After Sept. 11, 2001, the Department of Homeland Security established a national emergency preparedness campaign called "Ready."
In September 2004, "Ready" sponsored the first National Preparedness Month to focus organizations, businesses and Families on proactive efforts to prepare for manmade and natural hazards including severe weather, public health crisis and acts of terrorism. Hurricane Katrina, in 2005, further emphasized the need for an alert and empowered public.
This is the first of a four-part series on preparedness tailored for the Army community. The series
will include information from installation, local, state, regional and national agencies and guidance
on everything from handling stress to taking care of Family pets during and after emergencies. The series concludes with iWatch Army, the community program and reporting system to help
neighborhoods stay safe from terrorist activities and introduces readers to Rick De Oliveira, installation antiterrorism officer and the Garrison Emergency Operations Center.
Ready Army
To support the highest state of readiness within Army communities, the Department of the Army
instituted Ready Army, a program that brings together emergency management, law enforcement, Family support groups, chaplains, schools, medical personnel and others within the local community to promote emergency preparedness. The intent of Ready Army is to overcome the traditional barriers that prevent people from taking steps to prepare (including complacency,
denial, fear, and the belief that the government will take care of the population), and motivate behavior change, empowering Army Families to make decisions that will better ensure their safety and resilience in emergency situations.
Through outreach and education, Ready Army calls Army communities to action and aims to create a culture of preparedness that will save lives and strengthen the nation.
Prepare strong
A wide range of natural and manmade hazards can affect a community and emergencies often leave little time to react.
When emergencies occur, military and civilian organizations respond in time, but it takes time to mobilize and they focus on the most critical needs first. Ready Army acknowledges that emergency preparedness is everyone's responsibility and provides the tools and checklists to help individuals and Families become prepared and ready.
The Three steps to Ready Army preparedness are: Get a Kit, Make a Plan, and Be Informed.
Get a Kit
Assemble an emergency kit that includes enough supplies to meet your Family's essential needs for at least three days. Consider the basics of survival and the unique needs of your Family, including your pets. You may want to assemble emergency supply kits for the home, car and workplace. At a minimum, emergency kits must include water, food, first aid supplies, medicines
and important documents.
Recommended basic emergency kit
Water - at least one gallon per person per day for at least three days, food - nonperishable food for at least three days. Select items that require no preparation, refrigeration or cooking, such as ready-to-eat canned meat, vegetables or fruit and high-energy foods, infant formula and diapers for young children, food, water, medication, leash, travel case and documents for pets, manual can opener, preferably a multi-use tool, Hand-crank or battery-powered flashlight; All-Hazards/NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) radio; and cell phone
extra batteries, first aid kit, N95 or N100-rated dust masks, prescriptions and medications,
eye glasses or contact lenses, sanitation supplies such as moist towelettes, disinfectant and garbage bags, important documents including wills, medical and financial powers of attorney, property documents, medical instructions, insurance policies and military service records, family emergency plan and command reporting information, emergency preparedness handbook and
local maps.
Other useful items include; fire extinguisher, any tools needed to turn off utilities, matches or flint in a waterproof container, reusable plates, cups, utensils, saucepan and paper towels, brightly colored plastic poncho, weather-appropriate clothes and changes of clothes for each person, sleeping bags or other weather-appropriate bedding for each person, paper and pencils, books, games, puzzles, toys and other activities for children, items specific to each Family member, addressing special needs and pets.
Those living overseas may need passports, cash in local currency, electrical current converter,
international driver's license, card with local translations of basic terms, birth abroad certificate for children born overseas.
Every member of a Family should know the location of emergency supply kits and be able to access them easily. Kits should be evaluated regularly and updated periodically to refresh items such as water, food, medicines and batteries.
For more information, visit the Ready Army Web site at www.readyarmy.mil
Visit the Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency Web site at www.ready.gov for more suggestions on emergency supply lists through its Ready America campaign.
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