While the majority of people are aware of the importance of emergency preparedness, most do not make preparedness a priority. Often it is thought to be too overwhelming a task in our time-pinched lives. To encourage and assist residents in becoming prepared, Canton's Emergency Management office is introducing a new initiative called Do 1 Thing.

The goal of the program is for residents to do one thing per month to increase their level of preparedness. This is an easy, financially affordable way to become better prepared. The first step (January suggestion) of the Do 1 Thing initiative is to purchase water, since it is essential to life.

In the following months residents will be urged to take steps towards preparedness by acquiring additional essential items such as canned foods, flashlight with batteries, and a first aid kit. Preparedness will also include creating a family communications plan and learning about emergency shelters in your area. Items will be promoted monthly to help residents build on their preparedness one step at a time.

For more information contact Emergency Management Planner Kathy Rich at 734/394-5357 or krich@canton-mi.org. You may also find additional information at www.do1thing.us.

Month	Suggestion
January	Purchase and store water  (file size 70k).  Water is essential to life in any emergency.  Every household should store enough water to last at least 72 hours in an emergency.
February	Sheltering (file size 78k).  Know how to respond safely when emergency instructions are given regarding sheltering. Sheltering can mean different things in different kinds of emergencies. During a tornado warning you should take shelter in a safe place. In a hazardous materials release you may be told to "shelter in place". If you have to evacuate your home you may go to a Red Cross Shelter.
March	Assess your risk (file size 48k).  Hazard + Vulnerability = Risk.  A tornado is a hazard. Who, where and when are factors that decide your vulnerability. Who and where you are when the tornado strikes equals your risk. The goal is to lower your risk by taking steps tomake yourself and your family less vulnerable to hazards.
April	Food supply   (file size 106k).  Have a food supply that will meet the needs of your household for three days without outside assistance.  Purchase and store a dedicated three day emergency food supply for your household.
May	Remember important items  (file size 59k).  Remember important items that may be overlooked when leaving your home.  This can include having identification on your pets should you become separated, storing negatives in a safe location outside of your home, keeping health supplies in a "go" bag, and planning a place to go in an emergency.
June	Family Communication Plan  (file size 55k).  Plan to have the ability to locate and communicate with family members during a disaster.  This includes planning for cell and cordless phones to not be working during power outages.  Do 1 Thing also suggests everyone create a contact in their cell phone under the entry of "ICE."  ICE stands for In Case of Emergency, and it should include several phone numbers emergency workers can call in case you are injured and unable to give the information yourself.
July	Connecting with Community (file size 58k).    Get involved!  Disaster resilient communities are those than can withstand a disaster and get back to normal quickly (even if normal isn't the same as it was before).  This takes a network of individuals who are willing to work together for the good of their whole community.
August	Getting Emergency Information  (file size 46k).  Did you know there is a radio that broadcasts National Weather Service warnings and watches 24 hours a day, and warns you with an alarm of dangerous weather?  It's called an emergency alert radio.  The radio can turn itself on when an emerency alert is issued and warn you at any time--day or night.
September	Power (file size 41k).  Make sure that you will know what to do during a power outage.  Create a plan for dealing with long-term power outages.
October	Emergency Supplies (file size 46k).  Everyone should have some basic supplies stored away to keep themselves, their families and pets safe for at least 3 days.  Items beyond food, water and shelter can provide additional comfort and peace of mind.
November	First Aid (file size 41k).  Be prepared to deal with medical emergencies during the time it will take for rescue to arrive.
December	Year End Review.   Review the monthly suggestions, and complete any suggestions you may have bypassed during the year.  If you've completed the Do 1 Thing campaign, you have established a well-prepared environment to handle emergencies that may arise.  We encourage you to recommend this easy-to-use program to family and friends.

For safety information on a variety of topics including winter storms, tornados and the pandemic flu go to Emergency Managment Handouts.

Also see: Links to Related Web sites

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