September is Emergency Preparedness Month
Westminster, MD, Thursday, September 1, 2022 – Today, the Carroll County Board of Commissioners proclaimed September as Carroll County Preparedness Month. September is also Maryland Preparedness Month and National Preparedness Month.
The theme for this year’s preparedness month for Carroll County is “A Ready Citizen is a Ready Carroll!” Through the month of September, and year-round, the citizens of Carroll County are encouraged to have a plan and keep an emergency kit stocked and prepared in case of a need to shelter in place or evacuate. Building a kit and a plan with friends and family can be fun and can help put minds at ease knowing that you and your family have the items you need in an emergency.
“This is the perfect time to prepare yourself and those you love for unexpected emergencies or disasters as it is important for all of us to remain vigilant and proactive when it comes to emergency preparedness,” said County Commissioner Ed Rothstein. “Building a culture of preparedness to become disaster-ready improves our ability to react, respond and recover whenever and wherever an emergency occurs.”
Common items that are a good idea to include in a ready kit are a flashlight with extra batteries, shelf-stable food, water for drinking and sanitation, a first aid kit, local maps, and a whistle to signal for help.
Several online sources providing good emergency preparedness information include:
- Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM): http://mdem.maryland.gov
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): http://www.ready.gov
To stress the importance of the topic, the county will issue a news release related to emergency readiness in the county each week in September. Additional information can also be found in the Are You Ready? Citizen’s Guide to Emergency Preparedness, and on the Carroll County Emergency Management website. Residents are also encouraged to sign up for the Prepare Me Carroll App.
Open session is available for viewing on the county meeting portal and the county YouTube channel. In addition, all meetings will be replayed on Comcast Channel 24.