Disasters Don’t Plan Ahead: You Can
September is National Preparedness month, recognizing that adequate preparation makes a big difference in an emergency situation. This year’s theme is “Disasters Don’t Plan Ahead. YOU CAN.”
Given the recent events and the devastating impacts to residents of Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and US territories and other nations in the Caribbean, preparedness should be at the forefront of our to-do list, because preparation ahead of time can make a big difference. Connecticut and New England have been no stranger to devastating weather events in current years. I want to strongly urge residents to take steps now to prepare for the possibility of extreme weather events.
Since the beginning of summer, East Hartford has been engaged in a long-term disaster preparedness and community resilience campaign known as Plan 9. This campaign seeks to educate residents about the importance of making a plan in case of an emergency, and urges people to gather nine inexpensive, commonly available items that can make a big difference to quality of life and resilience in case of disaster. You should prepare your own “Plan 9 Bag”, with items like non-perishable food, water, prescription medication (if applicable), a can opener, a flash light, etc. and have it ready to go in case you need to evacuate your home.
Preparedness doesn’t just help you and your family; it also helps your neighbors, and the community as a whole. If you are better prepared you will be less at risk in case of emergency, and you will be less reliant on limited emergency services during the event. When you are prepared, you help us help you and let first responders focus on those who are in greater danger.
It goes without saying that while we hope we won’t have to face a disaster of the magnitudes of the recent storms, it is important to be prepared in case we do. I urge everyone to visit www.easthartforct.gov/plan9 and familiarize themselves with the basic items that can make a big difference in an emergency. You should also make lists of family members or important contacts to have on hand, and make sure you have a copy of your insurance and other important documents ready to go. Think about where you live. Do you live in a low lying part of town, or near the river? If so, you may want to have an extra phone charger in a zip-lock or water-proof bag with your Plan 9 bag. Make sure you place any electronics in there to protect them from rain or floodwaters. Thinking about things like this in advance will help save precious time in an emergency does happen.
And it is just as important to register yourself and your family with the EH Alert Network, to insure you receive timely emergency notifications from the Town. You can select a variety of ways to be contacted, including by phone, email, or text message. Sign up at www.ehalertct.gov to set your emergency communication preferences today.
Finally, if you’d like to donate to help with the recovery in Houston, Florida, Puerto Rico, or the US Virgin Islands, please check out an article on our website (www.easthartfordct.gov/hurricane-safety), which has a list of appropriate charities and organizations. Please be mindful of where you are giving your money, be wary of scams, and remember that organizations need money far more than donations of food, clothes, or other items (which they have to pay to move and store), you can also find a list of approved charities at the state of Connecticut website (www.ct.gov).
Thank you very much for your efforts to make our town a safer and more resilient community.