September is National Preparedness Month and Texas AgriLife Extension Service personnel are reminding Texans and others that the agency has information and publications, most of which may be downloaded and printed free of charge, to assist in emergency and disaster preparation and recovery. (Texas AgriLife Extension Service photo)
COLLEGE STATION – Texas AgriLife Extension Service family resource personnel are reminding people that September is National Preparedness Month and are asking Texans to help ready their families, businesses and communities for emergencies of all kinds.
This September will mark the ten-year anniversary of the 9-11 terrorist attacks, said Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Craig Fugate in a recent press release.
“By doing what we can to ensure that our communities, and our nation, are prepared to respond and recover from all types of disasters and hazards, we honor the memory of those who were lost that day,” Fugate said.
“Because September is National Preparedness Month, AgriLife Extension is supporting national efforts to increase public awareness on how to protect against, prepare for and recover from an emergency or disaster,” said Janie Harris, AgriLife Extension housing and environmental specialist in College Station.
Harris said the national initiative provides an opportunity to encourage people to prepare for the possibility of either a natural or man-made disaster.
“While wildfire from drought is on the minds of a lot of people throughout Texas and the South right now, the fact that the eastern U.S. has recently been affected by both an earthquake and a hurricane makes a national preparation initiative all the more relevant,” she said.
Harris added that, as part of its educational outreach, AgriLife Extension provides Texans and others with free, objective, research-based information to help people with emergency and disaster preparation and recovery.
Harris said this information is available through two AgriLife Extension-related websites and agency personnel in county offices throughout the state.
The Texas Extension Disaster Education Network, or Texas EDEN, at http://texashelp.tamu.edu contains information and materials relating to specific disasters, such as wildfire, drought and hurricanes, as well as information on disaster preparation and recovery, she said. The AgriLife Bookstore website at http://agrilifebookstore.org contains a variety of emergency and disaster-related topics, including general preparedness, first aid, and home, property and financial recovery.
Most materials for the sites can be downloaded and printed free of charge, and several are also available in Spanish, Harris noted.
“County AgriLife Extension agents throughout the state utilize emergency preparedness materials in their programming throughout the year, but September is a reminder that these are also part of broader, nationwide emergency preparedness efforts,” she said.
Harris noted that the comprehensive AgriLife Extension and Texas Department of State Health Services co-authored publication “Preparing for the Unexpected” was among the materials on both websites of which a PDF version may be downloaded free of charge.
“There are numerous considerations before, during and after an emergency or disaster, and each disaster has its own unique personality and set of challenges,” said Dr. Joyce Cavanagh, AgriLife Extension family development and resource specialist in College Station.
Cavanagh said families should map out an evacuation plan ahead of time and practice it.
“They should also have an emergency kit for their home, office and each vehicle, and definitely should know where to go in case of an emergency,” she added. “The evacuation plan should cover escape routes, utility shutoff and safety information, family communication, and protecting important documents.”
Cavanagh said an emergency kit should contain enough supplies to take care of the immediate family for at least three days. Some essential kit contents she identified included water, non-perishable foods, a hand-operated can opener, mouth/nose protection masks, extra clothing, a first-aid kit, gloves, blankets, toiletries, a battery- or hand-powered flashlight, a weather radio, spare batteries, garbage bags, medications and anti-bacterial cleaners or wipes.
She added that a number of safety issues also arise when returning to a home or business after a disaster, including possible structural damage, damage to electrical wires or gas lines, and the risk of contaminated water.
“After surviving a disaster, people should also be aware of the new dangers that crop up and take the necessary safety measures to ensure they survive the recovery phase too,” she said.
For more information on available publications, go to the Texas AgriLife Bookstore at http:///agrilifebookstore.org and click on “Disasters and Emergencies.” Additional information on the FEMA Ready campaign may be found at http://ready.gov, or http://listo.gov for the Spanish-language website.
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