Home emergency kits should include a gallon of water for every person per day, nonperishable foods, flashlights and batteries, a battery-powered radio, a first aid kit, medicines, an alternate heat source, blankets and other necessities to sustain a family for a minimum of three days. Information on building a home emergency kit can be found on line atksready.gov/default.asp?PageID=3&Tab=3, http://www.redcross.org/prepare/location/home-family and at http://www.ready.gov/build-a-kit.
Each September, emergency management agencies across the United States observe the month as “Emergency Preparedness Month” to highlight the need for everyone to be prepared for natural and man-made disasters of all kinds.
Gov. Sam Brownback will hold a news conference at 10:30 a.m. Friday to sign a proclamation designating September as “Emergency Preparedness Month in Kansas.” As part of the month-long observance, the Kansas Division of Emergency Management is sponsoring an “Emergency Preparedness Day” Monday, Sept. 10, at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson.
“The unpredictability of Kansas weather is a reminder of just how important it is to be prepared,” said Brownback. “This year, we have seen multiple tornadoes and severe storms, extreme temperatures and drought conditions resulting in several wildfires,” said Brownback. “Yet, it was only last year we had flooding problems. With winter just a few months away, we have the possibility of many more challenges.”
“These are only a few of the possible disasters we face in Kansas,” said Brownback, “so making sure you are prepared for them is essential. Take time this month to think about what you would do if a disaster struck your community. It’s up to each of us to do our part to be prepared.”
“Our state’s first responders do a heroic job, but they can’t be everywhere at once,” said Maj. Gen. Lee Tafanelli, the adjutant general and director of the Kansas Division of Emergency Management. “That’s why it’s important to have a home emergency kit and a plan that allows you, your family, or your business to cope with a disaster until help arrives.”
During the Sept. 10 Kansas Preparedness Day event at the State Fair in Hutchinson, numerous state and local agencies, along with community emergency response organizations, will be providing disaster preparedness and public safety information, as well as displaying emergency response equipment. There will also be drawings for door prizes.
Agencies and organizations participating in the event include the Adjutant General’s Department/Kansas Division of Emergency Management/Kansas National Guard, Kansas Department of Agriculture, Citizen Corps, Civil Air Patrol, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Kansas Fire Marshall, American Red Cross, Kansas Highway Patrol, Hutchinson Fire Department, Hutchinson Police Department, Community Emergency Response Team, Kansas Search and Rescue Dog Association, Reno County Emergency Management, Reno County Sheriff’s Department, Kansas Department of Transportation, National Weather Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
