Sibley, Iowa — This is Preparedness Month in Iowa. The theme this year is, “Disasters Happen. Prepare Now. Learn How.”
Joyce Flinn, acting director of the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, or “HSEMD” says that while their department’s job is ensuring that Iowa and Iowans are prepared and ready to respond to emergencies and disasters, during Preparedness Month they want to highlight the importance of personal preparedness. She says that through preparedness planning activities, citizens can rest easy knowing they’ve done everything possible to survive emergencies and disasters.
Preparedness Month is sponsored each year by HSEMD, the Iowa Emergency Management Association (IEMA), the Safeguard Iowa Partnership (SIP), and the National Weather Service (NWS). This year, the Iowa Insurance Division is joining Preparedness Month sponsors to highlight the importance of flood insurance. During Preparedness Month, Iowans are urged to take simple steps to ensure they, their families, and their places of business are prepared. Those steps are making an emergency plan, building an emergency kit, and being aware of hazards in their area. More information on these simple steps can be found on the Ready Iowa website. Another important component of emergency preparedness is making sure homes and businesses are properly insured. Find more information on insurance on the Iowa Insurance Division website.
Osceola County Emergency Management Director Dan Bechler highlights the importance of having a kit.
Bechler says you can see a preparedness kit for yourself as you check out a traditional northwest Iowa September event.
Preparedness Month is the perfect time for employers to make sure they have an emergency plan, according to SIP Executive Director Dutch Geisinger. He says that the creation of an emergency plan for your business or family sounds like an overwhelming task to many people but, in fact, there are a number of free resources available to help you get started.
Iowa’s Preparedness Month is held in conjunction with National Preparedness Month, which was created by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States to educate the public on how to prepare for emergencies.
Preparedness Month information can also be found on Facebook or Twitter using the hashtags #NatlPrep, #PlanAhead, and #ReadyIA.
For more information on Preparedness Month sponsors, you can visit these websites:
Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management
Iowa Emergency Management Association
Safeguard Iowa Partnership
National Weather Service (Sioux Falls, S.D.)
