Mayor Rieber Urges Residents to Prepare for Disasters

This area of the country has escaped major emergencies so far this year. This is true even as some still struggle to recover from damage caused by Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

“Planning to put together an emergency kit ‘sometime soon’ is a great idea,” says Mayor Michael Rieber, “but if there’s a disaster or an emergency in the meantime, what will you and your family do?”

“We’ve all heard the phrase, ‘Be Informed, Make a Plan, Build a Kit’ – maybe we’ve even talked about it with our kids,” stated Rieber, “but how many of us have actually done it?”

Many public utilities and agencies have improved their methods of communication. Citizens can sign up for apps and programs such as Livingston’s Swift911 Notification system (sign up at www.livingstonnj.org). While getting information quickly can be crucial, so is having an emergency kit. Having information about what’s going on as it occurs isn’t the same thing as being prepared to deal with it.

The Township of Livingston is proud to once again participate in the Annual National Preparedness Month (NPM) in September. Sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Ready Campaign, NPM is a nationwide effort designed to increase awareness as well as encourage individuals, families and businesses to take action and prepare for emergencies.

The 2014 Ready Campaign and its DHS partner, Citizen Corps, are encouraging Americans to take simple steps to prepare including: Be Informed, Make a Plan, Build a Kit about the different types of emergencies and their appropriate responses; and Get Involved. This year, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is encouraging citizens to register as a part of “America’s PrepareAthon,” urging everyone to “Be Smart. Take Part. Prepare.

The Livingston Township Council issued a Proclamation on September 8, 2014, declaring September as National Preparedness Month in the community. Council Members hope this will help spread awareness of the importance of being prepared.
“If we knew exactly when an emergency would occur and just what the situation would be,” said Township Manager Michele Meade, “We would make sure we took the steps to be prepared.

“But because we’re all so busy – and we don’t know if or when we’ll even need it – we put off planning for an emergency. Please join me this month and put your family’s safety first by being prepared; sign up for information, make a family plan, and build an emergency kit.”

The good news is that creating an emergency plan for your family or business has never been easier. Information on building your own emergency kit, and on ready-to- purchase basic kits, is available through links from the Livingston Township website. Click on Services in the green banner, and select Emergency Management from the drop-down menu. In addition, more information about the Ready Campaign and National Preparedness Month is available here. You can also learn more by calling 1-800-BE-READY.

Information courtesy of the Township of Livingston.