national preparedness month begins today

On behalf of the Ad Council and New York City Office of Emergency Management (OEM), I'm helping spread the word about National Preparedness Month, which kicks off today.

Do you have a plan for a natural or man-made disaster?  What about an “everyday” contingency plan, if an apartment fire, neighborhood power outage or a water main break happened?  Would your family and friends be prepared and know where to meet up?

Ready NYC provides tips that each and every family (wherever you live) should be aware of:

1) Get an emergency supply kit -- suggested contents are listed here.
2) Make a family emergency plan
3) Be informed about the different types of emergencies that could occur and the appropriate response.

You can also "like" the OEM's Facebook page, which offers safety tips and a Get Ready NYC: My Meeting Place Facebook application.

I hope and pray that none of us will EVER have to put an emergency plan into action, but the fact is, we should all be prepared regardless.  Husband and I have a few things stashed away in a "Go" bag, but it's isn't anywhere near completed.  We'll be working on ours tonight.

*Starting today, the Empire State Building will be lit in yellow, which is the signature color of the ReadyNYC logo & program.