News

Emergency management campaign helps Airmen 'Be Ready'

  • Published
  • By Robert Genova
  • Headquarters Civil Engineer Support Agency
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) --  The Air Force Emergency Management's Be Ready Awareness Campaign features a new Web site and products designed to raise awareness and promote readiness on military installations and within local communities.

Emergency Management planners said they hope the messages will educate both military members and civilians about common home or workplace hazards and encourage them to begin their emergency planning to protect themselves and their loved ones in the event of disaster.

"Military (members), civilians, contractors -- really anyone living or working on a base -- needs to know about the types of emergencies or hazards they might face and what they can do to survive them," said Fred Casale, the chief of emergency management support at the Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency here.

The Pacific Northwest may not be prone to hurricanes or tornadoes like other regions; however severe rain and windstorms, earthquakes and active volcanoes do pose a threat to the local communities surrounding McChord Field, Wash.

"Historically, Air Force emergency managers did not have a formally recognized program that pushed information to the public," Casale said. "Our goal is for everyone to 'get a kit, make a plan, and be prepared,' and the Be Ready Awareness Campaign provides a variety of tools and resources to help Airmen and members of the public do just that."

The Air Force Emergency Preparedness Guide is a 64-page handbook that includes removable sheets for key resources, phone numbers and helpful sites. It also contains an emergency supply kit checklist and a template to help families develop an emergency plan. The guide is downloadable on the Be Ready website.

Emergency management planners have also created a series of awareness posters to reinforce basic messages about individual preparedness. Each unit in the 446th Airlift Wing has a designated emergency management representative that has information on local threats caused by major accidents and natural disasters.

Part of the campaign, "Be Ready Kids," is just for children. It includes several activity sheets educating two groups, ages 4 to 7 and 8 to 11, about a variety of emergency and disaster situations. The sheets use easily understood disaster terms and present safety messages and preparedness practices using crossword and word search puzzles, matching games, decoder puzzles, mazes and more.

Another resource available is the Washington Military Department's Emergency Management Division Web site, which provides up-to-date information and resources such as ideas for a 72-hour "comfort kit" to help prepare for disasters. A few key items that Washington residents should include in emergency kits are nonperishable food items, water, dust masks, a small multipurpose tool, and a flash light with extra batteries. The site also has a preparedness campaign specific to Western Washington called "Take Winter by Storm" and has monthly planning suggestions that only take one hour a month to complete.

"The biggest concern for Reservists is that they won't be ready to support the mission when called upon, if their families aren't prepared for emergencies at home," said Tech. Sgt. Justin Shattuck, 446th AW emergency manager. "They'll be too worried about their families at home to stay focused on the mission," he said.

Not all natural disasters or emergencies can be predicted, but the consequences can be mitigated.

For more information about the Air Force Emergency Management Be Ready Awareness Campaign, visit www.BeReady.af.mil. For information specific to the Pacific Northwest region, visit your unit emergency management representative or the Washington Air National Guard Military Department Emergency Management Division Web site at http://www.emd.wa.gov/preparedness/prep_index.shtml.

(2nd Lt. Lori Fiorello, 446th Airlift Wing Public Affairs, contributed to this report)