Ready San Diego Blog

Emergency Preparedness for Theatergoers

The American Red Cross of San Diego-Imperial Counties, the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services and 2-1-1 San Diego, the region's primary sources for community, health and disaster information, have joined together for a special emergency preparedness information session at the theater. The session will begin at 6 p.m., an hour prior to the 7 p.m. Jan. 13 performance the San Diego Repertory Theatre's "boom" in the Lyceum Space in downtown Horton Plaza. In the comedy, the main character is certain that the earth is about to be destroyed by a comet. So, if a comet hit the Earth tomorrow would you be prepared enough to survive? Hear from the experts about disaster risks in San Diego County, how to develop an emergency plan, what to include in an emergency kit, and how to stay informed in a disaster.

Resolve To Be Ready in 2010

Start New Year Off Right by Updating Family/Individual Disaster Plans

    “Resolve to be Ready” in 2010 for any emergency by having an emergency supply kit and a plan prepared in advance for your household. “Resolve to be Ready” is a Department of Homeland Security campaign to encourage communities to take action and prepare for emergencies in the New Year.

“Personal preparedness is the public’s best protection if a disaster occurs. In order to ensure resiliency in our community, we have to encourage every resident to take steps in their own households to minimize negative impacts,” said Ron Lane, Director of the County Office of Emergency Services.

    Residents can take three simple steps to be better prepared in the New Year: 1) Make an emergency supply kit; 2) Make a family disaster plan; and 3) Become informed about the hazards that could affect your community and learn the appropriate responses.

    By storing an emergency supply kit at home, your vehicles and in your workplace, you will be starting the year off prepared. Emergency supply kits should include basic necessities such as water, non-perishable food, first-aid supplies and flashlights. Vehicle kits should also include blankets, road flares and tools that could assist you if you became stranded.     

    For a complete list of emergency supplies and to download a free Family Disaster Plan and Survival Guide, please visit www.ReadySanDiego.org,  www.ready.gov, or the Spanish language Web site www.listo.gov.

Heads Up For Disaster Readiness Billboard Campaign

 Allstate Foundation-Sponsored Signs Urge Residents to Prepare by Visiting County Website

The billboard features the words, "You can’t predict, but you can prepare" against a dramatic image of a firefighter emerging from a smoky wildland area. Many San Diego County residents learned this lesson firsthand in 2003 and 2007. The outdoor public service campaign was made possible through an $80,000 grant from the Allstate Foundation and employed by the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services to prepare residents against wildfires and other emergencies.

    "Allstate and the Allstate Foundation have been strong partners in supporting the County’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Day and producing public service announcements that are currently broadcast on local television," said Ron Lane, director of the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services.

Eleven billboards have been placed along local freeways in the County with the goal of reaching more residents with the public service announcement.

    "Allstate cares about our communities, and the information provided in all this public outreach will serve as an important reminder that emergencies do happen. Each of us can prepare in order to protect ourselves and our families," said Phil Telgenhoff, Allstate Assistant Field Vice President for California.

Don’t let a wildfire or other emergency catch you unprepared. Learn what you can do to lessen your risks for various hazards, including having a disaster plan for your family and signing up to receive emergency notifications on your cell phone by visiting  www.ReadySanDiego.org.

 

 

EMERGENCY CONTACT DRILL PLANNED

Residents Encouraged To Establish Emergency Contact And Meeting Place

What would you do if a disaster occurred while you were separated from your family and you couldn't reach them to assess their safety? If you had an out-of-state contact, your family could text that person to provide an update on their safety status and location, and your contact could notify other family members as they checked in and assist in your reunification.

"We recommend that all residents talk with their families and establish an out-of-state emergency contact and meeting place in the event of an emergency," said Ron Lane, director of the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services. "Then we encourage them to take a few minutes out of their day on Friday to put that plan into practice."

In San Diego County, County employees, 68 schools and up to 1,700 businesses will be participating in a nationwide "9/11 Drill Down for Safety" in partnership with the Safe America Foundation. In San Diego, employees and students are encouraged to text a simple message to their emergency contact that says "I am safe. Heading to meeting place." The drill will take place between 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Friday, September 11, 2009.

The test will also serve as a test of our region's phone texting capabilities as Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, Cricket and T-Mobile are participating and plan to track the number of text messages sent during this short time period.

The drill has three goals; To influence people to select an out-of-state emergency contact for their family; To confirm that all family members are trained to text a message to that contact; and to ensure that the phone system can handle a surge in text messages or phonecalls during a specific time frame.

To pledge to drill, go to www.safeamerica.org. To obtain additional information on preparing for an emergency, go to www.readysandiego.org and download a copy of our family disaster plan under the Family tab.

RESIDENTS URGED TO REVIEW FAMILY EMERGENCY PLANS

Campaign Aims To Help San Diegans Understand What It Truly Means To Be Ready

September is National Preparedness Month and the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services is encouraging individuals, families, businesses and communities to prepare for emergencies.

"San Diego regional emergency managers and fire personnel are bracing for a potentially dangerous fall season for fires due to a prolonged drought that has dried out much of the natural vegetation in the County's rural areas. The conditions accentuate how critical it is for residents to take steps now to assess the fire and other hazard risks at home, work and even on their commute," said Ron Lane, director of the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services. "By identifying hazards in those places where you spend the most time, you can develop a plan to reduce, and in some cases, eliminate those threats."

This year, National Preparedness Month is focused on changing perceptions about emergency preparedness and asking "Are You Ready or Are You Ready?"

To learn more about wildfire awareness and general preparedness, please visit www.ReadySanDiego.org.

National Preparedness Month focuses on promoting preparedness on an individual and community level. The County of San Diego has participated in the campaign for 25 years.

Are you ready or are you READY?

September is National Preparedness Month, a nationwide effort sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Ready Campaign in partnership with Citizen Corps.

This year, NPM focuses on changing perceptions about emergency preparedness and will help Americans understand what it truly means to be Ready.

Preparedness goes beyond fire alarms, smoke detectors, dead-bolt locks and extra food in the pantry. Being Ready includes: getting an Emergency Supply Kit, making a Family Emergency Plan; being informed about emergencies and their appropriate responses; and getting involved in community efforts such as our local Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT).

Take time this month to become educated, trained and better prepared at home and at work. Start by downloading our Family Disaster Plan template and Emergency Supply Kit checklist at www.ReadySanDiego.org, and learn about CERT by visiting >http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/oes/community/oes_jl_CERT.html.

 

Pledge to Drill on 9/11

  The Safe America Foundation and ReadySanDiego are inviting you and your family or business to "Pledge to Drill" on 9/11.

Pledge to drill by doing one of the following:

    1.  Make a Plan

    2.  Assemble an emergency kit

    3.  Practice an emergency communication drill

Enter a brief description of your drill and what you learned to be eligible for drawing where you can win prizes.

Family Pledges -- Four (4) Southwest Airlines roundtrip domestic flight tickets

Company/Organization/School Pledges -- $500 gift certificate from Office Depot

Community Pledges -- $1,000 gift certificate from Office Depot

Photographs are encouraged and may be posted on the www.safeamericaprepared.org website.

Entries must be submitted before September 30, 2009, by emailing to pledge@safeamericas.org or mailing to the Safe America Foundation, 2480 Sandy Plains Road, Marietta, GA 30066.

If you have any questions, please contact Pat Wilder at pat.wilder@safeamerica.org.

Visit www.readysandiego.org for a planning lists or www.safeamerica.org for additional information.

Seven Steps to Survive an Earthquake

1. Before an earthquake, identify potential hazards in your home and fix them.

2. Complete a Family Disaster Plan.

3. Create or replenish your emergency supply kits for your home, work and vehicle.

4. During an earthquake, get under a table or desk and drop, cover and hold on. If outside, move away from power lines, building or trees that could fall over. Above all, protect your head from falling objects.

5. After an earthquake, check yourself and your family for injuries.

6. Check your home for fires, damage or gas leaks. Know where to turn off gas, if necessary, and be ready with a fire extinguisher in case of a fire.

7. Be mindful of potential aftershocks and carry out your disaster plan as necessary.

Now’s the time to complete your Family Disaster Plan, which is applicable for any disaster and available in Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. For more information on earthquakes please visit the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services earthquake section.