Charleston County News Release
MEDIA CONTACT
Name: Jennie Davis Flinn, Charleston County Public Information Officer
Phone: (843) 958-4012
E-mail: jflinn@charlestoncounty.org
Release Number: 3155
Release Date: August 31, 2010
September is National Preparedness Month: Are You Ready Lowcountry?
Charleston County Encourages Citizens to Get “Ready Lowcountry” during National Preparedness Month
Charleston County Government's Emergency Management Department is proud to be participating in the seventh annual National Preparedness Month during September.
Sponsored by FEMA’s Ready Campaign, National Preparedness Month is a nationwide effort encouraging individuals, families, businesses and communities to work together and take action to prepare for emergencies.
Charleston County’s Emergency Management Department is continually planning and preparing for hazards that could impact the citizens of Charleston County. Remember, no two disasters are the same, and the most effective way to protect you and your family is to be prepared.
"Preparing for and responding to disaster begins with preparing yourself and your family, but when a large disaster strikes and first responders are overwhelmed, the first people you will turn to for help will be your neighbors,” said James Tarter, training coordinator for Charleston County’s Emergency Management Department. “Building good relationships with your neighbors is the best way to extend your personal safety net.”
This year, National Preparedness Month focuses on encouraging all Americans to take active steps toward getting involved and becoming prepared. Preparedness is everyone’s responsibility, and everyone has to work together, as a team, to ensure that individuals, families and communities are ready.
Individuals are encouraged to:
-
Make a family emergency plan
-
Put together an emergency supply kit
-
Be prepared to help your neighbor
-
Work as a team to keep everyone safe
Ready Lowcountry was developed as a local National Preparedness Month Resource Center to provide tools, resources and education, which citizens can utilize to help prepare their homes, businesses and communities for all types of hazards.
More information, including a downloadable Emergency Preparedness Checklist is available on the Ready Lowcountry Web site: http://www.charlestoncounty.org/departments/epd/emergency/index.htm.
Everyone is encouraged to utilize these resources during National Preparedness Month and throughout the year to help keep the community prepared.
This is the seventh year the Charleston County Emergency Management Department has participated in National Preparedness Month.
For more information about the Ready Campaign or National Preparedness Month, visit: ready.gov or call 1-800-BE-READY, TTY 1-800-462-7585.
SIDEBAR:
For real-time emergency information, the public can follow “ChasCountyGov” (www.twitter.com/ChasCountyGov) on Twitter, increasing the accuracy and timeliness of critical information like evacuation orders and shelter information.
In addition, residents can become fans of the County’s Emergency Management Department on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/North-Charleston-SC/Charleston-County-Emergency-Management-Department/129515637090771) to be notified of current preparedness information, trainings and events.
The public can go to www.charlestoncounty.org and click on the “Are You Ready?” banner on the front page of the County’s Web site to download, print and share:
