Get Healthy Carson City: September is National Preparedness Month

This column appears in the Nevada Appeal Wednesday health pages. It addresses topics related to the health of our community.

Wildfires, floods, disease outbreaks and severe winter storms are all examples of emergencies that often occur right here in Nevada’s Capital City. During times of emergency, essential resources such as water and electricity may be virtually unavailable. Responding agencies may become overwhelmed or inaccessible. Residents may have to be self-sustaining until additional aid can arrive.

The goal of National Preparedness Month, which is this month, is for agencies nationwide to take a proactive approach to emergency response. Being prepared for an emergency by taking simple steps such as building an emergency kit for each member of your family and creating a family communication plan may play a huge role in life safety and property preservation. Emergency plans are not limited to your household. You may want to consider planning for events that could occur at the workplace or while you are in your vehicle.

Carson City Health & Human Services, in collaboration with Carson City Emergency Management, is partnering with Home Depot to provide the 3rd annual Build-A-Preparedness Kit Workshop from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. This is an opportunity for residents to build emergency preparedness kits alongside Public Health Emergency Planners and Emergency Management Professionals. Participants are encouraged to ask questions and learn about potential hazards in the Northern Nevada area.

Publications and tools to help you and your family be more prepared are available at the FEMA website: www.ready.gov. FEMA provides preparedness planning guides for families with infants and children, as well as steps for accommodating for pets, senior citizens, and individuals with access and functional needs. For more information about other Health Department services, check out www.gethealthycarsoncity.org or visit www.facebook.com/cchhs.