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As Texas and Louisiana recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey, the New Jersey Department of Health reminds everyone to be prepared for the next emergency by taking steps during National Preparedness Month to protect themselves and their families ahead of time.
“The catastrophic loss of life and property that Hurricane Harvey and subsequent flooding has left behind remind us that disasters can strike at any moment,” Health Commissioner Cathleen Bennett said in a prepared statement. “A little preparation goes a long way when faced with a public health crisis of this magnitude.”
The 2017 national theme is “Disasters Don’t Plan Ahead. You Can” Sept. 1-9, Make a Plan for Yourself, Family and Friends; Sept. 10-16, Plan to Help Your Neighbor and Community; Sept. 17-23, Practice and Build Out Your Plans; and Sept. 24-30, Get Involved! Be a Part of Something Larger.
- To prepare for emergencies, it is important to: Prepare a go-kit. Every family should have an emergency kit prepared with items to last up to a week. Kit basics include fresh water, nonperishable food and backup supplies such as flashlights and batteries.
- If you do need to evacuate, be sure to pack a supply of medication that will last a week. To prepare and maintain a kit, check out the department’s Emergency Supply Checklist in English and Spanish.
- Create an emergency plan. Make plans with your family and neighbors in case you’re not together during an emergency. Discuss how you’ll contact each other, where you’ll meet and what you’ll do in different situations. – Check out Ready Together, the department’s public health guide to emergency planning.
- Stay informed. During an emergency, your local Emergency Management or Emergency Services office can give you information on open shelters and evacuation orders. Bookmark www.nj.gov/health and follow the department on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.
- Get involved. Consider joining the local Medical Reserve Corps, which coordinates activities through volunteers to make communities safer, stronger and better prepared to respond to public health emergencies.
To mark preparedness month, the Department of Health is participating in a Radiation Risk Communication Workshop on Sept. 7 sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
The EMS task force is also participating in a Newark Liberty International Airport full scale exercise on Sept. 9.
The department is taking part in an upcoming exercise at Oyster Creek at the end of the month.
