September is National Preparedness Month. Are you properly prepared for an emergency? Here are some resources that you might find useful.

Federal Resources

www.FEMA.gov – FEMA is the Federal Emergency Management Agency and is the United States’ response to disasters. If you need post emergency financial assistance or shelter, FEMA can refer you to your correct local emergency management agency. They can also assist individuals with access or functional needs.

www.Ready.gov / www.Listo.gov – Ready is a National public service campaign designed to educate and empower the American people to prepare for, respond to and mitigate emergencies, including natural and man-made disasters. This is an easy-to-navigate source for short videos and printable resources to get you inspired.

Did you know about CERT?

When a disaster strikes and ties up emergency response teams, you may need to assist yourself or your community until help can arrive. The CERT or Community Emergency Response Team is a volunteer-based ground up approach to disaster preparedness training. With CERT training, you may learn skills like basic triage, search and rescue, or assessing structural damage in a building.

Both Eastvale and Jurupa Valley have established CERT programs with normally scheduled classes. In the past, JCSD has also allowed use of our Board Room and facilities to assist with their CERT training. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all classes have been canceled for the rest of 2020, but watch for future announcements from the City of Eastvale or the Jurupa Citizen Corps on their Facebook pages for when the program resumes.

State Resources

www.caloes.ca.gov – CalOES is the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. This is a great starting place to find out more about the local hazards you might face with their MyHazards tool. Their “Individuals & Families” page has educational videos and sources for disaster planning and preparedness.