PreparednessFEMA aims to increase emergency preparedness with New Year’s resolution

As the New Year begins the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is rampingup its Ready Campaign, a nationwide effort aimed at increasing emergency preparedness.

FEMA is encouraging families, businesses, and communities to build emergency kits, make a plan, and gain an understanding of the potential hazards in their area.

As part of the effort, individual state emergency management agencies have also added their own take on the campaign.

For instance the Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security has launched its “Resolve to be Ready” in 2012 campaign that includes a new “Map Your Neighborhood” program in addition to urging residents to create a plan and build an emergency kit.

With “Map Your Neighborhood,” Oklahomans have a free training program that helps them to organize emergency plans for neighborhoods.

According to Kim Carter, Oklahoma’s homeland security director, the program teaches neighborhood leaders “how to walk their neighbors” through a simple step-by-step process to customize an emergency plan for their area.

“Participants learn how to prepare for and respond to a variety of emergencies including those especially relevant to Oklahomans such as tornados, ice storms and earthquakes,” Carter said.

Echoing Carter’s sentiments, MaryAnn Tierney, FEMA’s Region III administrator, added, “Disasters can impact all of us, no matter what part of the country we live in. They can range from flooding and earthquakes to tornadoes. While we can’t control where or when they might hit, we can take steps in advance to prepare for them. Everyone’s proactive preparedness efforts can go a long way toward protecting and empowering families, businesses, homes and entire communities to become their own emergency managers.”

Tierney added that 2011 proved to be a particularly devastating year of natural disasters for the United States with a record tornado season, historic flooding, earthquakes, and a hurricane.

David Miller, the emergency management coordinator of Exeter Township in Pennsylvania, said individuals should not put off preparing for an emergency as it may prove too late.

“It’s common for us to put off our planning because there isn’t a clear and present need,” he said. “But then a disaster strikes and we pick up a flashlight with dead batteries. Don’t wait until it’s needed or may be too late.”