Emergency Management News

Friday, March 14, 2014

The first America’s #PrepareAthon is coming! #AltusOK #OKready


National Day of Action is scheduled for April 30, 2014.

America's PrepareAthon! is a nationwide, community-based campaign for action to increase emergency preparedness and resilience. The first America’s PrepareAthon! National Day of Action is scheduled for April 30, 2014 and you’re invited to participate!  The first National Day of Action will revolve around taking the actions to prepare for specific hazards:  tornadoes, wildfires, floods and hurricanes
Despite an increase in weather-related disasters, nearly 70 percent of Americans have not participated in a preparedness drill or exercise, aside from a fire drill, at their workplace, school, or home in the past 2 years.  
To move people to action, the President, through Presidential Policy Directive (PPD-8), has directed all federal agencies to work with their stakeholders across the country to “coordinate a comprehensive campaign to build and sustain national preparedness, including public outreach and community-based and private-sector programs to enhance national resilience…” In support of this effort, the federal family is launching America’s PrepareAthon!SM, a community-based campaign to increase emergency preparedness and resilience at the grassroots level. Twice yearly, in the spring and fall, America’s PrepareAthon! will provide a national focus for individuals, organizations, and communities to participate through drills, group discussions, and exercises to practice for local hazards.
Goals
Increase the number of individuals who:
·         Understand which disasters could happen in their community,
·         Know what to do to be safe and mitigate damage,
·         Take action to increase their preparedness, and
·         Participate in community resilience planning.
What can I do?
Plan your own local community or organizational preparedness event; participate in discussion forums with like-minded peers and colleagues; and not only learn the actions to take for disaster preparedness but alsopractice them!
A robust, interactive website and additional resources to help you plan your very own day of action will be made available online this spring.  Additionally, you’ll soon be able to register to participate in America’s PrepareAthon! and provide details about the activities you’re planning. 
In the meantime, please look at the following materials which provide a bit more information on why America’s PrepareAthon! is taking place and how you can play a role:
·         America's PrepareAthon! Disaster Survivor Video: Please click "Download" to view the video.
Stay in Touch
To stay in touch and receive updates on America’s PrepareAthon! please email  prepareathon@fema.dhs.gov.
Additionally, please follow us on Twitter @PrepareAthon and be sure to use the #PrepareAthon hashtag so you can join thousands of other Americans in the conversation about taking action for preparedness!

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