Disaster Preparedness Month: Get Involved!
While the month of September is coming to a close, which means Disaster Preparedness Month is wrapping it, it doesn’t mean planning stops now. It is important to get the people and the places you care about prepared for any kind of emergency. Be sure to include your campus, business and faith-based organizations. Here are some great resources and local programs to help you be a part of something larger!
CERT
Aimed at preparing groups of citizens in the community to prepare for and respond to disasters, the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) classes follow a model developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and are offered in cities across the United States. The idea behind this model is to teach people in neighborhoods how to help each other in the first few minutes or hours following a disaster – before emergency responder are able to get to them to render professional help. In the classes, students will gain hands-on skills such as how to put out small fires, render first aid in a disaster situation, and perform light search and rescue. For additional information and to sign up, please visit our CERT webpage.
Map Your Neighborhood
The Map Your Neighborhood program guides you and your neighbors through simple steps to help enhance your preparedness for an emergency. These steps will help you to quickly and safely take actions that can minimize damage and protect lives. It is designed to improve disaster readiness at the neighborhood level and teaches neighbors to rely on each other during the hours or days before fire, medical, police or utility responders arrive. For more information and resources, please click here.
PC-NET
PC-NET provides neighbors with the information and tools necessary to work together for an effective response following emergencies and disasters. Professional responders will not be available to assist you after a major disaster—you become the first responder. If individuals and their neighbors are prepared to mutually assist one another, lives can be saved and property can be spared. PC-NET is sponsored by Pierce County Department of Emergency Management and is free of charge. For additional information and to sign-up for PC-NET, please click here or call 253-798-6595.
*PC-Net is not available in the City of Lakewood
