WQIO Ohio's Super Station
September is National Preparedness Month, and the Knox County Emergency Management Agency is encouraging residents to take time now to prepare themselves and their families for emergencies.
Emergency situations rarely happen at a convenient time. Severe storms, tornadoes, flooding, fires, hazardous material incidents, winter weather, extreme temperatures and extended power outages can quickly disrupt everyday routines.
While first responders and community agencies prepare throughout the year, Knox County EMA officials say individual and family preparedness remains an important part of creating a more resilient community.
Know your risks, make a plan and build a kit
The Knox County EMA recommends residents begin with four basic steps: know your risks, make a plan, build a kit and stay informed.
Understanding the hazards that could affect a household is an important first step. Residents are encouraged to consider how an emergency could affect their individual circumstances.
That could include questions such as whether someone in the household relies on electricity for medical equipment, whether there are pets or livestock to consider, where the family would go in an evacuation or what to do if cell phone service became temporarily unavailable.
Families should also discuss their emergency plans together. That includes deciding where to go, how family members will communicate and who should be contacted if members of the household become separated.
Children should be included in those conversations and should know important phone numbers and which trusted adults they can turn to during an emergency.
Plans should also account for older adults, individuals with disabilities or other access and functional needs, pets and anyone else who may require additional assistance.
Building an emergency kit
Knox County EMA recommends that households maintain a supply of basic emergency items.
Those supplies can include water, nonperishable food, flashlights, batteries, a weather radio, medications, first-aid supplies, phone chargers, copies of important documents and pet supplies.
Residents do not have to purchase everything at once. EMA officials say adding one or two items to regular shopping trips can be an easy way to gradually build an emergency supply kit.
Stay informed during an emergency
Having reliable ways to receive information is another important part of preparedness.
Knox County EMA reminds residents that outdoor warning sirens should not be relied upon as the only source of emergency information.
Residents are encouraged to enable Wireless Emergency Alerts on their phones, keep a weather radio available, follow trusted local information sources and sign up for Knox County emergency alerts.
National Preparedness Month serves as a reminder that emergency preparedness is a shared responsibility. First responders, schools, businesses, local governments, community organizations, families and individuals all have a role to play.
Knox County EMA is encouraging residents to take at least one preparedness action this September — whether that’s having a family emergency conversation, checking emergency supplies, signing up for alerts, learning about local hazards or checking on a neighbor.
The agency says a few minutes spent preparing today can make a significant difference when an emergency occurs.
For additional preparedness information, residents can contact the Knox County Emergency Management Agency at aseward@knoxcountyema-oh.gov. Additional information is also available through Ready.gov and the American Red Cross.
Source: Knox County Emergency Management Agency.
