Ready Virginia encourages preparing for emergencies

RICHMOND — To welcome the New Year, Virginia families can “Resolve to be Ready in 2010” by putting emergency preparedness at the top of their list of resolutions.

“Everyone should have a family emergency plan, so resolve now to make yours,” said Michael Cline, state coordinator for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. “This is a New Year’s resolution that is free, easy to do and will make a big difference.”

Ready Virginia, a statewide public education effort to prepare Virginians for all hazards, offers the following tips for families to start an emergency plan:

» Choose an out-of-town friend or relative as an emergency point of contact. Be sure everyone in your family knows the phone number for that person.

» If you have cell phones, teach family members how to use text messaging. Text messages can often get around cell network disruptions when a phone call might not be able to get through.

» Decide on a meeting place in case you cannot return home. Choose a neighborhood meeting place and another meeting place outside your neighborhood in case you can’t return there. For example, your neighborhood meeting place may be a friend’s house on the next street. A meeting place outside your neighborhood may be a nearby church, store or another friend’s home.

» If you are a parent, ask your schools and daycare providers about their emergency plans. Find out how they will communicate with families during a crisis. Ask if they are prepared to “shelter in place” if needed and where they plan to go if they must leave.

» Talk with your family about the types of emergencies that could happen to you. Include weather emergencies, health crises and human-caused situations.

» Write down your family emergency plan. Get printable worksheets to make a plan at ReadyVirginia.gov. This Web site also provides information about collecting emergency supplies and responding to all types of emergencies.

“Every family and neighborhood that is prepared for emergencies frees up first responders to take care of those who are in dire need,” said Cline. “That’s another important reason to resolve to make your own personal plan for emergencies.”

Research shows that families with written emergency plans are better able to handle and recover from unexpected situations, emergencies and disasters. For more information, visit ReadyVirginia.gov or the Spanish-language Web site, ListoVirginia.gov.

— Press release