Guide to Preparedness Now - When should YOU prepare?  NOW! 
This Guide to Preparedness Now can help you prepare, respond, and recover when the unexpected happens.

"When should YOU prepare?"  NOW! 

Start preparing for an emergency or disaster before anything happens.  “The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.”  This remark was made by  John F. Kennedy in his 1962 State of the Union Address.  Good preparation and common sense are the keys to coming through a disaster event.   Prepare yourself and your family ahead of the threat of disaster or emergency by developing an emergency plan. 

• Take the time to discuss what you and your family will do. Prepare your emergency plan ahead of time. Then, if an emergency threatens, you already know how you will respond because you will have thought through each scenario.
• Prepare to  ‘shelter in place' for a minimum of 3 days.
• Prepare an evacuation kit  & plan now where you will go in the event you are required to leave your home.
• Prepare for your pets.
• Know where to go should you have to evacuate

If a natural emergency/disaster is pending,

• the stay tuned in a radio or TV,
• log on to the Internet, and/or
• pay attention to phone alerts

• Automated system for sending recorded messages, sometimes called "reverse 9-1-1".
• EAS (Emergency Alert System) broadcasts on the radio or television.
• News media sources - radio, television and cable.
• NOAA Weather Radio alerts.
• Messages announced to neighborhoods from vehicles equipped with public address systems.
• Outdoor warning sirens or horns.
• Other

The bottom line is that you are ultimately responsible for the emergency/disaster preparedness for yourself and your family.  We have seen over and over again that your cannot rely on government agencies.  You must provide for your own survival.  It is better to be prepared when a emergency/disaster strikes.  With a little work ahead of time, you will be able to take care of yourself and your family;  you will be able to lend a hand to your neighbors;  and you will not be a drain on limited government resources.