September is National Preparedness Month

September is National Preparedness Month and the Winneshiek County Public Health Agency is reminding residents of the importance of planning ahead and being prepared in case an unexpected emergency occurs locally.  

Winneshiek County Public Health Agency emergency preparedness coordinator Nancy Sacquitne says it's important to be prepared for any type of emergency or public health threat that may occur. Being prepared means developing an emergency plan, building an emergency kit, and being aware of hazards in your area. An emergency kit should include several days worth of  non-perishible food, water, medications, clothing, and cash for everyone in the household. It's also important to establish a communication plan for your family. Designate a friend or relative living outside of the area that family members can call or text to communicate their status and location.

The Winneshiek County Public Health Agency is part of a local group and a regional group which both work to improve preparedness planning for our community. The groups strive to make sure plans are in place to keep residents safe in the case of an emergency.     

Sacquitne encourages Winneshiek County residents to sign up to receive emergency alerts from the Winneshiek Emergency Notification System at http://tinyurl.com/wcalert. In addition, the website https://www.ready.gov/ is a valuable resource to help plan ahead for disasters and emergencies.