From the city of Renton press release:
September is designated as “Ready in Renton” month and the city of Renton is urging residents to prepare their family and property for the eventuality of a natural disaster. Renton is located in the Cascade Subduction Zone is at an elevated risk for an earthquake.
“First responders will be overwhelmed in a disaster, and may not be able to get to you,” says Deborah Needham, emergency management director for the city of Renton. “Being prepared for emergencies and natural disasters takes just a small amount of pre-planning. Not only do you increase your own survival and comfort, but you take the load off first responders so they can focus on the critical emergency needs.”
The city’s effort to educate is part of National Preparedness Month. The Ready in Renton campaign emphasizes basic emergency preparedness: make a plan, build a kit, and help each other. The American Red Cross now recommends seven to 10 days of food, water, and other critical supplies. 14 days is even better.
Separation from, and the inability to communicate with, loved ones after a disaster can be overcome with preparation. Decide on a meeting place in case you’re separated. Designate an out-of-area contact that requires a long-distance call. Long-distance circuits are handled differently than local networks and may be the only communication methods available. Use your contact as a message board to update everyone’s status.
There are a number of steps you can take to be ready if the normal flow of information is interrupted:
* Bookmark rentonwa.gov. The City of Renton will post updated emergency information on the home page of the city’s website. In addition, the website’s Critical Emergency Information page gives the location of shelters, major road closures, how to get food and water, and other important information during a disaster.
* Follow the city on social media. Both the city and emergency management division actively post on Facebook, Twitter, and Nextdoor. This emergency information can easily be shared with others.
* Sign up for AlertRenton. Receive information about potential hazards and threats to the city. Sign up at www.rentonwa.gov/alert.
* Find the location of your Neighborhood Information Center. This is a low-tech way (think bulletin board) of posting information when other means of communication are not working. Most Renton School District schools have one at their main entrance.
* Get a NOAA Weather Radio. A programmable radio will let you choose the specific alerts to receive.
* Share the message with others. Many people may not have received the information, or might not understand it. Make a special effort to help everyone understand the danger so they can be safe.
