I just heard the official announcement changing the schedule for the Republican National Convention that was to begin in St. Paul (MN) on Monday; because of the pending emergency situation in the Gulf Coast region due to Hurricane Gustav. Here we go again, three years later.
It’s quite a coincidence that National Preparedness Month (September), also begins on Monday; and it is starting out with that universal question: In the event of a mega-disaster, are you and your family “prepared and ready” to cope with a situation where you could be on your own for 72-hours or longer?
“Me, Myself & I” have posted over 50 blogs related to this theme since March 2006. Most of them have appeared on Petaluma360, under the heading “Emergency Preparedness” and are still accessible. http://bill-hammerman.petaluma360.com Look under “Categories” to the left.
Since the major purpose of National Preparedness Month is a nationwide effort to encourage Americans to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes; WE, along with “Eagle-Eyes” and “Hammerhead” will continue to post pertinent blogs related to how residents of Petaluma and Sonoma County can improve their “Readiness Quotient” (RQ) by taking appropriate action. For example, if you want to learn more about the Emergency Readiness & Emergency Preparedness “Blueprint” for the greater Petaluma area, plan to attend the public information program at the Petaluma Branch of the County Library (100 Fairgrounds Drive) from 2-3 p.m. on Saturday, September 13th.
This pilot project, initiated by PetalumaNet soon after Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, has identified a series of Emergency Readiness Training Programs designed to help citizens become organized and ready for national emergencies. To date, over 200 Petaluma area citizens have participated in one or more of these programs. Information about Get Ready, Citizens Organized to Prepare for Emergencies (COPE), Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Community Emergency Radio Network (CERN), Neighborhood Emergency Response Teams (NERT), and Alliance of Local Emergency Response Teams (ALERT) will be presented, along with handout materials.
United State Geological Service (USGS) scientists have already stated that the most dangerous earthquake fault (Hayward) will be the Bay Area’s own Hurricane Katrina affecting more than five million people. It could be worse that ’06! Stay tuned.