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The month of September is National Preparedness Month. Though the KMC is relatively well protected from major natural disasters, there is still a potential for major accidents and other natural or manmade hazards to occur.
Every family should have a preparedness kit, which provides basic items that would be needed in the event of a natural disaster, major accident, toxic industrial chemical release or terrorist incident.
During the response phase of events, there are many competing needs for the limited resources responders can provide.
By preparing your family now, you can take actions to ride out the emergency or sustain your family until help arrives. Your planning and preparedness goal should center on self-sustainment for a minimum of three days without assistance.
Ultimately, family preparedness is a family decision, and there are varying levels you can achieve to ready yourself.
On one side, a family could be prepared with its own underground shelter with four years of nonperishable food. On the other,
a family could not even have extra batteries for a flash-light.
As with most things, the appropriate level of preparedness is somewhere in between.
If you haven’t already done so, it’s recommended you use the month of September to do the following:
• tay Informed — American Forces News TV and radio broadcasts, Ramstein’s official website (www.ramstein.af.mil), its official Facebook page (www.facebook.com/RamsteinOfficial) and other local sources of information do a great job of keeping us up to date.
• Make A Plan — www.Ready.gov/make-a-plan has great information that can aid you and your family in creating a plan tailored to fit your situation and your family needs.
• Build a Kit — At a minimum, the basic family preparedness kit should include: water, nonperishable food, first aid, prescriptions, flashlight, and a battery- or hand-crank-powered radio.
• Get Involved — The 786th Civil Engineer Squadron readiness and emergency management flight specializes in preparedness activities. They can provide information on local hazards, procedures and educational material. Another source of information is www.beready.af.mil.
This site contains fact sheets for natural disasters, man-made events, and a comprehensive Air Force emergency preparedness guide. There are also activity sheets that help introduce children (ages 4-12) to these hazards in a child-friendly manner.
Preparedness is an individual initiative; however, www.ready.gov offers a comprehensive starting point. You’ll be able to find help with education and planning assistance. Take the time in September to prepare for an incident that could happen tomorrow.
