On September 6, 2017

September is preparedness month

Dear Editor,

Like most of you, we at Vermont Emergency Management have been watching events unfold in Texas following Hurricane Harvey. As we watch, most of us are no doubt reminded of our own historic disaster: Tropical Storm Irene.

We’ve seen many stories from Houston about individuals and families who were rescued from their flooded homes or were stranded in place for several days. Those who were stranded surely ran low on or eventually ran out of essentials like food and water while awaiting rescue. They weren’t being ignored, the scale of the disaster simply made it difficult to get to everyone quickly.

The same circumstances were present during Irene, and could one day again happen here in Vermont.  Vermont has thousands of committed and talented emergency responders who dedicate their lives to protecting the lives of others.  But during a disaster their numbers can also be spread thin and they must respond to the most life-threatening situations first. That can mean if you are not in imminent peril, they may not be able to make it to you immediately.

That’s why emergency planning for your family is so important – it can keep you safe while you await help. You need a plan for your family before, during, and after a disaster.

Have you ever discovered a bees’ nest on your house or somewhere near your yard? You probably made a point to keep the kids away from it, worked around it when mowing, or sprayed it – whatever it took to avoid getting stung. You may not have realized it – but you developed a small-scale disaster plan. You took steps to mitigate the risk and improved your odds against being swarmed or stung.

That’s what preparedness is about: developing a plan to mitigate the effects of a disaster or crisis, no matter how big or small. You may not be able to avoid disaster, but if you know how to evacuate your home in the event of a flood, or if you have food and water on hand to sustain your family should you become home-bound for an extended period,  you better your odds against suffering serious harm. An emergency plan is scalable and can be as large or as simple as you choose to make it.

September is National Preparedness Month, to remind you that you can make a difference in protecting yourself and family.
Contact your town office and ask where your town shelter is located.

Determine the best route to the shelter from your home, taking you over high ground in case flooding overwhelms lower-lying roads.

Establish an out of state relative who would be a central contact for your family should you become separated during a disaster.
Have essential items on-hand in the event you are homebound.
Your preparedness kit should include:

    • Water
    • Canned food
    • Batteries
    • Flashlights
    • Battery powered radio
    • Over the counter and prescription medications

Help elderly neighbors, or anyone who may need assistance, develop a preparedness kit.

Make sure your children know about your plans and involve them in developing your preparedness kit.

Responders do all they can to help everyone in a crisis, but it may take time to rescue you.  So help them by helping yourself – prepare now, so you don’t get stung later.

Erica Bornemann, director, Vermont Emergency Management

Do you want to submit feedback to the editor?

Send Us An Email!

Related Posts

Celebrating 60 Years of the Food Stamp Act: Why SNAP must be protected for future generations

September 4, 2024
By Ivy Enoch Editor’s note: Ivy Enoch is SNAP policy and training lead for Hunger Free Vermont. As we mark the 60th anniversary of the Food Stamps Act, now known as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) nationally and 3SquaresVT here in Vermont, it is crucial to recognize the profound impact this landmark legislation has had…

Working together to address Vermont’s health care challenges

September 4, 2024
Dear Editor, As Vermont’s population ages and in many places declines, we’re seeing the impact in all aspects of our daily lives — whether it’s housing, education or health care. What’s the core problem in Vermont’s health care system? At its most simple, the number of people paying for care through commercial insurance is going…

We have gained nothing from legalized sports betting

September 4, 2024
Dear Editor, In its first six months legalized sports betting brought $3.5 million dollars in tax revenue to the state of Vermont. Except that Vermonters and visitors bet more than $100 million in that time period and the casinos paid out less than 90%. So $10 million left our economy and we got a $3.5 million return,…

Your public forests are at risk, but you can help

September 4, 2024
Dear Editor, What was at first a peaceful and unassuming summer has now jolted Vermonters with another wave of midyear inundations. Many communities just beginning to get back on their feet from last year’s flooding have been forced back to square one. In the wake of these unfortunate circumstances, we are reminded that Vermont’s forests…