September proclaimed Emergency Preparedness Month in Shoreline

City encourages residents to be prepared

On September 10, 2012, Mayor Keith McGlashan proclaimed September Emergency Preparedness Month (NPM) in Shoreline, coinciding with National Preparedness and Weather Radio Awareness Month, which was founded after 9/11 to increase preparedness in the U.S. It is a time to prepare yourself and those in your care for an unexpected emergency.

The City has partnered with a number of local businesses to promote Get Ready Shoreline! The following businesses will place Get Ready Shoreline logo stickers near readiness products and hand out shopping lists with ideas of preparedness items:

• Costco
• Home Depot
• Fred Meyer
• Haggen's Northwest Fresh
• Central Market
• Walgreens
• Safeway
• Radio Shack

During the month of September, take the time to prepare and plan for being without electricity, water service, access to a supermarket, or local services for several days. Follow these three steps:

1.  Get a Kit: Keep enough emergency supplies on hand for you and those in your care – water, non-perishable food, first aid, prescriptions, flashlight, battery-powered radio. For a checklist of supplies visit any of these websites: City of Shoreline, Take Winter By Storm, or 3days 3ways.

2.  Make a Plan: Discuss, agree on, and document an emergency plan with those in your care. For sample plans, visit the websites referred to above. Work together with neighbors, colleagues and others to build community resilience.

3.  Be Informed: Free information is available to assist you from federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial resources. You can find preparedness information by visiting the websites mentioned above or accessing Ready.gov You can also contact Shoreline Emergency Management Coordinator Gail Harris at 206-801-2271 or to get prepardenss information or visit the City website for information you can download on making you and your family safe at home, at work, and in your vehicle.

Police, fire and rescue may not always be able to reach you quickly. The most important step you can take in helping your local responders is being able to take care of yourself and those in your care; the more people who are prepared, the quicker the community will recover.