Press Contact: Matthai Chakko, (510) 981-7008USE SEPTEMBER TO IMPROVE YOUR HOUSEHOLD’S PREPAREDNESS
Doing a little every day has a big impact
Berkeley, California (Tuesday, September 01, 2020) - Get better prepared for a fire, earthquake, or other disaster this month by talking to your family about your emergency plans, attending an online workshop, or packing a disaster kit. Each small step we take to get ready makes us more resilient as individuals and as a community.
The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed our daily lives, but the wildfires blazing across the state remind us that it is not the only emergency that could do so. In addition to fire threat in the Berkeley hills, we are at risk to experience a sizeable earthquake. When everyone does what they can to prepare beforehand, the City is better able to support our most vulnerable community members in a disaster.
Step-by-step calendar makes preparedness manageable
Preparedness does not have to be a daunting or expensive process.
Use a daily preparedness calendar throughout the month to guide your activities. For each day, the calendar suggests one task that can help you be more prepared. Some tasks take less than five minutes, while others will require a few hours to complete. Over time, these steps will build on each other to put you in a better position to survive a disaster.
Seven steps to take this week
This week's preparedness activities are:
- Tuesday - Save early for disaster costs. Put aside $50 cash in your disaster kit. Keep it in a waterproof document holder - or a sealed plastic bag if you don't have one.
- Wednesday - Read about preparedness online. Review Berkeley Ready webpages on wildfire evacuation, earthquakes, and building a disaster supply kit.
- Thursday - Sign up for AC Alert. Make sure we can reach you in a disaster. Sign up at acalert.org to get emergency notifications from the City of Berkeley and Alameda County.
- Friday - Take a picture showing what you're doing to prepare. Inspire others to get ready by posting on social media with the hashtag #BerkeleyReady.
- Saturday - Buy a hand-crank or battery-powered radio. This a critical item for your disaster kit.
- Sunday - Tune your radio to 1610am: In emergencies, we broadcast information and instructions on this station.
- Monday - Check your insurance coverage. Review the ready.gov guide to documenting and insuring your property.
Do task one a day or tackle several over the weekend. What matters is doing as much as you can. Getting ready for a disaster can be very effective even if it's done in small doses.
Online emergency preparedness presentation September 15 & 29
The daily calendar is part of National Preparedness Month efforts coordinated by the City's Berkeley Ready program, a collaborative effort between the Public Health Emergency Preparedness unit and Office of Emergency Services.
Berkeley Ready staff will also be sharing tips directly with community members during online presentations on Tuesday, September 15 and Tuesday, September 29, both at 10:30am.
Join online at bit.ly/BerkeleyReady. Let us know if you're planning to attend by emailing ready@cityofberkeley.info.
Resources
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