September is National Preparedness Month, and NoVA counties are launching campaigns to remind residents that being ready for emergencies can save lives. Natural disasters like hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, and fires and human-caused emergencies like power outages can happen without warning.
Fairfax County advises you to know what emergencies are most likely in your area. Make a plan that includes where your family will meet if you get separated. Pick two places: one near your home and one outside your neighborhood. Choose someone out of state as your contact person.
Build an emergency preparedness kit with enough supplies for at least three days. Include water (one gallon per person per day), nonperishable food, flashlights, batteries, a first aid kit, and medications.
Talk to your family about your emergency preparedness plan during a calm time when everyone can focus. Let people ask questions and share their concerns, then practice your emergency plan with your family with different scenarios so everyone knows what to do.
You can sign up for emergency alerts from Fairfax Alerts, including public safety, traffic, and severe weather alerts. And you can customize your alerts to receive geo-targeted weather alerts.
Arlington County also offers an alert system — arlingtonalert.com — that provides free, real-time updates on weather conditions, road closures, and emergencies. And the county suggests you learn how to prepare for emergencies or save lives while waiting for first responders to arrive by taking a class offered through the county’s Community Emergency Response Team.
Feature image courtesy David Pereiras/stock.adobe.com
