Goal: Space to Play

This bedroom had accumulated boxes of "stuff" for 5 years. This young lady now has space for her treasures and toys, space to play, and room to hang her original artwork on the walls.

9 Ways to Prepare for Disaster

Are You Prepared? Sept is National Preparedness Month. This campaign began seven years ago, urging Americans to be ready for a variety of disasters. We hate to think of experiencing a crisis and thankfully, the majority of us will not experience a major disaster. Yet, being prepared, in the event that there is a disaster in your area, is so important. Following are 9 ways to be prepared.

1. Have a first aid kit in your home.
2. Have a first aid kit in your vehicle.
3. Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. Regularly review how to use the extinguisher. Keep it in a location near the exit.
4. Keep a fire extinguisher in the garage.
5. Change smoke detector batteries regularly. (Set specific times of the year, for example, when the time changes in the spring & fall.)
6. Have a Survival Kit: Include items such as: water, food & can opener, battery powered radio, flashlight, extra batteries, first aid kit, dust masks, cell phone, blankets, whistle (to alert others), items to meet your specific needs, such as medicines or diapers & formula.
7. Make a Plan – Discuss with everyone living in your home what to do in case of:

• Fire
• Medical Emergency
• Threat of Violence
• Types of emergencies common to your region: tornado, earthquake, flood, wildfire, electrical outage, mudslide, etc

8. Designate an out-of-the-area contact. If you are separated from loved ones in a disaster, you may be able to reach a long sitance contact when local communications are not functioning.

9. Be Informed.

• What is the best/safest way to handle each of these disasters?
• What community resources are available when a disaster occurs?

Taking the time to prepare for the possibility of these disasters is important. Hopefully, you will never need to use the plans that have been made. Don't take the chance.
Go to: http://www.ready.gov/america/npm10/index.html for more information.