Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Emergency Preparedness topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
EMA urges households to rehearse evacuation, plans videos on emergency kits and communication
Summary
In observance of National Preparedness Month, the Emergency Management Agency said it will publish guidance videos and advised residents to plan for 10 to 14 days of supplies, designate a family meeting spot and rehearse evacuation plans, EMA Director Sean Granato said.
September is National Preparedness Month, and the Emergency Management Agency urged residents to plan and practice household emergency procedures and stock supplies for an extended period. A staff member said the agency will roll out videos this month covering what to include in a ready kit, how to create a communication plan and disaster recovery.
The guidance matters because recent events showed evacuation assistance may not always be available, the EMA director said. "Any plan that you can make prior to an event happening, and then you practice it with your family," said Sean Granato, director of the Emergency Management Agency. Granato said households should plan for events that may offer little warning, such as earthquakes or chemical leaks, and identify a single meeting location if family members become separated.
Granato advised that families prepare to be self-sufficient for longer than the traditional three- to seven-day window. "Just make sure that you have enough food and water for 3, 5, 7, and now we have to say 10 or 14 days," he said. He added that people should rely on themselves, neighbors and loved ones because "we found out last time that that wasn't possible."
Agency materials scheduled for release this month will include step-by-step checklists for ready kits, templates for household communication plans and guidance on disaster recovery, the staff member said. The remarks came in a short agency briefing marking National Preparedness Month and the anniversary of Hurricane Helene; no formal actions or policy votes were recorded.
Discussion only: the segment was advisory and informational; no formal direction, assignment or regulatory change was proposed. The agency framed the messaging around household preparedness, evacuation planning, and strengthening neighborhood networks. The videos and guidance were presented as resources to help residents prepare and practice plans before an event occurs.
For now, the agency recommended that households choose a meeting spot, rehearse plans, maintain at least 10 to 14 days of food and water, and review the forthcoming videos on ready kits, communication plans and disaster recovery.
