Fill-in-Blank News Release for County Health Departments

For Release: _____, 2011
Contact: __________
_____ County Health Department
(Phone)

9/11 Anniversary Reminds Us to Prepare in Advance

The tenth anniversary of 9/11 along with September’s designation as National Preparedness Month should remind all Oklahomans to ask “Are you prepared for an unexpected emergency event?”

“The tenth anniversary of 9/11 reminds us that we all need to prepare at home, at work and in our communities for a natural disaster or other emergency,” said _____ County Health Department Administrative Director _____.

The _____ County Health Department suggests everyone take the following basic steps to prepare:

• Prepare an emergency kit that has the basics for survival including fresh water, food and supplies for at least three days.
• Make a plan with your family and friends in case you are not together during an emergency. Discuss how you will contact each other, where you will meet, and what you’ll do in different situations.
• Stay informed. Being prepared means checking all types of media for global, national and local information. In the event of an emergency, state and local agencies will provide media with information on shelters and evacuation orders.
• Get involved. Take first aid and emergency response training and volunteer in community exercises.  Join the Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps at www.okmrc.org.

Several websites provide easy-to-use checklists to prepare for an emergency that could range from an inconvenience to a catastrophe. Check out these sites: www.cdc.gov/features/beready/, www.ready.gov, and www.ok.gov/reddirtready/ .

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