More information can be found at ready.gov/kids
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nK1XcIp6hrk
Are You Ready for Winter?
“Get an emergency kit in your car. It could save your life”
(MADISON) – Governor Scott Walker has declared November 10-14, 2014 as Winter Awareness Week in Wisconsin. The annual campaign, sponsored by Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM), its ReadyWisconsin preparedness program and NOAA’s National Weather Service (NWS), is to remind people to be prepared for winter conditions that could threaten their safety.
“The number one thing to do: make sure you have an emergency supply kit in your car – it could save your life,” says Brian Satula, Wisconsin Emergency Management Administrator.
Winter storms are considered deceptive killers because most deaths are indirectly related to the storm. For example, in the last five years Wisconsin has averaged 18,000 motor vehicle crashes during winter months. On average, 45 people are killed each year and more than 4700 injured on icy or snow-covered roads.
Carbon monoxide poisoning is also a danger. According to the Centers for Disease Control, carbon monoxide is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in the United States, with more than 20,000 people visiting the emergency room and nearly 500 killed each year from overexposure to the gas.
Now is the time to winterize your car and home, gather items for an emergency kit in your car, and make sure you have a NOAA Weather Radio with fresh batteries. Additional winter weather tips and how to put together a winter emergency kit are available at the ReadyWisconsin website. Residents also can sign up for a chance to win an emergency winter kit. The web address is readywisconsin.wi.gov. In addition, there are numerous winter storm maps and a history of Wisconsin’s winter weather produced by the National Weather Service.
(Please see links below for more information and second message with remaining pages of release)
Build A Kit
A disaster supplies kit is simply a collection of basic items your household may need in the event of an emergency.
Try to assemble your kit well in advance of an emergency. You may have to evacuate at a moment’s notice and take essentials with you. You will probably not have time to search for the supplies you need or shop for them.
You may need to survive on your own after an emergency. This means having your own food, water and other supplies in sufficient quantity to last for at least 72 hours. Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster but they cannot reach everyone immediately. You could get help in hours or it might take days.
Additionally, basic services such as electricity, gas, water, sewage treatment and telephones may be cut off for days or even a week, or longer. Your supplies kit should contain items to help you manage during these outages.
Download the Emergnecy Supply List
2014 National Preparedness Month
“Be Disaster Aware, Take Action to Prepare”
Kick off National Preparedness Month by planning your National PrepareAthon! Day on September 30! America’s PrepareAthon is a nationwide, community-based campaign for action to increase emergency preparedness and resilience through hazard specific drills, group discussions and exercises conducted at the national level every fall and spring.
During National Preparedness Month we ask you, your family, community and workplace to take action by planning a National PrepareAthon! Day on or around September 30th. We recommend using digital media tools as a way to promote National Preparedness Month, September 1-30th. #NatlPrep
Links
http://www.community.fema.gov/connect.ti/AmericasPrepareathon
http://www.ready.gov/make-a-plan
Seeking applicants to promote emergency preparedness
Are you interested in serving part-time in emergency management and helping to promote community emergency preparedness? Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM) is now accepting applications for the ReadyWisconsin – AmeriCorps Disaster Preparedness Program.
The project aims to increase community emergency readiness by delivering preparedness training to organizations and businesses and by recruiting and training local volunteers who can help with response and recovery activities during disasters.
WEM has openings for 20 part-time AmeriCorps positions to be located across the state from September 1, 2014 through August 31, 2015. AmeriCorps, often referred to as a domestic Peace Corps, places individuals who make a commitment to serving their communities. Members receive a modest living allowance and earn an educational award granted upon the successful completion of their terms of service.
One AmeriCorps member will serve in the Wisconsin Emergency Management central office in Madison and one AmeriCorps member will serve in the Wisconsin Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD) office also located in Madison. Eighteen AmeriCorps members will serve with experienced emergency management directors and emergency volunteer organizations in their host communities, working on these and other projects as well as participating in training and actual emergency response/recovery operations as they occur. The 2014-2015 host communities include the Bayfield County, Brown County, City of Milwaukee, Clark County, Dane County, Eau Claire County, Fond du Lac County, La Crosse County, Milwaukee County, Price County, Richland County, Sawyer County, and Waukesha County.
For additional information and to apply for ReadyWisconsin AmeriCorps opportunities please go to: http://ready.wi.gov/AmeriCorps/application.asp