September Declared by Governor as "Preparedness Month in Georgia"

Posted Sunday, September 4, 2005

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Governor Sonny Perdue has designated September as Preparedness Month in Georgia. The Georgia Office of Homeland Security - Georgia Emergency Management Agency (OHS-GEMA) and the American Red Cross are joining with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to encourage citizens to be prepared for whatever disaster or emergency might come their way.

Preparedness Month is intended to provide Georgians the opportunity to learn more about ways they can prepare for a natural or man-made emergency, create a family disaster kit, establish a family communications plan and become more aware of the potential threats to Georgia's communities.

"We cannot always predict when or where an emergency or natural disaster might occur, but it is critical that we are prepared," said Governor Perdue. "The state has committed considerable resources to our preparedness efforts, and I encourage Georgia's families to develop emergency plans."

During September, OHS-GEMA will intensify its focus on how state and local governments have enhanced preparedness capabilities, and on how families, schools and the private sector can become better prepared for emergencies.

"Complacency is always our biggest enemy," said OHS-GEMA Director Mike Sherberger. "We are not facing any specific threats at the moment, but emergencies can occur at any time. Now is a good time to consider how ready we are to deal with them."

OHS-GEMA's initiatives for September include: television and radio spots and print releases on preparedness, special informational materials on preparedness distributed through Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), partnerships with local emergency management agencies and an expanded outreach to Georgia's Spanish-speaking community.

Additional preparedness information can be found online at the OHS-GEMA Web site at www.ohs.state.ga.us or www.ready.gov.

Source: Forsyth County Government

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