September is National Preparedness Month, and it’s time to start planning with your neighbors.
Led by our partner, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Preparedness Month is dedicated to educating and empowering Americans to prepare for emergencies that may take place in our homes, workplaces, schools, and communities. All month long, we’ll be featuring content to help you and your neighbors plan for any emergency, big or small.
Our thoughts are with the neighbors impacted by Harvey and Irma. To support recovery efforts, please visit the Red Cross.
Here at Nextdoor, we believe our neighborhoods are one of the most important communities in our lives. In fact, studies from FEMA show that forty-six percent of individuals expect to rely on people in their neighborhood for assistance within the first seventy-two hours after a disaster.
For your community’s safety, it is essential that both you and your neighbors are prepared in case a natural disaster strikes. Plan to help your neighbors and community by following these steps brought to you by Ready.gov:
- Learn the skills you need to help yourself and others until help can arrive
- Get trained to be the ‘help until help arrives’
- Check on your neighbors by following these community preparedness guidelines
- Identify your gas, electrical, and water shut-off locations by talking with your power company about utility safety
- If you’re able, host an event with your neighbors on National Prepareathon Day, Friday, September, 15 to discuss safety plans
Remember, it’s important to prepare for any type of emergency, but you don’t have to do it alone. We’ve created our own tips for local communities to follow to connect, communicate, and prepare in any type of emergency, large or small. And remember, you can now add your emergency contacts to your Nextdoor profile, making it easier for you to connect with your neighbors in times of need.
From all of us at Nextdoor, we hope both you and your neighbors are on your way to emergency preparedness. Tune in next week for more tips on how to practice and build out your plan with your neighbors to keep your community safe.
Join your neighborhood on Nextdoor here.
Do you have a story about how you’ve used Nextdoor in your neighborhood? Let us know.
Eugene has two training’s a year paid for by FEMA called Citizens Emergency Response Team, CERT,.
The class is taught at the Eugene Fire Station on 1st Street. Get a hold of your City for dates and times of training.