Emergency Management Officials Urge Houstonians To Be Prepared

From Harris County

HOUSTON, TX -- September is National Preparedness Month and officials with the Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management are advising Harris County residents to make a disaster plan that includes a disaster supply kit.

Officials recommend equipping the supply kit with enough non-perishable food and water to last 7-10 days. Below are other essential items to include:

• Copies of insurance papers and identification sealed in a watertight plastic bag
• First-aid kit
• NOAA weather radio and batteries Mobile phone and charger
• Prescription medicines
• Sleeping bag or blankets
• Clothing
• Personal hygiene items such as toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, and deodorant
• Essential supplies for infants and the medically fragile
• Cash or checkbook
• Pet supplies including food, water, leashes, bedding, and vaccination records

Officials warn that families may not be together if a disaster strikes, so it is important to know how to contact one another and reconnect if separated. Emergency management officials advise setting up a family meeting place that is familiar and easy to find and practice your plan.

If you live in an evacuation zone, locate recommended evacuation routes and follow instructions from local authorities. To determine if your home is located in an evacuation zone, check the Zip Zone Evacuation Map.

If you need help creating a plan, download the free ReadyHarris app here from the App Store or Google Play.

The ReadyHarris app provides a step-by-step guide to building a personalized family disaster plan, offers tip sheets, maps evacuation routes, delivers real time weather alerts and locates local emergency services. It is important to stay informed before, during and after a hurricane.

Sign up to receive weather and emergency alerts at www.readyharris.org and closely monitor news media. Local officials will provide information about current conditions, evacuations and re-entry. Residents can also follow HCOHSEM on Facebook (/ReadyHarris) and Twitter (@ReadyHarris).

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