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California Volunteers Prepares Families for Disaster

May 9, 2008
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To live in California means living with the anticipation of earthquakes, fires, and the occasional flood. Yet according to the Public Policy Institute of California, less than half of our state's families are prepared to deal with such disasters. To help families better prepare for when the unexpected strikes, California Volunteers, the state office responsible for coordinating volunteer activities, has produced a unique online disaster preparedness program. The WE Prepare Web site features the following:
  • A customizable and fun children's story designed to teach children how to be disaster prepared.
  • A fill-in-the-blank family plan that helps families coordinate where to meet if they have to evacuate and who they've identified as an out-of-state "family contact," as well as where to get emergency information in their community and how to take care of unique needs such as those of infants, seniors and pets.
  • A risk assessment to help determine a family's current level of preparedness.

The site also features a list of disaster preparedness resources such as the American Red Cross Web site, the Department of Public Health and the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) children's Web site. There's also a downloadable checklist of supplies that should go into an emergency kit.

And to help spread the word about emergency preparedness, California Volunteers is conducting a contest to win a free emergency kit (see image), for those who have filled out the on-line disaster preparedness plan. To enter the contest, e-mail Amanda Nelson at amanda@rocketxl.com, and type "First 5 LA Emergency Kit Contest" in the subject title. In the body of the e-mail include your name, phone number and statement that you have finished filling out the plan. After a four-week window, three names will be chosen randomly and the winners notified.

To learn more about the WE Prepare Campaign or the contest to win a free emergency kit, contact Amanda Nelson at amanda@rocketxl.com.

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