First All-Team Meeting of 2012

Well the first CERT meeting of 2012 has come and gone.  This was the first All-Team meeting with members of Redwood City, San Carlos and Belmont working together to help Christy chart our future course.  Meeting minutes will be available here in a few days.

FEMA Campaign to Get Americans Ready in 2012

As 2011 – one of the most active years for disasters in recent history – comes to a close and Americans get ready to ring in a new year, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is encouraging all Americans to Get Ready in the new year by making a resolution to be prepared for emergencies.

As a recent report by the National Climatic Data Center highlights, 2011 has seen more billion-dollar natural disasters than any year on record. This year alone, the U.S. experienced its first hurricane landfall since 2008, the most deadly series of tornadoes since the 1950s, significant earthquakes and severe flooding – hazards that impacted every region of the country. All of these events have served as important reminders that disasters can strike anytime, anywhere, and being prepared is one of the most effective things we can do to protect our homes, businesses and loved ones. Today, FEMA kicked off its annual campaign, Resolve to Get Ready in 2012, which urges Americans to make preparedness a priority by making a new year’s resolution to be ready for disasters and getting survival kits.

“One of the most important lessons we can take away from this year is that disasters can impact all of us, no matter what part of the country we live in,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate.  “While we can’t control where or when they might hit, we can take steps in advance to prepare for them – efforts that can go a long way toward protecting our families, homes and business. Resolving to be Ready in 2012 could be the most important pledge you make this year.”

By making a resolution to take a few simple steps in advance, Americans can minimize the impact of an emergency on their families, homes or businesses.  To take the pledge, visit www.ready.gov/resolve which includes free information, checklists, and guidelines about how to put together survival kits, make a plan, and stay informed.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Train Your Family

Make sure that all of your family members (of responsible age) know where your home gas meter (or propane shut-off valve) and electrical panel are located and how to shut them off in case of an emergency.  Such actions may prevent a secondary fire in your home following events such as an earthquake, flood or ice storm.  Also, review emergency shut-down procedures for appliances/equipment that run on fuel supplies to your home like furnaces, hot water heaters, gas fireplaces, boilers, etc.  You should also know where and how to shut off your water main in order to stop a leak in your home or as a means of preventing contaminated water from entering your home. Get a comprehensive disaster supplies checklist FREE to help you plan.

This information has been provided for our CERT group’s use courtesy of GetReadyGear