Preparing for an Emergency
April, 2009

This is the time of the year that many areas in the United States suffer weather-related disasters. Being prepared ahead of time will enable you to better cope with an emergency and recover more quickly. An emergency can include weather-related incidents, i.e., tsunami, tornado, floods, hurricanes, extreme heat or cold or a disaster such as a house fire, a power outage or a terrorism act. Being prepared before disaster strikes can ease anxiety, fear or losses that occur during a disaster. After a major disaster, it is unlikely that emergency response services will be able to immediately respond to everyone’s needs, so it’s important to be prepared to be self-sufficient. Plan to be on your
own for at least the first 72 hours. Protect yourself and your family by knowing what to do before, during and after an event.

This small printable booklet is an amalgam of information : Prepare_For_an_Emergency.pdf

The links below take you to other resources that are available on the internet.
Other sources are:
1. Center for Disease Control [CDC] http://www.bt.cdc.gov/preparedness/
2. Dept. of Homeland Security http://www.ready.gov/america/index.
3. The City of San Francisco-Are you prepared? http://www.72hours.org/ [also in Espanol, Russian, and Vietnamese]
4.American Red Cross http://www2.redcross.org/services/prepare/0,1082,0_217_,00.html