September is National Preparedness Month, and the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) is continuing to encourage Hoosiers to take steps to make sure their communities are prepared in the event of a disaster.
The theme for the second week of National Preparedness Month is “Plan to Help Your Neighbor and Community.” Getting to know a neighbor and working within the local community can help to make everyone involved more prepared ahead of a disaster.
During emergency situations, neighbors are sometimes the true first responders on scene. Knowing the needs of neighbors can help to keep communities safe.
Listed below are tips to consider when working within the community:
– Make sure that any contact information for neighbors is up-to-date.
– Consider joining a local Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) as a volunteer, as this will help to strengthen community response capability.
– Learn how to turn off utilities, such as gas and electricity, in the event of a disaster. Gas leaks can be harmful to an entire neighborhood if not properly addressed.
– Identify multiple evacuation routes prior to an emergency, and share this information with neighbors.
For more information on National Preparedness Month, visit ready.gov/September. For additional preparedness and safety information, visitGetPrepared.IN.gov.
