Nevada public safety, health and governor partner for National Preparedness Month
Submitted by editor on Sun, 08/31/2014 - 1:32pm
Gov. Brian Sandoval proclaimed September as National Preparedness Month in Nevada. The Nevada Division of Emergency Management/Homeland Security, and the Division of Public and Behavioral Health urges Nevadans to prepare for an emergency that would require self-reliance for three days without utilities and electricity, water service, access to a supermarket or local services, household medical needs, and possibly without response from police, fire or rescue.
The NDEM will host an EMAP Accreditation and Award Ceremony in the State Emergency Operations Center to kick off National Preparedness Month. The Emergency Management Standard by the Emergency Management Accreditation Program is the set of 64 standards by which programs that apply for EMAP accreditation are evaluated.
The Emergency Management Standard is designed as a tool for continuous improvement as part of the voluntary accreditation process for local and state emergency management programs. The Emergency Management Standard covers areas including but not limited to Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Consequence Analysis, Hazard Mitigation, Operational Planning, Incident Management, Communications and Warning, Exercises, Evaluations and Corrective Action and Public Education and Information.

“National Preparedness Month is a critical reminder about each person’s civic responsibility to plan and prepare for any emergency,” said Emergency Management Chief Chris Smith. “Recent natural disaster and emergency incidents should serve as a reminder to each of us that we must prepare ourselves and our families for such disasters. The NDEM and DPBH encourage all individuals, communities and organizations to prepare for emergencies with these four easy steps.”
1. Be informed about emergencies that could happen in your community and identify sources of information in your community that will be helpful before, during and after an emergency.
2. Make a plan for what to do in an emergency
3. Build an emergency supply kit
4. Get involved.
To learn more on these steps go to www.Ready.Gov.
Preparation for emergencies should take into account medical needs such as prescriptions, or a disability, access or functional need. Your emergency supply kit may need to contain items such as durable medical equipment, assistive technology, food for special diets, prescription medicines, diabetic supplies, hearing aids and batteries, a TTY, manual wheelchair, and supplies for a service animal.
Planning should include 3 to 5 days or longer of supplies. The DPBH’s Public Health Preparedness Program encourages all Nevadans to keep special needs in mind in the event of a prolonged emergency.
“A plan that provides for your family’s health care needs in an emergency can make all the difference in the world,” said Dr. Tracey Green, Nevada’s Chief Medical Officer. “National Preparedness Month in Nevada highlights the importance of developing a strategy that will keep your family safe and healthy should our communities be faced with a major disaster. I encourage all Nevadans to prepare and create a plan.”
For more information about National Preparedness Month, go to www.dem.nv.gov or www.Ready.Gov.
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