September Is National Preparedness Month; IDHS Asks Hoosiers To Get Involved

Last updated on Thursday, September 7, 2017

(UNDATED) - September is National Preparedness Month, and the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) is encouraging all Hoosiers to take steps to make sure households and workplaces are prepared.

Regardless of the type of disaster, it is important for Hoosiers to take time and make sure that preparations are made. Tornadoes, storms, flooding and even snowstorms have all presented challenges in the past. Knowing how to respond to these events can not only minimize the effects, it can help save lives.

Each week in September will have a different theme related to preparedness. The theme for the first week is "Make a Plan for Yourself, Family & Friends." This week, Hoosiers are encouraged to make sure emergency plans are in place in the event of a disaster. If one is already in place, it should be practiced and reviewed with family members.

Listed below are additional safety tips to consider:

Become aware of disasters that could occur in the local area. Learn what to look for and what to avoid in each situation.
Discuss possible scenarios with family members. Include events such as fires, natural disasters, and man-made disasters. Make sure that everyone in the family knows the steps involved in responding to these events.
Establish meeting locations in the event of a potential disaster, and make sure all family members are aware of them.
Create a list of emergency contacts and share it with family members and friends.
If possible, designate a non-local friend or family member as a contact, as local communications systems may be overloaded during a disaster.

While these tips are all important, they don't have to be done all at once. Working gradually to complete these steps is better than not completing them at all.

For more information on National Preparedness Month, visit ready.gov/September. For additional preparedness and safety information, visit GetPrepared.IN.gov

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