This column appears in the Nevada Appeal Wednesday health pages. It addresses topics related to the health of our community.Fires, floods, earthquakes, violence, pandemics ... It seems like every time we turn on the news, there is another emergency happening. It can be disheartening to think of all the devastation that people experience, but it can also be comforting to know that you have taken steps to educate yourself about risks and have prepared for an emergency situation.September is National Preparedness Month, and Carson City Health and Human Services, along with Carson City Emergency Management, encourage Carson City residents to prepare for disasters by taking the steps outlined in the National Ready Campaign: Make a plan, build a kit, be informed.“Get an emergency kit, make a communications plan, be informed about the different types of emergencies and their appropriate responses, and get involved,” advised Stacey Belt, Carson City deputy emergency manager. “National Preparedness Month serves as a good reminder that we all have a responsibility in protecting ourselves, our families and our communities. Carson City Emergency Management recommends that everyone have enough emergency supplies on hand to sustain themselves for at least 72 hours following an emergency.”In a disaster, the preparations you have made beforehand and your ability to implement your emergency plan may mean the difference between evacuating safely or sheltering in comfort as compared to suffering through a challenging ordeal. In extreme cases, it may even save your life. National Preparedness Month creates an opportunity for every citizen of Carson City to learn more about ways to prepare for all types of emergencies,” Belt said. “Emergency preparedness is the responsibility of each of us. We can take a few simple steps — creating a disaster supply kit, making a family disaster plan and staying informed — to help make citizen preparedness a priority in every community.”This September, join the preparedness effort. Take the opportunity to educate yourself and be prepared. Special event: Join Carson City Health and Human Services, Carson City Fire Department, and Carson City Emergency Management for a special Get Ready! Carson City event from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 22 at the North Carson Home Depot. We will be celebrating National Preparedness Month with all the information you need to make your own emergency preparedness kit. Learn how to protect yourself and your family in an emergency, join the Medical Reserve Corps, and meet some of our community’s emergency preparedness experts and first responders. Come early to receive custom emergency kit bags while supplies last.To learn more about how you can prepare for disasters, visit www.ready.gov. For other Health Department services, go to our website at www.gethealthycarsoncity.org or visit us at www.facebook.com/cchhs.Carson City Health and Human Services900 E. Long St., Carson City;Call 775-887-2195.Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and Friday; call for appointment.Well-child visits: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays.Men's clinic: 4-6 p.m. Mondays.Immunization Day: 8:30-11:30 a.m.; 1-4:30 p.m. Thursdays.Douglas County Community Health1538 Highway 395 North (Corner of Spruce Street and Cemetery Lane). Call 775-782-9038.Clinic hours: 8:30 a.m. to noon Monday; 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday.Monday is Immunization Day: No appointment needed, 1-4:30 p.m.