Harford County escaped hurricane season last year without significant damage, but the same can’t be said for other years, when storms like Irene, Lee, Floyd and Agnes wreaked havoc on the area.
In addition, last winter’s frequent snow and ice storms – and associated power failures and road, school and business closures – were another reminder that being prepared for weather emergencies is a year-round necessity.
During September, National Preparedness Month, the Harford County Department of Emergency Services is joining thousands of other departments and government entities throughout the country to get residents ready for possible stormy weather this fall, or any other time of year.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of September’s designation as National Preparedness Month, a month-long effort sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) encouraging families, business and communities to prepare and plan for emergencies.
In times of emergencies, people tend to pull together to support one another. Before emergencies like hurricanes, tornadoes and other natural disasters occur, however, families, businesses and communities should take time to prepare for such events.
National Preparedness Month is an opportunity for everyone to come together to assess risks, develop and practice plans and prepare for emergencies, according to the Harford County Department of Emergency Services.
Emergencies of various types, including hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, wild land fires and cyber and terrorist attacks, can happen at any time. In an effort to help first responders and public safety officials effectively mitigate such events, the public needs to help by being prepared for them.
During National Preparedness Month, the Department of Emergency Services encourages the community to take the following actions:
Get a kit: Ensure you, your family and loved ones can survive for several days without access to major utilities. An emergency kit should include non-perishable foods, medicines, baby formula if appropriate and other special needs items to last at least three days.
Make a plan: Do you know what to do, where to go and how to communicate with other family members if you must evacuate? Take time to develop a plan to assist family members should an emergency situation requiring evacuation occur.
Be informed: Stay informed of weather conditions and warnings of natural disasters. Know what to do, where to go and how to communicate during natural or made-made disasters.
Get involved: Help businesses, schools and others to be better prepared for emergency situations.
“Preparing for an emergency is a shared responsibility that requires everyone’s support and participation,” Harford County Executive David R. Craig said in a statement. “Our first responders, firefighters, emergency medical personnel and other public safety partners do a great job in Harford County, but they need the help of the entire community in being adequately prepared for severe weather events and other emergencies.”
“Emergency preparedness takes individuals, families, businesses, schools, non-profits and others to get involved and support one another not just during emergencies, but prior to and during recovery as well,” Director Russell J. Strickland of the Department of Emergency Services said. “A resilient community is a partnership between public safety officials and the public to help plan for, respond to and recover from catastrophic events.”
