By Terri Moon Cronk DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON, August 31, 2015 — Tomorrow marks the start of
National Preparedness Month, and while preparedness calls for year-round
attention, it is a good opportunity to remind Defense Department personnel and
their families to be prepared at all times to respond quickly to disasters and
emergencies, the acting assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense and
global security said.
The scope of national security readiness includes being
prepared for any type of crisis in the workplace and at home, Tom Atkin said in
a recent interview with DoD News.
National Preparedness Month culminates Sept. 30 with
America’s Preparathon! Day, which Atkin described as a “day of action” for the
DoD workforce and families to exercise their emergency plans. This year’s
national preparation theme is, “Don’t Wait. Communicate. Make Your Emergency
Plan Today.”
Mission Readiness is Key
“Preparedness is the shared responsibility of our entire
nation,” Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work noted in an Aug. 21 DoD-wide
memorandum.
“Preparing individuals, families, components and
installations for disasters and emergencies -- from flooding to an active
shooter -- ensures the strength of our workforce and our ability to continue to
safeguard U.S. security,” Work said in the memo.
The deputy defense secretary noted that national preparedness
campaigns provide a “recurring opportunity” to take action before a crisis,
“which contributes to fostering a culture of preparedness and to strengthening
our resilience.”
What DoD Personnel Can Do
DoD’s preparedness campaign encourages personnel and
families to participate this month in three key ways:
-- Take action: Know your hazards, create an emergency
communications plan and build an emergency kit;
-- Be counted: Have your organization complete the DoD
survey at defense.gov/prepare, and register your action at ready.gov/prepare;
and
-- Spread the word: Tell others about your actions and
encourage them to take part.
DoD will also emphasize crisis and disaster awareness,
emergency communication planning and developing family plans for these hazard
themes throughout the month:
-- Sept. 1 to 5: Floods;
-- Sept. 6 to 12: Wildfires;
-- Sept. 13 to 19: Hurricanes;
-- Sept. 20 to 26: Power outages; and
-- Sept. 27 to 30: Lead up to Sept. 30 America’s
Preparathon! Day.
Staying Prepared at Work
In the work environment, employees must be aware of
evacuation routes, shelters, and have a ready-to-go kit, Atkin said, adding
that personnel can plan for emergencies with supervisors and co-workers.
And when DoD personnel are assured their families are
prepared at home for a crisis, it adds to mission readiness, he said.
Staying Prepared at Home
Families should prepare by keeping a kit with 72 hours’
worth of food, water, medications and up-to-date essentials, such as flashlight
batteries, he said, adding that the kit should be kept in an easy-to-access
place.
Supplies and necessities should be ready to go in a moment’s
notice for each family member and every pet at home, Atkin advised.
“The reality is in a natural disaster, families will have to
care for themselves the first 72 hours,” he said.
Other details to consider are having gas in the car, Atkin
added.
Making advance plans for pet care is part of family
preparedness, to keep them safe and secure, with plenty of food, water and
medications as needed, he said.
Family preparedness planning should also include
communicating with relatives, friends and the service member’s chain of
command, Atkin said.
“Preparedness has a much broader scope,” than preparing for
those in the same household, he said. “And know what they’re doing, too.”
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