The City of Port Angeles and Clallam County Sheriff’s Office Division of Emergency Management are teaming up this September for National Preparedness Month. This year’s theme, “Preparedness Starts at Home,” highlights the simple steps we can take that make a big difference in staying ready for emergencies. Together, the City and County are encouraging residents to stay informed and take basic actions to prepare for any disaster.
1. Sign Up for Emergency Alerts
Sign up for Everbridge, the emergency alert system used by the City of Port Angeles and Clallam County. This system provides residents with important information during emergencies like severe weather, natural hazards, and major utility outages. Residents can choose how they receive alerts—by voice call, text message, email, or TTY/TDD device.
2. Know Your Hazards
While house fires and power outages can happen anywhere, disasters like floods, tsunamis, and earthquakes, are a greater risk in our area. Understanding these hazards can help you take the right steps toward protecting yourself and your family.
3. Make a Family Plan
Knowing what to do and where to go can save time and keep your family safe. Discuss how your household will communicate, where you’ll meet, and how you’ll evacuate in an emergency situation. When making a family plan, consider the needs of every family member (including kids, seniors, individuals with disabilities, and pets).
4. Build an Emergency Supply Kit
When disaster happens, a quick trip to the grocery store for essential items may not be possible. Having enough non-perishable food, water and medicine can help you stay safe and comfortable until help arrives. While two weeks’ worth of supplies is the standard recommendation, a 30-day supply is optimal for those of us living on the Olympic Peninsula.
Building a supply kit takes time, and you don’t need to buy everything all at once. A simple way to start is by adding one extra item, like canned food or batteries, to your cart each time you go to the store.
5. Practice, Practice, Practice!
Participate in community events like the Great Washington Shakeout (scheduled this year on October 16) to practice how you’ll respond in the event of an earthquake or tsunami. Drills can be done whether you’re at home, work or school.
6. Get Involved
Consider participating in your local Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). These trained volunteer groups provide disaster preparedness education and basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety and light search and rescue, to their communities. Sponsoring agencies, like the City of Port Angeles and Clallam County Emergency Management, organize and train these volunteers to support professional first responders and assist their neighbors in a disaster. We encourage residents to watch for upcoming announcements about this new program.
7. Spread the Word
Finally, we ask that you help spread the word. Share this information with family, friends and neighbors to ensure they’re prepared, too.
How Your Local Government Agencies Are Preparing
In the event of disaster, the City and County work closely together, coordinating between departments, community partners, and other government agencies to ensure an effective response. When there is not an active emergency, our agencies are developing staff trainings, monitoring risk, and building relationships with local and regional partners.
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