Disaster Preparedness: Are you ready?

Disaster Preparedness Kit
produced for the Kentucky
Department of Emergency Management

Resolve To Be Ready

The Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) recently kicked off a national campaign to encourage all Americans to resolve to be Ready in 2011.

I work in the world of emergency response and recovery. Each time I return home from a deployment, I feel blessed to have been able to contribute and do my part to help people in need. It would be amazing if humankind could prevent emergencies and crisis issues. Since avoidance is a futile fancy, the best we can do is prepare.

Geologists have peeled back Earth’s topographic cloak and validated that Mother Nature’s wrath has existed on Earth since the beginning of time. Hurricanes, fires, floods, earthquakes, polar shifts and even giant meteors have scraped, scorched, covered, shifted and altered our planet. In recent years the media has played out numerous tragedies rooted in human calamity, carelessness or intention to harm that cannot be protected by borders on a map.

When disaster strikes, it affects individuals, families, businesses and communities. Though FEMA and the agency’s employees play a huge role in the nation's emergency management team, disasters begin and end on the local level. It is for this reason Americans should step up to get ready because in a disaster-related event, prepared individuals and businesses are a huge asset to critical response and long-term recovery.

You should be confident that your emergency plan is solid, flexible and be sure your emergency kit is fully stocked. Without adequate preparation, a future disaster could mean that you, your family and your business must compete with thousands of vulnerable residents for food, water and critical resources including medical treatment and shelter.

In addition to disaster response and recovery training and hands-on experience under FEMA and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, I’ve assisted businesses, municipalities and organizations develop and update crisis plans and train employees should they come face-to-face with a worse-case scenario.

Are you prepared for emergencies? If not, I can help you Get Ready in 2011. Contact me to learn more.