September
is National Personal Preparedness Month
During
National Preparedness Month, the Family Liaison Office’s (FLO) Crisis
Management and Support Services team wants to know: Are you prepared for the
unexpected? Every day there is a possibility of a sudden departure from an
overseas post due to political unrest, terrorist threats, natural disaster, a
death in the family, divorce, a family member in crisis, or a medical
emergency. There are many ways to prepare for the unexpected and a good place
to start is by reading FLO’s Personal Preparedness Plan
online for tips on how to create your plan.
FLO also
provides a helpful checklist for preparing a Go Bag and a 72 Hour Emergency Kit.
You need to be prepared to grab your Go Bag quickly should you leave post on a
short notice so keep it in a location that is easily accessible. Make sure your
Go Bag meets airline specifications for size and weight and that it is easy to
handle, especially if you are traveling with small children. (Pack younger
children’s necessities in your own bag and allow older children to have their
own.) It might be impractical to have your Go Bag completely packed all the
time as you may need to use some of the items on a daily basis. In this case,
attach a checklist of important items, such as passports and important
documents, phones and chargers, etc. that you can quickly pack when the time
comes. Your 72 Hour Emergency Kit should include supplies you would need to
survive for 3-4 days when you are asked to shelter-in-place such as
non-perishable foods, water, medications, etc.
The theme
for the 2015 National Preparedness Month is Don’t Wait. Communicate. Make
your Emergency Plan Today. Visit http://www.ready.gov/septemberfor information,
including tips for creating a family communication plan. Take 60 seconds to
watch the Don’t Wait video
and take action today!
Visit FLO’s Crisis Management webpage for more
information or email FLOAskSupportServices@state.gov.
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