FORT RUCKER, Ala. (May 17, 2012) -- It's impossible to know exactly when or where a disaster might strike, but the Ready Army program wants to makes sure that people on Fort Rucker are prepared for anything that might come along.

Ready Army is an emergency preparedness program that is being revamped for the Fort Rucker community, according to Maj. J. Massey, emergency management operations officer at the Installation Operations Center.

"Get a kit. Make a plan. Be informed."

That is the theme of the program and outlines what people will need to be prepared in case of an emergency, he said.

"This is taking a proactive effort to get you, your Family, friends and pets to be ready to react to an emergency," said Massey. "We're only 90 miles from the coast and hurricane season is June through November; what better time is there [for people] to examine [their] preparedness and determine if their Family is ready for an emergency?"

Massey said that every Family should be able to have enough supplies to be able to sustain themselves for at least three days after a disaster occurs, and they can start preparations by getting a kit.

According to he IOC officer, people should get an emergency kit that includes the basic supplies like water, canned foods, batteries, flashlights, blankets, a first aid kit and any supplies that a Family might need for their own specific needs.

"Make sure there is enough water for you, your Family and even your pets for at least three days," he said, adding that the recommended amount of water per person is one gallon per person per day.

Along with having an emergency kit, Families should also make and practice an emergency plan for any situation that might arise.

"Families need to rehearse this plan," said Massey. "Take a few hours one day and go over the plan with your Family and make sure that everyone in the Family knows what they are suppose to do in the case of an emergency."

He said that having a well-rehearsed plan will create a better understanding of how to deal with an emergency and help with keeping in communication and staying safe during an emergency.

Communication with Family members is important, but Massey said maintaining communication with the outside world is just as important and people need to be informed in the event of a disaster.

"People should know how they are going to be informed if an emergency arises," he said. "If there is a hurricane approaching or if there is inclement weather, they should know how they are going to get their information."

Fort Rucker offers a way to be notified with CodeRED, which is an emergency notification system designed to notify people that sign up for the service of the threat of severe weather, said Massey.

The service is free and available to all Fort Rucker personnel and people need only visit www.rucker.army.mil/codered/, or click on the CodeRED link on left side of the screen the Fort Rucker website, he added.

Massey said a website specifically for the Fort Rucker Ready Army program is in the works to tailor specifically to the needs of emergencies that are specific to the area and their main focus is to get people educated on emergency preparedness.

"It's all about getting people involved and making sure they are ready to handle something that might happen," he said. "We just want people to plan ahead, be informed and understand the dangers."

For more information on the Ready Army program, call 255-9780 or 255-9777.