Statewide — September is National Preparedness Month and the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) encourages Hoosiers to spend the month of September talking with their friends and family about planning and preparing for all of Indiana’s potential disasters.
This year’s National Preparedness Month theme, “Disasters Don’t Wait. Make Your Plan Today,” emphasizes the importance of creating a family emergency communications plan, assembling a disaster preparedness kit, and identifying the different types of disasters that can happen locally. Most of all, parents and guardians should use this month as an opportunity to talk with children about preparing for emergencies and getting them involved in the disaster planning process.
Some helpful safety tips to consider when creating a disaster plan are:
- Emergency plans need should always be tailored to the specific needs of the household.
- Create a list of emergency contacts and share them with family members and friends.
- Discuss possible emergency scenarios with family members. Include events such as fires, natural disasters, and man-made disasters.
- Establish an evacuation route that can be used in the event of a disaster, and make sure all family members are aware of them.
A comprehensive collection of safety and preparedness resources can be found by clicking here.
