Behind the Badge
Be ready.
September ushers in the start of fall, but it’s also National Preparedness Month.
Designed to educate and inform residents to ready themselves and their families in the event of an emergency, this year’s theme is “Don’t wait. Communicate.”
Residents are encouraged to “like” Anaheim Fire & Rescue’s Facebook and Twitter pages (@AnaheimFire and @City_of_Anaheim, with #NatlPrep.) The tweets will provide tips on a weekly basis on how to prepare and react to a wide variety of emergency situations.
The first week will focus on the impacts of flood waters — which is especially critical for residents of Orange County, which is predicted to be facing a brutally wet El Nino winter.
Anaheim Fire & Rescue Battalion Chief Tim Adams, who leads AF&R’s Emergency Management and Preparedness section, says: “Six inches of moving water can knock you down, and two feet of water can sweep you away. Remember the rule – Turn Around, Don’t Drown!”
The weeks after that will focus on subjects such as wildfire preparedness and developing emergency plan efforts in the event of a major power outage.
“By taking simple steps to connect, plan, build and practice, one can establish the foundation for emergency preparedness,” said Anaheim Fire & Rescue Chief Randy Bruegman. “Preparedness is a shared responsibility; it takes everyone working together to be as self-reliant as possible. In the event of a major emergency, the first level of response is from within your home or workplace.”
National Preparedness Month will end Sept. 30, which is National PrepAthon! Day.
To learn more about National Preparedness Month, visit www.ready.gov/community.
Anaheim Fire & Rescue also offers more advanced safety training through its Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program. Information regarding specific elements of emergency preparedness can be found at www.anaheim.net/fire.
For more information on the City of Anaheim, please visit www.anaheim.net.
