One Thing Wednesday: Become a Preparedness Ambassador

DEM Blogger

August 19, 2015

The Do 1 Thing site won the Awareness to Action category of FEMA’s 2014 Individual and Community Preparedness Awards. It’s a 12-month program of small steps that you can take to increase your personal and household preparedness. Throughout 2015, DEM will feature Do 1 Thing items during our weekly blog post series of One Thing Wednesdays. Check back here every week for a new preparedness activity or tip!

Managing emergencies response requires more than just police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel. Citizens who are committed to their community’s well-being are critical in every stage of a disaster, from preparations before the event to the weeks or months of recovery. For August, we’re looking at ways you can get involved to make your own community more resilient – and to acquire connections and skills that will make your own household more prepared.

A community’s disaster response relies heavily on pre-existing social connections. Any organization – a scout troop, a faith-based community, a homeowners’ association, a service or hobby club – can become a focus for emergency preparedness. Every group that promotes preparedness makes its community more capable of withstanding, reacting to, and recovering from disasters. Think about the organizations you and your family members belong to and consider getting them involved:

• Scouting organizations have traditionally had an emergency preparedness focus. Talk to troop leaders about helping scouts earn preparedness badges or skill awards. Look for opportunities for scouts to build service hours by assisting with community preparedness.
• Include preparedness topics (such as Do 1 Thing items) in monthly newsletters.
• Organize a preparedness planning and kit-building activity for seniors or kids who are often home alone.
• Visit the Do 1 Thing site to learn how organizations of all types around the county are promoting preparedness where they live, work, and play.