Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Florida Health Officials Urges All Residents & Visitors To Take Action During National Preparedness Month



TALLAHASSEE –  The Florida Department of Health urges all residents and visitors to take action during National Preparedness Month to make sure their families, homes and businesses are prepared and stay healthy and safe when natural disasters or other emergencies occur.

"National Preparedness Month serves as a reminder of the importance of emergency preparedness for ourselves, our families and our communities,” said Deputy Secretary for Health and Deputy State Health Officer for Children's Medical Services Dr. Celeste Philip. "I encourage all Floridians to take this opportunity to review or create your preparedness plan, locate special needs shelters and update your emergency supply kit, to ensure health and safety.”

Sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Preparedness Month's primary goals are education and empowerment for all Americans in preparing for and responding to every type of emergency, including natural and man-made disasters. The 2014 National Preparedness Month theme is "Be Disaster Aware, Take Action to Prepare”, and sponsors weekly spotlights:
  • Week 1 – How to… Reconnect with Family After a Disaster.
  •  Week 2 – Know How To…Plan for specific needs before a Disaster.
  • Week 3 – How to… Build an Emergency Kit.
  • Week 4 & 5 – How to… Practice for an emergency.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 48 percent of Americans lack emergency supplies in the event of a disaster. The Department reminds Floridians and visitors there are many resources available to aid in building an emergency supply kit and creating a family plan, as well as online and smart phone tools to help stay connected with family, friends and employees.

The Florida Emergency Preparedness Guide is available in English, Spanish, Haitian-Creole and Large Print versions on the Department's homepage, www.floridahealth.gov. In addition, the Department offers public service announcements on children's preparedness, registering for a special needs shelter, tips on including healthy choices in your emergency supply kit, and preparedness for the hearing impaired at https://www.youtube.com/user/fldoh. Also, the Florida Division of Emergency Management provides on online tool for building an emergency plan for families and businesses at http://flgetaplan.com/.

For more information about National Preparedness Month, visit: www.ready.gov/september.   

To view the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) website www.Ready.gov in Spanish, visit http://www.ready.gov/esFEMA offers a mobile app that includes disaster safety tips and other information at https://www.fema.gov/mobile-app.
   
The Department works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts. During 2014, the Department is recognizing 125 years of public health in Florida with educational opportunities and events. Please visit www.FLHealth125.gov for more information.

For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.floridahealth.gov.

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