Clatsop County Emergency Management is bringing back its 6 Weeks Ready campaign to help residents and businesses prepare for a disaster.
“We are launching this campaign again this year because we want to help residents and businesses to be prepared for a natural or man-made disaster,” said Justin Gibbs, emergency management director.
Coastal communities may be isolated for a longer period of time and it may take longer for out-of-area emergency responders to help. “When individuals and families are 6 Weeks Ready, they can survive if roads are impassable and no one is able to reach them with help or supplies,” he said.
The 6 Weeks Ready campaign focuses on personal preparedness, family preparedness, and community preparedness.
“When we are prepared, a disaster can be a less stressful experience. It can make it easier to take care of yourself, loved ones, and pets during intense storms, flooding, wildfires, earthquakes, and tsunamis,” Gibbs said.
Being prepared also will take pressure off first responders so they can respond effectively and attend to life-threatening situations, he said.
Each week of the campaign, preparedness themes and resources to guide residents toward becoming more prepared will be posted on the ClatsopCounty.gov website in English/Spanish.
Week 1: Sept 1 Building a Kit
Week 2: Sept 13 Disaster Planning with Everyone in Mind
Week 3: Sept 20 Protecting your Family & Property in a Disaster –
Sept 26 Countywide ClatsopAlerts! emergency communications test
Week 4: Sept. 27 Food & Water in an Emergency
Week 5: Oct 4 Earthquake Safety
Week 6: Oct 11 Tsunami Evacuation
The campaign ends on the day of the Great Shakeout on Thursday, October 19. “We encourage everyone to register online to participate. The more you practice, the more likely you will know what to do if an earthquake strikes our area,” he said.
Week 1: Go-Kit and Personal Preparedness
The focus of Week 1 is on putting together preparedness kits.
After an emergency, you may need to survive on your own for several days or weeks. Being prepared means having your own food, water and other supplies to tide you over until help arrives. A disaster supplies kit is a collection of basic items your household may need in the event of an emergency.
Save the Date: Free Preparedness Event Returns!
Clatsop County Emergency Management is partnering with NW Natural and more local organizations for a free Get Ready Fair scheduled for 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Saturday, September 30, at Warrior Hall at Camp Rilea in Warrenton.
The event will help you and your family prepare for a natural disaster. There are children’s activities, you can talk with local experts to learn about preparedness, attend 20-minutes presentations, view outdoor displays, learn about volunteer opportunities, and enter to win door prizes.
Free survival tools are available (while supplies last) for all kinds of emergencies and the first 300 attendees will receive a free lunch.
Event sponsors are the NW Natural, Clatsop County Emergency Management, City of Seaside, American Red Cross, Clatsop County Citizen Corps, Clatsop County Department of Public Health and Tongue Point Job Corps.
For more information, email clatsopemd [at] clatsopcounty.gov (Clatsop County Emergency Management) or call 503-325-8645.