JFK Memorial Hospital is encouraging is a campaign designed to educate and empower Americans to prepare for and respond to emergencies. In a recent national survey conducted by the Ad Council, 91 percent of Americans agreed that taking some simple steps to prepare could help protect themselves and their families in the event of an emergency.

However, only 54 percent had taken at least one of the three steps recommended by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Ready Campaign, including getting an emergency supply kit, making a family emergency plan, and being informed about the different types of emergencies that could occur and their appropriate responses.

JFK’s Disaster Preparedness Coordinator, Stuart Beckman, recently returned from training with Homeland Security at the Center for Domestic Preparedness in Anniston, AL. His attendance at this week long event, December 8-13, is a testament to the partnership and dedication that JFK has to serve our communities in times of crisis. Stuart urges everyone to follow a few basic steps, as follows:

Talk to your neighbors about how you can work together in the event of an emergency. You will be better prepared to safely reunite your family and loved ones during an emergency if you think ahead and communicate with others in advance. If you are a parent, or guardian of an elderly or disabled individual, make sure schools and daycare providers have emergency response plans. Determine a neighborhood meeting place, a regional meeting place and an evacuation location. Identify an out-of-town emergency contact. It may be easier to make a long-distance phone call than to call across town, so an out-of-town contact is important to help communicate among separated family members. You may also want to inquire about emergency plans at places where your family spends time, such as their place of employment. If no plans exist, consider volunteering to help create one.

To help everyone take the simple steps to get prepared, JFK suggests you visit the web site www.ready.gov. Free materials, including family emergency plan templates, are available through this resource. These materials will provide you with tools to make a New Year’s resolution that will bring you and your loved ones peace of mind.

A family emergency plan can help a family to stay in contact if they are separated during an emergency. Make it part of your New Year’s resolution to take a few minutes to sit down with your family and fill out the information.