readyatlantic.org for local-specific information and assistance.