September 14, 2020

2020 Preparedness Month Week 3: Community Preparedness

National Preparedness Month is recognized each September to promote family and community disaster planning now and throughout the year. As our nation continues to respond to COVID-19, there is no better time to be involved! Visit ready.gov/september for more info.

The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) in Region 4AB have come together to promote National Preparedness Month in our communities. Be sure to check out our weekly training opportunities and additional preparedness information to help assist you and your loved ones to be more prepared for disasters.

Week 3: Community Preparedness

Disasters can impact anyone, and when they strike, we need to be able to call on our neighbors to keep each other safe. Some emergencies call for us to be prepared to ensure the safety of our neighbors and the people around us, like drug overdoses, natural gas emergencies, fires, water safety, and active shooters.

It is essential to promote safety education and community preparedness so anyone can assist others until help arrives in an emergency. Learning these skills yourself is the first step to passing them on to others and preparing your community for emergencies.

Training Opportunity: Overdose Prevention and Response Training

Monday, September 14th, 3:00 PM

An overdose can happen in any community. Overdoses are dangerous, tragic, and preventable. Overdose prevention training can save lives. This training offers up-to-date information about the opioid crisis, how to distinguish overdose from non-emergency situations, and what to do if you see someone in trouble. This training is held over Zoom thanks to the Cambridge Health Alliance and Somerville Public Health Department.

Preparedness Activity: Practice Safety Skills

A small set of safety skills can make a big difference in emergencies. Learning how to perform CPR or how to use a fire extinguisher can save lives. Set the time aside before a disaster to learn how to keep others safe in dangerous situations.

Be sure to learn these valuable safety skills before disaster strikes and establish your Life Saving Skills Toolkit!:

  1. How to perform First Aid or CPR: Take a first aid and CPR class – getting certified protects you under Good Samaritan laws if you have to give first aid. Get more information about supplies in a first aid kit.
  2. How to use a fire extinguisher: Have at least one up-to-date fire extinguisher and let everyone in your household know where it’s kept and how to use it. You should have an ABC type at minimum. Get more information about preparedness for a fire emergency.
  3. How to shut off utilities including natural gas, water, and electricity: Natural gas leaks and explosions cause a significant number of fires after disasters. Water quickly becomes a precious resource following many disasters. It is important that all household members know how to shut off all utilities.

Visit ready.gov/safety-skills for more details and to learn some basic safety skills!

*The information above is provided by ready.gov