The Portsmouth City Health Department reminds community members that September is National Preparedness Month. Disasters can happen at any time and making sure that you and your family have a plan of action for what to do in a variety of disaster situations is the best thing you can do to keep everyone safe. The theme of this year’s National Preparedness Month is: Take Control in 1, 2, 3, and focuses on preparing older adults for disasters. If you are a senior or care for an older adult in your life, here are 3 steps to get you started on ensuring that you or your loved one is better prepared for disasters.

· Assess your needs. If you have medications that need refrigeration, rely on mobility or assistive devices, or have a pet you’ll need to understand how these variables will factor into what you’ll need to stay safe in a disaster or emergency.

· Make a plan. Once you assess your needs, you can tailor your plans to make sure your needs are met. This can include building a kit that includes extra medication, having a way to store medications in an emergency, and planning for your pets or service animals. If you’re an older adult or work with and support older adult communities visit Ready.gov/older-adults and Ready.gov/es/adultos-mayores for resources.

· Engage your support network. Reaching out to family, friends, and neighbors can help you build a support network that can support you before, during, and after a disaster or emergency. Share each aspect of your emergency plan with everyone in your group, including a friend or relative in another area who would not be impacted by the same emergency and who can help if necessary. Make sure everyone knows how you plan to evacuate your home or workplace and where you will go in case of a disaster. Ensure that someone in your personal support network has an extra key to your home and knows where you keep your emergency supplies. Practice your plan with those who have agreed to be part of your personal support network.

The health department will be posting updates throughout the week this month on resources and guidance for how to get you and your family better prepared for disasters that could impact Scioto County. There will also be resources available at the front desk of the Portsmouth City Health Department and at the clinic front desk on the second floor. You can also contact Portsmouth City and Scioto County Emergency Response Coordinator- Molly Dargavell for any other questions you may have.