If an emergency occurred in your area tomorrow would you be ready? September is National Preparedness Month and the Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale County Health Departments would like to provide the community with tips and resources to be prepared in case of emergency. Whether it’s a natural disaster, a disease epidemic or an act of terrorism, you can take steps now to be ready if disaster strikes.

Emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere. It is important to know which emergencies are likely in your area and how to stay informed. Consider bookmarking the National Weather Service’s page, weather.gov on your computer, and downloading emergency alert applications on your smart phone such as the FEMA app, Weather Channel or WeatherBug.

Have a plan. The ready.gov website has templates you can download and use to create an emergency plan for your family. Once you have created your family emergency preparedness plan it is important to exercise it. The more you and your family practice, the more confident you will be if you have to execute your plan. Make sure every family member knows what to do, where to go and who to call in case of emergency. Check all contact and emergency information annually.

Be prepared with survival supplies in your home and your car. For your home, make sure you have at least 72 hours’ worth of food and water for each member of your family. Each family member will need about 3 gallons of water per day. If possible, keep extra medication and a weather alert radio in your emergency kit. For a full list of recommended supplies and even more tips about what to do in any type of emergency, visit www.ready.gov or www.gnrhealth.com.