September 1, 2022 – Flagler County urges residents to follow its lead and recognize September as National Preparedness Month. The recognition is done to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time. This year’s theme is “A Lasting Legacy”.
“National Preparedness Month just happens to coincide with the peak of hurricane season for us, and the tropics have become very active over the last week or so,” said Emergency Management Director Jonathan Lord. “We are asking our residents to please take a few of steps to ensure your families, households, and businesses are ready for anything that may happen – not just for this month, but for anytime during the year.”
Potential risks to the community include naturally occurring things like hurricanes, tornados, flooding, lightning, and coastal/tidal events as well as manmade situations – hazardous material spills and a plethora of events that fall under the broad category of terrorism.
Typically, governmental entities like Flagler County take the lead in responding to disasters that can affect the community for extended periods, but there are individual actions that can be taken that will lessen the impact. The national campaign recommends devoting one week each to the following activities: make a plan; build a kit; protect family and property; include children, seniors, and pets; and, get involved in preparing our community.
“Flagler County community members who are prepared can be a positive influence on their neighbors by sharing their preparedness plans, and by encouraging friends, family, neighbors and coworkers to be prepared too,” Lord said. “This applies to businesses, too. The more people are prepared, the quicker our community will recover, which, of course, has a positive impact on the quality of life here in the county.”
Preparedness Weeks
- Week one – September 1-4 – Make a Plan: Talk to friends and family about how communicating before, during, and after a disaster will work. Have a primary, secondary, and possibly even a tertiary plan for where to go in the event of an evacuation. Consider staying with family or friends outside of the evacuation area in addition to hotels or motels.
- Week two – September 5-11 – Build a Kit: Gather supplies that will last for a week after a disaster for everyone in the home. Don’t forget to consider the unique needs each person or pet may have. The kit should include food, water, medications, clothing, cash (as credit card/ATM machines may not work), radios, batteries, generators/fuel. Portability is key should evacuation be required.
- Week three – September 12-18 – Protect Family and Property: Know the risks in our community (tornadoes, wildfire, flood/storm surge, hurricanes). Learn about damage mitigation strategies for storms and other common hazards like limiting landscaping close to the home to prevent fire and consider wind mitigation inspection for home protection recommendations.
- Week four – September 19-25 –Youth, Seniors, and Pet Preparedness: Talk to family members, including the kids, about preparing for emergencies and what to do if the family is separated. Reassure them by including them in the plan.
- Week five – September 26-30 – Get Involved: There are a variety of online and in-person training and volunteer opportunities to help the community prepare for and recover from disasters. Learn about the many ways to get involved.
“We will be sharing many of the things that can be done to protect your home, some that may qualify you for an insurance discount,” Lord said. “Shutters, hurricane fabrics, and impact glass to protect windows and doors. Additionally, to protect your roof, there are wall wraps and straps, as well as moisture barriers.”
Stay informed by signing up for Alert Flagler at www.flaglercounty.gov/alertflagler.
Interested in being more in supporting the community before and after a disaster? Sign up for FREE Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training at www.flaglercounty.gov/emergency and select “Volunteering & Training” or call 386-313-4200.
For more information go to www.flaglercounty.gov/emergency and follow Emergency Management on social media at:
