Hurricane Preparedness
What is it'
As we get further into the 2010 Hurricane season it is important to take a few moments to review hurricane preparedness. Hurricane season is June 1 to November 30, but information about emergency preparedness can come in handy during any situation. The "Ready Army" initiative aims to keep all Army personnel, Soldiers, family members and civilians, aware of the dangers associated with and how to prepare for natural or man-made disasters through a sustained outreach campaign.
What has the Army done'
Ready Army has been extremely successful in developing a "preparedness" culture and mindset throughout the Army. The main tenets of Ready Army "Get a kit, Make a plan, Be informed," gives information on what to put in a survival kit, what to think about when making a reaction plan and different sources of information regarding emergencies. These training materials are available on any installation with the click of a mouse.
What continued efforts does the Army have planned for the future'
The Army is prepared to assist state and federal civil authorities in responding to hurricanes. The National Guard, the Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army North, and U.S. Army Pacific play key roles in responding to hurricanes and other disasters. These organizations have participated in multiple hurricane response Rehearsal of Concept (ROC) drills at the state and federal levels. U.S. Army North, the Army component of U.S. Northern Command, led the Army's annual hurricane ROC Drill in May at which attendees from various military, state and federal agencies walked through the approach, landfall and aftermath of a major hurricane. In addition, U.S. Army North's 10 Defense Coordinating Officers will continue to work closely with state and regional disaster planners to identify gaps that federal military may be called upon to fill.
Why is this important to the Army'
Individual preparedness helps keeps service members and their families safe while ensuring Army readiness. In addition, the Army has a long history of supporting civilian disaster responders during civil support missions, one of the four elements of full spectrum operations. A number of Army agencies remain prepared to assist civil authorities to save lives and relieve human suffering as part of a coordinated, tiered national response guided by the principles of the National Response Framework.
References:
<a href="http://www.ready.army.mil " target="_blank"> Ready Army </a>
<a href="http://www.northcom.mil/preparedness/index.html" target="_blank"> U.S. NorthCom's Web page on Preparedness </a>
<a href="http://www.fema.gov/emergency/nrf/index.htm" target="_blank"> National Response Framework Resource Center </a>
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