Preparedness is a very important component of emergency management. By promoting and practicing preparedness we (along with our entire community) can be more resilient and better able to deal with emergencies, disasters and even the challenges of every day life.
Preparedness can mean many things: It can mean having an emergency plan and an emergency kit for ourselves and our families; being prepared is important in our workplace or our place of business; preparedness can mean planning to meet the special needs of family members, loved ones, friends and neighbors; even our pets and; animals need us to be prepared to care for them during an emergency or disaster.
While preparedness and being prepared cannot completely eliminate our risk of an emergency or disaster occurring or affecting us, being prepared can substantially and positively reduce the risk and the impact to ourselves, our family, our workplace or business and our community. Preparedness can help us to be more informed and ready to take action if and when the emergency or disaster happens in our community.
There are many resources available to help us be prepared. Scott County Emergency Management Agency recommends resources from our partners at the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the American Red Cross. FEMA and ARC have developed many tips, tools and publications to help us on the journey toward living a preparedness life. Here are a few places to look:
Preparedness Information for Types of Organizations: